MASERATI GTS - THE GOLD STANDARD

Maserati. A glorious marque with a fabulous sporting history, but what comes to your mind when you first think of the name?

Due to my advancing years and my enthusiast background I think of the 250F front–engined racing car of the 50s.

Top:Khamsin Ctr:Bora Bttm:Merak

Plus the fabulous Maserati Khamsin, Bora and Merak coupes I had the pleasure of testing when I was Editor of MODERN MOTOR magazine.

Also, I think about my friend Stirling Moss and the huge part Maserati played in his early Formula One career. 

More on that in a separate post.

However, the focus of this post is the magnificent Maserati Quattroporte GTS sedan.

This is probably the most impressive ‘big’ sporting saloon I have driven in the past ten years, and that includes the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and the Mercedes S Class.

I did drive Version 5 Quattroporte back in 2007 when the clunky Duo-Select semi-automatic transmission was replaced by a ZF 6HP26 gearbox.

Today, Version 6 comes with an eight-speed ZF HP70 transmission bolted behind the superb 3.8L twin-turbo V8, producing 523bhp (390kW) in the GTS model.

 

The engine is particularly interesting. It was originally designed by Maserati specifically for its own use, and is now also used by Ferrari in the California and the 488 GTB. Despite this engine sharing, you will appreciate that the Ferrari version is greatly different to the Maserati. Ferrari has fettled the V8 so extensively it’s a bit like grandfather’s axe (many different heads and handles)!

Of many changes, Ferrari uses a flat-plane crankshaft, which helps give the 488 GTB its glorious exhaust note.

 But, back to this fantastic Quattroporte GTS. Despite its somewhat ‘peaky’ power curve (max power between 6500 and 6800rpm), it also produces torque of 640Nm (between 2000 and 4000rpm). This output, when matched to the silky 8-speed transmission endows the GTS with seamless power delivery and not a sign of any lag whatsoever from the turbos. It just delivers superb performance whenever you call on it. 

Quite frankly, if I was in the market for a large saloon (sporty or conservative) this is the car which would be my first choice. It is so much more engaging to drive than either the Bentley or the Mercedes – both of which (by direct comparison) feel like you're guiding a tank, when pushing hard.

The Quattroporte GTS simply glides through corners; tracks beautifully; offers pin-sharp response to steering inputs – and to top it off has the most wonderful sensory feedback through the steering wheel when cornering hard.

 A lot of this impressive driving performance comes from the design and construction of the Quattroporte. During the development phase engineers were told to use the components which best suited their purpose, whether that be lightweight, high-strength steel; aluminium or composite materials.

This means the car has shed almost 200kg from Version 5, and I believe that’s what delivers such a sporty driving experience. It is the same comparison I made after driving the Jaguar XJ, compared to the Mercedes S Class and the BMW 7 Series.

Naturally the interior is trimmed in exquisite, high quality materials, with elegant matching of leather surfaces. There is even an option to use a ‘silk’ fabric (yes, I said silk!), which has been specifically developed and produced by Italian haut couture house Ermenegildo Zegna to provide the look and feel of silk, but with more practical wear qualities.

Maserati makes ‘personalization’ the keyword in its offer. The choices are endless, and underscores the fact that Maserati concentrates effort on items which create and maintain value, rather than electronic ‘gimmicks’ which lose their appeal as features and competition improve.

To wit, you are never likely to see a Quattroporte ‘taxi’!

However, I think Maserati’s use of ‘cream’ in the interior color scheme is a road to ruin.

Witness, a previous driver of my test car had left some slight red wine stains on the trunk floor carpet. I'm especially impressed with the beautifully cohesive design of the front door interiors.

This latest version of the Quattroporte features an extended wheelbase, mostly intended to answer its growing appeal in the Chinese ultra-luxury market.

This means a very capacious rear compartment, featuring a high quality Harmon Kardon audio system, perhaps only bettered by the Naim system in the Bentley Continental Flying Spur.

Despite what I said about the lighter weight of Version 6, the car still weighs 1890kg (4167lbs), and that contributes quite a lot to the body’s ‘damping’ effect on the ride. This means the ride settings (springs/dampers/rollbars) can be stiffer than you might expect in a luxury saloon, but it still handles rough surfaces and potholes very competently.

By comparison, the Bentley weighs in at 2525kg, the Mercedes-Benz at 1900kg.

Sadly, the car had to go back, but I could have happily just kept driving and driving, only stopping for fuel top ups, until someone noticed it was missing!

SEEN ON THE STREETS - Part Two

American cars in Europe? They're a rarity, but this Charger owner in Prague couldn't resist laying rubber on the cobblestones after cruising quietly through the pedestrian crossing ....

Today comparing the humble Mini to anything is an amazing flashback, even in Europe.

Here's a hopeful autobahn stormer, a Super-Trabby! Truthfully, Trabby's could rarely top 75 km/h.









A brand-new Mercedes-Benz C coupe very much at home on this fashionable London street.

Easy way to beat the traffic in Budapest - a Tuk Tuk.

At rest in Vienna, a supercharged Supersport Jaguar XJR.

Ah, the pleasure of the open autobahn, with no speed limits!

WHO'S FOR THE ZOO?

I am told, by a very proud Czech official, that the Prague Zoo is rated as Number Four in the world. There were very humane spaces for the animals, and the photo opportunities were many. Here's a few:

Tiger ready for a post-prandial nap ....

Mother taking baby for a bath ...

Hippo family gathering for Hippo Happy Hour...

A capped Leopard who just had to have a nap ....

Gorilla with an annoying itch ...

A LIFELINE FOR MITSUBISHI - I THINK NOT!

So, Renault-Nissan has acquired one third of Mitsubishi Motors, at a very low price – a mere USD$2.2 billion! Is that a wise investment?

Actually it reeks of Japanese government involvement. As you know the Japanese culture is very big on saving face; and Mitsubishi’s disclosure that it has been cheating on published fuel economy results for 25 years is a huge embarrassment for Japan Inc.

Also remember, that Mitsubishi Motors is a tiny part of the huge Mitsubishi Group, one of Japan’s industrial titans. You could fairly ask, why didn’t Mitsubishi Group rescue its ailing automotive division?

The reason is Japan Inc. wants to keep Mitsubishi Group ‘clean’ and separated from any scandal and fallout from the automotive division’s deceit.

Personally, I think that for Renault-Nissan this is a hiding to nowhere. What’s in it for Renault-Nissan? Sure, Mitsubishi has a lot of experience in electric car development courtesy of the MieV program – but that’s not saying a lot.

Both Nissan’s Leaf and Mitsubishi’s MieV are dead ducks anyway.

The automotive world has shown that Hybrids and Extended Range EVs are the current best bets, and pure electric cars are way down the list in terms of an effective response to alternative fuel vehicles.

A year ago Mitsubishi Motors said it could not afford to develop a replacement for the highly-successful Mitsubishi Lancer range, and it needed a partner to share the costs.

Along comes Nissan, so I guess we can expect to see the Pulsar (and its replacements) become the new Lancer, with suitably different exterior panels. But, really! Why would you bother?

Mitsubishi Motors has produced some fantastic small cars, enjoyed enormous motor sport success in world rallying, and had a loyal band of owners willing to fork out for a new car from time to time, but again, it is a dead duck.

Expect to see the Mitsubishi automotive character swallowed up by Renault-Nissan, or completely disappearing within ten years.

The automotive industry at the moment is all about collaboration, consolidation and survival of the fittest – and you certainly can’t call Mitsubishi Motors capable of that.

MUSIC FOR KINGS, PEASANTS AND TOURISTS

This most recent travel through Europe allowed us the chance to take in two excellent concerts and a wide variety of street musicians, and the reaction from each audience is testament to the sharing of the joy of music, whether it's 

gypsy kings or a Viennese string ensemble.

A harpist in Prague capturing the ears of strolling tourists

Whilst classical concert goers lapped up the serious music of the Kingdom of Bohemia (aka: the Czech Republic ....)

EUROPEAN MUSINGS - Part One

One should never underestimate the value of global travel. Not just seeing how the other half lives, but adjusting your cultural vision from short-sighted parochialism to more tolerant assessments.

'Everywhere else' has something to offer, if not in the form of local cuisine, and customs, but also architecture, traffic management and lifestyles.

I try to collect examples via photography, and these selections provide the opportunity to muse over our differences.

Britain has to take the prize for silly names. I gave up photographing them a few years ago, but I couldn't resist this one in deepest Hampshire. Who calls a hamlet 'Farleigh Wallop'? I ask you?

All over England and Europe the renovation bug is in full swing. In Prague and Budapest I saw many examples of grand old inner city homes being pulled apart and refurbished, for wealthy new owners.

This example in the Prague New Town was formerly the home of a family famous enough to have its own crest.
Now it's being seriously gutted by people who lack a title, but have loads of cash under their mattress, or in the Cayman Islands!

The Brits of course have been not only successful at preserving heritage, but also making good money out of it. A thatch cottage like this one in Cheshire is at the top of the market.

Whilst further up the price ladder Betty Windsor did a very good job of renovating and renewing Windsor Castle after the big fire in 1992.

This beautiful old, and heavily-embellished apartment block in Budapest (left) had the surveyers in as I was taking the shot. 

However as far as I'm concerned, of all the European cities I visited on this trip, it was Vienna which stands out for the most lavish, and extensive preservation of its fabulous buildings.

However, for preserved authenticity I think Salzburg Castle is very impressive.

To finish off this ramble, I noticed that a small two bedroom flat in this beautiful block near Paddington station in London will set you back £stg.488,000 (USD$710,000 or AUD$962,000)!!

SEEN ON THE STREETS - Part 1

Basic Trabant (affectionately known as a 'Trabby'), however, tarted up with contrast colors on the headlamps and windscreen surround. Very swish!

Very smart luxury in Prague, Jaguar Mk 10.

Coffee cart in Passau, Germany

Cadillac Escalade in Vienna. And I thought Austrians had taste!

Should the Welsh language come with subtitles?











Definately!

Octavia at Carnarvon Castle, North Wales

In Salzburg, Austria - going back to basics!