Low Miles!! + Nav + Rr Camera + Blk Cordelias + Q-citura Stitch + Carbon Fiber on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Maserati Quattroporte goes on a night run

While it was in development, Maserati rolled out its 2014 Quattroporte for a little testing, but rather than slather the big luxury sedan in gobs of camouflage to protect from it prying eyes, engineers used the cover of darkness to conceal the vehicle's design. Then they made a video about their cleverness and posted it on the Internet. The team spent some time whipping around the Balocco Proving Ground with chief test driver Fabrizio Galvan at the controls to evaluate the sedan's new drivetrain, noise levels and handling in the real world.
We got our hands on the 2014 Quattroporte last month for a first drive ahead of the vehicle's North American debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. You can read our impressions here, but first, take a look at the video below for a new glimpse at the machine's development.

Hear the Maserati Alfieri clear its throat at Villa d'Este

We know that Maserati will eventually bring a version of its Alfieri Concept to the road, as a next-generation production model slated to arrive in 2016. Shown at the Concours d'Elegance at Villa d'Este, the Alfieri wowed spectators with its throaty singing voice, releasing a few barks and a very racy idle note. Sadly, we know it won't sound exactly like this when it goes on sale.
See, Maserati is adopting a V6-only plan with the Alfieri, so the 4.7-liter V8 shown in the concept and adopted from the GranTurismo, isn't going to make be available in the production model. That's not to say the production car will sound bad - we've every reason to believe it won't - but that this isn't an accurate representation of what the 2016 Alfieri will sound like.
Take a listen and a look at the video down below, then hop into Comments and let us know what you think.

This is our clearest look yet at the next Maserati Quattroporte

The best look we've had at the next Maserati Quattroporte so far was found in patent drawings that could have substituted for a whole lot of other cars. But seen here is a more useful glimpse, courtesy of someone on the lookout in Italy who caught a prototype in a skin-hugging wrap.
Maserati has apparently gone with the Charles Eames philosophy on the redesign: "The details are not details. They make the design." The overall line is familiar - not such a bad thing even on this 10-year-old sedan - but the detailing appears to have been refined and made sleeker. The taillights themselves should make for an especially interesting feature if the camo'ed car can be trusted.
The next Quattroporte is predicted to be roughly 450 pounds lighter than the current car, and underhood grunt is expected to come from a 520-horsepower, 5.2-liter turbocharged V8 at launch, followed by a 420-hp, supercharged V6 supplied by Ferrari, both working through an eight-speed ZF transmission.