As predicted, two different engines will be offered to Quattroporte buyers, both of them developed and manufactured by Ferrari.
The entry-level unit is a direct-injected and twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 410 horsepower and promising 0-60 times in the five-second range and a top speed of 177 mph. A version of this engine is expected to feature in future Alfa Romeo models.
The range-topper is a 3.8-liter V-8, again with direct-injection and twin-turbocharging technologies, producing 530 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. An overboost function lifts torque to 530 pound-feet momentarily, however. This model reaches 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and goes on to reach a top speed of 191 mph.
The transmission on both models is a ZF eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters, and customers also have the choice of rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive configurations. For the all-wheel-drive model, 100 percent of the drive goes to the rear wheels during normal conditions while 50 percent can be directed to the front if conditions become adverse.
Maserati says it’s looking at offering a diesel powertrain in some markets, an option that will be offered in the smaller Ghibli sedan.
It’s not clear what drivetrain options will be offered in the U.S., though we should know following the car's Detroit debut.
As previously reported, the platform underpinning the 2014 Quattroporte is a steel monocoque with aluminum used for crossmembers and suspension parts. The suspension is all-independent, with double wishbones up front and a five-link setup in the rear. A shorter version of this platform will be used for the Ghibli, which will be produced alongside the new Quattroporte at a former Bertone plant just outside of Turin, Italy.
Similar in size to a Mercedes-Benz S Class, and being mostly steel underneath, the Quattroporte is a relatively heavy car. It tips the scales at almost 4,200 pounds. The trunk space comes in at a generous 18.7 cubic feet and the standard wheels are 20-inch alloys.
For an impression of what the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte is like to drive, head over to Autocar for its first drive review.
