Maserati is preparing a large coupe based on the Quattroporte saloon and meant to compete against luxury GTs such as the Mercedes Benz CLS or Bentley Continental GT. A prototype is expected next year at the Geneva International Motor Show, and production is due to start in early 2008.

2008 Maserati Quattroporte Coupe

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  • Model: 2008 Maserati Quattroporte Coupe
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Spy photographers have caught in tests at Nurburgring a large Maserati coupe very similar to the Quattroporte. Due to the large size of the test vehicle and generous wheelbase, we imagine it couldn’t have been the next GT Coupe, but a larger two-door able to offer four comfortable seats.

The test prototype was masked with fake rear doors that were meant to disguise the car into a Quattroporte. Overall proportions and visible design details clearly point that this future coupe is closely based on the Maserati sedan.

For the new battle of the four-door coupes soon to be joined by Porsche, BMW, Audi and Aston Martin, Maserati already had the Quattroporte that is a very sporty saloon, placed in a class of it’s own and not an actual competitor for the S-Class or 7 Series. We can then guess that Maserati has chosen to diversify their offer by producing a large size classic coupe, a true granturismo to compete against the Merc CL-Class, BMW 6 Series, Aston Martin DB9 & Co.

The design of the new Maserati large coupe will be done by the famous Pininfarina, Italian design house that have also penned the Quattroporte. Therefore, exquisite beauty is expected to surround the whole vehicle. Our team of artists has prepared a few renderings with the future coupe, to give you an impression of how the future vehicle might look like.

Our best guess is that the engine offered for the new Maserati will be that already presented on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. That is an upgraded version of the Quattroporte engine with a displacement increased from 4.2 liter to 4.5 liter. This V8 is expected to produce more power on the Maserati than it does on the Alfa, and reach up to 500 bhp. This would also be required in order to make the car a match for its competitors.

Other technological goodies will be a brand new ZF six-speed automatic with flappy-paddles and an improved version of the Skyhook automatic damping control system. The prices are expected to start at $100,000.

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History

The basis for the new Maserati Coupe is the Quattroporte saloon – designed by the famous Pininfarina house –the ultimate embodiment of qualities for which is well known worldwide: respect of beauty and good living, style, sophisticated engineering, genuinely sporty temperament and alluring exclusivity.

Other features also make this new Maserati a truly exclusive car: the compact, light, sophisticated 4.2-liter V8 engine that punches out 400 bhp; the Skyhook automatic damping system; the renowned MSP (Maserati Stability Program); electronically controlled power steering; and a powerful braking system.

What makes the Maserati Quattroporte absolutely irresistible is the combination of the technical solutions, the lack of any fussy details or complications, the sensuality of a line created by the world’s most famous stylists and a sophisticated bespoke leather and wood interior personalized to suit each individual owner.

Although there are other premium sedans that offer equal or greater luxury for less money, the Maserati Quattroporte is certainly the most exclusive and possesses the most flair among the sport-oriented luxury sedans.

The present form of Maserati Quattroporte combines strength and power in a sensual package, in which every last detail has been carefully finished. Its styling is unmistakably Italian: elegant yet aggressive and devoid of even the slights hint of fussiness; the lines flow clean and fluid, while its high waist-line gives it a sense of solidity and robustness. The Quattroporte is a big, refined car, yet sporty due to the beautifully balanced proportions of an athlete, which lend it an air of confident dynamism. It was designed over a long wheelbase with a cab-back stance that highlights the length of the bonnet.

There are three trim levels of the 2006 Maserati Quattroporte: base, Sport GT and Executive GT. The base Quattroporte includes 18-inch wheels, an adjustable Skyhook suspension system, bi-xenon high-intensity-dislarge headlights, dual-zone climate control, a navigation system and a Bose audio system with CD player.

The Sport GT benefits of more performant hardware: 20-inch alloy wheels, drilled brake disks, sport exhaust, a modified six-speed sequential shift gearbox for faster gear changes, carbon-fiber interior trim and aluminum racing pedals.

Click here to read more about the 2006 Maserati Quattroporte.

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Competition

The very definition of the luxury coupe at the moment is the new Mercedes-Benz CL-Class. Recently launched it is the culmination of a Mercedes-Benz coupe tradition going back over 50 years. The two-door model combines peerless exclusivity and charismatic design with the sort of cutting-edge technology that no other manufacturer can match worldwide. The luxury Coupe© raises the bar in terms of vehicle safety with the PRE-SAFE brakes: the unique system automatically brakes the Coupe before an imminent rear-end collision. Furthermore, Mercedes innovations such as the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system, the Intelligent Light System with five light-ing functions and PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection all come as standard. Two powerful engines with 8 or 12 cylinders are available, delivering a notable increase in output and torque. Thanks to their exemplary smoothness, they also live up to the Mercedes heritage of superb motoring refinement.

The large Mercedes Coupés have been synonymous with style and exclusivity in the automotive industry for decades. They set the standard in terms of design and equipment, combine exemplary safety with an outstanding level of comfort and assured handling. In short, Mercedes Coupés are extraordinary dream cars - automobile classics.

The new CL-Class is another Mercedes-Benz masterpiece. Just as the luxury coupe points the way to the future with its innovative technology, the design has also set the mould for a new Mercedes style. Its hallmark is the interaction between distinctive tightly drawn lines with large, unruffled surfaces. This design idiom lends the Coupe its own particular expressive power, emphasizing the calm and power of its powerful, self-confident nature.

For more details on the 2006 Mercedes CL-Class click here.

Another top luxury coupe the new Maserati will have to compete against comes from the exclusive British manufacturer Aston Martin. The future of Aston Martin is epitomized by the all-new DB9, a 2+2 seater sports car that sets new standards in its class due to its astonishing combination of agility, V12 power, smoothness, beautiful design and hand artisanship.

Using a radical new aluminum-bonded body frame, the Aston Martin DB9 is one of the most sophisticated and technically advanced sports cars in the world. It is powered by the latest version of Aston Martin’s 6.0-liter V12, producing 450 bhp and a top speed of 186 mph. Yet the DB9 is significant well beyond being a class-leading sports car. It is the beginning of a new era for Aston Martin. It is the first car to be hand-made at Aston Martin’s new state-of-the-art facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where all future Aston Martin models will be developed and built. Sales of the model will start in spring 2004, replacing the DB7, the most successful Aston Martin in history.

Gaydon is the future of Aston Martin," says Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin. "It combines cutting-edge high technology with hand-craftsmanship and tradition. It is probably the best facility of its type in the world, and the perfect showcase for how to design and build innovative sports and GT cars for the 21st Century."

"All cars built at Gaydon will be based on Aston Martin’s new VH platform. It’s the first time in our history that we have had a totally flexible yet dedicated Aston Martin platform. The DB9 is the first car to use it making it the most important Aston Martin ever."

The body frame is the most structurally efficient in the world, taking into account strength, torsional rigidity and weight. It has double the rigidity of many rivals, as well as being lighter, resulting in superior handling and agility.

All body panels are either aluminum or lightweight composites with magnesium being used on the steering column and inner door frames. Even the gear selector paddles are made from magnesium alloy. The total weight is 1710 kgs, extremely light for a V12-powered prestige 2+2 seater sports car with every imaginable luxury feature. This has a hugely beneficial effect on performance.

More information on the 2006 Aston Martin DB9 can be found here.