The Maserati Quattroporte V buying guide

Maserati has been building the Quattroporte since the 1960s but it was the fifth generation models (Maserati Quattroporte V) with Ferrari derived engines that raised their profile of these rapid Italian saloons. They’re now a great performance car buy.

Unlike the less exotic powertrains found in the competition, the Quattroporte (which simply means ‘four-door’) featured a sonorous 4.2-litre V8 that also did duty in the Ferrari 430, California and 458 (although in significantly different states of tune and utilising a flat-plane crank).

When fitted in the nose of the 2003 Quattroporte, it produced 395bhp, which gave it the performance to mix it with the class leaders. The Duo Select transmission was great when driving at ten tenths, but pretty miserable everywhere else. Jerky gear changes were a major bugbear and in 2007 a conventional six-speed ZF automatic transmission was added to the range.

A Sport GT and Executive GT were introduced to expand the range and a mid-life facelift in 2008 saw the welcome addition of a 424bhp 4.7-litre V8 for the S and Sport GT S models.

Continuous refinements over the years make the later cars both ride and handle better than the early models, but don’t rule out a good pre-facelift Duo Select model as there are some serious bargains to be had.

Whichever model you decide on, don’t forget that these cars can be expensive to maintain and patchy service histories are sure to cost you down the road.

The Maserati Quattroporte V comes with a V8 engine

Both the 4.2 and 4.7-litre engines are identical in design save for the capacity difference and have proven to be largely reliable. They like to use a bit of oil and the crankshaft seals and cam covers may allow some oil to seep past the seals, but this is normal unless you see a puddle of oil forming beneath the car each morning.

A minor service either annually or every 6,000 miles should keep everything running smoothly, two areas to look out for are the camshaft variators, which get noisy when the engine is cold and the airflow meter, which can cause the engine to lose its smoothness.

Maserati quattroporte v Gearbox

The Duo Select cars have come in for a lot of criticism and they can be frustrating in stop-start driving but most owners adapt to them and they are far better when controlled manually via the paddles.

Clutches have a severely shortened lifespan in predominantly city driving, lasting as little as 20,000 miles. This can be doubled if the car is predominantly used for longer trips. Replacements are pricey and the remaining life can be checked with diagnostic equipment.

The hydraulic gear selector mechanism can develop faults and if the changes are slurred or slow then it may be on the way out. The later ZF automatics are smoother shifting and tend not to give any issues. These cars have wet sump lubrication as opposed to the Duo Select cars’ dry sump system. ZF-equipped cars have blue cam covers while the Duo Select cars have red ones.

Suspension and brakes

All early Quattroportes featured the Skyhook adaptive suspension as standard, which was dropped for the base model from 2009-on. All S and GTS models used fixed rate dampers which provide a firmer ride.

The complex suspension set-up tends to be pretty trouble free although it is sensitive to incorrect alignment and worn bushes will have the car creaking over bumps. Check that the Skyhook adaptive dampers are working correctly as replacements are expensive.

The brakes and rear tyres wear out with a lot more regularity, though this is relatively normal for a heavy and powerful car; check that they still have enough life left in them. GT S models have Brembo six-pot calipers and uprated discs.

Two recalls regarding the suspension system were carried out, one for the front suspension arm and the other for the rear tie-rod ends. Both should have been rectified under warranty.

quattroporte Bodywork

The Quattroporte’s body was constructed chiefly of steel with only the bonnet and boot lid made from aluminium. Rust and corrosion should not be evident anywhere, but check for excessive stone-chip damage on the front bumpers and around the door, bonnet and boot edges for evidence of accident repair work or poorly resprayed panels.

maserati quattroporte V Interior

The interior should be in good condition and facelifted cars in particular were fitted with upmarket materials and finishes that should not show any undue wear.

The central screen can develop issues and electric switches and motors have been known to go on the fritz. A specialist can diagnose faults and this may be worth the effort. Rear parking sensors and the boot’s soft close function can fail so be sure to check those out too.

A few recalls affected earlier cars. One was for a possibility of the ABS systems going on the blink when the battery charge ran low and the other for an error that would trigger a door to open at speeds below 6mph due to a potential short circuit of the wiring harness. Another less serious issue was the possibility that the seatbelt warning buzzer would not work.

maserati quattroporte V History

2003: fifth Generation Maserati Quattroporte launched. 395bhp 4.2-litre V8 and paddle shift Duo Select transmission is standard. Adaptive Skyhook suspension fitted to all models

2005: Executive GT model introduced with additional standard features. Sport GT offers updated suspension settings and a sharper Duo Select set-up

2007: Traditional ZF-automatic gearbox offered alongside Duo Select versions. Even more focused Sport GTS introduced but without Skyhook suspension option

2008: Range-wide facelift carried out with changes to exterior styling and interior trim. 424 bhp 4.7-litre V8 introduced on S and GTS. Base 4.2-litre no longer fitted with Skyhook suspension

2008: UK only Quattroporte Collezione Cento limited edition introduced, available in both 4.2 and 4.7-litre versions. 100 units built

2009: Quattroporte GT S receives power bump to 434bhp

2010: Quattroporte GT S Award Edition introduced, changes centred around unique paint finishes and alloy wheels

2012: Production ends with just over 25,000 units being built

which quattroporte V To Buy

Soulful, rapid, luxurious and the perfect antidote to the anodyne German opposition, the fifth generation Maserati Quattroporte is arguably even more desirable now than when it was new. It won’t be cheap to run but good ones should be reliable and there are plenty to choose from too.

The vast majority of Quattroportes were the pre-facelift 4.2-litre models which means you will be saddled with the less desirable Duo Select transmissions. If you can get accustomed to the gearbox then a well-maintained example can still be very enjoyable in the right conditions and they are generally far less pricey than later models. That said, do not go for the cheapest one you can find as you will pay for it later.

The post-2007 automatic models are far easier to drive in traffic and the 4.7-litre engine which was available from 2008-on adds a touch more mid-range grunt and has arguably one of the best sounding exhaust notes of any road car, especially in the GT S.

The Collezione Cento and Award Edition GT S may command a premium over standard models but the changes are predominantly cosmetic and you should not be swayed to pay more unless the vehicle is in above average condition.

Were it our money we would pick a post-facelift S model as it offers the best balance of luxury and performance in the range at a reasonable price.

Maserati quattroporte V Specifications

4.2-litre V8 Duo Select

Power 395bhp

Top speed 171mph

0-60mph 5.2sec

Economy 19mpg

4.7-litre V8

Power 424bhp

Top speed 174mph

0-60mph 5.4sec

Economy 18mpg

4.7-litre V8 Sport GT S

Power 434bhp

Top speed 177mph

0-60mph 5.1sec

Economy 18mpg

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Text John Tallodi  Photos Maserati

Author: David Lillywhite

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