2009 Maserati Quattroporte

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

Reviewers praise the handling balance of the 2009 Maserati Quattroporte, noting that the S and GT S models feature sports-car-like firm suspension tuning, while the base model is more subtle and smooth. The automatic transmission, which can be manually controlled via steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, is particularly well-liked. And then, of course, there is that exhaust note. It's unusual for auto writers to repeatedly focus in on a seemingly minor detail, but the Quattroporte's noise is such a visceral part of the experience of driving the car that it rarely escapes mention.

• "This is a visceral engine. There is a lot of sound here (as there is with the 4.2, to be fair), and the crescendo that accompanies the stomp of the right immediately reveals the Ferrari within. The 4.7 doesn't really rumble at idle, making more of a "brrrrrraaaaat" sound that rises into fluid baritone pulses as revs climb. It's less high-pitched than the 4.2 but speaks with an equally sharp tongue. And the staccato of each pulse is not only heard but also simultaneously introduced to one's fingertips via the steering wheel and, to an extent, the seat of one's pants." -- Car and Driver
• "Everything wonderful about the current Q'porte (now the best-selling Maserati of all time, with 15,000 units delivered) is still here, from the high-hosannas engine note and smooth-shifting ZF automatic to the Ferrariesque steering, braking, and neutral handling-but it's all espresso-caffeinated." -- Motor Trend
• +"Yes, you can get pulled over by police for speeding in Italy in a bright red Maserati. But if you're driving the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S you can outrun them." -- Jalopnik

Acceleration and Power

The 4.2-liter V8 that powers the standard Maserati Quattroporte is all the power most drivers will need, reviewers say. It makes 400 horsepower, while the 4.7-liter model available on the S and GT S editions makes 430 hp in the S and 440 in the top-of-the-line GT S model. All three models use the same, well-liked automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. All three also accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 5.5 seconds -- and we remind you, this is a large, four-door car.  The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the Quattroporte, in all its configurations, should manage 12 mpg in city driving and 18 on the highway.

• "No longer is this a race-car powertrain but, rather, one of the finest sports-sedan powertrains anywhere. [With the 4.7-liter engine,] Maserati claims that 0-to-60 happens in 5.2 seconds, which we think is conservative." -- Car and Driver
• "The base 4.2-liter engine is a treat, belting out an addictive wail at full throttle that befits its origins with corporate sibling Ferrari." -- Edmunds
• "Take an S for a blast along any twisty, hilly road with a bit of slow-moving traffic to overtake and you'll never look back." -- Motor Trend
• "The first thing you have to do with this Maserati is throw away any number comparisons. With 433 HP, 391 lb-ft, a 0-to-60 time of 5.1 seconds and a 178 MPH top speed, the $133,700 Sport GT S isn't notable next to the $126,000 S63 AMG's 518 HP, 465 lb-ft and 4.5 seconds. Nor is it much next to the regular $125,750 Quattroporte S, it only makes about 8 HP more at the very top of the 7,500 RPM rev range. But this Maserati isn't about numbers, it's about experience." -- Jalopnik

Handling and Braking

The Quattroporte is almost universally regarded as a smooth-handling car. S and GT S models are tuned for performance driving, and their firm suspension settings may strike some drivers as too stiff. The base model is tuned for touring comfort, and offers a gentler ride, though it is not as composed in hard cornering.

• "Inherently great handling attributable to the Quattroporte's 49/51-percent front/rear weight distribution has always made this car feel more agile than its size suggests, and the S-model enhancement make it seem nimbler still-on a par with the far lighter Jaguar XJR, but with a far more stirring engine note. ... Bigger front rotors (see Technical Highlights) on the Brembo brake system easily erase the extra momentum the engine so quickly gathers." -- Motor Trend
• "Gone is Maserati's flawed Skyhook adaptive suspension- which never really handled nor rode well - replaced instead with stiffer, single-rate dampers and lowered ride height. It doesn't sound like much and you might think the ride would be even worse, but that's not borne out on the road. With my right foot buried in the carpet at over 160 MPH over some of rural Italy's roughest, most uneven roads the Sport GT S is utterly composed, delivering Porsche-like confidence and Ferrari-like sound." -- Jalopnik
• "All Quattroporte models deliver sharp handling that belies the car's 4,400-pound curb weight, though the S and the Sport GT S are the ones to have if frequent visits to curving mountain roads are your cup of tea." -- Edmunds
• " the steering is about as spot-on and stable as any luxury proposition could ask for, compensating for a slight numb-zone on-center with an abundance of feel once the wheel spins more than five or so degrees. The brakes proved as impressive as the rest of the chassis, with enlarged, 14.2-inch brake discs clamped by six-piston calipers, the latter available in six colors, bringing us to some very impressive stops on those occasions when we came across a wayward tractor or a family of tourists on an Alpine bicycle adventure." -- Car and Driver