All-Wheel Drive Maserati’s in Minneapolis used to be a dream. In 2013, the dream becomes a reality. The new generation Quattroporte will have an all-wheel drive option.

The New Quattroporte was secretly displayed for Maserati dealers to see in Turin, Italy on October 16, 2012. So, of course, I had to make the trip!

The town of Turin is absolutely beautiful and full of history. The food isn’t bad either! When I wasn’t sampling the fine Italian food and wine, I was sight-seeing.

Turin, Italy

My favorite destination was the Palazzo Reale. Here are a few highlights of the palace:

Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace of Turin) – Home of the various Dukes and Duchesses of Savoy (1500s – 1700s).  It is now run by the Italian Republic which turned it into a museum in 1946 to display artifacts from the reign of the House of Savoy. If you love ornate, period true royal artifacts displayed in their original setting, you’ll love this palace. Allow two to three hours to complete the self- guided tour.

Palazzo Reale

 

Now, on to the car…

The Quattroporte, What a car! The styling is exceptional and boy is the new QP BIG!!! It is at the top or near the top in almost every size category in the large luxury car segment. It is bigger in every way than a S550 and only millimeters smaller than the LWB 7 series! So it must get 3 miles to the gallon, right? Wrong, Maserati promises that the new QP will be 20% more fuel efficient than the previous model.

The exterior beauty of the new QP is hard to put into words. It has some Granturismo to it as well as some newer Ferrari flair. The interior has been masterfully simplified with a massive technology upgrade. Can you say Garmin touchscreen!

Now for the important part, what’s under the hood? It depends. If you want the rear wheel drive monster you’ll be equipped with a 3.8L BiTurbo that pulls 530 horsepower! If you want a super sporty daily driver for all seasons, you’ll choose the 3.0L BiTurbo with 410 horsepower.

Ordering should commence this January with the first cars arriving in June. If you are not on the list for this car, you need to hurry. The first eight slots are already spoken for.

 

Guest Blogger: Matt Haust

General Manager | Twin Cities Luxury Auto