The big news at the Maserati press conference wasn't. We've known the company's Quattroporte sedan was getting a full-fledged automatic transmission for about a year, and today it officially did. Maserati hopes the 6-speed automatic will widen the car's audience, especially in the United States where the company says customers are used to long journeys and are particularly attentive to driving comfort. Americans that still want to drive can still opt for the DuoSelect transmission, which Maserati says will continue to appeal to the current more performance-oriented customer...
So basically the Quattroporte Automatic, which is offered in either the more luxurious Executive GT trim level or the sportier Sport GT, is for fat, lazy Americans that drive while holding a Big Gulp. We can accept that, especially when the ZF transmission is bolted to the same high-revving V8 we've praised in previous drives of the Quattroporte. The sedan's weight distribution is different with the Automatic, now 49%/51% instead of ideal 51%/49%, but we doubt the change is enough to stiffle the Quattroporte's road manners.
We'll sample the new Quattroporte Automatic in Monte Carlo later this month. Check back to Inside Line to find out if one of the world's finest luxury sport sedan still is. Slushbox and all.--Scott Oldham
estreka says:
01:40 PM, 01/ 8/07
Why do companies insist on puting cupholders right on front of the stickshift? I hate that. It's the same in my S2K. It makes it so hard to shift.
gmguy111 says:
10:57 PM, 01/ 8/07
I agree I have cupholders on my 2001 Malibu LS. Even though its an automatic it can still be a pain in the butt to reach over a giant slurpee just to get the thing in drive or to put in park. Maserati really should have considered either
A. getting rid of said cupholders
B. find somewhere else to put the cupholders
redlinez06 says:
06:04 PM, 01/14/07
Have yall ever thought its cuz theres nowhere else to put em?