Fezza 12 goes into Masser four

Newswheel staff :: 27 February 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, Maserati, Maserati Quattroporte, Europe & UK, US,

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Maserati Quattroporte to get Scaglietti lump despite Ferrari split

UK mag Autocar is reporting that Maserati has commandeered Ferrari’s V12 mill for the Quattroporte sports-luxury barge.

Whether you like or loathe the unashamedly Italianate Quattroporte, there’s no doubting the car has had its work cut out fighting the ever escalating power war armed only with a 4.2-litre V8. Every German uber-barge and its dog (so that’s the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class) offers a 12 cylinder option, and Merc will even do you one with a pair of turbos for good measure. Of course a Ferrari V12 (lifted from the Scaglietti in 5.7-litre, 540bhp-ish trim, apparently) won’t necessarily make the Quattroporte a better car – the considerable extra weight is hardly likely to improve the car’s chassis dynamics, for starters. But then it’s very likely that the point of the exercise is ticking a PR checkbox, not improving the breed. It was ever thus.

Quite how this all fits in with the recent ownership split between Fezza and Masser (Maserati has now been aligned with Alfa Romeo courtesy of direct Fiat Auto ownership) is anyone’s guess. Fiat Croma with a Ferrari V12, anyone? (Don’t laugh, it wouldn’t be the first time - think Thema 8.32)

http://www.autocarmagazine.com/