Auto Shows

2006 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT Auto Show Photo

Italy’s gentleman’s express just got a more sharply tailored suit. The Quattroporte, Maserati’s full-sized luxury flagship, will now be offered with a “sport package” as if it weren’t already pretty darn sporty. The Sport GT rides on more aggressive 20-inch rolling stock (replacing the previous 19 inchers) and its suspension is retuned to increase handling performance. Several interior panels get the carbon fiber treatment, and splashes of red-and-blue stitching adorn the steering wheel and handbrake. The grille is , and finished in satin black. Maserati has reportedly tested a V-12 powertrain for the Quattroporte, but it has yet to break cover. But power has never been the 4P’s problem, and its 400-horse, 4.2-liter V-8 still gets the job done – quickly. The Quattroporte’s Achilles’ Heal has been its autoclutch manual transmission. It’s jerky in operation, and shifts too slowly, something S-Class and 7 Series buyers aren’t used to and won’t put up with. The trans has been recalibrated for both quicker and smoother shift action; we plan a road test of the Sport GT soon, and will report on how well the modifications work. The Sport GT is on sale now.

234 Featured Auto Show Vehicles
2005 Scion tC 1.0	2005 Scion xB 2.0	2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
2006 Audi A4 Cabriolet	2006 Audi RS 4	2006 Audi TT Coupe Sport
2006 BMW 130i	2006 BMW 130i	2006 BMW 3 Series
	1 - 9 of the 234 Auto Show Photos	Next 9 Photos >>