New Maserati Quattroporte revealed

This is the new Maserati Quattroporte, the first and the flagship of a trio of new models that will kick-start the firm's plans to boost its annual sales to around 50,000 units by 2015, a more than eight-fold increase on its 2011 performance of 6200 units.

The new sixth-generation Quattroporte will be revealed at the Detroit motor show in January and will be followed by a smaller BMW 5-series-rivalling saloon called Ghibli later in the year. A new SUV called Levante will crown the new expanded Maserati line-up, which will include diesel engines for the first time, in early 2014, the year of Maserati's centenary.

Maserati is not divulging any official details on the new Quattroporte ahead of its Detroit unveiling, but Autocar understands the latest model is longer but lighter than the current four-door saloon.

The next-gen Quattroporte is believed to be based on a new steel monocoque chassis. The new underpinnings mean it should grow to around 5200mm in length, up from around 5052mm compared to today's car. Much of the increase is understood to have been in the wheelbase, to legroom for rear passengers, something that's crucial if Maserati is to make the impression it seeks on the Chinese market.

Much of the bodywork for the new Quattroporte is believed to have been crafted from aluminium, meaning the kerb weight of 1990kg of the current car will be reduced by around 50kg to 1940kg in spite of the increase in size.

The launch engine will be a Ferrari-built V8, believed to be a new version of the 453bhp 4.7-litre V8 used in the Granturismo sports car. The new unit is expected to get more power, but also improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. It will be mated to a ZF-supplied XF automatic gearbox.

An expanded range of efficient turbocharged and supercharged engines are also under consideration, including a smaller capacity V8 and V6 petrol and diesel engines, although the V6 units are expected to ultimately be reserved for the smaller Ghibli saloon and the Levante SUV.

One first for the Quattroporte will be a four-wheel drive option around a year after launch of the standard rear-drive car.

The new model has been designed at a special Maserati-only department within the Fiat Group Centro Stile design centre, under the guidance of legendary Pininfarina designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti.

The look is evolved from the current car - the front grille, three side vents and distinctive triangular C-pillars all remain - but new features are added to give the car a more muscular stance, including a rising beltline running the length of the car.

The interior has undergone an overhaul from the current model, the result being a much more luxurious look and feel. High-quality woods and leathers are used throughout, and much of the major controls are operated by a large central touchscreen mounted on the centre console.

The new Quattroporte will be built at the old Pininfarina plant at Grugliasco, on the outskirts of Turin. The plant has been gutted and refurbished over several years; all but the walls are new. The new Ghibli will also be built at the plant and both models will be exported around the world, including North America.

Prices will start at around £80,000 for the base Quattroporte, rising to beyond £120,000 at the top-end for super-luxury versions.

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