And it will need that power. Sources say that its overall length will equal 5,100 mm (201 in) and wheelbase may exceed three meters (118 in), making it longer overall than Mercedes-Benz's short wheelbase S-Class. Then again it needs to be at least as large to compete directly for S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 customers, while offering yet more luxurious appointments and increasing performance - buyers in this category are traditionally loyal to their respective brands so the need for a dynamic statement of style, over-the-top opulence and authoritative power is paramount to cause them to make the jump. Simply, Maserati has to be quantifiably better in all areas.
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| The Quattroporte IV, introduced in 1994, doesn't use Ferrari supplied power but was nonetheless very powerful. Its angular Gandini styling especially struck a chord with Europeans when it was introduced. It is unknown how North American consumers would have accepted it as it never came across the Atlantic. (Photo: Maserati) |
An all-leather and Alcantara interior, richly detailed with wood and bright metal accents, and further highlighted with the latest in high-end audio, navigation and telematics equipment, should tease prospective customers into submission.
Those falling for the car based on design, performance and creature comforts should be equally lured by the Italian brand's reliability ratings. Ferrari-Maserati models have proven to be surprisingly trustworthy road cars, mirroring the prancing horse brand's F1 dominance as of late. On the contrary, German manufacturers have been struggling to satisfy owners who complain to J.D. Powers, for one, of all-to-regular trips to the service counters of their respective dealerships to fix annoying problems.