Posts Tagged ‘ maserati ’

The Maserati Ghibli is essentially a sports car built by Maserati in 1967. The two door two seater GT was introduced at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. It signaled Maserati’s comeback to racing since the 1950’s and even did better than the Ferrari Daytona and the Lamborghini Miura.

The Ghibli was was powered by a 4.7 litre engine developing 315 hp. The dry-sump twincam V8 engine with four twin-choke carburettors is different from the ones used in the other cars manufactured by Maserati at that time. The Ghibli is named after an Egyptian desert storm wind and has a distinct look, styled by the famous Giorgetto Giugiaro, who worked for Ghia at that time. This is what Giugiaro said about the design of the car “A very striking, long, flat bonnet, full-width radiator grille, pop-up headlights, a sharply angled windscreen, wide squat sidelights that ended in a vertical segment, and very clean flanks even though the coach-line did have lots of movement to it. The rear end was high for aerodynamic efficiency as well as functional reasons (the two fuel tanks lie behind the rear axle and have a very raised neck).”

Famous owners of the Ghibli were Sammy Davis junior, Peter Sellers and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Henry Ford II was so impressed with the Ghibli that he even offered to buy up the company.

The Ghibri had a single-plug Bosch distributor with auto advance, coli ignition and two concentric gear pumps. It could be operated by a 5 speed manual or a 3 speed automatic transmission. The chassis was tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis. The brakes were servo assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit ventilated discs. The Wheels were magnesium alloy fitted with Pirelli tyres. The Ghibli could reach a top speed of 265 kilometers per hour (164.5 miles per hour). It also had two 50 litre tanks that allowed the car to travel almost 450 miles at a time.

In 1970 the Ghibli upped its specifications when Maserati replaced the engine with a 4.9-liter V-8 with 335 bhp to fit the American market and their stringent emission control requirements. The Ghibli lasted till 1973 when the new Maserati Khamsin took its place.

The Maserati Quattroporte is another Pininfarina creation which is a culmination of a sporty outlook and an extremely luxurious craftsmanship. This car is technologically excellent and is the only large luxury salon that guarantees both elevated on-board comfort levels and thrills with its authentic granturismo performance.

The new grille with its convex vertical slats dominates the Maserati Quattroporte and has a traditional Trident logo in its centre. The lights are LED fitted and give the car its distinguished look. The Quattroporte is a very powerful and majestic car with side spoilers and 19” Neptune wheel rims that add to its unique lines.

The interior of the new Maserati Quattroporte has raised the bar when it comes to comfort. The improvements are made to the driving position, the seat set up, the multi-functional steering wheel with its sports grip, the commands now situated on the centre console, the revised instruments and, near the chic clock, the addition of a small storage compartment on the centre tunnel.  The seats can be adjusted to fourteen different positions and the driver’s seat has memory settings for entry/exit and two other options. The advanced models also have heating, ventilation and massage functions for the front seats or rear seats. The other luxury options are a cooler compartment, foldaway glass holders and an electronic blind for the rear window.

The Maserati Quattroporte has a revised navigation and entertainment systems which is made up of the new Maserati Multimedia System (created by Marelli) and the Bose® Multi Media System. It includes an on-board computer, 7″ color TFT screen, satellite navigation system, a CD-ROM and mp3 player, a 30GB hard disk, voice control, Bluetooth Wireless Technology, and a USB reader. The on board computer allows you to view information provided by the Trip Computer. This details average fuel consumption, the trip time, distance covered, average speed, the speed limit and the kilometers/days until the next service is due.

The Maserati Quattroporte comes equipped with an aspirated, eight cylinder 4,244 cc V90° engine. The lubrication system features a wet sump, which results in a reduction in noise making the cabin quieter. The Quattroporte’s V8 power unit’s cylinder block and heads are made of aluminum alloy and silicon with the drive shaft and five supports in forged, reclaimed steel. The timing is actioned by two chain-driven overhead camshafts per bank and four valves per cylinder controlled by hydraulic tappets. The aspirated overhead camshafts, designed especially for the requirements of a luxury saloon, are controlled by a high pressure, continual phase variator with actuation times of less than 0.15 seconds.

The torque curve which reaches it peak of 46 kgm at 4,750 rpm, is characterized by its fluid delivery that ensures the engine revs rise gradually without any sudden jumps. The Quattroporte’s performance is among the best in the luxury saloon category with its 405 bhp power output, a top speed of 270 km/h and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 5.6 seconds.

The Maserati Quattroporte S – A 430 bhp Luxury Saloon

The new Maserati Quattroporte S combines a spacious interior and granturismo style handling with interiors are made up of Poltrona Frau® leather, prestigious woods and exquisite craftsmanship. Its responsive 4.7 litre V8 engine was developed to ensure fluid gear changes and high performance, resulting in a drive that is both comfortable and captivating.

It is capable of producing 430 bhp and the Quattroporte S has astounding performance figures in the luxury saloon sector with a top speed of 174 mph and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of just 5.4 seconds.

Quattroporte Sport GT S: Maserati’s most powerful sedan ever

The Quattroporte Sport GT S is the most exciting combination of luxury sedan and performance sports car that Maserati has ever produced. The shape of the body below the doors lends the new model a more purposeful look with a lowered stance of 10 mm at the front and 25 mm at the rear. These few millimetres make the car look like its ready for action at all times.

The Quattroporte Sport GT S comes with two new types of 20″ wheel rim: Multi Trident rims in light aluminum alloy as an option and seven-spoke light alloy rims that have undergone the ‘Dark Chrome’ treatment. The gearbox is equipped with the MC-Auto Shift software package for racing-style control of gear changes and is complemented by “Trofeo” style extra-long paddles behind the steering-wheel, ergonomically shaped for easier gear changes on the most demanding roads. In AUTO SPORT mode, the gear shift control software activates the MC Start Strategy function. This function allows controlled starts enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 Km/h in just 5.1 seconds, instead of 5.3 seconds.

The Quattroporte Sport GT S is fitted with the most powerful engine in the Quattroporte range. It is capable of 440 HP at 7,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 490 Nm at 4,750 rpm, it raises the car’s performance to unprecedented levels. These figures have been achieved not only by modifying the engine’s electronic control parameters, but also through in-depth development of the racing exhaust system, a real jewel of engineering installed on this version. The system is controlled by air valves that open in SPORT mode to reduce back-pressure in the exhaust; this increases the maximum power available, and creates a throaty roar at low engine speeds and full symphonic sound of a genuine sports car at higher rpm.