Today we will continue to feature the Maserati Quattroporte, beginning with this blue series III example. Maserati, having been sold to Alejandro de Tomaso in 1975, sought to eliminate all vestiges of the technically-competent but financially-disastrous Citroën ownership, and returned to the familiar front-mounted V8 and RWD layout of the Series I Quattroporte. As such, the chassis of the Series III relied not on the Citroën-derived Series II FWD chassis, but rather on the De Tomaso Deauville sedan.
Interestingly, early Quattroportes were badged 4porte, changing to Quattroporte in 1981. This example, a 1980 model, shows the 4porte name on its identification placard, but displays Quattroporte badging on the trunklid - probably swapped as a matter of taste. And speaking of taste, the long, low Giorgetto Giugiaro design, not lacking in tumblehome, would have had excellence presence in its day, and presents well to this day.
Year: 1980
Model: Maserati Quattroporte 4900
Engine: 4.9L V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 91,878km
Price: € 19,900
Location: Hoevelaken, Netherlands
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1980 Maserati Quattroporte 4900
Bijzonder exclusieve MASERATI QUATTROPORTE met een handgeschakelde 5-bak,iets wat zeer zelden voorkomt.Deze MASERATI heeft langere tijd in een priveverzameling gestaan,loopt en schakelt goed,interieur zeer netjes,exterieur enkele gebruikssporen.
This car presents quite well. The engine bay is clean, and maintains its insulating panels and original hose clamps, if that matters to you. The body appears straight, and the interior isn't dried up and sun-damaged, as many of these come to be. It looks every bit the 143mph Italian executive sedan it was in 1980.
Syncing the 4 Weber carbs might not be the simplest task, but we love the basic layout of the engine and the car in general. Being a low-volume model, the components were manufactured in a way that makes for simple repairs, if you have the resources. Suspension linkages are welded steel tubes, not aluminum castings requiring exact replacement. And we wouldn't be surprised by a large list of components shared by this vehicle and other European models of its vintage. If this generation of Quattroporte fits your personal style, you could do a lot worse than this example.
-Graham