Category Archives: Maserati

Giugiaro, Italdesign, Maserati

1974 Maserati Merak

Following yesterday's Lamborghini Urraco P250, we present Maserati's offering in the entry-level high-end mid-engine sports car space. Entry-level high-end. Hmm. Regardless, we're talking Porsche 911 fighters here. Powerful engines, smart chassis design, and not much potential for anything more than a weekend trip.

The Merak comes from the Citroen ownership era of Maserati history. Inside, you'll find a Citroen SM steering wheel and dashboard, while under the hood, the SM's 90 degree 187hp V6 makes an appearance. The bodywork forward of the doors is borrowed from the V8-powered Maserati Bora.

1966 Maserati Merak red Citroen SM engine rear view
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Year: 1974
Model:  Maserati Merak
Engine: 3.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 24,273mi
Price: $49,000
Location: Dallas, TX

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1974 Maserati Merak This Merak is a totally rust free, California car. It’s been off the road and in storage since 1996. This car is really too nice for a restoration, I would encourage the next buyer to do a light detailing and go through the car to get it back onto the road. A local viewing is welcome and encouraged with appointment. We are happy to help buyers worldwide with shipping and freight logistics.

1966 Maserati Merak red Citroen SM engine bay spare tire
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Oddly enough, it's the Citroen engineering that gives us hope for keeping one of these on the road with relative ease. The brake hydraulics are SM-derived, and while unorthodox, they are not as complex as they are made out to be. Keep in mind that it was this engine that made the basis for the later Biturbo cars, and while those can be a handful to maintain, the relative simplicity of the same basic engine in the SM and Merak will lend to a more satisfying ownership experience.

We're sort of surprised at the somewhat-reasonable price on what is, with only 600 units sold, a relatively rare Maserati. The Merak seems to track the pricing of its Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 more than it does the Urraco, or even the 911, for that matter. To us, it's a great opportunity to buy a great wedge design - from Giugiaro instead of Gandini, in this case. If this car cleans up and turns out to be in good mechanical order, we'd consider it to be a great purchase.

-Graham

Centro Stile Fiat, Maserati

2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS

In honor of Black Friday, we present today the original mall lot crawler, the Quattroporte. The Quattroporte V was, in a way, to Maserati as the Cayenne was to Porsche - a usable machine that cashed in on the iconic brand for some volume. Something to keep black ink in the books.

And, today's Quattroporte sports a few signature traits of the model's largest market - the South. The white paint and tint are obvious lines of defense against solar radiation in an Atlanta parking lot, and the lack of AWD that would never pass muster in the Northeast is not a problem in the warm South.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte Ferrari V8 white tan interior rear view
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Year: 2014
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte GTS
Engine: 3.8L V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Mileage:  33,975
Price: $34,995
Location: Charlotte, NC

2014 Maserati Quattroporte Ferrari V8 white tan interior wood trim
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Twin Turbo V8 523 HP, beautiful color combo, 2 Owner Clean Carfax, Just serviced

2014 Maserati Quattroporte Ferrari V8 white tan interior Ferrari F 154 A twin turbo engine
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The F 154 V8 is one of our favorite Ferrari mills of all time, and the more traditional cross plane layout of the Maserati A variant does little to dull the appeal. 523hp might not quite stack up to the nearly 600hp that the same family of engine makes in the Ferrari Portofino, but the wider powerband will leave few disappointed.

If it were our money, we'd find ourselves a Quattroporte V, owing to the simpler construction and bulletproof powertrain. But, there are upsides to the risk of biting into a Quattroporte VI. The power, interior, and added features tip the scales in favor of the newer model for you. Just make sure it's a GTS like this example.

-Graham

Maserati

1967 Maserati Quattroporte

Based on the 5000GT chassis, the Quattroporte unwittingly launched the unibody V8 4-door sports sedan class when it came to market in 1963. There may have been some to do so before it, but none have lasted the 55+ years that the Quattroporte nameplate has. So, your BMW M5's, Audi RS4's, and Mercedes AMG series all owe the Quattroporte a tip of the hat for bringing the high-speed luxury sedan class to life.

Fast and luxurious as they were, it is no surprise that early Quattroportes were produced in small quantities, leading to their rarity today. Only around 770 of the Quattroporte I (Series I and II combined) were produced between 1963 and 1970. This example, being a Quattroporte I Series II, has the updated rear suspension, tossing out the DeDion axle of the Quattroporte I Series I for a more traditional live-axle leaf spring arrangement. Both series of Quattroporte I were available with the aluminum block and head 4.1L quad cam V8, known optimistically as the 4200. The engine saw its introduction on the platform, and served it well, with 256hp lending to a 143mph top speed on manual transmission models.

1967 Maserati Quattroporte white rear quarter
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Year: 1967
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte
Engine: 4.1L V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  N/A
Price: €45.000 - €85.000
Location: Essen, Germany

1967 Maserati Quattroporte white blue interior
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Seller’s Description: To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Essen event, 11 - 12 April 2019. 
Estimate:
€45.000 - €85.000 

Current ownership for 18 years
Delivered new to Italy, in storage from 1975–2000
Beautifully restored to its original white over blue colour scheme
Retains its original engine
Featured in Motor Klassik in November 2013


Originally finished in Argento Auteuil over a Blu interior, this Series I Quattroporte was delivered new with a five-speed manual gearbox to its first owner, Sergio Leoncini of Verona, on 20 April 1967. The car passed to Carlo Zanetti of Treviso in 1973. Two years later, the Quattroporte was put into storage and remained parked for 25 years.

Removed from storage and purchased by its current owner in Germany in 2000, it was shipped there and restored from 2001–2004. According to the owner, the interior was found to be in such good condition that only the driver’s seat had to be reupholstered. The car was featured in Motor Klassik in November 2013 as the cover story. Furthermore, the car received a service in January 2019 and is ready to return to the road. 

Presented in a very desirable colour scheme and retaining its original engine as confirmed by Maserati Classiche, this would be an ideal foray into the collector car hobby for a young enthusiast.

1967 Maserati Quattroporte white engine bay
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This example maintains most of its original interior, with the exception of the reupholstered driver's seat. The exterior, silver when it was delivered new in Verona, has been repainted in white, leading to very Maserati color scheme. We can't attest to the workmanship of the restoration completed nearly 15 years ago, but we would hope that the seller could provide photographs and documentation thereof.

These cars draw no insignificant sum, and yet they are relatively affordable, as far as 1960s V8 Maseratis go. A 4.7L example might be worth a bit more, but we're not so sure that he 30hp bump is necessary to capture our attention. For those not put off by the extra two doors, we think that the Quattroporte I represents a good value for classic V8 Maserati enthusiasts.

-Graham

Italdesign, Maserati

1980 Maserati Quattroporte

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.

1980 Maserati Quattroporte manual blue rear quarter
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Year: 1980
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte 4900
Engine: 4.9L V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  91,878km
Price: € 19,900
Location: Hoevelaken, Netherlands

1980 Maserati Quattroporte manual blue interior tan
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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.

1980 Maserati Quattroporte manual blue engine 4.9
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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

Gandini, Maserati

2000 Maserati Quattroporte V8 Evolution 3.2

2 Comments

These Quattroporte III's are a mess and we love them for it. Starting with a Biturbo chassis, Maserati engineers added some wheelbase. The front McPherson strut setup was maintained, while the rear trailing arm suspension was updated to ape the tubular design of the Maserati Shamal. Similarly, the V6 engines were derived from the units in the Biturbo and Ghibli, while the V8 was a revised version of the turbocharged V8 found in the Shamal.

As much as we like these, the contemporary automotive press did not see the appeal. And, neither did Ferrari, when they acquired 50% of Maserati from Fiat in 1997. So, they went about improving the basic formula into un updated model known as the Quattroporte Evolution. Introduced in 1998, the revised Quattroporte was said to have had roughly half of its main components reengineered. Curiously, the engine outputs do not reflect the updates, as V6 and V8 power outputs remain constant across both variants. Still, we have no reason to lament the 330hp 3.2L twin-turbocharged mated to a 6-speed Getrag gearbox in the top models.

2000 Maserati Quattroporte 3.2 V8 Evolution side grey
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Year: 2000
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte V8 Evolution 3.2
Engine: 3.2L turbocharged V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage:  124,101km
Price: € 16,995
Location: Waalre, Netherlands

2000 Maserati Quattroporte 3.2 V8 Evolution interior
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Not only one of the most reasonably priced (priced to sell), also a V8 and an Evoluzione.

Second owner from new (bought it from the first owner after only one year).

Best color combination: Grigio Alfieri with black leather interior

For a general description of this fabulous car, please read the other ads, then come back to me to talk about the details of this one.

Meticulously maintained.

2000 Maserati Quattroporte 3.2 V8 Evolution engine
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We will contest the seller's assertion that this example comes in the best color combination - that, for us, would be green on green. But, we imagine that most will find this color to be fine. The Gandini design is decent, in light of the fact that he was working off of essentially lengthened Biturbo bones, and didn't have free reign to mold the proportions as much as he probably would have liked to. We like angle in the rear wheel arches, surely a tribute to Gandini's signature wedge designs.

A great driving experience transcends perfect road manners and reliability and interior quality, areas in which this car likely struggled. We welcome the raucous V8, and limited slip RWD layout, no matter how well it compared to its peers. And, priced the way it is, we think that it is an exceptionally value, especially considering the rarity. In 6 years, when these become legal to import to the United States, we hope to find one of our own.

-Graham

Maserati, Pininfarina

2005 Maserati Quattroporte

Continuing with the Maserati Quattroporte theme for today, we present a dark green 2005 example. Of all of the Quattroportes on the market, why select an early 4.2L Cambiocorsa model over a later 4.7L Automatica model? Because we can't pass up a Verde Goodwood Maserati. Especially a Verde Goodwood M138 Coupe - seriously, let us know if you have one for sale.

Further, we think that the early models pull of the general design a bit better than the facelifted models did. Our ideal Quattroporte would be an early model with the 4.7L in 454hp form from the GranTurismo with the manual transmission from an M138 coupe. We'd go Verde Goodwood over Cuoio Sella, just like on this example.

2004 Maserati Quattroporte green rear quarter
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Year: 2005
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Mileage:  27,492
Price: $16,988
Location: Lauderdale Lakes, FL

2004 Maserati Quattroporte green interior tan
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2004 Maserati Quattroporte green engine
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We seem to be noticing a glut of low-mile Maseratis in Florida. Hopefully these belonged to retirees with the funds to keep their cars in good shape. Clearly the selling dealer has its hands full - look in the photos, and you'll see a number of additional cars stage on the driveway of the Florida home being used as a back-drop.

If this car checks out mechanically, it could be a great purchase. The color combination is perfect, the miles are under 30k, and the price is solidly under $20k, while the power approaches 400hp. Buy this thing before we snatch it up for a manual swap project of our own!

-Graham

Maserati, Uncategorized

2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS

The design of the Tipo M156 comes from Lorenzo Ramaciotti, formerly prolific Pininfarina designer, from the FCA design studios. Are we wrong in not loving it? A product of the man who penned the Ferrari 456, 360, F430, 550 Maranello, and 612 Scaglietti, the design is competent, but lacks something. A think the french have a phrase for this concept. In general, we can't get enough of Ramaciotti's work at Ferrari, while his later FCA work, the Alfa Romeo 4C and Giulietta, as well as the Quattroporte here, leaves us wanting.

Uninformed design opinions aside, we love the brown paint! But the real reason for featuring this is example is the Ferrari F154 AM exclusive to the GTS model. Whereas the Tipo M139 Quattroporte V predecessor to this car was sold exclusively with the Ferrari F136 engine, Quattroporte VI buyers must opt for the high-zoot GTS model to find a Ferrari V8 underhood. 523hp in an executive sedan was impressive in 2013, when the model arrived, and remains a respectable power output today.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS brown rear quarter
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Year: 2014
Model:  Maserati Quattroporte GTS
Engine: 3.8L turbocharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Mileage:  25,171
Price: $46,900
Location: Vero Beach, FL

2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS brown tan interior
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For the drivers who want it all, here is our 2014 Maserati Quattroporte. You get everything from the comfort and space of a luxury sedan to the performance of an Italian sport car. It features a dizzying 3.8 liter V8 with twin-turbos that produces roaring 530 horsepower with 479 foot-pounds of torque. But don't think this car is all muscle. Going back to the luxury side, this vehicle has been fitted with some very desirable options including: Alcantara Headliner and Pillars, High Gloss Tanganika Wood Trim, Heated Leather/Wood steering wheel, Ventilated Front Seats, and Full Natural Drilled Leather. This car also has an amazing infotainment system with built in navigation and bluetooth. This vehicle is a one-owner car with a spotless Carfax report.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS brown Ferrari engine
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Buyers of the Quattroporte GTS will sacrifice some acceleration to, say, an Audi S8, due to the lack of AWD. The upside of this is the weight savings and simpler mechanical system to maintain. Ferrari V8, RWD - we're still onboard. And buyers of the GTS who bought the car new off the lot have already sacrificed around $100k, as that is how much the cars have depreciated in 5 years.

At $40-50k, there are a number of high-performance sedans on the market. There is even Maserati's own Ghibli, with its turbo Pentastar lump. We don't love the Quattroporte's exterior design, handsome though it is, but perhaps the Ferrari-designed F154 V8 would win us over.

-Graham

Maserati

2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo

Shopping the current Italian SUV market, buyers have options from Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and now Lamborghini. Rumors of a Ferrari SUV exist as well. Today we plan on featuring one of each in the trim that we would find ourselves most likely to purchase one. While we went with the base engine on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, where the price remains under control, we can't see moving up to the Levante for anything but the top Trofeo model.

Lesser Levantes rely on FCA Pentastar-derived turbocharged mills that sound great but leave us wanting. Move up to a GTS or Trofeo model, though, and the forward motivation comes courtesy of the more-palatable Ferrari Tipo 154 A series of engines. These units swap out the flat-plane crankshaft of the Ferrari variants for a cross-plane unit, reducing stroke slightly for an overall displacement of 3.8L. In the GTS, the engine produces 542hp, while the Trofeo sees the full 582hp.

2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo rear quarter grey
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Year: 2019
Model:  Maserati Levante Trofeo
Engine: 3.9L turbocharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Mileage:  0
Price: $171,875
Location: Williamsville, NY

2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo red interior
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2019 Maserati Levante Trofeo black wheel
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If only the selling dealer had popped the hood for some shots! The V8 comes with unmistakably Ferrari red crinkle coat valve covers and a gorgeous carbon fiber center cover. The recent trend may be to obscure engines, but the Trofeo certainly bucks the trend and then some. While we appreciate the large Anteo trident-spoke wheels optioned here, we prefer the machined units available on the Trofeo press cars. And, the carbon fiber exterior trim doesn't really pop against the grey exterior paint - fine for some, but we'd seek a bit more contrast.

To us, it's odd that this engine never made its way into the most intuitive application in the Maserati lineup - the GranTurismo. Cannibalization of Ferrari California / Portofino sales is one theory as to why the GranTurismo never received the turbocharged 3.8L, although at the same time, perhaps the upgrade involved too many technical changes. In any case, Maserati managed to fit the engine to the Levante. If you must drive an SUV, well, now you can do so with Ferrari power. We can warm up to that concept.

-Graham

Maserati, Pininfarina

2006 Maserati Quattroporte

Every now and then, when we see one of these Tipo M139 Maserati Quattroportes roaming the streets, we lament the recent abandonment of the classic large sedan proportions. The Quattroporte V nails these proportions in a way that few of its contemporaries, outside of Jaguar XJ, ever could. And, it's a shape that begs to travel across the country at unacceptable speeds.

Fortunately, it's got the mechanical underpinnings to back that notion up. We've heard few positive reports on the DuoSelect transmission, but we have to wonder if the detractors were driving the car as intended. This isn't a car built for shuffling along narrow European streets; rather, it aspires to full-throttle ascents of Montana mountain passages. Backed by an F136 Ferrari power plant, the task should be both effortless and enjoyable.

2012 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT rear grey
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Year: 2006
Model:  Maserati
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Mileage:  36,428mi
Price: $22,900
Location: San Francisco, CA

2012 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT interior
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2006 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT

A rare two-owner pampered example of a Quattroporte. This spectacular Maserati was purchased new and serviced at Maserati SF. All maintenances have been completed on time, and no expense was ever spared. The clutch was recently replaced as well as a major service. The Grigio Nuvolari shows to be original and the car shows no signs of previous damage. The Cuoio Sella Premium Leather Seating shows no abnormal wear, shrinkage, sun damage or fading. All books, manuals, and keys are present and it was a non-smoker's pampered garage queen. There are a lot of poseur Maseratis on the market with deferred maintenance and in need of a clutch. This is NOT one of those cars. This car was maintained like a proper automobile with a six-figure price tag from day one. Our site posts content to many other sites all over the world. To ensure all pictures are accessible, we provide a link back to each listing on our site. This listing's URL: https://www.carsauto.com/2006-maserati-quattroporte-c-1611.htm

2012 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT engine
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The swaths of Cuoio Sella Poltrona Frau leather throughout the interior play well with the subtle but striking Grigio Nuvolari metallic exterior paint. The car was clearly garaged, as evidenced by the condition of the leather surfaces - no sun damage or shrinking to be found. Minor road rash can be found on the front bumper and along the sills, but these spots can be touched up. More important than cosmetics, the mechanical condition of this example is claimed to be immaculate. The seller claims that no maintenance was deferred, noting even a recent clutch replacement among the service history.

We have picked up that the reputation of these cars is a bit negative. Cheap to buy, they fall into the hands of those seeking attention from the Trident. As owners of a used Maserati ourselves, we believe that you're mistaken to think that the typical person on the street will notice you in a Maserati of this vintage. And that's a good thing, because you won't need any outside validation in an executive sedan like this one. Our bet is that Maserati didn't profit too much on this generation of Maserati, all the more reason to buy one.

-Graham

Giugiaro, Maserati

2002 Maserati Spyder GT

Back to the roadster theme from the beginning of the week - look what we've found! This Maserati Spyder is a rare GT model, meaning that it has a traditional 6-speed manual. We'll gladly assert that this is the best of the quick Italian roadsters for under $100k. So, that doesn't include the Alfas and Fiats, but for top-down driving, and lots of it, we're in the Maserati Spyder GT camp.

Only 574 of the Spyder GT model left the Maserati plant in Modena. The Tipo M138 Maseratis were engineered and produced in Modena, rather than the Maserati founding place of Bologna, due to Ferrari's control of its former rival. This resulted in the development of the powerful F 136 R variant of the engine later found in the Ferrari F430. The Maserati variant was designed with much different breathing paths to encourage low-end torque and driveability throughout the rev range, and came up short to the Ferrari variant by almost 100hp.

Maserati Spyder manual
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Year: 2002
Model: Maserati Spyder GT
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 21,659 mi
Price: $24,985
Location: Fairview, PA

Maserati Spyder manual
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The Ferrari engines are fantastic. In summary, if you're looking for a Maserati Spyder, THIS IS THE ONE! Don't let this car slip away! We are negotiable on the price, and are very fair to deal with.

Maserati Spyder manual
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The F 136 engine, especially in the Maseratis, is known for relatively painless ownership. Fluids should be changed often for the sake of preservation, but aside from the expense of fluid changes, these engines do not have any serious problem areas. The suspension components will likely be tired at this age, and do often require the replacement of entire suspension linkages as opposed to individual bushings. And, the heater core must be addressed, as most tend to fail due to age (and an improperly designed coolant bypass loop resulting in high pressure through the heater core during warmup).

The Spyder doesn't review particularly well, but we suspect that the writers of the auto magazines don't frequent websites dedicated to the sale of Italian cars. For those who can enjoy a Ferrari-derived and Ferrari-built V8 engine, a Graziano Trasmissioni 6-speed manual, and a simple Giugiaro body, the Spyder GT is more than sufficient.

-Graham