Maserati Quattroporte III - saloon sports car hybrid of the seventies

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Maserati Quattroporte III - saloon sports car hybrid of the seventies

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Created on January 2, 2016

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - hardly anything was changed in the design for over 12 years

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - elegant sedan of the seventies

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - front view with twin headlights

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - powerful and angular rear end

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - large windows, low waistline

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - looks longer than the 4.8 meters it measures

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - four-spoke steering wheel and complete watch collection

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - good all-round visibility and opulent leather interior

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - easy-to-read instruments

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - plenty of space for those who let themselves be driven

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - Wood and leather in the interior

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - most Quattroporte models were automatic, seat adjustment and windows were electrically operated

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - Chassis number

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - Eight cylinders, 4 twin carburetors, 4 overhead camshafts - noble engine construction

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - the V8 engine was never fitted with fuel injection in the Quattroporte

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - Twin headlights like the Medici

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - the trident on the C-pillar

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1986) - clearly labeled

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Maserati Quattroporte (1965) - early version of the successful saloon, designed by Pietro Frua

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Maserati Quattroporte Frua at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show - the version by Piero Frua shown here is much cleaner in form than the Italian sedan that had already been built for years

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1975) - very elegant design, but hardly any parallels to contemporary Maserati models

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1975) - the mechanics came from Citroën, the design from Bertone

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1975) - no series production for the Gandini version by Bertone

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Maserati Quattroporte II (1975) - Gandini's design definitely shows parallels to BMW models

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Maserati Medici II (1976) - Silhouette of the four-seater sedan by Italdesign - the horizontal waistline was also found on the Quattroporte from 1976

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Maserati Medici II (1976) - concept car by Italdesign

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Maserati Medici II (1976) - Front design of the four-seater sedan by Italdesign, the later Maserati Quattroporte is clearly recognizable

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Maserati Medici II (1976) - Front seats of the four-seater sedan by Italdesign

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Maserati Medici II (1976) - Rear compartment of the four-seater limousine by Italdesign

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Maserati Quattroporte (1976) - first seen at the Turin Motor Show in the fall of 1976

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Maserati Quattroporte (1976) - Dashboard of the Italian sedan, seen at the Turin Motor Show

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Maserati Quattroporte (1977) - front view

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Maserati Quattroporte (1977) - Interior of the luxury sedan

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Maserati Quattroporte (1977) - Interior of the production version

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Maserati Quattroporte (1977) - very straightforward design

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Maserati Quattroporte (1981) - View of the interior

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Maserati Quattroporte (1978) - stately proportions

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Maserati Quattroporte (1982) - with straightforward design by Giugiaro and V8 power

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Maserati Quattroporte (1979) - the design was based on the Medici II

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - _the horizontal waistline is striking

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Maserati Quattroporte (1979) - one of the most elegant and spirited luxury sedans - Geneva Motor Show 1979

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - debuted in Geneva as early as 1975 - Geneva Motor Show 1980

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - stately vehicle

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - Silhouette

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Maserati Quattroporte (1981) - still fresh as a daisy after five years

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Maserati Quattroporte (1981) - hardly changed on the outside

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - rear view

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Maserati Quattroporte (1980) - rare manual transmission variant

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Maserati Quattroporte/Royale from 1985 - With the famous opera singer Luciano Pavarotti.

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Maserati Biturbo Quattroporte - shown as a prototype, 8000 Biturbo models have already been built - at the 1984 Geneva Motor Show

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Maserati Quattroporte 3.2i V8 Evolutione (1998) - the rear wheel cut-out is Marcello Gandini's most recognizable feature

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Summary

Cars with four doors were not part of the Maserati tradition until the first saloon was presented in 1963. It was so successful that three potential successors were created, but only one made the race, namely the Quattroporte III, designed by Giugiaro. With over 2000 units produced in almost 12 years, it once again clearly surpassed its predecessor in terms of sales success. This report tells the story of the four-door Maserati Quattroporte III and its rivals, supplemented by many current and historical pictures and three sales brochures.

This article contains the following chapters

The first saloon from the sports car manufacturer
Unofficial successor
Official but unsuccessful successor
From the Deauville to the Quattroporte III
Heavyweight
Exceptionally easy to handle
Evolution and production success
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It is called the Quattroporte III, the Maserati saloon that was first presented in 1976. It had either one or three predecessors, depending on how you count. And almost all the famous designers worked on it at some point. The first Maserati saloon was presented as early as the mid-1960s, in 1963 to be precise, and it was a sensation, as the Italian manufacturer from Modena had previously only presented sports cars. With an eight-cylinder engine and contemporary sports car technology under the bodywork designed by Pietro Frua, it could rightly claim to be the fastest saloon of its time. The four-door model was built in two series and 770 units until the early 1970s, when it was discontinued.

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