Merry Christmas everyone. This year I'm alone since I've got some work to finish up and my family is traveling, so what better time to write a full review than now!
I'm sure I can rant and rave about how beautiful the car is and how pictures don't do it justice, and I'm sure by now many of you have had a chance to see one at a dealership. Thus, I'm not going to talk much about looks unless it pertains to fit/finish and such.
Regarding looks, I really do think this car is amazing from the front and side view, however I'm not so sure it retains its exotic heritage from the rear view. I don't know... it does not stand out nearly as much as the outgoing QP. In fact, it looks very similar to the current QP from the back. That's my opinion. Another issue with looks is the plastic rocker panel and rear bumper diffuser. I think it really detracts from the beautiful lines of the car (especially on lighter colors where there is a noticeable contrast). Those are really my only two minor issues with looks. Otherwise, I have gotten an insane number of compliments in the short time I've had it.
Let's talk about everything else you can't see from the pictures and videos....
Fit/finish/materials
This car is very well put together, however I have to be honest and say it does not feel nearly as solid as my '08 QP. First, you can tell when you open the doors. The door handles feel much less expensive and not nearly as solid as the outgoing QP (in fact, the current QP feels the same as the Ghibli). The doors are light and again no where near as heavy or solid as the QP. They are frameless but they are also much lighter and do not close with authority like you'd expect at this price point. The trunk is also very thin feeling and does not have an electronic closer. At this price point, you'd expect one. Again, when you close the trunk it feels very cheap compared to the outgoing QP. All in all, the exterior of this car feels much weaker and cheaper than the outgoing QP. Of course the MSRP is significantly lower than the QP but it's still high enough to demand a more solid feel. (I'm not saying the car is not solid or safe; testing has proven otherwise. I'm just saying it "feels" light).
The interior fit and finish is another story. I personally think this car is absolutely stunning in the cabin. The leather is beautiful to look at and to touch. Everything fits perfectly with regards to tolerances and materials. Ergonomics is fantastic; the seating position is comfortable and makes you feel at one with the car. The steering wheel is thick and very well padded. The shifters are well placed and I love that they're metal (not plastic). The shift lever is a very good distance from the center arm rest so you can drive one handed very easily (but keep them at 2 and 10 boys and girls!).
In addition to fit and feel, there is functionality and usability. I really think Maserati hit a home run by bringing this car up to current technology and more. You have everything you'd expect such as USB (three total), Aux, and Bluetooth connectivity. You get a rearview camera. The parking sensors work even when you're not in reverse so as you pull up to a parking spot and start getting closer to curb, you get a warning before that beautiful front diffuser rubs the curb. Another cool thing I noticed is that if you forget your blinker, you get a warning to turn it off! Although almost everything is controlled via the touch screen, it's not inconvenient at all. The menu is very easy and very well laid out. I never even looked at the owner's manual... everything is just intuitive.
Things I did not like (i.e. wish they would have thought of)....
Other than the sheet metal being a bit light and the plastic exterior pieces, there were a few items that I think Maserati should have thought of.
The remote key does recall driver memory and profile but it leaves out two key elements: 1) it does not recall the driving mode so if I had it in Sport and I turn the car off it reverts back to Normal next time. 2) It does not recall the sound setting on the B&W (the system gives you EQ settings to choose from but it reverts back to default setting every time and it takes about three screens to get to the proper menu to reset it... I think that's dumb!).
Also, the Bluetooth does stream very well but it does not pick up track info, so you don't know what song is playing nor what tracks are coming up next. In order to get track info, you have to plug into USB.
All in all, these are very minor annoyances and nothing to be upset about. I'm sure Maserati will take them into consideration and it's probably something that can be addressed with a software upgrade (i.e. recalling driving mode, recalling sound setting, and enabling track info for BT).
Now let's talk about driving impression...
WOW!!!! That's it in a nutshell
First off, acceleration is wonderful. The car pulls hard from a standstill and pulls even harder from 40mph all the way through triple digit speeds with ease. The sound of the exhaust is just short of being musical! I actually feel that I should have saved the $5k I spent on the B&W system because I have truly enjoyed the exhaust note (more on the B&W later). Yes, there is a little delay when you depress the pedal but it's no where near as bad as the QP was... not even close. This car is much more punchy and much more responsive than the QP (even when it was in Sport mode). I honestly don't think it needs an upgrade but having one would make it that much better. As for high speed stability, it's marvelous! Like I said, it reaches triple digit with ease and it is very planted and very easy to drive fast.
Handling is night and day from the QP. This car truly feels like a real sports sedan. I don't want to compare but it really feels like a well tuned German sports sedan (a.k.a. 550i with sport package). I have thrown this car into tight corners, high speed sweeps, and everything in between and I have yet to feel anything except pure grip, responsiveness, and compliance. It just feels solid to drive, period.
Braking is even more impressive. This is the S model so I've got 6 piston front and 4 piston rear, and it stops very well repeatedly from high speeds.
All in all, I absolutely LOVE driving this car... I really do.
There are a few very minor quirks that I could live without.... 1) the AWD system coupled with LSD make this car a little edgy in u-turns and tight spaces, meaning you can hear the tires gripping and giving during those tight maneuvers, but it's nothing to be concerned about because it's only in very low-speed maneuvering that this occurs. 2) There is noticeably more wind noise in the cockpit than the outgoing QP. I'm sure that's owed to frameless doors and lighter sheet metal but nevertheless it's there.
Other than that, I really don't have anything to complain about.
Now for the sound system.... I've read several posts here talking about going with aftermarket vs the premium sound. Well, I definitely think it's a waste of money to opt for the premium sound as it is really not a great system in any way. On the other hand, I am very happy that I went with the B&W system. I know it's a whopping $5k but it includes 5 more speakers than the Premium system and in order to do that aftermarket I would have had to let someone rip into my door panels... no way! I'm sure I could have gone aftermarket and gotten a similar experience for around $3,500 but the car would no longer be factory. To me, it is well worth the money to get the best sound system available from the factory. Is the B&W system really a $5,000 system? No, it is not if you're talking about going to a high end car audio place and installing a system. However, it is a factory system which means no one would be ripping apart your door panels, carpeting, etc, etc.... to me, that's worth it.
I hope this review provides you just a little more insight into this wonderful car. I absolutely love it and I am so glad I went this route.
P.S. As a side note, I once read that the sound of a Maserati turns women on. I'm happy to say that this statement has been confirmed by more than once source!
