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Maserati calling in new Quattroporte for electrical issue

Exotic automobiles are just that: exotic. As in, rare. While Maserati is trying is darnedest to emerge from the fringes, its products are still less common than competitors from Germany, Japan or even the UK. Which is probably - more so than any superior quality or safety standards - why we rarely see the Trident marque's products the subject of a recall. Although it does happen upon occasion.
Back in the spring, Maserati had to call in over seven thousand examples of the Quattroporte, GranTurismo and Alfa 8C over rust issues. Now that the new Quattroporte is upon us, the Modenese automaker has apparently run into another small problem.
This time the issue revolves around the wiring harness for the alternator/starter motor, an improper crimp in which could cause the battery cable to short and start a fire. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is prompting 63 owners of the 2014 Quattroporte GTS V8 to bring their cars in to their local Maserati dealer to have the wiring harness replaced.

Maserati GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello is a wine-themed drop-top

Maserati is celebrating two of Italy's best-known exports, cars and wine, with a one-off version of the electric GranCabrio Folgore named Tignanello. The convertible was created by the brand's Fuoriserie department to celebrate 50 years of a type of wine called Tignanello. The one-of-a-kind GranCabrio was built for an Italian wine company called Marchesi Antinori, and Maserati explains that its designers were inspired by vineyards. It starts with the paint: the convertible is finished in a wine-esque shade of red called Terra di Tignanello that was created specifically for it. Flat-black 20-inch wheels, gloss-black brake calipers, and a black soft top add a touch of contrast to the look. More vineyard-inspired details are found inside. The seats are upholstered with a blend of beige leather and burgundy Vegea, which is a biomaterial made from the stalks, skins, and pips of grapes — in a way, you're sitting on wine. The stripes on the seats echo the rows of vines in a vineyard, while the dark briar wood trim is inspired by the printing burned into the oak barrels used to age Tignanello wine. You can also learn a thing or two about the wine's history: historical details are lasered into some of the trim pieces, though they're written in Italian. Power comes from three electric motors that draw electricity from a T-shaped, 92.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery to zap the four wheels with 750 horsepower and 995 pound-feet of torque. Maserati pegs the 5,200-pound GranCabrio's zero-to-60-mph time at 2.8 seconds. If you like wine as much as you like Italian cars, it's not too late to put the GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello in your garage. It will be auctioned off on July 14 at the Festival Napa Valley Arts for All Gala taking place on July 14 in California. The proceeds will be donated to charity. Pricing for the regular-production GranCabrio Folgore starts at about $205,000, but the one-off should sell for considerably more.

2021 Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo First Drive Review | For the Ferrari faithful

Maserati is fighting hard for relevance right now. Its car lineup is severely dated with both the Quattroporte and Ghibli. The Levante faces more accomplished competition. At least there is hope on the horizon in the form of the Alfa — ahem, Maserati — MC20 mid-engine supercar and high-tech Nettuno engine. Plus, with the Grecale crossover soon to come, there could be brighter days ahead. ThatÂ’s tomorrow, but today we still have the vanguards of the early 2010s. The current flagship, more or less by default, is the big Quattroporte, and Maserati is giving it the Trofeo treatment for 2021 in an effort to bring it back onto our radar. Previous to now, the Trofeo trim was limited to the Levante. In the Quattroporte, the Trofeo formula is similar. It plops in the unbridled version of the Ferrari-sourced 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine — red wrinkle paint and all — making 580 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. It is, without a doubt, the brightest and best part of this car. The most potent version previous to now was the Quattroporte GTS with its 530-horse version of the same Ferrari V8. Very little is done to the exterior to let you know this Quattroporte is the Trofeo apart from the script on the front fenders that are accentuated with red-painted side air ducts. Beyond this, the C-pillarÂ’s Maserati logo gets a red lightning bolt, and more carbon fiber trim is used throughout. It also comes with 21-inch forged aluminum wheels, a glossy black grille finish and the same restyled taillights applied throughout the 2021 Quattroporte lineup. Unlike “look-at-me” performance offerings from Mercedes-AMG or BMW's Alpina, MaseratiÂ’s Trofeo is notably subtle. This not only goes for the Trofeo extras, but the Quattroporte in general. The big trident in the grille announces its presence, but just as it's been from the beginning, the current-generation Quattroporte simply fades into the background in a parking lot. Our test car's beige paint certainly doesn't help. While most prefer their big luxury sedans to be restrained and tasteful, aren't Italian sedans supposed to have a certain degree of excitement and flare?  At least the Trofeo will be recognizable by the sound it makes. Even with a pair of turbochargers attached, the Ferrari engine and exhaust note are unmistakable. Although the V8 is the same basic engine as the Levante Trofeo's, the Quattroporte version gets new turbochargers, stronger internal components and new camshafts and valves.