Maserati’s Quattroporte — Elegant Sport
Maserati staged its U.S. introduction of the Quattroporte luxury sports sedan in an elegant tent near The Lodge at Pebble Beach. We gathered with a smartly attired gaggle of potential buyers, clutching a glass of Champagne while glancing at the sinuous shape of the car beneath a black drape.

Before the cover could be snatched off, a Maserati product manager proceeded to regale the gathering with the new car’s technical specifications. Finally, an impatient prospective buyer said what everyone was thinking, "It’s an Italian car, let’s look at it." Moments later the Quattroporte was unveiled.

This Maserati is wonderfully stylish, but that hardly means that the Quattroporte gets by with looks alone. Under the sensuous hood, a race-bred 4.2-liter V8 is ready to make nearly 400 horses gallop while wailing like an Italian tenor. And the six-speed transmission can be shifted manually or by computer without the use of a clutch pedal.

From a performance standpoint, Maserati’s sedan is as close to pure adrenaline as most luxury buyers wish to indulge. But then, there are plenty of luxury sports sedans that deliver even higher performance for less money. BMW’s M5, Mercedes-Benz’s E63 AMG, and Audi’s S6 all can top Maserati’s power specification. None can best this car in a valet parking competition.

Driving the Quattroporte is best undertaken with a little checkout. The factory had tasked Maserati of San Diego to acquaint me with the car and they accomplished the job with enthusiasm. It’s hardly rocket science inside this machine, but there are plenty of switches and a few menus to challenge the first-time test pilot.

I had a head start, since I was familiar with the transmission that Maserati now labels DuoSelect, a race-derived sequential/manual gearbox that simulates an automatic. A petite selector, located where a shifter would normally reside, tells the transmission to engage forward in manual or automatic mode, reverse, or park. Once selected, the paddle shifters behind the wheel are all the inputs need.

Driving this sexy sedan is as much fun as piloting a Ferrari, but in this case, you can share the experience with two additional friends. We cruised through the beach towns on PCH, all four occupants cosseted in glove leather while the navigation system steered us to our destination in Carlsbad. Although the mechanical bits are race derived, the Quattroporte behaves as if it had attended a proper finishing school.

When desire dictates, the Maserati is willing to pin its ears back and attack the asphalt. Just a bit more than five seconds are all that’s required to launch this car from rest to the legal speed limit. If jail time is not a worry, the Quattroporte can point its needle to 165 on its 200 speedometer.

Twists and turns are handled with the same alacrity, thanks to a near perfect balance, great suspension, and long, wide wheelbase. If you dive deep into a turn, the big Brembo brakes clamping cross-drilled rotors keep things in control. For slippery encounters, a stability system will intervene without spoiling your sporting fun.

Maserati has a rather colorful service history, but since becoming part of Ferrari, that record has dramatically improved. The cars are now backed by a four-year/50,000-mile warranty, so non-routine visits to the service department do not come with a financial surprise. That’s not to suggest that the car is inexpensive to own, but exclusivity does have a price. — Brian Douglas

Specifications

Type: Front engine, rear-wheel drive

Engine: 4.0-liter, DOHC V-8

Horsepower: 400 @ 7,250 rpm

Torque: 326 foot-pounds @ 4,750 rpm

Base Price: $116,850

As Tested: $123,000

Fuel Economy: 12 city/18 hwy

Small Package, Big Deal
To hear the "in crowd" say it, the only gadget that may start to rival the iPod has just hit the scene. The Meizu Miniplayer M6 not only weighs in smaller than the Apple strongman, but also has a larger screen. It plays the media typical files users have come to expect in such platforms — WMV, MP3, OGG, WAV, XviD, etcetera — and it modifies the shuttle wheel controls with a new scrolling touch pad.

It doesn’t come in the 80-gig realm, like the latest iPod does, but it has as much as the standard nano (4 gigs), and is about the same price. That may sound weak in comparison, but don’t forget, even Apple started out at only a couple of gigs before expanding memory capabilities.

The downside, of course, is that it’s Windows based, and therefore does not support iTunes. But if you’re anti-Apple, and are looking for a player that doesn’t have an "i" in front of it, then you’re probably not concerned with where you download music and movies, so long as you can. $220. (en.meizu.com)

Computer Royale
Every time a new Bond film hits theaters, whatever car company has been chosen to tote James around onscreen puts out a similar model for consumers. In the same vein, Sony has compiled a new 007 computer package consisting of some of the gadgets Q whips up for Daniel Craig, the franchise’s newest Bond.

The Sony Limited Edition Spygear set includes a Vaio XT widescreen Notebook PC running Intel Mobile technology. At a mere one-inch thick, it’s certainly got style. And for those long nights staking out Dr. No’s lair, the XT’s new battery will get you through with an impressive 11 hours of life.

Accompanying the laptop is a Cyber-shot Digital camera with 7.2 megapixels. Sony included their newest technology, called HAD (hole accumulation diode), which increases the built-in lens’ ability to capture light. Rounding out the deal is the sleek attache case with holds for both the camera and laptop. It sports the 007 logo on the front, making it more of a collector’s set than something you’d take to a business meeting. If you’re a Bond fan, or know someone who is, you can order the Casino Royale kit for $4,300. (www.sonystyle.com)

Hot Pants
If you’re heading to the slopes this holiday, or heading to colder parts of the country, you might want to pick up some clothing from Brookstone. Their new line of Tri-Zone heated fleece garments may be just what you need to stay toasty warm while you’re out gallivanting in the snow.

The pants, vest, and jacket all come with heating coils sewn into the lining, transferring heat with infrared rays. A rechargeable battery pack fits in the pocket and provides up to five hours of regulated heat. Different zones of the garments can be heated separately, much like today’s heated car seats. The pants and vest are $150, the jacket is $175. (www.brookstone.com)
— Ryan Thomas
 
 


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