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2014 Maserati Quattroporte to get twin-turbo V6

As we wait for the Detroit Auto Show to get our up-close and in-depth look at the redesigned 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, some details are just starting to emerge about the car's powertrain, but nothing is official just yet. Autocar has posted a first drive of the new Quattroporte, finally spilling the beans about what motivates this sporty and luxurious sedan.
We already knew that the 2014 Quattroporte will offer two engines - a V6 and V8 - but what we didn't know is that both engines will get a pair of turbochargers and direct injection. Previously, we speculated that the smaller V6 would be supercharged, but this 3.0-liter V6 will get turbos instead helping it produce an estimated 410 horsepower. As for the larger 3.8-liter V8, this engine is said to produce 530 horsepower (confirming our previous report) to go with 479 pound-feet of torque; performance specs for the V8 include a top speed of 191 miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of well under five seconds.
All cars will have a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive will be optional allowing for all of the engine power sent to the rear wheel during normal driving and a full 50/50 split between front and rear axles when needed. As we suspected, the 2014 Quattroporte has grown in size to better compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Maserati ramping up production of Ghibli, Quattroporte

While Porsche may be relatively new to the four-door game, Maserati has been building the Quattroporte with few interruptions since 1963. But like its rival from Stuttgart, the Trident marque is rapidly shifting from a sports car company primarily to a manufacturer of high-end family transportation. Not only does it have the new Quattroporte on the market, but now it's got the Ghibli sedan as well and the Levante crossover on its way.
It's a gambit that's reaping huge benefits not only for Maserati itself but also for its newly merged parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which is finding the mass market less lucrative than it once was and is positioning both Maserati and Alfa Romeo against other luxury marques like BMW, Audi and Porsche. As a result, Maserati is considerably expanding its production.
Last month, Maserati sold over 3,000 cars, putting it on track to double its sales from 2013. But it's not about to stop there. With growing demand for its authentically Italian luxury sedans, Maserati is shifting more workers to its assembly plant in the Turinese suburn of Grugliasco (where the QP and Ghibli are made) and shortening vacation time to ramp production up from 750 cars per week to 900.

Ferrari LaFerrari supercar to spawn Maserati LaMaserati?

CAR reports Maserati may benefit from the introduction of Enzo-succeeding Ferrari LaFerrari (shown below). According to unnamed parties, Maserati is keen to create a successor for the MC12 (above) based on the bones of the new Ferrari.
Details are about as scarce as they come, but CAR reckons Maserati has a few options when it comes to building its own supercar. Those include using the suspension, chassis and electrical systems of the Ferrari but with a unique carbon fiber body and without the LaFerrari's hybrid system. The new take on the MC12 could use a detuned version of the 6.3-liter V12 from the LaFerrari or stick a quad-turbo 3.8-liter V8 behind the front seats.
The latter option could see the next MC12 yield up to 900 horsepower, putting it within reach of its cousin as well as hardware like the McLaren P1. Of course, all of this - including our fanciful name in the headline - is just speculation for the time being. CAR says that if the machine makes its way to production, it would could cost well over $1.3 million.