2003 Maserati Quattroporte – Classified of the Week

If you’ve been keeping up to speed with our wonderful little mag here at Car & Classic then you’ll no doubt have seen our recent feature on the merits of buying a modern classic from the noughties. With so many manufacturers turning out truly excellent cars one can feel a little spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a trusty steed from the early 2000s, but one of the better options out there, should you wish to take our advice and grab one for yourself, is the Maserati Quattroporte, specifically the V, produced from 2003 to 2012.
Svelte saloons with vigorous V8s have always been particularly crowd pleasing and whether it be the pragmatic powerhouses from Germany or the arguably more elegant examples from Italy it’s an itch that has been scratched for decades now, with the Quattroporte providing relief since 1963. Sadly, however, Maserati ceased production of its flagship luxury sports saloon in 2023, marking the end of a tremendously successful sixty year run. Quite the innings.
The fact that Maserati is no longer making the Quattroporte could be grounds enough to pick one up but add to that the fact that the car we’re talking about today – the fifth generation ‘V’ – was penned by Pininfarina and featured a beautifully sonorous Ferrari V8 with close to 400bhp and you really do have a winning combination.
The list of goodies doesn’t end there though, far from it. Chuck in some trick adaptive suspension and a six-speed automatic/manual gearbox with flappy paddles, and the freshly developed V, with its aluminium subframe and steel unibody construction, feels way more poised than a big four-door, eight-cylinder saloon has any right to. Subtly styled, the Quattroporte V is more than quick enough for most, too – bury your right foot from parked and say hello to 60mph in five seconds. Yes please.
The model had a bit of a nip and tuck in 2008 and was updated with a number of design tweaks as well as a new six-speed ZF auto box that was mounted to the back of the engine rather than the rear axle. A larger capacity 424bhp 4.7-litre V8 was now offered in what was known as the Quattroporte S and the car also featured upgraded brakes. The GTS arrived in 2009 and sported an additional ten horsepower thanks to some intake and exhaust trickery that also just happened to make the GTS one of the best sounding cars ever made. Regular Bilstein dampers replaced the Skyhook adaptive system, too and the entire setup was lowered and stiffened all round.
But what of the focus of today’s Classified of the Week? Well, as you’ll no doubt have noticed there’s a particularly yellow elephant in this here room. Yep, we’ve eschewed the normal, boring Nero and Grigio paint schemes in favour of a far more daring and arguably more appealing shade of Giallo. It’s certainly had us talking. One of only two cars ever supplied new in such a colour, in addition to being the only one with a blue leather interior (kudos if you’re currently pointing at the screen and shouting “Modena colours!”), this particularly vivid Maserati Quattroporte claimed the title of “most outrageous example” at the recent Salon Privé “Quattroparty” event celebrating 60 years of the model. So if making a statement is your thing, then this is definitely the car for you.
This Maserati Quattroporte V is far from a gimmick though. Ordered new by the current President of the Maserati Club UK, this early Duo-Select has passed through the hands of both the managing director and workshop manager of McGrath Maserati before returning once more to its first owner in 2019, clearly proving that it’s not only a desirable beast but also that it’s always been treated to considerable attention over the years in order to maintain its current sublime condition.
Further evincing the car’s cherished life is a full service history with stamps from new up to its current 82,000 miles, initially by supplying dealer Meridien Modena, followed by Modena Trident in High Wycombe and then since 2013, McGrath Maserati, who now offer it for sale. Recent works include a new Cambiocorsa clutch in 2020 at 65K miles, as well as a new F1 pump, front brakes and a fresh set of front suspension wishbones.
A new front subframe was also fitted in 2021 due to corrosion (a common problem) and in 2022 work was completed to combat the ‘sticky buttons’ issue that plagued these cars. Most recently, a new set of lambda sensors has been fitted and the car will come with a fresh service alongside a new MOT.
Everyone always bangs on about the facelift models and the more powerful GTS, but both carry with them an added tax as a result. These early DuoSelect cars still provide plenty of performance, all for less outlay, whilst also offering a more engaging driving experience due to the manual operation of those aforementioned flappy paddles, should you wish, providing a direct connection to the gears.
This particular example, along with the added cachet of being a well-known and highly regarded car within the Maserati Club, exemplifies just how good these fifth-gen Quattroportes can be, having been maintained almost regardless of cost. Add to that the striking but incredibly rare colour combination and what you have is a bit of a winner.
At just £13,000 this is a lot of car for the money, but if yellow’s not your thing then check out all of the Quattroportes currently for sale right here at Car & Classic. We’ve got you covered.