The task of styling the Quattroporte was given to Turinese coachbuilder Pietro Frua, who drew inspiration from a special 5000 GT (chassis number 103.060) which he had designed in 1962 for Prince Karim Aga Khan.

The Tipo 107 Quattroporte joined two other grand tourers, the Facel Vega and the Lagonda Rapide, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 200 km/h (124 mph) on the new motorways in Europe.

The car was also exported to the United States, where federal regulations mandated twin round headlamps in place of the single rectangular ones found on European models.

Based on a stretched version of the Citroën SM's chassis, the Quattroporte II featured a front-mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout[citation needed], hydropneumatic suspension, four fixed headlamps with two swivelling directional headlights, and a V6 engine.

A pre-production Quattroporte was introduced to the press by the then Maserati president Alejandro de Tomaso on 1 November 1976,[19] in advance of its début at the Turin Motor Show later that month.

Each cast aluminium hub carrier was linked to the chassis only by a single lower wishbone, the half shafts doubling as upper control arms, and was sprung by twin coaxial dampers and coil springs units.

One of them, a 1983 Blu Sera example nicknamed Calliope, was notably used by President of the Italian Republic Sandro Pertini as the official state car during his tenure.

[29] Autocostruzioni SD of Turinese coachbuilder Salvatore Diomante also offered a 65 cm longer limousine version, fully equipped with white leather, "abundant burr walnut", mini-bar, video cassette player and many other necessities.

[26] The fourth generation of the Quattroporte (Tipo AM337) was manufactured from 1994 to 2001 and was the first car to be produced under the Fiat ownership after Alejandro de Tomaso sold his entire holding to the Italian marque in 1993.

For export markets there was a 2.8-litre unit, generating a maximum power output of 284 PS (209 kW; 280 hp) and allowing the car to attain a claimed top speed of 255 km/h (158 mph).

[37] After having been displayed in December 1995 at the Bologna Motor Show,[38] a 3.2-litre twin-turbocharged V8 Quattroporte was added to the range in 1996: the new AM578 engine, an evolution of the Shamal V8, generated a maximum power output of 335 PS (247 kW; 330 hp).

At the same time, some minor updates were introduced on all models: new eight-spoke alloy wheels and aerodynamic wing mirrors, and seicilindri or ottocilindri (Italian for "six" and "eight-cylinders" respectively) badges on the front fenders, denoting which engine was under the bonnet.

The overall layout remained unchanged from the Biturbo from which the car descended: longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive, all-independent suspension with MacPherson struts upfront and trailing arms at the rear.

[30] The fifth generation of the Quattroporte (Tipo M139) debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show on 9 September 2003[45] and made its U.S. première at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance; production started in 2003.

The base Quattroporte DuoSelect featured a chrome grille with horizontal slats, adaptive suspension, marketed as Skyhook and 330 mm brake disks with four piston calipers at each wheel.

In 2004, the American luxury department store Neiman Marcus offered a limited edition of the Quattroporte, only available for order through the retailer's 2004 Christmas Catalog at a price of 125,000 USD.

Each of the 60 Neiman Marcus Quattroportes was finished in Bordeaux Pontevecchio (wine red) exterior colour and featured a chrome mesh-front grill along with side vents and 19-inch ball-polished wheels.

Model-specific exterior trim included dark mesh front and side grilles and red accents to the Trident badges, as on vintage racing Maserati models.

A new 6-speed ZF-supplied automatic transmission was presented at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2007, with the first cars delivered right after the launch, marketed as Maserati Quattroporte Automatica.

Other changes from the Sport GT were a lowered ride height and 10 mm wider 295/30 rear tyres, front Brembo iron/aluminium dual-cast brake rotors and red-painted six-piston callipers.

The cabin was upholstered in mixed Alcantara and leather, with carbon fibre accents; on the exterior, the door handles were painted in body colour and the 20 inch wheels and the exhaust pipes were finished in a "dark chrome" shade.

[55] Its unique specification featured an ivory paint colour with a waist coachline, matched to Cuoio tan tufted leather upholstery and Wengé trim inlaid with mother of pearl.

Overseen by Pininfarina, the facelift featured redesigned bumpers, side sills and wing mirrors (the latter carried over from the GranTurismo), a convex front grille with vertical bars instead of horizontal, new headlights and tail lights with directional bi-xenon main beams and LED turn signals.

[56] Its 4.7-litre V8 has a maximum power output of 440 PS (324 kW; 434 hp), ten more than the Quattroporte S, owing to a revised intake and a sport exhaust system with electronically actuated bypass valves.

[57] Its unique specification consisted of "Nero pianoforte" or specially-developed pale gold "Quarzo fuso" pearlescent paint, satin grey wheels, polished brake callipers and all chrome trim in a dark finish.

Manual shifting was possible by the centre-console mounted gear lever; in addition, Sport GT cars came equipped with paddle shifters as standard, while on other models they were an optional extra.

[71] Drivetrains, platform, suspension, and body elements such as the front doors[73] are common to the Quattroporte and the smaller Ghibli saloon, which sits on a 173 mm (6.8 in) shorter wheelbase.

On the interior, the seats, panels, roof lining and sunshades are made from specially-milled silk fibers, high performance leather and woolen herringbone fabrics.

[79] The Quattroporte GTS received mild cosmetic updates, such as new multi-spoke forged alloy wheels, colour-matched lower bodywork, and red-accented Maserati logos, while all models were given upgraded standard equipment and ampler trim choice.

[89] Attached to the end of the 8-speed transmission is a transfer case, containing an electronically controlled multi-plate wet clutch, which sends power through a drive shaft to an open differential bolted to the oil pan.