Maserati has not yet decided which technical platform it will use for its future model

Maserati finds itself at a technological crossroads regarding the future of the Quattroporte. Originally planned for next year, the release of this model has been postponed until 2028, a decision motivated by the need to take “no risks in terms of performance”. The postponement seems to be driven by a change of platform.

Davide Danesin, chief engineer of the Quattroporte and Granturismo (who had a successful and long career at Fiat, FCA and then Stellantis), revealed to Autocar that development was half way through before the project was delayed. The Quattroporte, which was originally supposed to be the basis of the large STLA platform, may now change direction. The Big STLA is a platform whose capacity is sold by Stellantis, it aims at a distance of 800 km and will give the possibility of accelerating from 0 to 100 in 2 seconds.

When asked about the continued use of this platform, Danesin explained that nothing had been decided yet, adding that it is possible to improve the existing foundations instead of choosing something new. “I’m not saying it won’t be the Great STLA,” he clarified.

In this regard, Maserati also plans to adapt the Granturismo Folgore-specific platform to the Quattroporte. This platform, praised for its lightness and a driving position close to that of sports cars with combustion engines, uses a T-shaped battery arrangement along the vehicle line, which allows the seating position to be reduced in front and to reduce the acceleration. body and pitch. .

Therefore, the final choice of platform is still undecidedand Danesin insists that each option has great benefits for the future of the Quattroporte, which must be extraordinary from all angles: style, architecture and performance.

The postponement of the Quattroporte is mainly attributed to the weight problem, as modern electric cars get heavier, a problem that Maserati seeks to control. “Putting all these things together, we decided we needed more time to improve the package,” Danesin explained.

This decision demonstrates that Maserati isn’t quite sure that the Big STLA will deliver the expected sporty handling, and that the Giorgio 1.5 platform, like the Giorgio Sport, which is already used in the new Granturismo and Grecale, the evolution of the platform launched by Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, may have a longer career than expected. “He’s inspired by Giorgio. Internally we call it Giorgio Sport because it’s 60% aluminum, whereas Giorgio was just steel.

The next major step for Maserati will be the arrival of the MC20 Folgore in 2025, followed by a large luxury SUV in 2027, the new Levante, whose platform was not mentioned at the time of this interview.