QP6 Opinions?

[Wanderer]

There's a massive spat going on on maseratilife at the moment re QP5 vs QP6 and I wonder where QP5 owners here stand on the QP6. Personally I've tried to like the QP6, but Iove the QP5 duo-select and the Ferrari heritage. QP6 is supposed to be faster but I'm not so sure, bigger car, smaller engine albeit turbo'ed. Sure Maserati are massaging figures here, like the the QP5 ZF having better weight distribution than the duo-select, it's just not right.

I read a fair bit, from the good to bad, even some folks claiming the the QP6 is a Chrysler 300 underneath, which it does seem to be.

Side by side you can see the lineage in the body shapes, but for be the QP6 has too many bumps, bends, swirls and squares added to it, I honestly can't tell if it's a BMW or an Alfa Giulia from a distance. And a V6, unbalanced by it's nature, all the counterweights and balance shafts can't hide that.

Having said that, would be nice to drive a Maserati and not have to wonder what warning lights you'll be greeted with. Been trying to blag a test drive of a petrol version (QP or Ghibli) and even the Alfa Giulia QF but they never respond, almost like they don't want to sell any, well not to a pikey with a 10 year old Maser anyway!

Has anyone driven both or all three, petrol versions for an decent period? QP5, QP6 and Ghibli?

 

[Devonboy]

Driven the QP6 and the main issue is that it fails the supercar test (you would sell your first born for it) which was a shame cos I have had 4 maseratis but just could not get the chequebook out for that one....so went back to the QP5 (my second)

 

[Ewan]

The QP5 was built to be sporty saloon. The QP6 was built with more a "limo" feel in mind - with huge rear legroom, as required by the chauffeur driven Chinese businessmen they were targeting.

If you intend to sit in the driving seat, buy a QP5 (preferably a Sport-GTS). If you intend to sit in the back and be driven, buy a QP6.

 

[Wanderer]

The QP5 was built to be sporty saloon. The QP6 was built with more a "limo" feel in mind - with huge rear legroom, as required by the chauffeur driven Chinese businessmen they were targeting.

If you intend to sit in the driving seat, buy a QP5 (preferably a Sport-GTS). If you intend to sit in the back and be driven, buy a QP6.

Well put.

 

[Devonboy]

The QP5 was built to be sporty saloon. The QP6 was built with more a "limo" feel in mind - with huge rear legroom, as required by the chauffeur driven Chinese businessmen they were targeting.

If you intend to sit in the driving seat, buy a QP5 (preferably a Sport-GTS). If you intend to sit in the back and be driven, buy a QP6.

Which is exactly what I did!

 

[philw696]

Never heard the Chrysler 300 reference but not surprised with other bits used from the parts bin.
For me its all about the Ferrari/Maserati Heritage as that's what I bought into several years ago.
It's also why I have a 4200 CC still.
I like Tradition the same with my 10 year old Range Rover Vogue and wouldn't want a new one.
Still drive a Classic Mini Cooper for the same.
Just my thoughts and have driven and worked on all Maserati from my time working for them as a Technician.

 

[dunnah01]

The QP6 is just to big. It's hard enough to berth the QPV so I've no idea how QP6 owners get on.

 

[conaero]

Owners of newer models locking horns with older models is not something that we would want on here and I’m confident that the SM Forum wouldn’t go there.

Personally I’ve not owned either as I am more of a coupe/GT fan but I did sit in Mikes QP6 3.9TT at Ace and I really liked it. Ok it’s massive but it is aimed at the limousine market.

The issue is, Maserati have tried to fill the QP5 with 2 cars, the Ghibli being the other.

The older version has a massive following on here and rightly so and feel that QP5 owners would be more drawn to the Ghibli and not the QP6.

Maybe someone needs to point this out to our American cousins.

 

[Corranga]

Judging simply on looks, the V is possibly the best looking saloon car ever made imo, especially in Sport GT trim, pre-face-lift. Like the 4200 and more so, the GranTurismo, it hides its size well, resulting in near perfect proportions. I love them.
The 6 is like an S class merc. Impressive, trying hard, but doesn't really appeal to me.

 

[Ewan]

Both have their plus points - but they are very different cars. If I was in the market for a big, modern family saloon, I'd certainly take the QP6 over an S Class Merc, 8 series Audi, 7 series BMW, Bentley, etc. It's way more svelte and stylish than the competition. However, for me, a Range Rover fulfills the luxury family car role even better.

 

[alfatwo]

Both have their plus points - but they are very different cars. If I was in the market for a big, modern family saloon, I'd certainly take the QP6 over an S Class Merc, 8 series Audi, 7 series BMW, Bentley, etc. It's way more svelte and stylish than the competition. However, for me, a Range Rover fulfills the luxury family car role even better.

The V has so much more old school presence, the lovey blue QP of Ewan's was a perfect example!

Dave

 

[Andyk]

The QP5 was built to be sporty saloon. The QP6 was built with more a "limo" feel in mind - with huge rear legroom, as required by the chauffeur driven Chinese businessmen they were targeting.

If you intend to sit in the driving seat, buy a QP5 (preferably a Sport-GTS). If you intend to sit in the back and be driven, buy a QP6.

Ewan has knocked on the head. I like the 6 but it's not as pretty or as much fun to drive as a 5. They are aimed at different types of drivers. The 5 always stood out from the competition because if had two sides to it. For such a big car you could hustle it down your fav road but they drive it sedately when you needed that luxury saloon. The new car has moved away from what made the old one great.

The other bit for me is the noise. Last week I was stuck in a traffic jam and a 6 GTS was coming up behind me. It had loads of presence and when the traffic started to move I wound down the window to have a listen when it went past. No noise....I mean no noise at all......very disappointing ...... Not sure if their is some sort of sport button and it wasn't pressed but it was very unmaserati like.

 

[jemgee]

So I should keep my 06 duoselect sport gt and wait for the price to go up

 

[Rwc13]

The QP6 GTS I was lent made a fantastic noise in sport mode. Would assume the car you saw must have been in “chauffeur” mode.

I would also say, despite the size, the QP6 felt good being hustled down an A road, one of the things I always loved about the QP5. So not sure that agility has been lost altogether.

 

[Ebenezer]

Saw a very nice blue/avorio Ghibli at Prescott, which made me change my mind on the Ghibber. Still prefer the QP5, but if the Ghibber came in GTS spec with a twin turbo V8 it'd be quite a car.
Eb

 

[Andyk]

The QP6 GTS I was lent made a fantastic noise in sport mode. Would assume the car you saw must have been in “chauffeur” mode.

I would also say, despite the size, the QP6 felt good being hustled down an A road, one of the things I always loved about the QP5. So not sure that agility has been lost altogether.

Thought that may have been the case. It had a family in it so may have been the case. It certainly looked good with loads of presence on the road.

 

[MrMickS]

Having said that, would be nice to drive a Maserati and not have to wonder what warning lights you'll be greeted with. Been trying to blag a test drive of a petrol version (QP or Ghibli) and even the Alfa Giulia QF but they never respond, almost like they don't want to sell any, well not to a pikey with a 10 year old Maser anyway!

I rang up and booked a test drive of a petrol Ghibli from the local dealer no problem. I know at least one person on here that's done the same with the QP6 GTS. Nothing to do with what you own either, at the time I had a Giulietta

They do cycle the demo cars around though and I know that the current demos the local dealer has are both diesels. If you talk to them and say that you're not interested in a diesel then I don't see why you wouldn't get a test drive.

I wouldn't swap the petrol Ghibli S for a QP5, sacrilege I know, not even a GTS. I don't think I could afford to use it in the way that I use the Ghibli.

 

[GeoffCapes]

I'd love a QP6 as I do thousands of motorway miles. Which is exactly what the QP6 is designed to do.

The QP5 is a 4 door sports car.

Two totally different cars.

 

[bigbob]

I guess these sort of spats keep forums going but as others' have said the 5 and 6 are very different cars. The S 6 flies and handles mind so don't get confused that it's size means it cannot mix it.
Anyway newer cars get easier to drive fast - I've just spent two weeks in a diesel Ghibli and other than no paddles it was easy to move along at a fair speed. The ride (without skyhook) was even better on 20" wheels than I remember on earlier versions.

 

[Wanderer]

I think I need to try one, but because I'm a musician on my other life, not main job, I look like a hippie, so I think they might turn their noses up....

I bought my QP in Dublin, apparently Louis Walsh drives one...

Cred gone....