Auto for top Maserati

If you've put off buying your new Maserati Quattroporte because of the lack of a true automatic gearbox, you're in luck. The Italian marque has confirmed that it will launch a full automatic version of its flagship sports sedan next year.

The world debut of the Quattroporte Automatic will be at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show in early  January. It will make its Australasian debut at the Melbourne Motor Show in March -- going on sale locally soon thereafter.

Maserati says the new Quattroporte Automatic will: "complement the existing DuoSelect gearbox equipped models, which use Formula One technology to provide a gearbox that combines manual gearbox performance and the convenience of a self-shifting gearchange."

The auto will feature the excellent ZF-sources six-speed gearbox used by BMW, Jaguar and, closer to home, Ford Oz.

The new transmission should curtail the criticism the overtly sporty current set-up has received from some propsective buyers and media types.

The new transmission results in a slight improvement in weight distribution (49:51 front/rear vs the DuoSelect's 47:53) and Maserati says the 4.2-litre 90-degree V8 remains at its full 400hp fettle in the auto version.

Prices have not been announced… Although with the Quattroporte currently priced from $258,000 to around $290,000, we can't see a few grand here or there really being a major concern for buyers.