HMC 12/4 under the floorboards

[83C]

Congratulations!

[bramz7]

10 minutes ago, HMC said:

Plus if i die tomorrow I can hold my (dead) hand up and say - i had a maserati quattorporte with a silly  internal combustion engine.

And that's all that matters really. 

 

Btw I hope you don't die tomorrow!

[dome]

If you haven't already, you must get a native Italian to say the name of this car. 😍

[Peter C]

Bloody hell!

Wow!!!

Swap for a fault free MGB?

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

Limited miles is the issue. Maserati made the breakdown schedule per start, so really to get the most trouble free miles you just need to never park, just keep it moving all the time.

Like a shark...

Or in Speed.

[Tubbo]

Not all heroes wear capes!

[Wibble]

You must wear carbon fibre pants to hold balls that big!

[robt100]

3 hours ago, HMC said:

As the jag was a bit short of rear leg room, I decided i needed the practicality of a 4 door saloon, and have moved the xk8 on.

Hence I purchased this tonight from a neighbour 

Very nice! Is it one of the earlier versions, or the later one with the ZF box?

[Schaefft]

Jesus yes, I'm so glad I was able to enable you to pull the trigger on this so quickly 😂 At least you'll have a reliable* fallback vehicle around for a little while longer.

[High Jetter]

Brave. There was one on here before, what happened to him?

[wuvvum]

Bloody hell man!

[HMC]

Blue with tan, which in the official colour in italian im sure will sound a lot more exotic than that.

Its the earlier gearbox. (an electronically controlled manual with flappy paddles rather than an automatic with torque converter) The one that is less favoured. Although,  as its a later car apparently its got a 3rd generation upgraded software thats less aggressive on clutch wear (the big talking point on these)

The later ones are wet sump, ZF auto gearbox in unit with engine. This is a dry sump, 6 speed manual transaxle. Cool!  You just put your foot down and pull the next gear. It also blips itself on down changes.

[Westbay]

Nice ... very nice ...

[Schaefft]

It'll probably be the Cambriocorsa automated manual that you'd also get in my Maserati Coupe, Clutch replacement costs are indeed the big cost item that's depressing values accordingly. Mine isn't automated but probably still needs a clutch eventually.

Fantastic color combination, such a stark contrast to the rep mobile specs you so often see in other luxury cars.

[BorniteIdentity]

Great buy.

Point of order though: I think (personally) this is only BIG BOLLOCKS IN A WHEELBARROW time when you're trying to run it whilst on PIP or Minimum wage.  If you're a man of means, it's as simple as just sending it to 'the man' and settling up at the end.  My mate's boyfriend had one and it showed very few signs of fragility - especially as it was used very regularly.

Well in.

[2flags]

If asked if worried about reliability he replied, 'Well, if it does let go, I have a 61yr old car I can use, or I can take one that is just about to turn 100!' 😂😂 I'm sure there are some others that I have missed. Have you still got that paragon of Soviet excellence that is the Lada, or has that gone now?

[HMC]

1 hour ago, 2flags said:

If asked if worried about reliability he replied, 'Well, if it does let go, I have a 61yr old car I can use, or I can take one that is just about to turn 100!' 😂😂 I'm sure there are some others that I have missed. Have you still got that paragon of Soviet excellence that is the Lada, or has that gone now?

I swapped the lada for a daimler conquest century.

Just been for an after work drive over the moors. Slippery roads but very atmospheric 

[AnthonyG]

Dibs. 

(On the A60, the Maserati would scare me shitless!) 

[sdkrc]

Get some air in that front left, gettin' flat

[bramz7]

Regardless of reliability, or lack of, that is one flipping fit motorcar. 

[bezzabsa]

hope the Brave pills are on repeat prescription 

they do make a nice noise tho

[RoadworkUK]

On 06/03/2025 at 19:09, HMC said:

As the jag was a bit short of rear leg room, I decided i needed the practicality of a 4 door saloon, and have moved the xk8 on.

Hence I purchased this tonight from a neighbour 

Oh fuck you absolute hero.

I ADORE these. There's one I regularly pass on the A12; I presume he's commuting in it, which is fairly heroic as it is.

One that the Merc dealer I once worked at took in as P/Ex remains one of the most memorable machines I've ever driven, partly because it had a dicky Skyhook system that – when fritzing – made the handling hilariously wayward.

A QP5 and an Austin 12/4 is probably the most eclectic vehicular combination anybody could possibly park outside their house.  Hard to see this ever being topped. Anywhere.

[yes oui si]

Formal request for a video of a big smokey burnout please, Mr MC. 

[Boycie]

12 hours ago, HMC said:

Blue with tan, which in the official colour in italian im sure will sound a lot more exotic than that.

Its the earlier gearbox. (an electronically controlled manual with flappy paddles rather than an automatic with torque converter) The one that is less favoured. Although,  as its a later car apparently its got a 3rd generation upgraded software thats less aggressive on clutch wear (the big talking point on these)

The later ones are wet sump, ZF auto gearbox in unit with engine. This is a dry sump, 6 speed manual transaxle. Cool!  You just put your foot down and pull the next gear. It also blips itself on down changes.

How many warning lights on Mister ?

[HMC]

33 minutes ago, Boycie said:

How many warning lights on Mister ?

Rear parking sensor failure, and something about resetting the tyre pressure warning (so far) 

[Boycie]

4 minutes ago, HMC said:

Rear parking sensor failure, and something about resetting the tyre pressure warning (so far) 

Considering they left the factory with warning lights on I'd call that a result 

[HMC]

Looks like it was spotted in london when it was just over a year old…

[Mrs6C]

Another smoky blue metallic, Maserati four door... well done! 🙂

[HMC]

I love it even more 😂

[HMC]

Life with the 4 door has been great so far.

Ive figured out how to get the best from the gearbox and its software. For my taste thats manual and sport; which allows you to play tunes on the engine and apparently may reduce clutch wear compared to auto use.  I can only imaging those who fit aftermarket performance exhausts use them purely as a toy as i would not want a louder or more intrusive exhaust; both from the cabin or for bystanders. I feel this is a discrete supersaloon and a barking exhaust would feel a bit try hard for me.  Currently it sounds sophisticated but not loud.

The aircon works which was a suprise. The interior is pretty much unmarked which bears out the miles. It does have some service history- some is illegible due to water getting onto some of the paperwork. 

Ive just driven to a favourite local restaurant and i was alerted to stop the car, PUNCTURE!

After pulling over I noted that the tyres are all fine. When i restarted the QP the warning was gone.

Does this old italian supermodel have a sense of humour?