Sequential manual gearboxes do a great job of making quick shifts under heavy acceleration, but tend feel jerky and unrefined while cruising around town. That’s the main complaint with BMW’s SMG, and it’s an even bigger concern among many of those who have driven Maserati’s Quattroporte equipped the DuoSelect gearbox.

While a sequential gearboxes might seem like a reasonable compromise for the performance-oriented BMW M3 or M6, one could argue the Quattroporte leans more toward luxury than sheer performance, and therefore should be offered with something a little more forgiving.

Maserati seems to agree, and will begin offering a Quattroporte with a regular automatic transmission beginning in January. The automatic six-speed ZF gearbox ensures a smooth, fluid gear changes while still allowing for rapid shifts, improving driver comfort. The car will be on display at the Detroit auto show. Gallery after the jump…