Maserati Quattroporte
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When it comes to picking a high performance luxury saloon, the term ‘spoilt for choice’ is something of an understatement.
There are powerful Audis, BMWs, Jaguars and Mercedes aplenty, but if you’re the sort who prefers Pinot Grigio to Mosel, Bel Paese to Cheddar, Armani to Boss and you order cannellone del tartufo in preference to a bratvürst, then you may well be tempted by Maserati’s flagship, the Quattroporte.
With uniquely suave styling – it’s the first Maserati designed by Pininfarina in fifty years – a 4.2-litre V8 at the sharp end and a very classy but unfussy interior, then money spent on this Bolognese masterpiece seems justified.
The very first Quattroporte hit the streets in 1963. Designed by Frua it originally had a 280bhp, 4.2 litre motor that could push the plush four-door to over 140mph – a staggering speed for a saloon back then. These days the similarly-sized Quattroporte engine makes 400 horsepower and, with Maserati’s DuoSelect transmission, it’s a little over 30mph faster still.
So, it’s quick, but the Quattroporte isn’t simply an executive saloon with a brawny engine. More accurately, and this soon becomes apparent when behind the wheel, it’s a genuine, taut-handling GT car but with four doors. Furthermore, without a wheezing turbo or whining supercharger to corrupt the sound, the high-revving V8 symphony infiltrates the cabin to just the right degree.
In short, the Quattroporte’s a car you’ll long to get into and loathe to get out of, and despite strong competition, there’s nothing else like it.