Review
For people determined to stand out from the mainstream, the Quattroporte offers an ultra-exclusive driving experience. Tiny sales and dramatic styling mean that the big Maserati has the ability to pretty much stop entire streets as it drives past. Now that it has a conventional automatic transmission rather than the CambioCorsa automated manual it is much easier to live with too.
This isn't a car for modest attention-phobics. The Quattroporte's serious dimensions, striking styling and "blinged-up" detailing give it huge presence. The cabin is similarly striking, with some modern design and lots of upmarket materials, although some of the plastics and switchgear feel very low rent compared to rivals. Many minor controls are hard to fathom until you're familiar too. There's loads of room for four occupants, but the boot is small for a car trying to compete in this segment.
On the move the Quattroporte's can beguile, even if it is less polished than its German rivals. The wonderful V8 engine supplies plenty of performance and accompanies it with a wonderful, hard-edged soundtrack that is now complemented by a decent conventional six-speed automatic transmission. Perversely, this can be quite jerky when accelerating the car from rest - just like the old transmission was - but the rest of the time it does a good job - and provides excellent paddle shifts too. Some may find the Quattroporte's ride a bit fidgety sometimes, but it's not bad for a sports saloon on big wheels, though at motorway speeds it is noticeably louder than its German rivals.
And the Maser is a seriously expensive car to run, too, thanks to its combination of costly servicing, poor fuel economy and very steep depreciation. Unless you've got very deep pockets and you're absolutely determined to be different then look elsewhere.