Review of the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

The Maserati Quattroporte isn't your average luxury saloon car. It takes a far more sporting approach than the majority of four-doors its size and the Sport GT S model is more aggressive still. The all-round build and materials quality of the Maserati leaves something to be desired and the interior isn't particularly roomy for such a big vehicle but it has a superbly charismatic engine, sleek looks and it feels special.

When you get to the very top end of the luxury saloon segment, you start to come across cars that have been designed with at least half an eye on the owner spending a lot of time sitting in the back. Being chauffer-driven is par for the course when you've got the best part of £100,000 to spend on a saloon car and top line versions of the 7 Series, S-Class and A8 all pay as much attention to the contentment of rear-seat occupants as they do to pleasing those behind the wheel. The Maserati Quattroporte is different and particularly in the Sport GT S model, there's no doubt as to the location of the best seat in the house.

The Quattroporte has never been a direct alternative to range-topping iterations of the big German saloons. Its efforts are directed in a subtly different direction. You can call it character if you want, Maserati would probably like it if you did, but what the car really has is an alternative focus. Despite its size, the Maserati four-door is more of a sports saloon than a luxury one and the Sport GT S model we're looking at here is even more targeted at the dual goals of going quickly and entertaining its driver. Sitting in the back would still be perfectly agreeable but perhaps not if the person behind the wheel is driving in the fashion that Maserati intended.

The Maserati 4.7-litre V8 engine produces 440bhp in the Quattroporte Sport GT S, an increase in power over the standard cars that can mainly be attributed to the introduction of a sports exhaust system. Luxury saloon manufacturers usually put an inordinate amount of effort into achieving near silent running but Maserati has installed a small valve in the system that says a great deal about the thinking behind the Sport GT S as a whole. In normal mode, the valve is closed forcing exhaust gases through a long section of curving pipes where their acoustic energy is dissipated. Press the sport button and the valve opens, letting the gasses rip through on a more direct course and producing the classically throaty V8 engine note. The Sport setting also shunts the six-speed automatic gearbox into more aggressive settings where it blips the throttle on down changes and generally sharpens up its act. You won't get that in your long wheelbase S-Class.

"A big saloon with presence as well as performance."

Given its head, the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S can cover the 0-60mph sprint in 5.3s which is seriously quick for a car of this size but that time can be lowered to 5.1s with the aid of the MC Start launch control function. Despite a heady 7,200rpm redline, the Maserati V8 is very flexible with a flat torque curve and plenty of pull from low in the rev range. This will help on the occasions when owners prefer more languid progress.

You'd expect a car carrying the Maserati Trident on its nose to look the part and it's hard to argue with the Quattroporte's flowing, elegant lines. The Sport GT S model boosts the aggression of the standard car's appearance with its lowered sports suspension and black grille crossed by vertical fins. The fact that this is a rather special Maserati Quattroporte is highlighted by red highlights on the grille's central trident logo. Arch-packing 19" alloy wheels are fitted as standard and there's more black detailing around the doors. The cabin features leather and Alcantara sports seats, titanium trim finishes and the Quattroporte Sport GT S legend writ large across the carbon fibre-effect dash. The sports suspension drops the car by 15mm at the front and 11mm at the rear compared to that of standard Quattroporte models, enhancing grip and body control at the expense of a firmer ride.

In size, the Quattroporte stands comparison to other top luxury saloons at over five meters from nose to tail. Its packaging isn't quite as adept as that of the leading lights however, and rear legroom is more pinched than you'd expect. The boot too is rather disappointing considering the overall bulk of the car. Inside, beneath the fancy detailing on the Sport GT S, some of the materials aren't of the calibre found in rivals. The design too is a little muddled with an overload of buttons on the dash caused by the absence of the sort of integrated control system that's become a routine inclusion elsewhere in the sector. What the Quattroporte Sport GT S does better than the rest is look and feel special.

The Maserati Quattroporte is a tough car to pin down in terms of its place in the market and tougher still in Sport GT S form. It's certainly luxury saloon in size but its sporty character means it probably has more in common with smaller, faster sports saloons like BMW's M5 or the Audi RS6. It's the Audi S8 that comes closest to matching the Quattroporte for size and dynamic focus but the Maserati still commands a hefty premium over that car. Those wanting a big car with the Maserati's mix of badge equity and driving thrills are likely to look to the Porsche Panamera and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur will be another option, all of which puts the Quattroporte in some varied and illustrious company.

As you might expect, running a Maserati Quattroporte isn't a job for the terminally short of cash. Maserati quotes a rather optimistic combined fuel consumption figure of 18mpg for the Sport GT S version but most drivers will typically see low teens for the car. That said, the automatic gearbox allows for relatively relaxed high-speed cruising which gives the car a decent range. Insurance is straight in at Group 20 although this is par for the course for this sort of model and it's possible to find insurers who will look upon the Quattroporte more favourably than they would a BMW M5, an Audi S8 or a Mercedes CLS 63 AMG.

I doubt too many who hanker after a car like this will be overly worried about carbon dioxide emissions, but the Quattroporte emits 365g/km in Sport GT S guise. Depreciation is not the nightmare that many would expect, the Quattroporte having established a strong reputation in the used market.

There aren't too many big, luxurious saloons that can really entertain their driver and few of those even attempt to do it as thoroughly at the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. The standard Quattroporte has long been the keen driver's choice at the top end of the luxury saloon market and the Sport GT S specification sharpens up that act considerably.

That the Maserati Quattroporte isn't one of the usual Germanic luxury saloon suspects will be one of the main reasons why it appeals to buyers. In a staunchly conservative marketplace, it's got bundles of panache even if the execution of the details isn't quite up to what you'd expect in the mainstream. If you want a big saloon with presence as well as performance, the Quattroporte Sport GT S is a compelling option.