Maserati's sporty new barge

Expert Rating:

What is it?

Maserati's Quattroporte is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful three-box saloons on the planet, but you don't need us to tell you that - just look at it. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, and the Maserati plies its trade at the very top of the automotive tree - the luxury saloon segment - so it needs to be much more than good-looking if it's going to cut the mustard.

So, Maserati has approached its executive barge a little differently to its German rivals, pitching the Quattroporte firmly as the choice for the fat cat who loves driving. This is not a cosseting luxury barge - or at least, it's not supposed to be - but rather a supercar that happens to have two extra doors, useable back seats and a big boot. And this Sport GT S version is the ultimate embodiment of that brief. It's the fastest and most sporty variant of a three-strong range, and replaces 2007's Sport GT S after the Quattroporte got a facelift in July last year.

Visual changes for the Sport GT S include bigger 20-inch alloys, a new grille with concave slats and a new set of tailpipes and new items inside - including an Alcantara wheel rim and seats, and carbon-fibre style interior trim.

Is it any good?

Are you looking for a good massage and the feeling of being completely closed off from the outside world? If so, look elsewhere. This is a big car that feels like a compact sports saloon from behind the wheel.

And on that basis it's brilliant. Maserati has overhauled the suspension, gearbox and exhaust of the lesser Quattroporte S for more power, better handling and - most obviously - more drama. The Italian maker has done that by throwing away the S's adaptable 'Skyhook' suspension and replacing it with standard, single rate dampers with stiffened springs and a lower ride height. The automatic gearbox has been remapped so it changes gear more aggressively and keeps the car in the higher rev range for longer - and in manual mode it doesn't nanny you as much by changing gear itself. The shift paddles behind the wheel are longer, too, so you won't lose them mid-corner.

Power comes from the same 4.7-litre V8, but it generates ten more horsepower (now 434bhp) thanks to our favourite Sport GT S modification: the exhaust. Press the 'Sport' button on the dash and the exhaust gas is allowed to flow out more freely - and the noise it makes is incredible. It yowls and hollers like a supercar, at volumes you assume are close to illegal. Brilliant. Thankfully, it handles like a sports car too - you'd never tell you were piloting a two-tonne luxury barge. The feel you get through the 20-inch wheels tells you exactly how much grip they have left, and the steering rack is light and precise. Plus, on the motorway the Quattroporte proves smooth and refined - not as much as a Mercede S-Class, say, but not as jiggly as you'd expect such a sharp saloon to be.

Should I call the bank manager?

Banks aren't really handing out loans as much these days, and you'd need a massive one - at £90k, this is a proper supersaloon and make no mistake. The problem is, of course, that more than ever you need to accept that cars like this make no sense as a new purchase at the moment, because their residual values have fallen through the floor. At the same time, Maserati won't offer massive discounts because this is a relatively low volume, exclusive car - fewer than 3,500 Quattroportes were sold worldwide last year.

And, if we're honest, this low volume feel does permeate the cabin at times. It's a pretty special place to be, but the fit and finish doesn't quite have the bombproof feel of the upper saloons from Germany, which might be disappointing for that much money. The controls for the satnav, for example, look like they were borrowed from a Peugeot. That said, what price for character - which this car has in abundance?

Summary

Maserati pitches this car in a segment is calls 'hyper sport sedans', meaning luxury heavyweights like the Mercedes S 63 AMG and the Audi S8. If you're impervious to the credit crunch and after something like that, we'd strongly recommend you check the Quattroporte out. What it lacks in outright quality against its competitors it more than makes up for with exclusivity, style, drama and driver appeal. Flawed, but superb nonetheless.

Mark Nichol