Fearsome rivals
On the road, the Quattroporte does not feel like a 5-meter long, 2-ton heavy sedan as it's so much nimble and fun to drive through corners. That's where the expertise of Maserati engineers comes into play: the wonderfully-calibrated suspension and the near perfect weight distribution offer tremendous overall balance. It has to be said that the engine is mounted behind the front axle, which further improves handling.

Extraordinary braking performance is met with uncompromised safety.

The Quattroporte does not fear winter because its high-performance electronic control systems watch over passengers at all times, especially during braking and cornering maneuvers. In a competition set up by Motor Trend, the Quattroporte bested the Mercedes-Benz S550, the Jaguar Super V8 and the Lexus LS600hL. The Italian particularly stood out on the braking front, stopping from 60 to 0 mph over 32.6 meters -- about the same distance as a true sports car. It also won the 0-60 mph acceleration test with a time of 5.4 seconds. "We know of no other sedan that offers such a complete sensory extravaganza," wrote Motor Trend.

Since I did not personally try out the three other models, I can't say for sure that I agree with my American counterparts. However, handing back the Quattroporte to its legitimate owner (Ferrari Maserati Quebec) after a couple of unforgettable days almost made me cry my heart out.


Delightful styling
Exciting engine
Nicely-tuned autobox
High-caliber road manners
Warm, friendly interior


Annoying automatic parking brake



Ergonomics can be improved
Huge price difference between Canadian and American models


Photo Credit : Alain Raymond