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Mafia Muscle Car: Maserati Quattroporte GTS Review

Four doors. It isn’t the most exotic sounding name for a production car, is it? However, when you try translating it into Italian, you end up with “Quattroporte.” You have to admit, the Latin way sounds a lot more exotic. The Maserati Quattroporte with us for many a moon, bringing Maserati sports car thrills with the day-to-day practicality of an executive saloon.

With the success of the Ghibli and Levante SUV, not to mention the impending arrival of the upcoming MC20 Supercar, the Quattroporte seems to be getting quite long in the tooth. That said, Maserati claim the old warrior can still deliver some old school V8 thrills. I borrowed this 2020 Quattroporte GTS from Euromarque Maserati to see if this still rings true.

At $249,990, the Quattroporte GTS is not what one would call cheap. Under the bonnet of this GTS sits a Ferrari derived 3.8L twin turbo V8 engine mated to an eight speed ZF automatic gearbox. Power? Try 530hp and a hefty 710Nm of torque.

Styling wise? Well, it looks simply delicious really. Also, the fact my test car came in black with tan leather interior only amplified the looks factor. The new Quattroporte GTS is by far the best looking Quattroporte of recent years. Nods to Maserati heritage are everywhere, from the triple chrome rim circular vents to the classic trident emblem in the deep dished grill and rear three quarter.

Inside, the art continues. Lots of piano black wood trim, tan leather, and white on blue dials stare at you like binoculars. The infotainment screen would be familiar to anyone with a high-end car made by Fiat Chrysler Ltd.

It is quite intuitive but feels a bit dated. The 360-degree reversing camera does its job well, but the quality is lacking compared Maserati’s newest system featured in the new Ghibli Trofeo. However, that is another story, literally. That aside, the Quattroporte is a delightful place to be. The heated leather seats are supportive and offer a decent amount of lateral support and there is plenty of room to flob out front a rear.

Maserati do some of the nicest sounding V8s around, and in the GTS, things are business as usually. Press the starter button firmly and the symphony begins in earnest. The bellow from those twin sports exhausts is pure delight. Give the throttle a bit of your right foot while stationary and cue the green-eyed stares of wonderment. Upon hearing this rumble, those in the know will immediately think Maserati.

To be honest, the Quattroporte actually sounds the best when rumbling around town at cruising speed. The temptation to activate Sport mode and flick up and down via the shift paddles became too good to resist. Honestly, I have lost track of the times I have heard a Quattroporte, new or old, being used in this manner. On the overrun, it crackles and burbles like cannon fire. Gosh this car sounds good.

Shifting those aforementioned paddles in manual mode is not a slick as some of the Masers rivals. The ZF eight speed auto is perfectly fine shifting down, but going up through the gears you find a slight delay between each change. Give it welly and you experience a more gradual surge of grunt rather than an instant sensation. You can also ride that wave of those 710Nms. This makes the Quattroporte feel meaty and if you keep it in the powerband of between 2000 to 5000rpm, its pretty quick too.

In the corners, it doesn’t feel as sharp as you might think, in fact id say it was more on the softer side. The trade off of that being a much better ride despite those very pretty 21-inch Titano alloys. Steering is also a bit lazier than I was expecting. I wouldn’t call it vague, but just not as pin sharp as its looks would suggest.

Then again, this Quattroporte GTS is not about rearranging your fillings with neck snapping acceleration or devouring bends at warp eight. Think of it more as a softer yet sporting luxury car with that epic soundtrack and a lump of power which you can fully take advantage of the moment you give it stick. It can do the hardcore twisty stuff with tyres squealing and a bellowing V8 exhaust note fine, but it feels more at home munching up the miles in comfort and rumbling around your local.

In summary, its not cheap, its not economical, and it certainly isn’t subtle. However, the Maserati Quattroporte GTS is a still as seductive as ever. Goes like stink, gives you comfortable surroundings and a V8 rumble to wake the dead. There is plenty still to like here.

RATING: 3.9/5

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