MASERATI QUATTROPORTE Lease

It’s taken Maserati nearly half a century to perfect its Quattroporte model (this the Italian for ‘four-door’). This is the fifth generation version and in truth, the only one to have really hit the mark. The cars are beautifully screwed together and a silky six-speed ZF gearbox suited the needs of a much wider selection of customers. Perfection isn’t created overnight you see – but it’s worth waiting for.

The major changes to his improved model are found at the front where there's a light grille arrangement reminiscent of the brand's Levante luxury SUV. The lower nose section is linked to the grille with aerodynamic inspired splits. The back has been restyled too, with two side pockets that focus the attention on the exhausts. An aggressive black piano spoiler completes the rear view.

Inside, there are further changes too, primarily with the addition of smarter touchscreen infotainment system in the centre of the dash. Drivers also get redesigned front and rear seats with more sculptured profiles, plus a smarter sport steering wheel, which can be ordered in carbon fibre or full leather. There's high gloss Piano Black wood trim on the dashboard, aluminium gearshift paddles and stainless steel sport pedals to complete the effect.

Turn the key and there’s a lengthy starter whine before the V8 powerplant borrowed from Maserati’s Gran Turismo coupe springs into life, then settles back into a more subdued but still meaningful rumble. If there’s a better-sounding engine in the world, then I can’t think of it right now. It comes either as a 400bhp 4. 2-litre unit if you go for the standard version or in 425bhp 4. 7-litre guise if you opt for the S, with a more focused 4. 7-litre 433bhp Sport GT S model on offer.

You simply don’t expect a rival luxury saloon to be able to attack corners in the way that this one can. Superb body control plays a big part in this, the Maserati’s adaptive dampers sensing body movements and reacting instantly to keep the car steady through the bends with eager turn-in. There's terrific grip and if you want to disable the MSP traction and stability control system and indulge in tail-out antics, then you can. The penalty for all this is a rather un-limo-like ride, but it’ll be acceptable to most unless they either select the standard versions’ rather unnecessary tauter ‘Sport’ setting (which also speeds up the gearshifts) or perhaps choose the Sport GT S model with its 25% stiffer all-round set-up.

Well this is the first Pininfarina-penned Quattroporte and it certainly won’t suit if you want to hide your wealth under a bushel. Quite apart from the arresting looks, this car is seriously lengthy. With an unusually long nose that contributes in no small part to a total length of over five metres from tip to tail. At least the cabin is large enough for both front and rear seat passengers to stretch out in comfort – though it’s not really designed to seat three at the back. The chassis is a clean sheet design with a classic longitudinally-mounted engine driving the rear wheels.

The Maserati is unique. You can drive it, you can draw up in it and you can drool over it. For the independently-minded boardroom driver who’d like a classic Italian sportscar but needs four doors, there’s nothing quite like this Maserati.