Quattroporte Executive GT takes on the Bentley

With its profusion of luxury features and a particular emphasis on the comfort of high-speed touring, the 400bhp Quattroporte Executive GT might be considered, by the uninitiated, the black sheep of the Maserati family. It is, in fact, the dark horse. Blessed with the same drive train and much the same platform as the ultra-nimble Quattroporte Sport GT, the Executive model is a high performance tourer with few real competitors. Regular readers will know that's what we always say, anyway. Recently, in the Carmel Valley, we were fortunate enough to test this theory and found that, if anything, we have been modest about the Quattroporte, which is not to say the competition is bad. It's doubtful anyone would refuse a free Bentley Flying Spur.

We didn't refuse one, kindly provided to us for a drive on the same roads where we wrung out the elegant Quattroporte the same day. And our Executive GT was elegant indeed in deep blue, its metallic finish reflecting the sun like a fine sapphire, with ball polished 19" wheels set off perfectly by glistening highlights like the mesh grill. Inside, we were welcomed by Poltrona Frau's 'glove leather' hides, finely perforated for extra suppleness and to provide an outlet for the in-seat ventilation. Along with in-seat massage and multi-level heating, these are standard comfort features in the Executive GT, as is the almost decadent Alcantara headliner. It's a tactile car, every surface begging to be touched, rewarding the expectant occupant with design and flourish that is 'just so'.

For the rear seat passenger who prefers not to be involved with the journey, Maserati offers an optional video entertainment system and standard tray tables of exotic wood. We left them folded away, for it is a virtual sin to ride in a Maserati and not be involved. It is an impossibility to drive one in such a fashion.

We began the day near Monterey and set off along the twisty 17 Mile Drive with its profusion of opportunities to marvel at topiary, scenery, and marine wildlife, all from the sumptuous elegance of the Quattroporte's interior. Shielded from the brisk wind, the climate control system accurately held the temperature at a comfortable 70 degrees. In Carmel-by-the-Sea, we stopped for breakfast. The village was already alive with people preparing for one of the frequent automotive events. Parking the car we were caught up, like so many passers by, admiring it framed by the quaint surroundings. Sitting still, the Executive GT is deceptive, for its dynamic capabilities are hidden. The short blast along the coast road, however, had whet our appetites for something more.

The Carmel Valley, stretching inland from California's fabled seaside village has engaging roads. The main one along the valley's floor, beside the Carmel River, is a good one, but often heavily traveled. Up the sides of the valley, however, are paved tracks rarely experienced by any but locals; a pity. These are the sinuous, twisting paths of switchbacks, varied-radiuses, and changing cambers. These are the roads on which a car is truly tested and its driver either backs off in fear or presses on to motoring Nirvana.

The Quattroporte Executive GT is heavenly. While the flora and fauna baked in sun barely risen above the surrounding mountain peaks, we basked in accurate climate control, soft drinks kept cool and upright, the Bose stereo offering up Handel to match the mood. As the road began its ascent, at a grade forbidden to heavy trucks, a couple of flicks on the Duo-Select brought the engine to the midst of its torque band and the throttle was opened wide. It is not necessary to down-shift an Executive GT on such a drive, but it is nice to hear the exhaust. To be in the middle of the clever and seductive Ferrari-designed V8's power band is to commit to the moment; as we rose above the morning mist and engaged with the car, with the engine singing and the road bending in and out of out of sight, commitment was necessary.

As sumptuous as the Italian leather is, it holds occupants properly in hard cornering. The general luxury of the Executive GT, in fact, would belie its dynamic prowess if one never let the horses out of the barn. The Quattroporte's responsive and communicative steering and uncanny balance came into play as the topography rather than the driver set the rhythm. We could feel the weight of the car shift predictably from wheel to wheel as each transition was made. Braking, sometimes late and heavy, was handled by the big Brembos with aplomb, and yet without undue dive or roll. The Executive GT hugged the surface rather than bounding across it, and we were cosseted within whilst enjoying a ride both as smooth and as thrilling as one imagines light training with the Blue Angels would be.

On the same road, later in the day, we admired the interior of VW's flagship Bentley Flying Spur. Its exterior styling is extremely understated, with a finish of high quality; the Saville Row tailoring has been flattened somewhat by Wolfsburg's influence while the Quattroporte's flair is unabridged Italian savoir faire. The W12, shared with Volkswagen and Audi, offered masses of torque to propel the limousine rapidly along the Carmel Valley Road. Its comfort is undeniable, but in a different idiom than the Quattroporte's. Italian sensuality - the smell of leather, the support of the seats, the directness of the steering -- are replaced by Bentley's more staid and sterile overstuffed chairs and glossy veneers. Where the Quattroporte's shifter paddles, backed with Alcantara that begs to be touched, control a real manual transmission that thrusts the car forward with every upshift, the Bentley's Bauhaus handles are smooth and hard; they seem appended rather than integral to its common automatic transmission.

On upshifts the Bentley did not surge, it continued in virtual ignorance of the driver's input. This separation of man from machine came more sharply into focus as we ascended the valley side. The Bentley is a soft car where the Quattroporte is instead compliant, and steering input results in a relatively sluggish response from the Anglo-German, with little real sense of its relationship to the road. Its brakes offer massive assistance with little feedback; the weight surely does transition as this large bulk makes its way through the corners, but one is not aware of it. The Flying Spur can go around corners, but it offers no particular reward in so doing, and we therefore backed off to enjoy the scenery instead of the drive; we also tried out its substantial rear tray tables. Although we didn't time our respective runs, we felt confident that the Quattroporte, which can best BMW's V10 M5 around a track, is in the real world of challenging byways a faster car than the Flying Spur, and equally luxurious.

Later in the day we took our Quattroporte Executive GT for another run around the Carmel Valley, renewing our passion for driving that the four door sports car uniquely offers. We are now sure that offered the choice of a Quattroporte Executive GT or a Bentley Flying Spur, discerning drivers and enthusiasts will opt for the Maserati. Since the Trident handsomely covers its four door with a 4 year / 50,000 mile limited warranty and leaves far more money in its owners' pockets, it is no wonder that so many people have chosen the high-value Italian, with its accessible performance and greater exclusivity. The Bentley is a good luxury car and a worthy competitor. The Quattroporte Executive GT is a great sports sedan that offers every true luxury. Drive a Quattroporte at your authorized Maserati dealer today and touch 'sedanirvana'.