Sacramento – a northern California jewel
One capital city, two capital cars

Sacramento is arguably one of the best placed cities in North America. With the Napa and Sonoma Valley wine regions, downtown San Francisco, the ski and lakeshore resorts of Lake Tahoe and the majestic Yosemite National Park all within a couple of hours drive, it lies at the heart of some of the finest attractions northern California has to offer. All that may be true – but it overlooks the fact that Sacramento is an equally attractive place to spend time: and what could be better than Sacramento sightseeing in a Maserati? The answer: sightseeing in two Maseratis!

While we were staying in the city, Maserati of Sacramento very generously put two cars at our disposal; a gorgeous Bianco Eldorado Quattroporte Sport GT S, and a stunning GranTurismo in Nero Carbonio. We suspect they may have had an ulterior motive behind their kind offer, because it meant that Mario Biundo, general manager of the dealership, and sales consultant Bill Axtell, got to come along for the ride, to show us the sights – and, more importantly, they got to drive whichever car we weren’t using at the time!

This may come as something of a surprise – surely they drive the cars whenever a prospective client asks for a test drive? Firstly, the dealership believes in getting the customer behind the wheel – the experience of driving the car is a most essential part of owning a Maserati. And second, quite simply, who wouldn’t jump at the chance of driving such wonderful cars in such splendid surroundings?

When we first set out from the dealership traffic was heavy – it was the evening rush-hour, and the roads were jammed. Such conditions can send blood pressure soaring and tempers flaring – yet the Quattroporte proved the ideal antidote to the stressful conditions. Despite having the ability to accelerate more quickly, and go faster than every other car around us, the big sedan was perfectly content to amble along in traffic, the 4.2-liter V8 barely reaching 2,000 rpm before the ZF six-speed automatic transmission made a silky-smooth change to the next ratio. The Sport GT S is the most sporting Quattroporte ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s highly-strung; the car and its occupants are happy even away from a clear, smooth road. Despite the conventional suspension being tuned to give a firmer, more sporting ride than Skyhook-equipped cars, it still shrugged off road imperfections and potholes with aplomb.

The car really is a remarkable achievement; the standard Quattroporte feels agile, maneuverable and ready for anything, yet the Sport GT S somehow manages to feel even more capable, taut and ready for action while sacrificing none of the civilized smoothness. Of course, given the aforementioned clear, smooth road the Sport GT S comes into its own; the feedback provided through the steering wheel and the seat of the pants ensure the driver is intimately connected, always aware of what is going on where it counts – where the rubber meets the road. On such a road, it is worth slowing down occasionally, to give yourself a moment to look around – because otherwise, you can easily forget that you are piloting a full-size luxury sedan.

The interior of the Sport GT S certainly warranted the ‘luxury’ tag; the seats were in black leather, with Alcantara center panels to help keep the occupants in place during spirited cornering. Swathes of black were set off wonderfully by light gray piping and stitching, with the finishing touch being the piano black trim across the dashboard and on the doors. The controls were all solid and logically positioned, with the paddles to control the automatic transmission falling perfectly to hand behind the steering wheel trimmed, like the gear lever, in black Alcantara.

Our first stop was the Old Sacramento Historic District, and we were awe-struck by the area; no wonder it has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. For example, there is the Heywood building – dating back to 1857, it was built by Sacramento’s first butcher. Across the street is the B.F. Hastings building – not only was it the western terminus of the famed Pony Express mail service, but it was also the first location of the California Supreme Court. There is a remarkably detailed statue commemorating the Pony Express on the corner opposite the building.

We cruised around the corner, where we came across the Central Pacific Railroad freight station, which dates back to the 1860s. Now part of the California State Railroad Museum, it made a great backdrop for photos of both cars; the Quattroporte and GranTurismo both shrugged off the cobbled streets with ease. We had patrons leaving a nearby restaurant looking admiringly at the cars as our photographer lined them up, expressing their envy at our good fortune.

From there we headed along the river bank seeking a spot to arrange and photograph the brace of grand tourers. While the cars were being shuffled into position we admired the views over the Sacramento River, and in particular the Tower Bridge to the north of us. This impressive structure dates back to 1935 – it was built because the city and War Department recognized that additional capacity across the river would be needed in the event of war. The towers rise some 160 feet above the water; they allow the center section to be raised for ships to pass underneath.

Mario suggested that another good location for photos would be in front of the State Capitol. At this point we became aware of another benefit of taking two cars: a double dose of aural pleasure. With the windows of the Quattroporte down, we enjoyed the wonderful sounds made by the two 4.2-liter V8 engines as their exhaust notes rebounded off the surrounding buildings; as we slowed for red lights, using the paddle to downshift resulted in the electronics triggering that delicious blip of the throttle. But such thoughts were banished when we arrived at the circle in front of the Capitol building.

The Capitol looks truly stunning, particularly in sunset light; the neoclassical building was modeled on the US Capitol building in Washington, and the resemblance is clear. The colonnaded portico is topped by galleries and a large dome, with imposing wings spreading to left and right. In front of the building is a traffic circle, in the center of which is a fountain, surrounded by rose gardens and flanked by tall palm trees; it really was an idyllic setting.

When we left the Capitol I opted to drive the GranTurismo, for a back-to-back comparison of the two cars. Some things are the same; the gorgeous Poltrona Frau leather interior, for example, and the way the controls fall to hand, including the shift paddles to control the ZF 6-speed automatic transmission. But as soon as you get in, the GranTurismo communicates its more sporting focus; partly it’s the way the cabin seems to wrap itself around you, forming a sumptuously appointed cocoon without being tight or claustrophobic. Partly it’s the dramatic sweep of the wood trim as it bisects the dashboard; partly it’s the slightly more reclined seating position. But mostly it’s the view of the curvaceous lines and the infinite horizons through steeply raked windshield ahead.

From the driver’s seat the hood slopes away to the low, wide, aggressive mouth; on either side the fenders bulge purposefully. In the left and right rear view mirrors the rear fenders can clearly be seen, highlighted by the way the back of the cabin flows towards the center line of the car. Whether you admire it from outside or inside, it is clear that the GranTurismo is a modern classic – a car which turns heads today, and which will become a collector’s item in years to come.

And all that is before you start the engine, a couple of seconds which simply reinforce all that has gone before. The 4.2-liter V8 catches with a muted roar, the tach needle surging briefly round the dial before settling to an idle which quietly promises much. Describing it as a caged beast would be wrong – it never becomes uncivilized, and even in full cry it could never be described as harsh or uncouth. But a quick prod of the throttle pedal sends the needle shooting up, making the low inertia of the engine apparent.

Once on the move, the GranTurismo proves to be just as comfortable and relaxing as the Quattroporte around town. The trunk swallows all our luggage, including the bulky photographic gear and, while we didn’t make use of them, the rear seats were large enough to take two more adults in comfort. Such matters were of little concern as we set off to chase the Quattroporte heading out of town in the evening traffic. The contrast between the two cars was stark, going well beyond their divergent colors. People tend to notice the Quattroporte, no matter what the color; the beautiful Italian styling attracts favorable comment even from people who aren’t car enthusiasts, and heads turn.

The GranTurismo takes this to the next level; even in a dark color the marvelous Pininfarina design has people stopping in their tracks, turning their heads and staring as the Maserati growls past. Anyone who drives a GranTurismo in town will quickly become used to comments and questions: how fast, how many horses. Many will want to know how they can get one; few will be foolish enough to challenge a drag race.

Once out of town we gave the GranTurismo a chance to strut its stuff, powering along a road which combined gradients and challenging curves with straights which the GranTurismo effortlessly shortened. With the gear lever slotted into the Manual position and the Sport button depressed, we attacked the road with relish, reveling in the glorious sound as the engine revved to beyond 7,000 rpm before we tugged the paddle for the next ratio. Downchanges were equally rewarding, the electronics executing a perfect ‘blip’ of the throttle each time. The handling was always benign, and we never felt that the car was about to do something unexpected – returning to the ‘caged beast’ analogy, this was more of a thoroughbred experience, not something that would turn around and bite us.

With the sun dropping our photographer cut short the fun, insisting we return to the Capitol. To be fair, he was right - the building looked even more spectacular, with the upper stories lit by the dying sun and the inner portico illuminated by soft floodlights. When it was suggested that Mario and Bill do some turns around the traffic circle, to get ‘action’ shots with the Capitol blurred in the background, they needed no encouragement; it’s a dirty job, but someone had to do it…

Finally, with the daylight gone, we went to a local café, to unwind over some food, to swap stories, and to admire the two cars. All of us were ‘car guys’, so we talked about the competition – only to conclude that, really, the Quattroporte and GranTurismo don’t have any. Sure, the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG has more power – but put it up against the Quattroporte on a twisting road, and see which one is the quicker. Try the ‘valet test’ – pull up outside a fine restaurant in the two cars, and see which one gets the better service. And as for the GranTurismo, we couldn’t even name another luxury sports coupe with rear seats fit for adults and styling that puts most exotics to shame.

Our grateful thanks go to Maserati of Sacramento for being so generous with their cars; they also did a fine job of getting us to some great locations. We’re sure that Mario and Bill didn’t complain too much at getting involved in a little extra-curricular activity!