First Drive: Quattroporte Sport GT S
Power Through; Handle Everything

On the dashboard of the new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S is a small button marked ‘Sport’. Presumably the designers did this because, while giving more of an impression of the actual effect it has, “Cry ‘havoc’ and let slip the dogs of war” would have been too much text to fit on the button itself. Having driven the car on its ‘home turf’ in Italy, I now know that the Sport button is one of the key components which make the Sport GT S the most exciting Quattroporte for the keen driving enthusiast.

On paper, the new car always sounded like a great idea; the most power ever developed by a Quattroporte, a sports exhaust to give the 4.7-liter V8 a voice worthy of its 433 bhp output, specially tuned suspension which gives greater body control and a lower ride, and interior and exterior design tweaks to emphasize the sporting prowess of this most focused Maserati. The Sport GT S does not disappoint; the new 20” Multi-Trident wheels filling the wheel arches, coupled with the lowered body, give the car an assertive look which is reinforced by the ‘black line’ styling – black window trim, black dual oval exhausts and black vertical slats in the concave front grille.

As I made my way out of Modena, I pressed the Sport button to see what effect it would have in traffic. The answer was that it made the car feel sharper, eager to break free of the constraints of the urban roads – and its intentions were announced by a wonderfully raspy exhaust note, which could clearly be heard in the cabin without being intrusive. But it was when I joined the Autostrada that the true nature of the Sport GT S became clear. Pulling out from behind other traffic, I pressed the throttle pedal hard – the response was shocking in its immediacy and ferocity, bordering on delightful savagery. The ZF transmission kicked down not one but two ratios sending the rev counter needle swinging around the dial, the exhaust note changed from a rasp to a wail and the car surged forward with genuine urgency. Other versions of the Quattroporte are hardly noted for being slow to respond, but the Sport GT S is operating at another level.

In no time at all the traffic had been left far behind – although the pace the Quattroporte had so effortlessly gathered meant close attention had to be paid to cars some way ahead. With the speed well into three figures, discretion reined in my exuberance; it was tempting to keep my foot buried and try to explore the upper reaches of the 177mph top speed of the Sport GT S, but traffic quickly banished such thoughts. Settling down to head south of Bologna – the city which was home to the Maserati brothers, and their company, for over 25 years – I switched off the Sport mode and looked for evidence that the Quattroporte’s abilities as a long-distance super-sedan had been compromised. The ultra-critical might feel there was slightly more road noise than in other models; and with Sport mode engaged there was the hint of a resonance from the exhaust. But in reality, the cabin remains a fine place in which to rapidly reel off the miles; the car is so accomplished that rarely has 90mph felt so... sedate.

Turning off the Autostrada, I headed down a route devised by the factory to demonstrate the other side of the Sport GT S – its ability to tackle virtually any road at a pace with which other sedans would struggle. While the suspension is perceptibly more firm than the Skyhook set-up used on the Quattroporte S, don’t be fooled into thinking that this means a harsh, jarring ride; even on roads with a corrugated surface, hammered by large trucks servicing the farms, the suspension did what its makers intended, keeping the body of the Sport GT S under complete control, providing ample feedback to the driver and instilling confidence that the car could handle it all, and more.

As I headed away from Modena the snow covering the mountains some 80 miles to the north could clearly be seen; but the route used had taken me in the opposite direction. I was in the heart of the Po Valley, the immense, fertile and largely flat plain which stretches from just inside the French border to the west across to the Adriatic Coast in the east. The sediment washed down from the Alps over millennia has led to this region being devoted to agriculture; I passed countless farms as I followed the twists and turns of the route, along with ever-present vineyards. Through towns and villages with wonderfully evocative names – Medicina, Sant’Antonia, Conselice, Madonna del Bosco. As the Maserati cruised through the towns, it became clear that, even in Normal mode ambling below 30 mph, the Quattroporte Sport GT S still turned heads. Almost everywhere there were people standing talking on the street, they would turn to admire the Maserati as I made my way past.  The Quattroporte Sport GT S is an occasion. 

As mentioned earlier, the route was almost entirely devoid of hills – which meant, out of town, I had the significant advantage of being able to see a long way ahead. I took full advantage of this, blasting down the straights and braking hard into the sharp corners; there was one glorious stretch after La Fiorana where the road twisted and turned deliciously as it followed a drainage channel. In Sport mode, the Quattroporte howled its delight as I braked into each bend and powered out. The Sport GT S is fitted with the same front brakes as the Quattroporte S - 14.2” dual-cast ventilated cross-drilled discs gripped by six-piston calipers; about the only comment I can make is that they were supremely effective, never giving me pause to wonder whether they were up to the job.

Soon after, the route reached a vast lagoon, part of the Valli di Comacchio; large areas here have been reclaimed from the Adriatic Sea and turned into a haven for wildlife, birds and fish. In the late morning sun, it seemed an excellent spot to stop and take stock of just what Maserati has achieved with its latest sedan. On all the varied road surfaces the route had thrown at us, through all kinds of bends, the single-damper suspension had done a fine job, more than justifying its place on this most sporting Quattroporte. The wide spread of torque from the 4.7-liter engine, together with the extra horsepower, have given the already swift sedan yet more urgency, perfectly complemented by the reprogrammed ZF 6-speed automatic transmission. One word sums up the whole nature of the Quattroporte Sport GT S: Sharper.

Despite the other improvements, pride of place simply has to go to the exhaust system. In Normal mode, when cruising unobtrusively through town or making progress on the autostrada at whatever pace traffic allowed, it was quiet and civilized, allowing just enough through to serve as a promise of what the car can do. In Sport mode it transforms the entire nature of the car; the Quattroporte cannot but help being a true luxury sedan, but the exhaust note tells a different story – that of a hard-edged, purposeful sports car that revels in the challenge of a winding road. The exhaust urges the driver on, promising ever greater returns for getting the engine further round its rev range.

Having concluded that, if I were to draw up a list of luxury sporting sedans, the Quattroporte Sport GT S would easily slot in at the No.1 position, I completed the last few miles into Ravenna. The rendezvous was the Piazza del Popolo, ordinarily off limits to vehicles. The result was a magnificent sight – six Quattroportes lined up, a modern contrast to the ancient buildings which line the square. The ideal photo opportunity – except that it was almost impossible to get a clear shot! Passers-by swarmed around the cars, admiring the exterior, peering through the windows at the fine interior, posing for photos snapped on camera phones. The Maseratis truly were the center of attention.

Before lunch, Maserati had arranged a cultural treat – a brief visit to view the stunning mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Eight sites in the Italian city are of such importance that they have been named as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO; the two buildings I visited date back to the sixth and fifth centuries respectively. The mosaics, depicting biblical scenes, are breathtaking in their beauty and intricacy; the famed artist Gustav Klimt visited the city in 1903, and it is likely that the mosaics influenced his well known style.

After lunch it was time to head back to Modena, this time taking the more direct route along the autostrada. I settled down to a high-speed cruise; apparently one of the other journalists on the trip took the opportunity to test the car’s high-speed stability, reaching speeds well in excess of 150mph with no problems. Back in Modena once more, it was time to bid farewell to the Quattroporte Sport GT S after an exhilarating and entertaining day. Maserati has succeeded in creating a Quattroporte for the most enthusiastic driver, one as well suited to carving the backroads or lapping a track as it is to eating up the miles on an interstate. The new model is arriving at dealers now, so contact your local authorized Maserati dealer to arrange a test drive – discover for yourself just how good the Quattroporte Sport GT S really is.