2009 Maserati Quattroporte in Plainview

Let's get the negatives out of the way first. The steering on the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S is slightly numb on center, the brakes have an eerie dead spot before they bite, the ride quality is brittle on broken pavement, and the shift paddles feel cheap. And to that, we have to say, "Who cares?" There are too many other things to love about the Quattroporte.

The Sport GT S - Maserati's most driver-focused Quattroporte yet - combines all of the best features that have trickled into the gorgeous Italian four-door since it launched more than five years ago. These items include dual-cast Brembo brakes (aluminum hubs, iron rotors), Bilstein dampers paired with stiffer springs, a brilliant ZF six-speed automatic transmission, and a Ferrari-built 4.7-liter V-8. The result is the most emotionally appealing luxury sedan on sale today.

If you have any doubts about that assertion, all you need to do is accelerate the V-8 past 7000 rpm while driving through a tunnel. With a simple push of the sport button on the dash, the dual-mode mufflers belt out a symphony of exotic, tantalizing music that reminds you why normally aspirated engines still offer tremendous appeal. Sure, this powertrain provides horrendous fuel economy - 11 mpg city and 18 mpg highway, according to the EPA - but the Quattroporte's exhaust note alone might make you forget about that.

And it's not as if the Quattroporte's competition - cars such as the Audi S8 and the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG - are much, if any, friendlier at the pump.... Read full article