Maserati says that its new Quattroporte Sport GT S "sets another milestone in terms of sportiness in the high performance luxury sedan segment," and it also appears to be trying to set a record for one car's syllable allotment. Suitable then that it takes more than just a couple of changes to be able to append that "S" to the regular Quattroporte Sport GT.
Torque remains the same, but the 4.8-liter V8 is cranks out 433 hp, eight ponies over the regular model. And you get that horsepower a tad later – the engine's rev limit is 7,200 rpm, but you won't get every one of those ponies in action until 7,000 rpm. The transmission software has also been recalibrated for more engaging shifts in three different modes. The suspension has been lowered, stiffened, and imbued with passive damping for higher cornering speeds and improved response. And the sport exhaust has pneumatic valves that render a "deep, throaty, and captivating sound" through large, twin-oval tailpipes.
Aesthetically, the Maser's big black snout gets concave vertical fins and a trident with red trim, the headlights are finished in metallic titanium, and the door handles are body-colored. Inside, new M-design seats come in perforated leather paired with Alcantara, and a standard trim called Titantex, which must have come from the marketing department. Slightly cheesy, but definitely beautiful. The entire package sits on 20-inch wheels.
