Under the 2005 Maserati Quattroporte’s long, stylish hood sits a Ferrari-sourced V8 engine that not only looks the part, it acts like the kind of powerplant you expect in such a fine, Italian automobile. Lightweight yet powerful, this 4.2-liter V8 has the acceleration and responsiveness to make merging into freeway traffic effortlessly entertaining. Thanks to 395 horsepower and 326 lb.-ft. of torque, the Quattroporte boasts performance that equates to a smaller, lighter sports car. And with 75 percent of that torque available at just 2,500 rpm, the car launches from stops like a lion. To contributing to the Quattroporte’s superb handling balance, the engine is placed rearward in the engine compartment to create what Maserati calls a front mid-engine design.

Part of the Quattroporte’s enthralling driving experience can be credited to the rear mounted six-speed transmission that has both automatic and manual modes. Each time the Maserati is started, the transmission defaults to automatic shifting. Push a switch on the control panel and manual control is available through the shifter paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Developed in Formula 1 racing, this system takes awhile to become familiar with, but once accustomed it’s easy to imagine yourself sitting on the starting grid at Monaco.

Big brakes are a must for a vehicle of this magnitude and Maserati gave the Quattroporte a set of powerful Brembo binders. Equipped with large ventilated discs and equally massive calipers at all four corners, our Quattroporte stopped with sureness every time we asked. After a number of extremely hard braking exercises it was easy to believe Maserati’s claimed 60-to-0 mph stopping distance of 120 feet.

A combination of Maserati’s Skyhook suspension, Pirelli P-Zero tires and sublime steering deliver commendable handling and ride comfort. The Maserati Quattroporte is well outfitted with a rack-and-pinion steering system that provides excellent feedback from the road yet doesn’t send jarring messages to the driver’s hands. Maserati’s Skyhook suspension consists of front and rear double A-arms in conjunction with a fast-acting adaptive damping system. Despite its two selectable modes, normal and sport, the Skyhook setup seemed to have an infinite degree of automatic adaptation, switching seamlessly from soft ride to controlled handling at all times. The optional 19-inch Pirelli P-Zero performance tires on our test car added the grip needed to help keep the entire Quattroporte package glued to the road.