The Maserati Quattraporte GTS gives the modern Indian his long-desired Italian indulgence

Finesse and suave for the sophisticated of today is vastly different from what it used to be, not too long ago. A vanilla Monday morning would see a stream of Mercedes S Class’ pouring onto South Mumbai’s Altamount Road, the choicest ride and abode for businessmen and executives alike. There’s no doubt that these chauffer driven machines are infested with arrays of gizmos and technologies that underline German innovation. But this was then. Now’s the age for a young entrepreneur who saunters down his high-rise apartment building in Bandra, muscles flexed from lifting dead weights and an undercut gracing his facial mane, looking dapper and assertive. He gets behind his own wheel and flicks the stereo on and disappears into a busy day. Why, you may wonder, have we dwelled on this protagonist to this length? It is for such that the Maserati Quattraport GTS is such a welcome entry on Indian roads.


Exterior design
The Maserati, forged in a racing stable, has grown to be among the most revered and desired brand of automobiles. Italian through and through, this beast of muscle and great looks marks its re-entry into India and the Quattraporte GTS is likely to be a great offering. From lyrics in Pop hits to burning tarmac in fashion shoots, the splendidly designed car with its Trident glistening on the grille and three mandatory cavities on its side is here to charm the aspiring Indian driver. The Quattraport GTS is well over 5 meters in length and rides on 20-inch wheels. The nose dips distinctively low and the ground clearance isn’t much but with a wheelbase of 3171 mm, you’ve one large attention-demanding machine to reckon with. The rear portion, however, is a surprising let-down when it comes to looks. Albeit the elongated tail laps do not steal the show but the four exhaust pipes look somewhat rad.

Interiors
On the inside, the makers haven’t overcooked technology like their German counterparts. Everything is neatly laid out in a spacious cabin, which is draped in leather and carbon fiber. The 8.4-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard while an analog watch gives the car its classic flavor. With few buttons there is ample room to accommodate the AC vents, gauges and other necessaries. The Quattraporte GTS arrives with parking sensors up front and at the back and electric mirrors to guide drivers. The dual climate control lets you command over the undecided Mumbai weather. Coming to the inner layout, the seats are large, comfortable and cooled. The boot is spacious with a capacity of 530 liters.

Performance
On the performance front, the Ferrari-built 3.8-liter V8 engine with two turbos is something the doctor ordered. The 8-speed automatic flawlessly delivers 530 horsepower to the rear wheels taking the car from still 100 kmph in 4.8 seconds. It can touch maximum speeds of up to 307 kmph, but no one’s daring that in an Indian city. For comfort and ease of control, Maserati have included five driving modes for auto, auto sport, manual, manual sport and Increased Control and Efficiency (ICE) for more challenging terrains such as snow or gravel. The car offers 650 Nm of torque and an engine that revs up to 6,000 rpm making it a delight to handle and power-up, even at about 2 tons! Inside the cabin that monster of an engine is comparatively silent. The car offers linear and quick acceleration which may keep you on your toes as you continually juggle between pedals in the dense city traffic. Performance wise, just as with the design, this car has everything to draw eyeballs of the aforementioned businessman of yesteryear as it sails by his S Class.

Verdict
Our verdict is pretty much in line with what brand Maserati has been promising to generations of drivers. It is a driver’s car, the Quattroporte GTS. It is made for the grind of the city and is by far one of the sexiest cars to have graced our streets. Like all things Italian, it makes you look damn good with it. The only shortcoming may be the incredibly low ground clearance and the absence of air suspension to raise the car, this will take its toll over the many speed-bumps and craters but we reckon that it isn’t much of a deterrent for the knowing mind.

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