2008 Maserati QUATTROPORTE

Maserati’s melt-your-heart Quattroporte used to be the Naomi Campbell of the super-sedan world—gorgeous to look at, but with a nasty habit of whacking you at the back of the head. The Maserati’s whack was its DuoSelect auto transmission, which shifted gears with the brutality and urgency of a racecar. Not good when your supermodel passenger is trying to sip her mocha latte with extra froth. Thankfully that’s all changed with the introduction of a conventional, oily smooth, six-speed ZF automatic transmission. Now this achingly beautiful luxe sports sedan can get back to what it does best—transporting four lucky occupants at 167 mph in total, hedonistic comfort. Power comes from that Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter quad-cam V-8, delivering 400 stallions, that’s good for zero-to-60-mph sprints in 5.4 seconds. Take your pick from the standard $116,560 model, or move up to the $121,100 Sport GT, or the decadent $122,400 Executive GT. As for those curves? Priceless.

Vehicle Specs
List Price

$121,100 (Sport GT)
Engine

4.2-liter 32-valve V-8
Horsepower

400 bhp @ 7,000 rpm
Torque

339 lb-ft @ 4,250 rpm
Transmission

6-speed automatic
0-60 mph

5.4 seconds
Top Speed

167 mph
Weight

4,280 pounds
Length

198.9 inches
Tires

245/35ZR-20 (fr), 285/30ZR-20 (r)