09 Nov 07
The suspension isn't the adjustable Skyhook system still found on all other Quattroportes. Instead it's a conventional non-adjustable single-rate damper system, the success or failure of which depends upon the engineers having chosen a good rate. They have. The springs are 25% stiffer, which turns out to be enough to improve feedback from the road surface, reduce body roll during cornering and - uncannily - make the car feel tighter and smaller without becoming harsh or uncomfortable.
The front brake discs are now bigger and are gripped by six calipers instead of four, but they don't weigh any more. Developed with Brembo, they're not only more powerful, they also cope better with heat. The specially developed tyres, which are wider at the rear and have a new compound, give better traction out of corners.
Inside you'll find new, more supportive seats, more Alcantara, and a new style of carbon fibre for the dashboard, with aluminium threaded through it. Outside, there are black chrome tail pipes, black instead of silver around the windows, body-coloured door handles and 20" wheels with a dark chrome finish.
All the other combinations of spec and gearbox are still available, but it's hard to see why you'd choose any of them in favour of the supremely well-judged Sport GT S. It makes the Maserati look even more attractive against a wide range of other, more or less passenger-friendly, luxury GTs, from the Jaguar XJ and BMW 6-Series to the Audi S8 and Ferrari Scaglietti. And there's more on the way, including the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera.
It's a great time to be rich.
