ITALIAN SPORTSMAN - MASERATI OFFERS UP A SPORT GT OPTION FOR ITS QUATTROPORTE

摘要

FEW CAR COMPANIES can get away with inviting journalists to fly halfway around the world to spend a couple of days driving what is essentially a tarted-up two-year-old model. But when the car company's name ends in "i" and the invitation is to visit Modena, Italy, well, you go. But first, some background. Maserati introduced its top-of-the-line Quattroporte to much critical acclaim nearly two years ago ("Four the Italian Way," March 29, 2004). The elegant four-door (hence the name Quattroporte) shape from Pininfarina exudes the sexiness one expects from a car with an Italian lineage. Beneath the hood beats a 4.2-liter V8 built at the Ferrari shop down the road in Maranello. So as far as Italian street creds go, the Quattroporte is loaded.