2009 Maserati QUATTROPORTE S

It’s taken awhile, but Maserati’s big, four-door Quattroporte has finally blossomed into the magnifico ultra-luxury sedan it always deserved to be. So much so that the latest Quattroporte S, due on the streets early November 2008, comes close to such sedan superstars as Bentley’s Flying Spur and Merc’s S600 in terms of hedonistic luxury coupled with driver gratification. Distinguished by its vertical chrome grille louvers, which connect it visually to the new GranTurismo, the new S comes with an uprated version of the Ferrari-derived V-8. Capacity goes up from 4.2 to 4.7 liters, with a power hike from 400 hp to 425. Floor the throttle, listen to the baritone crescendo as the revs soar, and sit back in wonderment as this 4,400-pound piece of rolling sculpture rushes to 60 mph in a smidge longer than five seconds. Bigger front rotors and larger 19-inch Pirellis add to the driving delights, as does the all-new Bose multimedia/nav system.