Quattroporte Test Drive

I test drove an Executive Automatic on Saturday...beautiful car; dark blue w/tanganyka wood trim. The ZF transmission was smooth and fast; I have an SMG M3 and actually like paddle shifted manuals, but this transmission seems more suited to the character of the QP.

For me, steering and handling were the highlights. I was able to attack a few twisting backroads, and the car drives much lighter than its curb weight. Steering is transparent, grip is never ending, and there's very little body roll. I felt totally in control at all times. The car came with paddles which stay in place, unlike the M3s which turn w/the wheel. I like the stationary paddles better.

Since the car had about 3K miles on it, I was able to take it right up to redline...gearing is tall and I kept it in 2nd most of the time on the backroads, where I was at 5500-6000 rpm. That 4.2 liter mill is a gorgeous piece of work! Beautiful sounds, and absolutely no dead spots. You have useful torque right off idle and it absolutely rules on the highway. There's a lot of sound deadening material - that's one reason it's a heavy car - but you definitely don't have to strain to hear the engine.

I imagine the DuoSelect handles even better- weight distribution is 47/53 as opposed to 49/51 with the automatic - but it was a real pleasure to fling this car around. It was my first time behind the wheel of a high-end Italian car, and yes, it's a different animal from the German products.

I'm not pulling the trigger on this car, but as I said - it was a pleasure. If you're in the market, you'll probably be able to swing a good deal.