These are the words of Giampiero Bottino, the journalist behind the article that appears in the respected financial daily, Il Sole 24 Ore. The piece runs the rule over the new Quattroporte S following its international press launch in Salzburg. Bottino opens by listing the biggest changes made to the Modenese berlina that can be seen from the outside, even though “it is once behind the wheel that the most substantial changes can be noted. More docile and made more suitable for a flagship, the 430 horses make themselves heard, above all in Sport mode the car manages to render driving a pleasure. All this power is delivered in the safest possible way.

The gear changes are smooth courtesy of the ZF automatic transmission. Gear shifts are always quick and fluid and can be made manually even in automatic mode”. This last capability is rated as extremely useful by Bottino as it allows the driver to correct quickly if he has under-estimated a curve. The positive line does not stop there: “The overall looks have improved, as has the comfort, the performance and the on-board technology. The latest version of the Maserati Multimedia System, by Magneti Marelli, can be replaced by the Bose Multimedia System - a set up that is cutting edge but takes a little getting used to”.

The article ends with sales figures that confirm Maserati’s upward trend. Photos of the Maserati Quattroporte S and a rundown of the car’s main features round off the review.