M156 Quattroporte

The Italian sportscar-maker's flagship sedan received an all-new upgrade at the start of 2014, bringing with it the top-spec GTS, which boasted a twin-turbo V8 engine.

The entry Quattroporte V6 was powered by a twin-turbo unit pumping out 301kW at 5500rpm and 550Nm between 1750 and 5000rpm. It sprinted to 100km from standstill in 5.1 seconds – not far off the old range-topper – but chewed a more reasonable 10.4 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined cycle (claimed).

The Quattroporte GTS used a Maserati-designed 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, producing a serve of 390kW of power from 6800rpm and 650Nm of torque from 2000-4000rpm.

Weighing 100kg shy of a couple of tonnes, the Quattroporte GTS dispatched the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.7 seconds, go onto a 307km/h top speed, and improve claimed fuel economy and emissions by around 20 per cent courtesy of its reduced capacity (counteracted by the turbo).

Standard kit included bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and a self-dimming high-beam function that can sense oncoming traffic and automatically dip the lights. The GTS stood on 20-inch alloy wheels, although customers could step up to a 21-inch set or down to 19-inch hoops. It hugged the ground with a low 120mm clearance.

An 8.4-inch touchscreen controlled everything from the satellite navigation to the DVD player and audio controls for the 10-speaker sound system that included radio, a Bluetooth phone connection, auxiliary and USB jacks. A 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins Premium Surround system was optional.