I learned to drive on a Chrysler TC by Maserati. Say what you will about the model, 15-year-old me thought it was pretty epic. While my friends were learning how to parallel park in minivans and old sedans, I was learning how to take a tight mountain turn in a sports car. So naturally when an email came in from Maserati asking if I would like to test out the Quattroporte GTS, I jumped at the chance. Needless to say, they’ve grown leaps and bounds since my childhood. 

Starting at $140,000, it’s easy to forget that the Quattroporte GTS isn’t actually a sports car. With its 3.8-liter, twin turbocharged V8, the sedan offers 523hp, 479 lb-ft of torque (524 lb-ft in sport mode), has a top speed of 191mph and reaches 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. All of these numbers mean that it’s the second fastest Maserati ever, “outdone only by the limited-production Maserati MC12 supercar with its 6.0-liter V12 engine.” Additionally, the eight-speed transmission and paddle shifters make the transition from automatic to manual incredibly fluid and barely noticeable.

Boasting a strong sporty design, the GTS maintains many recognizable Maserati elements, like the oval radiator grill, three side air vents and logo. The styling of the frameless doors and windows help to give the car a very coupé-like feel (in appearance and drivability), while the rear gets new LED wraparound lights that are joined together in the back by a chrome trim. 

For the interior, Maserati’s design team has managed to straddle that fine line between tradition and modernity. With incredibly intuitive and user-friendly tech, the GTS gives you everything you actually need and not an ounce more. Allowing the materials to shine (which includes fine wood trimmings and Poltrona Frau leather—mine was an attractive burnt clay color called Cuoio), the controls are very understated and don’t inhibit the driving experience, proving that less really is more. It’s basically like riding around in a five-star hotel suite—you half expect a butler to be waiting in the spacious trunk.

I only had the Italian car for a weekend, so I planned out which roads I would take to make the most of the experience. My first night spent with the Quattroporte GTS was casual—we needed to get to know one another, after all—so I treated it like a sedan and cruised up to La Jolla to check out the beach and of course, to be seen. If you enjoy the feeling of being watched and admired, get yourself this car—I lost count of how many times the GTS was catcalled. Though be warned, because when driving casually it’s next to impossible to keep the speed below 50pmh—“It’s not my fault officer, she drives herself! You should ticket Maserati.”

The next two days were reserved for the real driving. I sped along the Palomar Mountain loop, which is a favorite among sports car and motorcycle owners due to its miles and miles of tight, steep corners as you make your way up the mountain and back down to Lake Heneshaw. As one of the area’s most challenging roads, it was the perfect way to really test out the Quattroporte GTS. With the sport and suspension modes on, the car becomes aggressive and quick despite its large size, sticking to hairpin turns as if it is on smooth invisible rails. 

Though the model has tons of power, you don’t actually hear much of it from within the cabin due to the design’s use of sound-dampening materials—especially if you’re listening to music through the Bowers & Wilkins stereo system. I appreciate being able to listen to tunes unencumbered, but sometimes I want the engine to sound like a roaring beast, so I definitely wish there was a little more audible umph from those trapezoidal exhaust pipes. But here I go again, forgetting it’s actually a sedan and not a sports car. 

Some may take issue with how touchy the Brembo brake system is and while they do take a little getting used to when in stop-and-go traffic, it’s a small price to pay for how great they are when pushing it to the limit. The only thing I found myself having to really get accustomed to was the shifter, which is so responsive that it’s easy to shift it into incorrect gears and driving modes. 

The Quattroporte GTS isn’t going to be able to compete with true sports cars and that’s okay, because it’s a sedan. It’s meant for those who want that exciting medium between a relaxed everyday status car and one that will get their heart racing.