Before you ask, it costs R1.6-million. Yes, it's a lot. But it is a Maserati and when you translate that name directly from Italian to English, you get "expensive". Or was it exclusive? I forget.
Actually, Maserati was the surname of four brothers who started building racing cars in 1914 but this isn't a history lesson, it's a driving impression of Maserati's latest - the GranTurismo.
If you translate GranTurismo into English, you get "Grand Tourer" or "GT". Now, in case you didn't know, a GT is traditionally defined as a coupé intended to travel long distances very quickly, in great comfort.
The ideal car in which to pack a pair of leather travel bags (which Maserati will gladly supply for a more-than-nominal fee) and head off from, say, Milan to Turin.
A GT should provide a comfortable environment for you and a partner for a few hours on the high road and in most cases should offer a good dollop of power underfoot as well. Not dissimilar to a private jet, I suppose.
In our market the GranTurismo shakes its trident badge at competitors such as BMW's 6-Series, Merc's SL and Jag's XK - each costing more than R500 000 less (when directly comparing power outputs).
The fairer fight, however, is with cars such as Aston Martin's Vantage although the DB9 and Vanquish register high on the exclusivity meter and each is also a GT - but far more expensive.
So how does the GranTurismo fare against these GT rivals? Short and sweet? - the Aston Martin will always take the honours. No contest. But what about the far cheaper 650i, SL500 and XKR?
There are aspects of the Maserati that obliterate the competition. The craftsmanship of the interior, for example, is among the finest I've experienced. The crisp stitching on the seats would make your grandmother cry and the head restraints are embossed with the trident logo in such detail it can almost prick the back of your head.
Leather is scattered around with a class and sophistication that only the Italians coucanld get right. Back seats are quite usable, too, a rarity in a true GT; I ferried three passengers more than once.
Bit underwhelming
Underneath that long, sculpted hood is a luscious 4.2-litre V8 that sings like an Italian motor should. I think engine note forms part of the criteria when judging a car such as this. When all eyes are on you at a traffic light, you wouldn't want to pull away with a sound like a Massey-Ferguson, would you?
Yet it's a bit underwhelming considering its claimed 298kW. I'm not calling Maserati a liar but our test figures told a completely different story to that of the fancy GranTurismo brochure.
Granted, we were at Gauteng altitude, but the 7.4sec 0-100km/h sprint and 14.9sec quarter-mile were disappointing for a sports car.
And that interior may be one of the most stylish on the market but the front seats do nothing for the vertebrae. I could be wrong but they bear a remarkable resemblance to those of Alfa's 159 and Brera, two cars I remember for being rather uncomfortable.
Long straight
They're simply too hard, with not enough support or cushioning, which is a pity considering the definition of a GT. They look great but function follows form here.
Aside from the irritating seats this Maserati gives a reasonably comfortable ride. If I were to draw a scale with a Rolls-Royce Phantom at one end representing comfort and a Lotus Exige at the other representing handling I'd put the GranTurismo about halfway, maybe one notch towards the comfort side.
There's a long straight at out test facility that we use for acceleration tests with nice open patches at each end to turn around. When I'm feeling frisky, I whack the throttle in these open patches to induce some oversteer in whatever it is I'm driving.
This car, however, would have none of it; understeer was all it knew in such situations, although honest GT drivers would never notice.
When I took delivery of this car for our test period, Maserati's representative asked me not to mention two little pieces of felt sticking out of the fascia between it and the windscreen. Sorry, Maserati, but I can't ignore this.
I'm not sure whether this was a repair job in progress or if this was how the car came from Modena but it looked like an attempt to fix an irritating squeak. Most of the passengers I had during my time with the Maserati noticed this squeak and commented on it.
Four modes
Strange, considering Maserati's "Excellence through Passion" catch phrase and the R1.6-million base price.
I also can't overlook the transmission which is "the best" according to the same representative. It has four operating modes, ranging from normal automatic to sequential manual to an "Ice" setting for maximum traction.
I'll quote myself from another road test I wrote concerning a GT rival - "Leave it in automatic."
Given the nature of this car, it's all you need. Manual shifts are simply too slow and uncomfortable and it always seems to revert to plain automatic mode by itself anyway. Works great as a plain auto...
But that's enough complaining; it would be churlish to find more fault with a work of art such as this, like saying the Mona Lisa would be better as a blonde.
This is how the GranTurismo was created. True fans of Italian cars have a knack of overlooking such little nuances and some even prefer their cars with them. Or so I hear.
VERDICT
The tailored Italian suit of the automotive world, incredibly stylish and incredibly expensive. If I could afford it I would have at least one in my wardrobe, but I'd probably wear something from Woolworths on a day-to-day basis.
However, when the occasion arises, it'll be ideal for showing off your bank status and Champagne taste. No German rival mentioned in this story can do it quite like this.