Normally, it would be considered automotive blasphemy to mention a four-door sedan and a sports car in the same breath.  But since we’re here at the Batangas Racing Circuit at seven in the morning, this definitely won’t fall under the ‘normal’ category.  Formula Sports, Inc., the Philippines’ sole authorized distributor of Ferrari and Maserati automobiles has chosen this locale as the launch venue for its new Maserati Quattroporte and revamped Coupe Cambiocorsa.  From a glance, these two cars don’t share anything in common: one is a five-meter long luxury sedan, the other a long-slung two-seater.  But before we could declare such a back-to-back drive mad, Formula Sports Marketing Director Marc Soong simply handed us the keys and said, “Have a blast.”  And from that point on, it was pure magnificence.

First up, we strapped ourselves in the Quattroporte—Maserati’s global flagship model (MC12 super car notwithstanding); and the moment we whiffed up the fine Italian leather, we found ourselves smitten.  At 5052 mm long, the Quattroporte is in the same league as the ultra-luxury German sedans.  However, their similarities end there.  Whereas the Germans offer luxury in the form of endless acronyms and electronic doodads, the Maserati is a straight-forward leather and wood affair.  Of course, it doesn’t mean the Quattroporte lacks in creature features.  In fact, it’s got almost everything as standard: four-zone climate control, a Bose sound system, a hands-free phone kit and motorized everything (including the rear sun shade).  In addition, all of these gadgets are more integrated and easier to operate.

The short learning curve with the Quattroporte’s controls suggests an appetizing concept: a roomy, ultra-luxury saloon that can be driven like a sports car.  And the moment we hit the main straight, this message was hammered in our heads courtesy of 400 horsepower 4.2-liter V8 engine.  Co-developed with Ferrari, this engine is smooth, full-bodied and an aural delight.  Maserati never meant this engine to be buried in sound insulation, but they did strike the perfect balance of having interior sound muffling and maintaining a tinge of race car vibes.  The Quattroporte rockets from 0-100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds aided by a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission dubbed Maserati DuoSelect (MDS).  Without having to resort to a power-robbing torque converter, the Quattroporte delivers instantaneous up- and downshifts either automatically or through steering wheel mounted paddles.  As we were initially unaccustomed to the system, there was some initial jerkiness which disappeared after we did a couple of laps.  After a while, the shifting became smooth and transparent even in full automatic mode.

The photos don't justify its size, but the Maserati Quattroporte measures in at a stately 5.02 meters long. It's a BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class alternative to those who enjoy the drive.

The interior's clothed in exquisite Poltrona Frau leather and wood. A high degree of customization is available if you don't like this particular combination.