Maserati Quattroporte GTS | Spotted

Conveniently, the Nettuno V6, which is now the most powerful ICE in the Maserati range, is a gem, so it’s hardly as if the brand doesn’t have a brilliant engine. That said, an attempt in the Ferrari 849 Testarossa, albeit with significantly more power, was a fantastic reminder of what an engine the F154 V8 is. Shared between Ferraris and Maseratis from 2013 in various configurations – 3.8 litres, 3.9 liters and 4.0 litres, dry and wet sump, flat and cross-plane crank – it has always delivered everything you would expect from a Maranello turbo engine: great response, plenty of power and, in the Maserati installations, a wonderful sound too.

It certainly meant a very different feel to the old nat-asp 4.7, with a big performance boost. When the F154 reached Trofeo specification – 580bhp for the QP, Ghibli and Levante – there were claims of 200mph for the smaller sedan. The introduction of all three certainly brought them back into the spotlight, even if no one would have called them the best cars in their respective classes. Nothing but entertaining with that V8 of course, and quite stylish too.

But with all Trofeos officially costing over £100,000, they were always going to be a hard sell. Even now you won’t find one for less than £50,000. However, there is hope for those looking for an F154 engine for not so much money: the Quattroporte GTS. At its launch in 2013, many seemed more focused on the fact that it didn’t look as good as its predecessor to appreciate what was on offer: 530 hp at a heady 6,800 rpm, and up to 524 Nm, too, with an eight-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

Yet you don’t see many of these 3.8-liter GTSs. There were a plethora of alternatives at the time, from Jaguar XJR to Aston Martin Rapide, and the Maserati was never quite the best of the bunch. But that was back when they cost almost £120,000; with a quarter of that, it’s a lot easier to overlook objective problems and focus on the good things. When you think about it, this isn’t really that different from that last V8 Maserati.

This 2014 GTS has only seen 38,000 miles with three owners, so its mean and moody specs (black outside, black inside, the only real color is in the engine compartment) have been almost perfectly preserved. Maybe the sixth-generation Quattroporte still isn’t a stunner in a sedan, but given some recent efforts in four-door flagships — looking at you, BMW — it’s not aging all that badly. Wherever you drive, it looks neat, and with a Ferrari V8 that brightens up every drive. This one needs a new MOT, and you’ll want to know what the maintenance history is given the nature of the engine, but what an intriguing alternative to the usual super saloons you suspect. As it always was with the Quattroporte of course – only now for almost £100,000 less…

Engine: 3,799cc V8 with twin turbo
Transfer: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 530 at 6,800 rpm
Torque (lb⋅ft): 524 at 2,000-4,000 rpm (overboost)
MPG: 23.9
CO2: 274 g/km
First registered: 2014
Registered mileage: 24,200
Price new: £115,980 (before options)
Yours for: £29,950