It's styled by Italy's Pininfarina, it wears a price somewhere north of 100 large, and its name means "four doors."

Despite the commonplace moniker, the fifth-generation Quattroporte reeks of presence, individuality, classy conservatism, and drive-me desirability. It's clear that Pininfarina has achieved Maserati's ambition of creating a prestigious Italian rival for the Audi A8 and S8, Jaguar XJR, Mercedes E55 and S55, and BMW 745i.

With the four-cam V-8 located behind the front axle, the car looks big from the side. The 120.6-inch wheelbase (0.9 inch shorter than an S-class's) and extended doors are clearly evident. Parent company Ferrari located the engine aft of the front axle to create a 47/53 front-to-rear weight distribution, as in the new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

The Maser's driving complexity begins with the fixed door handles. Behind each are two buttons. Touch the gray one, and it releases the door electrically; the black one, requiring more pressure, does the job manually, perhaps in case the electrics go fizz. The cabin is Italianate-tasteful, chic-with all the luxury toys. There's a vast array of materials: rosewood, mahogany, or briarwood, or a titanium finish; 10 Poltrona Frau leathers using 13 stitching colors, 10 on the dash; and 15 exterior colors.