Sweet Ride
Donna and I had the opportunity today to test drive a car that we would normally never even stand close to. Below is the 2007 Maserati Quattroporte, a phenomenal piece of engineering featuring a 4.2L Ferrari V-8 engine, 400 horsepower, nearly 340 lb-ft of torque…and a price tag somewhere north of $120,000.
This was a gift (really) from Fleming's Steakhouse. They were doing a joint promotion with Maserati, and offered a $100 gift certificate if you just test drive a Maserati Quattroporte. Now, the folks at the Maserati 
dealership had no allusions about the fact that many people were going to walk through the door who had no intention of buying one of these fantastic machines. Nonetheless, they were exceedingly friendly, welcoming, and kind. We had a great time. And when I asked if they had sold even one car through the promotion, I was told that they have at least two customers that they’re negotiating with. So maybe it was worth it after all. I got to drive a dream car, and they may have generated about a quarter-million in revenue.
To top it all off, they sent us away after our test drive with a wonderful goodie bag, including a Maserati ball cap, the finest travel mug I’ve ever seen (complete with embossed Maserati logo), a brushed-steel Maserati keychain, and a bunch of literature.
Classy folks.
Now, as far as the car is concerned, well, let’s just say that it’s remarkable.
VERY comfortable (wonderful soft leather seats with just the right level of support for twisties). VERY fast (0–6 in a staggering 5.1 seconds, but the most composed rush you can imagine). SPECTACULAR handling (the suspension was a perfect marriage of compliancy and tautness). Fit and finish was perfect, with neat carbon-fiber inserts in the dash (other trim levels have woodgrain or piano black, but we were driving the Sport GT), and all of the right materials throughout the cabin. And the engine SOUND! Let’s just say that your Nissan Maxima never sounded like this, and I say that knowing full well that the Nissan Maxima has one of the finest engines available in a four-door sedan. Don’t think sedan…think Ferrari. The engine is actually the same engine that’s now used in the Ferrari F-430. THAT’S what it sounded like, and it was S-W-E-E-T.
Anyway, fun day. Great car. Too bad I won’t have one in my garage anytime soon. But hey, it’s something to aspire to. Oh, and $100 toward a great steak dinner should arrive just in time for our anniversary!
By the way, there was a 2006 Ferrari F-430 Convertible at the dealership (surprisingly, they sell used Ferrari’s on consignment) that had an original sticker price of a measly $227,000. The shocker: This used car is now selling for $327,000. That’s right, a car that has APPRECIATED by nearly 50% in only a year. Our salesman said that it’s due to the long waiting list for new Ferraris. Apparently the folks who can afford to buy them are willing to bid up the price to get one rather than waiting for three years to take delivery of a brand new one.
