If nothing else Maserati has always produced beautiful cars. From Merak to Ghibli, Maserati has stood for sculptured curves, plush interiors as well as the odd lusty engine or two.
And so it is with the latest range of Italian stallions from Modena, from the ready-to-pounce GranSport coupe to the seductive lines of the latest Quattroporte, in my view one of the prettiest sedans on the market today.
These are my thoughts as I stand in pit lane at the picturesque Sandown race circuit in Melbourne, admiring a delectable line-up of Maserati road cars -- three GranSport and a lone Quattroporte -- as well as two Coupe race cars.
Sighting six near-new Maseratis in the one spot in Australia is indeed a rare treat. Local dealers sold just 107 cars in 2006, six more than stablemate Ferrari but a few less than rival 'boutique' brands Aston Martin and Bentley.
But a Maserati ownership experience of sorts is a treat that's now available to any hot-blooded enthusiast around Australia with Pirelli tyres distributor Trofeo Motorsport kicking off its Ultimate Drive Day program in March.
The one-day performance driving course is for punters wishing to experience the thrills of the current Maserati range in a racetrack environment and includes expert tuition, driving exercises and laps in road cars as well as hot laps in a current race car.
Our day at Sandown kicks off with the obligatory espresso coffee and pastries, followed by introductory speeches. Then it's onto the track for some fun driving exercises and a chance to get a feel for the GranSport's superb acceleration, handling and braking capabilities.
The 'track-tuned' version of Maserati's Coupe breezes through the timed slalom exercise, carving a neat path through the tightly-spaced cones. An impromptu 'drag' competition follows, with two drivers racing each other for glory before slamming on the Brembo brakes to activate ABS and bring everything to an abrupt halt.
All exercises are conducted with professional race drivers instructing from the passenger seat, so it's a chance to pick their brains as well as rub shoulders with some of Australia's finest steerers like V8 Supercar's Dean Canto and British GT Championship's Allan Simonsen.
After a hearty hot lunch and another 'don't push beyond your abilities and scratch the paint of our $250K machines' friendly reminder we're off for as many fast laps we can cram in before our 4.15pm 'curfew'.
First up I grab the keys to the luxurious four-door Quattroporte. Earlier I had enjoyed the car's backseat comforts (electrically reclining and massaging rear seats anyone?) when Canto took us for some familiarisation laps.
This time it's flat knacker up the main straight into Turn One, the big sedan remaining remarkably composed for a luxury GT as the Pirellis hold on for dear life. Like the GranSport, the highlight is the sweet-revving, Ferrari-sourced 295kW 4.2-litre V8, with its lovely exhaust growl.
The only let down is the disconcerting 'thump' during upshifts at full throttle. I'm assured by another participant that it's a big improvement over the original version of the paddle-operated sequential manual 'box, but it's still noticeable enough to irritate. Maserati has just released an automatic option which promises smoother progression.
Then I grab the harder-edged GranSport, which promises even faster lapping and 200km/h-plus main straight blasts. No letdowns here, as the balanced, corner-devouring set-up promotes ever-increasing confidence until I eventually run wide onto the grass at the Turn One sweeper and remember I'm a motoring hack, not touring car champ.
Lastly, we're treated to some hot laps in the passenger seat of the Trofeo race cars, which currently give the Porsche GT2s a run for their money in the Sports/GT Intermarque Championship. It's a rare opportunity for a white-knuckle ride in a very quick modern race car, and I hop out sweating after a few frenetic laps.
Apart from the transmission foibles (and perhaps a wish for a little more grunt), there's little not to like about the current Maserati range, at least on a smooth racetrack -- except perhaps the $200,000-plus pricetags which put them out of reach of your average espresso guzzling Trident fan.
Trofeo Motorsport has promised to limit numbers for each trackday to 25, and with just seven turning up to the first event in Melbourne, you should be guaranteed of plenty of smile-inducing wheeltime for your $2000 outlay.
Ultimate Drive Day dates for 2007: Sandown Raceway (May 8, October 10, November 20), Eastern Creek (August 16, November 6), Queensland Raceway (May 23), and Barbagallo Raceway (August 29). Visit trofeomotorsport.com for details.
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