A few weeks ago I clocked up mighty milage in a Porsche Panamera, the Stuttgart manufacturer’s first stab at the super luxury saloon market. There is much about this big German bruiser to admire, notwithstanding its dismal looks, obviously.

Writing about the car on these pages, I compared it to the former England footballer, Wayne Shrek Rooney, punting a flimsy joke along the lines... "like Rooney, the Porsche is ugly, yet supremely capable".

I’ve done the car disservice. With glorious hindsight I can tell you that the Panmera remains good at what it does - and has a future. Yet, for the money and similar practicality, why not cast your eyes south to Italy, where they build what is indisputably the best looking four-door saloon that money can buy today - the Masarati Quattroporte 4.7 Sport GT.

Now, I know that only about half of you spend between £80 - 110K on your family biffabout, but I urge the other half to bear with me on this heart over head schtick. Frankly, you don’t buy anything Italian with your head, do you?

It’s the drama of this Maserati that endows the fortunate few not only with a very fast and comfortable saloon, but also a pant-wettingly gorgeous Pininfarina styled one. It can snarl, it can pout, it will let you take liberties with it. But, best of all, it will put its hand down the front of your trousers.

The standard 4.2 has been joined by the 4.7 V8. The sport GT that I’ve been driving delivers 433 Italian prancing horses, 180mph and a 0-60 squirt in a mere 5 seconds. Sufficient, I’d say. With the GT’s sport button depressed - and mine was constantly - some butterflies open in the bowels of the exhaust, discharging an operatic cacophony like only a flat crank Italian high-revving V8 can. Maserati have for a long time now shared a roof with Ferrari, whose race-bred engine is indeed the one producing all that power and glory from underneath the voluptuously styled bonnet.

Good news is that Maserati are giving three years’ free servicing as part of the price, which will help, as running costs are steep. My fuel consumption was a wallet-mangling 13.5mpg. Company tax liability is high also: tyres, insurance - yup!

I know, I know. Most of you will engage your brain and sensibly settle for a Jaguar XJ-8, BMW 7-Series, Benz S-Class or even lash out on Mr Ugly, the Panamera.

Just be careful that your grey matter is not dormant as you flick through the Maserati brochure, because your heart will indubitably lead you to the dreamers’ choice - bearing the trident badge, ’tis the Maser.

Price as tested £108,000