If you're in the secondhand market for a fast, luxurious car with four doors, you're spoilt for choice. And good choices, too, especially from those prestigious German manufacturers. First of all, there's the BMW M5, which is often regarded as the benchmark for luxury rocket ships.

Then you have Audi's RS6, which is pretty much the perfect all-around car. Oh, and don't forget the Mercedes AMG E63, which performs great and looks just as good, too. Really, all of these cars are brilliant. Choose any of them, and you won't be disappointed.

However, if you're looking for something a little different, then you do have other options. The Maserati Quattroporte V is one of them, which can now be yours for an absolute steal — as little as $14,000, to be exact. Now, of course, the car isn't without its faults. According to Classic & Sports Car, the Quattroporte V is an immensely complex vehicle and something you don't want to be near when things start going wrong. But what it is, however, is a unique, exotic alternative to your average performance saloon.

On that note, let's take a detailed look back at the Maserati Quattroporte V. 

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The History of the Maserati Quattroporte V

Via: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Maserati's Quattroporte has been around for quite some time now. Since 1963, to be exact. And to really understand the fifth generation of the car, it's necessary to take a look back to where it all began. According to The Drive, the Quattroporte was somewhat of an anomaly when it first launched at the Turin Motor Show in '63, as Maserati was best known for its racing cars and GTs. It came with a 4.2-liter V8 pumping out 256 bhp, meaning the Quattroporte I could reach speeds of 143 mph. So it was fast. Very fast, even, given it was the quickest four-door car in the world at the time.

It wasn't just speed that was its talking point, though, as it had the looks to match, too. It was designed by Pietro Frua — an Italian designer and coachbuilder who worked heavily with Maserati in the '50s and '60s — and its looks were sleek, refined, and elegant. Its interior was much the same, too, with the finest Italian leather covering just about everything. So, the tone for the Quattroporte was thus established: luxury, refinement, and speed.

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A Detailed Look At The Maserati Quattroporte V

Via: nakhon100, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

When the Quattroporte V launched in 2003, then, the formula set out all those years ago was followed. Its design was handled by legendary Italian coachbuilding firm Pininfarina — you know, the one responsible for a near-endless number of automotive icons — and it was refined and sophisticated. It had clean lines and subtle, yet aggressive, touches like its vented front wings, quad exhausts, and Maserati-synonymous front grille.

The car went on sale in 2004, and starting prices were around $112,000 — or if you want to account for inflation, $156,000. So it certainly wasn't cheap, meaning it needed something special under the hood to back it up. And it certainly got it. The engine was a Ferrari-developed, 4.2 liter V8 used in the 4200 coupe. It delivered a healthy 394 bhp and meant zero to sixty could be dealt with in 5.6 seconds, and a top speed of 170 mph reached. So it wasn't slow, by any means. But its talking point was arguably its exhaust note — as is often the case with Maserati — as it was fantastic.

The car also came with Maserati's Skyhook adaptive damping — which essentially allows the suspension to switch between comfortable and sportier settings, as and when needed — and a DuoSelect automated gearbox. According to Evo, though, the latter was badly received at its time of launch, as it became renowned for its slow and jerky changes.

In 2005, Maserati introduced two new trim levels for the Quattroporte: the Executive GT and the Sport GT. As the names would suggest, the former was a more luxurious, comfort-focused trim, while the latter was geared towards performance, with things like quicker gear shifts and a sportier exhaust added.

In 2008, the Sport GT S model was introduced, with Maserati taking the performance-focused angle a touch further. The Skyhook suspension was switched out for Bilstein single-rate dampers, while its ride height was lowered and its brakes uprated, too. The Quattroporte V received a facelift this year, also, with everything from its bumpers to its grille reworked to give a more refined, contemporary look.

Displacement of its engine was increased to 4.7 liters, too, with power now uprated to 424 bhp in the S models and 433 in the Sport GTS. However, Maserati didn't stop there, with the Sport GTS model fettled again in 2012, with power now peaking at 444 bhp. This meant sixty could be managed in 5 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph reached. Think of it like a supercar in a well-tailored suit, if you will.

Throughout the Quattroporte V's history, its interior, although tweaked and improved, remained much the same. It had swathes of premium Italian leather and a whole load of equipment — with everything from rear massage seats to individual climate control settings — making it the ideal place for covering long-distance journeys with passengers.

Really, if you're looking for a saloon with looks, performance, and an exotic pedigree, you'll be hard pushed to find something as good as a Quattroporte V for as little money. Just make sure you understand what to look for and have some extra cash set aside in case anything goes wrong.

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