Life used to be simple: Italian car companies made sports cars and German car companies made luxury ones. But that all changed when Maserati introduced the latest Quattroporte. Combining the space of a luxury car with the performance and heritage of a sports car, the Quattroporte was intended to be a stylish cruiser for managing directors who hadn’t yet given up on the idea of driving.

Launched in the UK in 2004 the new Maserati Quattroporte came with a price tag of about £80,000, putting it head to head with the top spec BMW 7-series, Mercedes-Benz S-class and Jaguar’s supercharged XJ.

But thanks to a deserved reputation from the 1980s and 1990s for producing models with dubious build quality, patchy reliability and appalling residual values many industry commentators proclaimed the new Quattroporte a white elephant. Three years on and the model has proved them wrong, with used examples now commanding stronger residual values than cars from many of their competitors.

Much of this success is due to a glorious 4.2 litre V8 engine producing a lusty 400bhp, enough to power the car from standstill to 62mph in just over 5sec. And with no artificial limiter on the top speed the Quattroporte is capable of 171mph.

However, in the world of luxury saloon cars, performance is just one ingredient; the car must also offer a sumptuous driving environment. In this regard the Maserati also plays a strong hand. Soft leather and fine wood veneers abound and the centrally mounted clock is more reminiscent of a luxury gentleman’s watch than a mere timepiece. Whether you are sitting in the front or the rear of the Quattroporte you will almost certainly feel special, something lacking with many of its more obvious competitors.

As with most cars with an original £80,000 price tag, you get most of the options boxes already ticked, but new buyers will still have had to shell out for metallic paint (essential) and rear parking sensors (desirable).

One option that is worth paying special attention to is the choice of transmission. The standard six-speed manual was criticised for a rather heavy gearchange and some clunkiness, prompting many owners to skip a couple of gears under normal use. The second option, the Duo-Select clutchless manual, gave the benefit of auto changes in town but was also criticised for being rather ponderous in operation, particularly when the car was driven slowly.

On later cars the Duo-Select gearchanges were improved and on balance they look the better option, particularly for owners intent on using the car for the daily commute. A new hydraulic six-speed ZF gearbox was added to the range in December 2006; with a smoother, quicker change it looks in time likely to make for the most desirable car in the range.

On the road the Quattroporte drives like few other cars. Despite its size it soon feels wrapped around you and the engine note is truly intoxicating. In truth it feels more GT than limousine and owners will struggle to keep a light right foot.

The electronic Skyhook suspension can be adjusted to firm up the car’s ride, making it corner with even greater ability, although for everyday driving the standard setup is more than adequate.

In typical Italian style the Maserati could be factory ordered in a range of exterior and interior trim combinations that could be further enhanced by a veritable forest of different wood veneer inserts. The result is that few used examples will be identical, adding to the car’s unique character.

A secondhand Quattroporte is certainly not cheap and given the heavy fuel consumption (Maserati is unlikely to offer a diesel option any time soon) ownership is never going to be a bargain.

So if you start to compare it rationally with a used BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Jaguar it starts to look like a bit of an indulgent purchase. But think again and consider it a competitor for the likes of the mighty Ferrari Scaglietti and it starts to look like one of the used car bargains of the decade.

Cabin
Sumptuously trimmed in a combination of wood and leather with the Sport GT version easily distinguished by a more sporty carbon fibre trim and 20in alloys

Safety and security
Front airbags combine with side and curtain airbags, plus all window glass is laminated. Maserati also fits a Navtrak security tracking system and sophisticated alarm

Warranty
Three-year/unlimited mileage warranty on new cars means most secondhand examples should still be covered

Luggage
Optional luggage set makes the most of the 450 litre boot space

Servicing
Due every 6,250 miles and should be carried out by a Maserati dealer. Patchy history is not acceptable on a car of this age or price

Gearbox
Six-speed manual can be clunky to use. Duo-Select auto is a more popular choice but six-speed ZF auto launched in December 2006 is the best of the bunch if budget will allow

Fuel consumption
Expect no more than 12mpg around town and mid teens on the open road

Vital statistics

Model Maserati Quattroporte
Engine 4244cc, eight cylinders
Power 400bhp
Transmission Six-speed auto
Fuel 17.9mpg (combined cycle)
Acceleration 0-62mph: 5.2sec
Top speed 171mph

The one to buy
Maserati Quattroporte with Duo-Select transmission 2004 04 with 20,000 miles.
Pay £45,500 at a dealer or £42,500 privately

Or for similar money
1998 R Ferrari 456 GT
1999 T Bentley Arnage
2005 55 Mercedes-Benz S 55K
2006 06 Jaguar XJ Super V8
2007 56 BMW 750i Sport