Flagship luxury sedans like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Porsche Panamera deliver comfort and prestige, but lack in exuberance and passion. The 2017 Maserati Quattroporte finds its niche in the luxury segment by bringing some flair to this typically very dignified class. Maserati has a made number of changes to the Quattroporte for 2017 to put it in the spotlight. Exterior changes include new bumpers, mirrors, and side skirts, as well as the same reshaped grille as the new Levante SUV, featuring automatic shutters that close to reduce drag and open for improved engine cooling. The Quattroporte’s dashboard has been redesigned to include a new 8.4-inch touchscreen and a revised climate-control system. A central control knob behind the shifter adds another way to operate the updated Maserati Touch Control Plus infotainment system, which now features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Quattroporte’s various trim and upholstery choices allow a high level of personalization. Rear-seat space is very generous and can feature such niceties as a fold-out table and an entertainment system, while trunk space measures 18.7 cubic feet—it’s one of the largest in the class. Two new trims debut for the 2017 Quattroporte: the GranLusso and the GranSport. The refined, luxurious GranLusso trim features Ermenegildo Zegna silk fabric upholstery, open-pore Radica wood trim, chrome exterior trim, black brake calipers, and a set of 20-inch Mercurio alloy wheels. The sporty GranSport trim amps up the excitement with gloss-black bumpers, red brake calipers, heavily bolstered seats, 21-inch Titanio alloy wheels, and a restyled steering wheel trimmed in carbon fiber or leather. Maserati hasn’t touched the Quattroporte’s engine lineup, and that isn’t a bad thing. The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) S and all-wheel-drive (AWD) S Q4 trims feature a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine with an output of 404 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The RWD GTS trim tops the lineup with a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine pumping out 523 hp and 524 lb-ft of torque. Both engines come paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Performance is impressive with either engine—with the V6, the S Q4 can hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 176 mph, while the S’s 0-to-60 time is only 0.2 seconds slower with a top speed of 177 mph. Opt for the GTS’s V8 and the 0-to-60 time drops to 4.6 seconds, and top speed rises to 193 mph. Fuel economy for the Quattroporte is rated at 16 mpg city, 23 highway, and 18 combined for the V6 and 15, 22, and 17 for the V8. On the safety front, Maserati has added a new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems package that includes adaptive cruise control with stop-start, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with advanced brake assist, and lane-departure warning. A surround-view camera is also available. Standard safety equipment includes a full suite of airbags, blind-spot monitoring, stability and traction control, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera. The 2017 Maserati Quattroporte lineup starts at $103,400 for the S, $109,500 for the S Q4, and $145,500 for the GTS. While it may not have the prestigious image and reputation some of its rivals enjoy, the Maserati Quattroporte’s improvements for 2017 and Italian heritage make it an intriguing choice in the luxury flagship class.