When Maserati calls and asks if you want to borrow a car for a week, the answer is always – always – “yes.” It doesn’t matter if what they’re offering up is a non-running Biturbo from the ‘80s – you take that car, park it in your driveway, shoot the hell out of that Trident, and bask in the sweet, sweet likes of internet strangers.

Well, unless that Maserati is a TC, then you can politely decline by saying you have to wash your hair that day or something. Luckily for us, the car Maserati was offering up not only ran, and wasn’t a TC, it was a brand-new Ghibli S Q4 GranSport.

That name is a bit of a mouthful, so here’s how it breaks down: the “S” means that this is the sporty Ghibli; the “Q4” denotes all-wheel drive; and “GranSport” means that this sedan gets a bunch of extra exterior bits to make it look more aggressive.

When viewed in person, it is an elegant, breathtaking machine. Its presence is immense, yet it feels focused, as if the engineers used no more – and no less – sheet metal than needed to get the look absolutely right. The way the fenders wrap around the 21-inch wheels is nothing less than artful, and the way the carbon fiber trim has been integrated into the car looks purposeful, rather than the boy-racer vibe seen on other luxury sport sedans.

We’re just so taken with the looks of the Ghibli S Q4 GranSport, we absolutely agree with Maserati when they say that the Ghibli “offers something very different in a world of grey, business-like conformity.” So of course, it only makes sense that the car they gave us was sprayed in gray.

So let’s get into it: there’s a lot to like about the Ghibli S Q4 GranSport. Get inside and the first thing you’ll notice is that the start button is on the driver’s left – much like Porsche. Surrounding this button is a cockpit swathed in fine leather and carbon, and the overall design feels simple and elegant. The gauges are analog, and in an era when competitors are adding full-glass displays and design for design’s sake, it’s nice to get in something that understands the elegance of restraint. The driving position is great, with deeply contoured seats holding you in place in both the corners and on long stretches of road.

But then there’s the paddle shifters – they’re connected to the Ghibli’s proven ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. And they shift fine, after all, that ZF gearbox is good. But damn if they aren’t massive. They feel almost as big as the steering wheel itself, and the one thing they do amazingly well is prevent your fingers from ever reaching the turn-signal stalk. Go ahead and insert your own BMW joke here.

The steering itself is odd as well. Immediate turn-in is sharp – as we expect from an Italian thoroughbred. But as we dial in more steering, the response lessens, forcing us to dial in even more angle on the wheel just to keep from hitting oncoming traffic. Other cars seem to get by – and feel great – with a more linear feel, so why not this Maserati?

And then there’s the engine. Yes, it’s Italian. And yes, it’s turbocharged. But it’s also a V6, meaning it will never sound as good as a proper Italian V8. Performance-wise, it’s a solid powerplant, offering plenty of response all throughout the powerband when needed. 0-60 takes just 4.7 seconds, and the top speed is rated at 178 mph. Living in Los Angeles, there are no opportunities to legally (or safely) hit that speed, so we’ll just take Maserati’s word for it.

So if we were to look at things objectively, the Maserati Ghibli S Q4 GranSport is kind of… meh? It does some things well, and has some glaring flaws, so it’s hard to justify its $103,225 as-tested MSRP. There are a lot of other cars that offer the same performance, and the same level of luxury, for a whole lot less.

But then no one buys a Maserati because it’s the rational choice. They buy one because it looks cool, and because that Trident symbolizes heritage, performance, and prestige. (See: all the people still plunking down money on used Maserati TCs.) And for the type of owner who likes to bask in the attention that only a Maserati can bring, this car can seem like a true bargain.

Highlights	Description
Engine	3.0-liter turbocharged V6
Horsepower	430 hp @ 5759 rpm
Torque	428 lb-ft @ 2250-4000rpm
Transmission	8-speed ZF automatic
Suspension, F/R	Double wishbone//multilink
Brakes, F/R	14.2-in cross-drilled vented discs/13.6-in. solid discs
Wheels and Tires	21-in. alloy
Curb weight	3990 lbs
Overall length	195.7 in
Overall width	83.8 in
Overall height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	118 in