Maserati will launch a new Quattroporte soon, plus an SUV called the Levante. It’s the start of a major push to bring Maserati to the masses – or at least those who pine for an executive saloon with a trident badge of distinction. The new Ghibli is a big part of this and should see them shift 50,000 vehicles in 2015. They sold under 7,000 in 2006.

Our diesel version is certainly the one that will attract most European buyers, helped by that 3.0-litre twin-turbo that sounds sensational and loves to be driven hard. Well, it does if you press the ‘Sport’ button on the transmission.

And when you do, it’s almost possible to see the fuel gauge falling in front of your very eyes. MPG in excess of 40mpg is impossible even in normal driving mode, around 27mpg seems the norm for enthusiastic driving. It kind of makes you wonder what the 404bhp Ferrari-build V6 petrol!

Thankfully, the diesel does return low emissions, which might compensate if you are a company car driver…