Buying a Maserati comes down to this. You either want to run with the pack and buy German – or you know that a genuine Italian masterpiece will trump anything else in the executive car park.

To be honest, the best of BMW, Audi and Mercedes is better than the Quattroporte. Better at most things – apart from making your toes tingle every time you slip behind the wheel.

The German trio has better engines, better handling and better depreciation. They are benchmark cars that need no introduction.

But what price being a little different these days? Around £69,000 it seems… There’s a Maserati parked on the driveway and I’m already excited…