The flagship luxury sedan market has long been dominated by German marques. These stalwart competitors certainly deserve the praise heaped upon them, but their robotic precision leaves room for a more exuberant alternative. That's where the 2016 Maserati Quattroporte comes in, enlivening this stately segment with a splash of Italian passion.

If you aren't attracted to German luxury sedans, you may prefer the thrilling 2016 Maserati Quattroporte.

From its shapely styling to its inspiring Ferrari-sourced engines and sharp handling, the Quattroporte is an intriguing alternative. Despite the added athleticism, comfort isn't compromised. The ride quality remains smooth as long as you avoid the larger wheel options, and the cabin is pleasantly isolated from the outside world.

Unfortunately, the Quattroporte is not without its faults. Take price, for example. Even in this lofty class, the Maserati is generally more expensive than its rivals. What's more, it lacks common advanced safety features like forward collision mitigation, lane-departure prevention and rear cross-traffic alert. On top of that, the interior isn't quite as modern as competitors, notably featuring a Chrysler-sourced touchscreen infotainment system that works well in mainstream vehicles but seems a bit out of place at the top of the market.

As noted, the Germans are at the head of the class, including the Audi A8 (and its hopped-up S8 sibling), BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Porsche Panamera. The Jaguar XJ is also a worthy choice with a distinctly British flavor. While there's really no way to lose if you're considering these impressive sedans, we would suggest a thorough test-drive before you choose the Italian option. The 2016 Maserati Quattroporte certainly offers an emotional alternative to the status quo, but you may find it a little rough around the edges.

The 2016 Maserati Quattroporte is a large luxury sedan with seating for five. The rear center seat can optionally be replaced with an armrest and console, dropping passenger capacity to four. Three trim levels are available: S, S Q4 and GTS.

Standard Quattroporte S features include 19-inch wheels, adaptive automatic xenon headlights, automatic wipers, LED running lights and taillights, heated power-folding auto-dimming mirrors, a sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, remote ignition, an electronically adjustable suspension, and keyless entry and ignition.

On the inside, you get dual-zone automatic climate control, a rearview camera, heated 12-way power front seats, driver memory functions, a folding rear seat, a power-adjustable steering wheel, wood interior trim, power rear side window sunshades, ambient interior lighting, Bluetooth, an 8.4-inch touchscreen, a navigation system, a WiFi hotspot and a Harman Kardon 10-speaker audio system with a CD/DVD player, an SD card reader, a USB port, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio.

The Quattroporte S Q4 adds all-wheel drive, a power trunk lid, a blind-spot monitor, shift paddles, heated rear seats and a power rear sunshade. The Quattroporte GTS includes a more powerful engine, 20-inch wheels, a faux-suede headliner, power-adjustable pedals and various GTS-themed styling and trim upgrades.

The Quattroporte's cabin is trimmed in rich leathers and accent pieces of impeccable quality.

Many features from higher trims are available on lesser models as packaged options or stand-alone items. Other add-ons include 21-inch wheels, premium leather upholstery, four-zone automatic climate control, alloy pedals, an array of wood and carbon-fiber interior trim pieces, ventilated front seats, folding rear-seat tables, a rear center console in place of the center seat, a rear-seat entertainment system and a Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system. The Zegna Edition package adds special contrasting fabric and leather surfaces from the famous Italian fashion house.

Powering the 2016 Maserati Quattroporte S is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that produces 404 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Engine specs for the S Q4 are identical, but power is sent to all four wheels. Maserati estimates the Quattroporte S will reach 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and the S Q4 will do it in 4.8 seconds.

The Quattroporte GTS receives a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that's good for 523 hp and 524 lb-ft of torque and is only offered with rear-wheel drive. Maserati claims a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds.

The EPA estimates fuel economy at 18 mpg combined (16 city/23 highway) for both the Quattroporte S and S Q4. The GTS drops to 17 mpg combined (15/22).

Standard safety features for all 2016 Quattroporte models include antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, front and rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. A blind-spot monitor is available on the Quattroporte S and standard on other trims. Notably absent are a number of high-tech safety systems that we've come to expect in this segment, including adaptive cruise control with automatic emergency braking.

With Ferrari-sourced engines under the hood, the 2016 Maserati Quattroporte lineup comes standard with an epic Italian soundtrack. Power from the V6 will more than satisfy the vast majority of drivers, while the V8 should please more performance-minded individuals. The eight-speed transmission does an admirable job of keeping power on tap, and its Sport mode further sharpens response.

It's a rare sight: an executive sedan that's truly fun to drive.

Sport mode also stiffens the adaptive suspension, giving this hefty luxury sedan a healthy dose of athleticism that is further bolstered by excellent steering feel. The distinct drive modes also ensure a comfortable ride quality in more common conditions, but we caution buyers against the optional 20- and 21-inch wheels, which tend to add undue harshness on pockmarked roads.

The 2016 Maserati Quattroporte's interior is swathed in supple leather with tasteful matte wood trim or piano-black trim for the GTS. For more discerning tastes, there are plenty of optional color palettes and trim materials to choose from. Dominating the dash is a large touchscreen monitor that's sourced from Chrysler, as are many of the buttons and switches around the cabin. Some may take issue with this parts-sharing strategy, but at least the infotainment system remains one of the better units out there in terms of usability and feature content.

Rear seat space is plentiful, and niceties like the available fold-out table, quad-zone climate control and rear entertainment system further enhance the luxury quotient. Opting for the rear center console eliminates the center seat and adds more sculpted outboard seats with extra bolstering.

Cargo capacity is generous at 18.7 cubic feet, a big number even for this segment. The rear seats also fold to permit the transport of longer items.