The Maserati's first class sedan, the Quattroporte, has received a number of exterior and interior updates and the Italian marque's South African distributor expects to take first deliveries of the updated version in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The current incarnation of Maserati’s big sedan made landfall in 2013 and has always been regarded as a classy alternative to the wares of the Teutonic trio, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, as well as the Jaguar XJ. Alluring exterior styling, involving dynamics and characterful powerplants made the QP an exclusive choice in a technology-dominated segment.

For 2016, the Maserati Quattroporte gains a redesigned front bumper with matte black detailing. The enlarged Maserati grille is more prominent than before and now features an adjustable air shutter, which automatically opens and closes to help regulate engine coolant temperature and reduce aerodynamic drag.

The cabin also gains some upgrades. There are two trim options:GranSport and GranLusso and, apart from the introduction of an all-new high-res touchscreen infotainment system (with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity), the console sports redesigned switchgear. An air quality sensor and a nifty area to store your mobile phone have also been added.

In terms of safety equipment, there is driver assistance technology such as adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera view, forward collision alert, and lane departure warning.

The engine line-up hasn’t really changed, but some of the current engines have gained a tad more power, while top speed has been increased slightly.

The GTS model has a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 from Ferrari, the S comes with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 and there’s a turbodiesel-powered derivative powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo. All Maserati Quattroportes come with a ZF eight-speed gearbox. Local pricing will be confirmed closer to the launch date…

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