Gateway to Great Driving
Quattroporte Brings Out the Best of St Louis

Back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries explorers of North America faced a formidable barrier as they pushed west – the mighty Mississippi river. Though a barrier it, along with the Missouri, also formed important trade routes; it was to exploit this trade that French settlers chose the site of present-day St. Louis, Missouri, to set up a trading post. It’s changed a little over the intervening 300 years – almost 3 million people live in the greater St. Louis area. So when we visited we found a confident, vibrant city which revels in its status as ‘Gateway to the West’; a perfect match for our Maserati Quattroporte.

Our first stop – as for so many visitors to the city – was the massive Gateway Arch. The centrepiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the iconic arch is one of the most recognizable structures in the United States, inextricably linked to the city. Designed in 1947, construction did not start until 1963, and took 2 ½ years. Despite its slim, elegant lines it is possible to travel to the top of the Arch in specially designed trams; small observation windows at the top give a fine view over the city and surrounding countryside. So exact were the tolerances involved that the two legs of the arch could not be joined until the fire department hosed down the south leg, to cool it and bring it into alignment with the northern leg.

We did not have to resort to such tactics to maintain our cool in the Quattroporte; its dual-zone climate control was more than equal to the task of keeping the car comfortable – hazy clouds did little to limit the effect of the hot summer sun. The interior of the car, with its rich Bordeaux leather upholstery, was a welcome refuge from the heat and humidity. As we drove around to the east, on the river-front side of the National Memorial, the Maserati drew plenty of looks from the sightseers along the way despite the toned-down nature of the Grigio Alfieri paintwork. Whatever the color, the Quattroporte’s elegant looks and the rarity of Maserati makes every sighting an event.

The French settlers named their new outpost Saint Louis, after King Louis XIV – the same reason Louisiana is so called. In fact, the original settlements were on both sides of the river, but the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763, meant France gave up its claim to all territories east of the Mississippi; once news reached the settlers, they soon moved across to the western side of the river. The river trade meant that the city grew quickly, and the economic prosperity drew many immigrants to St. Louis. In the nineteenth century it became a hub for the riverboat trade, and there are still several boats offering cruises to tourists.

While its seating capacity is somewhat lower than a river boat’s, the Quattroporte proved itself just as adept at cruising. Despite putting out almost 100 horsepower per liter, the 4.2l V8 is far from a highly-strung engine – it is perfectly at ease ambling through town. The Maserati mingled with the other traffic, unobtrusive yet drawing attention due to its gorgeous Pininfarina-penned lines. It has a sinuous elegance that makes it stand out from the crowd without ever seeming brash or over-exuberant; it constantly draws favorable comments for its looks, inspired by good-natured appreciation rather than disapproval.

As we travelled along the waterfront it became clear why the Gateway Arch stands atop a sizeable mound, raising it some way above the river: the hill forms part of the extensive flood defense system along the western bank of the Mississippi. Beyond the hill, massive concrete walls extend north and south – the degree to which the river floods can be judged by the fact that the top of the walls are well over 25 feet above the normal water level. This also explains the height of the numerous bridges which cross the Mississippi at this point, taking road and rail high above the river.

At each point where a road or rail track needs to pass through the barrier huge steel gates stand ready to be swung closed to complete the defenses. At one point the bare concrete walls have been decorated by colorful murals, showcasing some of the best that graffiti artists have to offer – and also the less attractive side of mindless ‘tagging’. We thought it made an excellent backdrop for the Quattroporte, its elegant gray form contrasting nicely with the exuberant colors of the wall.

However good the Quattroporte is around town – and  it is very, very good – the car shows its truest colors when presented with a challenging road. So we headed west, away from the tower blocks and tourists, and soon encountered some excellent countryside to the south of Chesterfield. Heading towards Gray Summit, we found ideal conditions; a well-surfaced road which wound its way through woods and trees, combining tight corners with climbs and dips. Pressing the Sport button sharpened the throttle response and tightened the excellent Skyhook suspension system, while we put the DuoSelect automated manual transmission into Manual mode, giving us control of the gears with the Up and Down paddles mounted on the steering column.

In its element the Quattroporte surged forward, the engine note soaring from a bellow to a wail as it raced towards 7,000rpm. The wide Pirelli tires, combined with the Maserati’s optimal weight balance, meant that handling was neutral and predictable; as our confidence increased and we tackled the bends with ever-greater vigor it was easy to forget that we were piloting a large true-luxury sedan rather than a hard-edged sports car. It is this dual personality that puts the Quattroporte in a class of its own – no other sedan can offer such an unbeatable combination of interior luxury, exterior style and breathtaking handling. We were more than happy that our photographer proved quite hard to please as he insisted we drive up and down the same stretch several times, con brio.

Finally we pulled over, glad of a chance to catch our breath after the thorough work-out. By contrast the Maserati was completely unruffled, having delivered all that had been asked of it with ample reserves. Its European heritage is unmistakable – the Quattroporte would be as happy transporting four adults at speed on a German autobahn as it would tackling an Alpine pass. While there are other sedans which would be as adept at one or the other, we honestly feel that none would manage both with the same verve and style.

While we had been touring the riverside area, our photographer had spotted another that he thought would make a good location for shooting photos. Just a few blocks to the south of the Gateway Arch is a deserted industrial zone – huge red-brick warehouses, with rail tracks both low and high criss-crossing the abandoned lots. With the sun well down in the sky and the moon rising across the river, the headlights of the Quattroporte cut through the gloom as we picked our way past the heavy metal and concrete detritus of the long-gone Grunden-Martin Manufacturing Company.

The final stop on our tour was one of the historic gems of St. Louis, the old state courthouse. This building became famous as the place where Dred Scott began his legal struggles to become a free man, perhaps the most influential legal case in US history. He had been a slave held by a doctor in the US Army; the doctor died in 1843. In 1847 Scott filed suit to obtain his freedom, claiming that since he had spent a significant time with his master in areas where slavery was illegal, this gave him the legal standing to become a free man. The legal case dragged on for a decade, reaching the US Supreme Court, where Scott finally lost. However his original owners freed Scott of their own volition; Scott died soon after.

The building dates back to 1828, and was designed in the Greek Revival style; at night, its floodlit columns and dome (modeled on that of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican) looked truly imposing, dwarfing the Quattroporte. The Maserati still drew its fair share of admiring looks, particularly from the people enjoying horse-drawn carriage rides in the pleasant evening air.