The Maserati Quattroporte through the streets of the French capital - this really is genesis (and I'm not talking about the Korean brand here). Yes, I know we live in an era where silent EVs whizz past you at breakneck speed, but you just can't ignore the theater and drama of a Quattroporte as you'll see in this short film. There truly is something cynical about it.

The Car

This is the Maserati Quattroporte GT S. As exotic as the name sounds, Quattroporte simply translates to four doors in Italian. The fifth-gen Quattroporte came into being in 2003 and was around until 2012. One of the most striking aspects of the Quattroporte is unquestionably its timeless design which is the epitome of style.

What really makes the Quattroporte so timeless is the lack of creases on the bodywork. This is a classic Pininfarina design for you. The Trident badge on the C-pillar, and three side ports on the front fender, a signature of the Quattroporte, all just come together rather well. One easy way to tell apart the GTS is a flash of red on the Trident upfront.

A product of the Montezemolo era, the go is just as good as the show because under the hood is a potent Italian powerplant from Maranello. The naturally aspirated 4.7-liter V-8 under the hood produces 444 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Now, that doesn't really sound like much, but that was plenty fast, back in 2012. Power goes to the rear wheels via a six-speed auto.

Specifications

The Drive

You join us for this short film at night in Paris. A man climbs down a flight of stairs and makes his way toward a Maserati Quattroporte GTS. Trench coat, and driving gloves on, the man seemed ready to conquer the streets.

He fires up her V-8 heart and starting out somewhere near the Louvre, hits the road. Next, it's a quick dash on the banks of the Senne with the glistening Eiffel Tower in the backdrop. He goes through that six-speed and floors it through a series of tunnels to listen to the bellow of that glorious soundtrack.

Crossing the Pont Alexandre III bridge, he later guns it through some of the older quarters of the city with cobbled streets near the Grand Palais. The next stop was the Pantheon and the Italian sedan finally landed on the Champs-Élysées.

The film comes to an end with the Quattroporte drifting around the Arc de Triomphe, which was a sight to behold. For those of you who don't know, driving around the Arc during rush hour is no easy feat. I wish that the film had concluded at the Sacré-Cœur. You really do get some spectacular views of the city from up there.

Conclusion

Today's cars, in my opinion, are a bit too clinical. Yes, they're fast and green, and as much as it might sound like a clichè, they lack soul. Cars like the Quattroporte keep the passion alive and I am a sucker for it. Although I'm in my early 30s, I'm an old man at heart. Cars like the Quattroporte or a Jaguar XF in a shade of emerald green or navy blue, with dark walnut on the dash, are the stuff that gets me really excited.

As for the future, as worrying as this may sound, industry trends suggest that we'd most probably be driving around in jacked-up electric SUVs with lots of body cladding at a million miles an hour.