JP Enriquez, Maserati Philippines GM, explained that this was the official launch of the “Ride and Sail” series. Technically, though the Maserati events abroad truly embrace the “sailing” component (to clarify, the Aicon is not a sailboat), yachting wasn't a terrible way to go. “We are promoting and localising the Ride and Sail event. It’s all over the world but so far, in Asia, Maserati has executed this lifestyle event in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.” Clarified Jason Soong, Marc’s younger brother and the car dealership Managing Director, “In Hong Kong, there’s a Maserati sailboat that sails around the world and tries to beat records. This is our own, more relaxed version of the event.”

And why Pico de Loro? Explained Jason, “In terms of accessible beach resorts with complete and very nice amenities, including a dock—this is the place. The winding roads within the property are good for test drives and it’s a controlled environment. The ride back to Manila where you pass through the Cavitex (Cavite Expressway) is a nice and scenic drive. If you’ve never done the Cavitex before, you wouldn’t think you were an hour out of Manila.”

Once we disembarked and indulged in a quick lunch (some also stepped on the gas, taking the latest Quattroporte for a spin around the resort), it was high time that our group got behind the wheel and hit said scenic route. At which point, Jason delved into defining the Maserati lifestyle: “It’s not necessarily an extravagant one, but it’s definitely more interesting, exciting and certainly not a common one. Which is what today is all about. As for a Maserati, it’s not your common car. You definitely have to have a certain personality to own a Maserati. It’s different. You don’t want to just blend in—you want to stand out.”

For the ride portion, Maserati pretty much brought out their entire range sans the GranTurismo (that was recently sold). Its flagship model–the Quattroporte, the full-size, luxury sedan; the Ghibli, the mid-size, entry-level sedan; and then the two versions of the Levante (all Maserati models are split into two versions—the GranSport and the GranLusso). The Gransport pertaining to a sportier look, feel and mags; lusso meaning “more luxurious."

The Ghibli 2018 models have managed supercar aficionado expectations and retained their iconic racing heritage looks and features that many have grown attached to. What has subtly changed, however, is through the clever and elegant aerodynamically efficient restyling, Maserati has refined interiors and tweaked the state-of-the art infotainment system. Not that this writer was behind the wheel, but it ought to be mentioned that the top-range Ghibli S and S Q4 versions now deliver 430 hp and 580 Nm peak torque, 20 hp and 30 Nm more than the previous model year. Now there’s something to shout about.

One also noticed that inside the latest supercar additions, the interiors beautifully meld touch with stunning visuals. Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna collaborated on an exquisite upholstery design, which was applied to the Ghibli, Levante, and Quattroporte models.

The Levante, meanwhile, launched in 2016 was the first ever SUV in the over 100-year history of Maserati. Combining a sense of security with sex appeal, the Levante has left a mark on the world’s luxury SUV segment.

In terms of navigation, the Levante has also adopted Electric Power Steering (EPS) that enables an enhanced Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) package, which includes new active functions such as Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Active Blind Spot Assist (ABSA) and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR). Once we hit the Manila traffic, these features sure came in handy and we arrived, albeit begrudgingly, at the Manila Yacht Club in no time.

While it all sounded like the perfect day for the boys who like their toys, the take away from the City Escape was this: “We didn’t have any entertainment or gimmickry. We didn’t try to impress you with other things. [What we did today] awakened the senses. It’s a sensation or a range of sensations. Unless you do it, you’d never know or appreciate what it’s like. The sail, the drive, and enjoying the roads lets us remember to enjoy the simple things in life,” said Jason.