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The Ghibli sits on 18-inch wheels and tyres, while the Ghibli S models ride on 18 -inch staggered tyres; 19-inch, 20-inch and 21-inch wheels are available as option.
The Ghibli is equipped, as its bigger sister Quattroporte with an optional Bowers & Wilkins premium surround system. The choice of components, the layout of the 15 speakers, and the perfect configuration of HARMAN’s QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound processing and system integration is the result of a long and very demanding process of experimentation and countless hours of listening by the best ears in the audio business.
Bowers & Wilkins has close to 50 years experience in the development of drive units and their materials. Materials like Kevlar – introduced as a speaker cone material by Bowers & Wilkins in the 1970s – are the result of decades of commitment to acoustic research and development. For the tweeter aluminium offers a combination of lightness and rigidity that’s ideal, and the sound extends to the very limits of human hearing, unlike lesser fabric domes. For speed, stiffness and unshakable bass, Rohacell, which is normally used for aircraft, rockets and performance cars bodies, is the perfect cone material.
The result is an audio system that perfectly reproduces every nuance of the recording; with crisp, pristine treble, amazing, natural dynamics, and impressive bass. The system’s natural, realistic performance delivers a completely new level of musical enjoyment on the road.
The Bowers & Wilkins premium surround system features:
• 15 speakers
• 5 x 25mm aluminium dome tweeters
• 5 x 100mm Kevlar midrange drivers
• 2 x 165mm Kevlar bass/midrange drivers
• 2 x 165mm Rohacell bass drivers
• 1 x 350x200mm racetrack subwoofer
• 16 channel Class D amplifier, with a combined output 1,280W
• QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound processing
MASERATI Q4 ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
With the Q4 all-wheel drive system both Ghibli and Quattroporte are capable of finding traction on the slipperiest surfaces thanks to its state-of-the-art, on-demand engineering.
The Q4 system delivers the responsiveness of a rear-wheel drive combined with the added security that only an all-wheel drive can bring in critical situations, without creating extra fuel consumption.
That is what Maserati has achieved with the Q4. The system leaves the front wheels passive until they are needed to help with traction and then they are instantly and intelligently engaged.
The system architecture is based on an electronically controlled multi-plate wet clutch, installed into a transfer case linked by a drive shaft to the front axle.
When grip is lost through excessive cornering speeds, hard acceleration or very low grip at the rear axle, the system takes just 150 milliseconds to change from delivering 100 percent of the drive to the rear wheels to an equal, 50%-50% split between the axles. The multi-link rear suspension provides so much rear traction, though, that the Q4 rarely needs to send more than 35 percent of the drive to the front wheels.
It is also capable of returning to rear-drive status just as quickly, ensuring at any time the best possible traction without the traditional all-wheel drive penalties of added fuel consumption and poor responsiveness.
Maserati developed its own sophisticated algorithm to oversee in real time an enormous array of vehicle parameters (such as wheel slip, steering and yaw angle, power output, speed, braking action, ESP) as well as wheel grip versus driving style. By processing this data, the Q4 system can maximize a dedicated grip profile for each single wheel, creating the optimal vehicle dynamic management to suit any given road condition, at any time.
The Maserati Q4 all-wheel-drive system is available with the new V6 410hp engine and perfectly matches the grand touring qualities expected of a high performance Maserati sedan, whatever the road conditions.
THE QUATTROPORTE FOR CHINA: THE DEBUT OF THE 330 HP V6
While the flagship of the Maserati product range became larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical with the new Quattroporte model late last year, Maserati always planned to offer more variety and a wider price range.
While the 3.8-litre V8 Bi Turbo powerhouse will remain as the Quattroporte flagship , Maserati is about to supplement it with a 3.0-litre, 330 HP V6 Bi Turbo engine variant.
With 500Nm of torque arriving as early as 1750rpm, the new Quattroporte V6 will accelerate to 100km/h in less than six seconds and will deliver an NEDC combined fuel consumption of 9.8 litres/100km, creating the most efficient Quattroporte in history.
Confirming its best-in-class performance, the Quattroporte V6’s lighter V6 engine and rear-wheel drive configuration help it to top out at 263km/h.
Based on the architecture of the Ghibli V6 twin Turbo, the Quattroporte’s 3.0-litre V6 generates 243 kW of power in a flat plateau between 1750rpm and 4500rpm. The engine was developed alongside the V8 by Maserati Powertrain and Ferrari Powertrain engineers.
It is notable for its tremendous specific torque figure of 167 Nm/litre and provides enough energy to accelerate the Quattroporte to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.
The engine shares the V8’s bore dimensions, the same variable valve technology, the same engine block technology and almost the same manifold technology, though it has its own specific turbocharging and ECU tuning.
As with the V8, the 3.0-litre V6 is attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers increased comfort, faster gear shifting, reduced fuel consumption and reduced NVH compared to the previous Quattroporte.
By delivering two over-driven gears, the transmission alone delivers a six percent fuel economy benefit and also weighs 6kg less than the outgoing six-speed transmission.
This helps to post efficient fuel consumptions, though the rear-wheel drive car claims 228 grams of CO²/km in the combined cycle.
It is also a lighter car than the V8 twin Turbo, weighing 1860kg in its rear-wheel drive configuration.
As befitting Maserati tradition, it is capable of being in five dedicated shift modes: Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Manual Normal, Manual Sport and the I.C.E. mode (Increased Control & Efficiency), a strategy that activates a series of functions aimed at reducing consumption, emissions and noise in all driving conditions by damping the car's response also when driving on low grip surfaces.
All Quattroportes have a limited-slip differential fitted as standard, with 35% of torque in traction and 45% in release.
The all-new architecture retains the Quattroporte’s traditionally exquisite handling thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension, equipped on both axles with Skyhook system (electronically controlled suspensions).
With the longest wheelbase in the class at its core, the Quattroporte’s architecture lends itself both to extreme interior comfort and an exciting handling performance, maintaining in each detail the expected luxury mood.
2012 FOR MASERATI
In 2012, Maserati shipped a total of 6,288 cars, a 2% increase over 2011. In the U.S., shipments totaled 2,904 vehicles, representing the brand’s best volume performance in 8 years and confirming the U.S. as the brand’s number one market.
For the second year, China ranked as the brand’s second largest market with shipments increasing more than 10% over the prior year to 930 vehicles. Excluding China, shipments in the Asia Pacific region were up 21% to 861 units. The Middle East registered the highest percentage increase, with shipments up 37% to 417 vehicles (304 in 2011).
Revenues totaled €634 million for the year, up 8% over 2011 primarily due to higher sales volumes.
Maserati closed the year with trading profit and EBIT of €42 million (trading margin: 6.6%), in line with results for 2011. The positive impact of higher volumes and continued improvements in operating costs were offset by significant costs incurred during the year in connection with the production start-up of new models in 2013.
MASERATI TROFEO MC WORLD SERIES 2013
The fourth season of the Trofeo Maserati is around the corner, the second to boast a global character, thanks to an increasingly international calendar that includes six rounds in three different continents: Europe, America and Asia.
The début is set for the Paul Ricard circuit in France on 28 April with a prologue dedicated to the tests held at the Misano track in Italy on 13 and 14 April. The legendary Nürburgring in Germany will take its turn on 2 June, while the first part of the season will conclude at Silverstone in England on 14 July and the first title will be awarded: the Trofeo Europa, last year earned by the Belgian Renaud Kuppens, who went on to win in the final ranking as well.
The fourth round will open the competition to circuits beyond Europe. It will begin on 8 September in Sonoma in California, near San Francisco. In 2012, this date represented Maserati’s return to racing in America, after the triumphs of the past.
It will then be Asia’s turn, on 27 October, in Shanghai, China, which hosted the grand finale of the Trofeo Maserati last year. The 2013 title, on the other hand, will be awarded at the Abu Dhabi circuit in the United Arab Emirates, concluding the season on 7 December. In fact, the Middle East has already hosted the Trofeo, thanks to the winter championship: the Maserati Trofeo JBF Rak, held from 2011 to 2012.
THE NEW MASERATI GHIBLI WEBSPECIAL NOW ONLINE
Timed to coincide with the release of its first official images, the mini-site dedicated to the new, top-of-the-range Maserati saloon has made its web debut.
This latest web special differs from recent mini-sites with its eye-catching cityscape theme that accentuates the car’s overall presentation. The vertical scroll makes the site a pleasure to use on any type of device and presents the content intuitively and engagingly.
Registering to the site will enable users to download exclusive content from the reserved area and stay up-to-date with all the news on Maserati’s top-drawer saloon. The mini-site can be accessed from any kind of device by using the special mobile version; over the coming months the web special, found at www.ghibli.maserati.com, will be added to with new content focused on Maserati’s latest creation. |