MASERATI GHIBLI - INTERNATIONAL PRESS LAUNCH

New Ghibli: Maserati’s first Full-Size Luxury Sedan Segment car delivers twin-turbo V6 gasoline power, an efficient diesel engine, all-wheel drive and undiminished luxury.

The all-new Ghibli marks a turning point in Maserati’s history. Unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show and arriving just months after the new Quattroporte, the Ghibli will give Maserati two concurrent four-door sedan models for the first time in its history.

The Ghibli is smaller, shorter, lighter, more dynamic, less expensive and more economical than the flagship Quattroporte and provides a cornerstone in Maserati’s plans to build 50,000 cars a year by 2015.

Its petrol range provides high performance from both of the power outputs from the twin turbo-charged, 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and it also offers customers the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive in an E-segment luxury sports sedan.

The Ghibli has a more-focused, sportier philosophy than the larger Quattroporte and its most powerful model, the Ghibli S, has 301 kW (410 hp) of power, races to 100km/h in 5.0 seconds and stretches out to a top speed of 284km/h.

The Ghibli is also the first Maserati in history to be powered by a diesel engine, with a turbo-diesel V6 producing all the sound, refinement and driving pleasure typical of Maserati while delivering fuel consumption below six litres per 100 km on the NEDC formula. The Ghibli diesel will also become the first Maserati with Start-Stop technology.

It shares much of its core architecture, including its crash safety, its chassis, its suspension architecture, its engines and its LED headlight technology, with the larger Quattroporte, though it is 50 kg lighter, 173 mm shorter in the wheel base and 291 mm shorter overall.

The Ghibli’s design team was challenged to produce a sedan that emphasized its more dynamic driving characteristics through a more aggressive visual personality, yet still maintained discernible visual links with the Quattroporte.

The outline of the body reflects a coupe-like philosophy for the four-door sedan, while there are strong feline hints around the Ghibli’s grille and headlights. The grille takes its inspiration from the current GranTurismo and it can draw a line back to the classic 1950s A6 GCS.

It also maintains Maserati’s distinctive C-pillar treatment, which delivers much of the coupe-like stance and carries the classical Saetta Maserati logo, carrying on a tradition dating back to 1963.

The side profile is dominated by a swage line that runs from the traditional Maserati grille vents behind the front wheels and finishes in the rear lights themselves.

Inside, the Ghibli sets itself apart from the Quattroporte with a unique dashboard design that perfectly matches its sportier and more youthful character without losing any of the luxury expected from Maserati. The Ghibli also delivers a sporty design combined with all the spaciousness expected in an executive sedan from Maserati.

The Ghibli, the Ghibli S, the Ghibli S Q4 and the Ghibli Diesel all utilize an eight-speed automatic transmission to deliver their performance, providing seamless comfort with fast gear shifting for hard acceleration.

All Ghibli models deliver exquisite handling thanks to their perfectly balanced weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension. It can now deliver the added security and all-weather assurance of all-wheel drive as well.

It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati’s traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest details.

The Ghibli has entered the E-segment sports premium market with a marked advantage in cabin craftsmanship and detailing, including luxury features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals, reversing camera, Poltrona Frau leather interior and the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkes audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.

The original 1963 Quattroporte invented the concept of the luxury sports sedan, the new Quattroporte continues to be the genre’s benchmark and now the Ghibli offers all the Quattroporte’s qualities in a more dynamic, more affordable package.

Text and photos courtesy of Maserati