The Ghibli, which is “the first mid-size four-door luxury sports saloon in Maserati’s history,” made its world premiere at the 2013 Shanghai motor show boasting two new, three-liter V6 gasoline engines, as well as the brand’s first diesel. The Ghibli, along with the new generationQuattroporte sedan will be the models with which Maserati will try to hit its sales goal of 50,000 units worldwide per year.
The three-liter V6 diesel engine is by far the most economical unit on offer. It has 272 hp (275 PS) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque, which translate into a naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 6.3 seconds, while returning 6.0 L/100km (47 mpg UK/39 mpg US). Maserati is also keen to point out that the engine has actually been tuned to sound like a Maserati should, which is entirely plausible given today’s advanced exhaust tech and electronics.
The new V6 petrol engine features two turbochargers and comes in two states of tune, with either 326 hp (330 PS) or 404 hp (410 PS). The latter, featured in the Ghibli S, pushes the car to 100 km/h from standstill in 5 seconds flat, while the lower-powered model takes 0.6 seconds longer at 5.6 seconds.
All powerplants come mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox from ZF, while Maserati's Q4 all-wheel drive system is available on the top model. It takes just 150 milliseconds to move from delivering all of the power to the back to an even 50/50 split between the axles. However, while it can, it most likely won’t ever send more than 35 percent of the power to the front. Also, worth noting is the fact that Q4 won’t be available on right-hand drive models in the UK.
It will be interesting to see just how well the different-looking Ghibli does in China, where buyers are very conservative when it comes to the look of their car. Jaguar, for instance, is actually going to the trouble of making a different and more restrained body style for their next XJ, in order for it to be appealing in the PRC.
Worldwide sales of the new Ghibli will begin later this year.
By Andrei Nedelea
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