The all-new Ghibli broke new ground for Maserati. With its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, it marked the first time in Maserati history that the Italian sports, luxury and prestige car maker has two four-door saloons on sale at the same time. The Ghibli’s design ethos emphasises its more dynamic driving characteristics by maintaining visible links with the larger Quattroporte while delivering it’s own aggressive visual personality.
The outline of the body reflects a coupe-like philosophy for the four-door saloon, 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 A6 GCS of the 1950s.
Like the Quattroporte, its chassis design is based around a rigid and extremely secure steel safety cell that employs an array of different steel and aluminium alloys to deliver precise strengths and minimal weight.
The Ghibli has a more-focused, sportier philosophy than the larger Quattroporte. It is available with two turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engines, and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Both of these engines, with their parallel turbochargers, were developed by Maserati Powertrain in partnership with Ferrari Powertrain and will be built by Ferrari in its world-leading engine construction facility in Maranello.
The Ghibli reveals a character all its own thanks to its combination of double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art, multi-link rear suspension with the option of the active Skyhook system, part-time all-wheel drive, firm suspension damping and powerful braking system.
The Ghibli is the only car in its class to use a standard mechanical limited slip differential in all its versions in order to deliver the best inherent traction in all driving situations.
Also maintained is the 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 that dates back to 1963.
The Ghibli S boasts 360mm x 32mm ventilated and cross-drilled dual-cast front brake discs while it has 350mm x 28mm ventilated rear discs. It uses six-piston Brembo fixed brake callipers on the front and four-piston units at the rear to help it stop from 100km/h to zero in just 36m. 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 optional extras.
