The small Maserati family welcomed a new car to the lineup Tuesday, as the company announced the all-new Ghibli sedan.
The midsize sedan is aimed at cars like the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lexus GS, and Cadillac CTS. It joins the larger Quattroporte sedan and the GranTurismo coupe and convertible in the Maserati fleet.
The new addition is part of Maserati’s goal to sell annually 50,000 vehicles worldwide by 2015. In 2012, the company sold 6,300 cars. The automaker hopes to reach this ambitious plan by moving into more volume segments, including the midsize class with the Ghibli, and the SUV segment with the forthcoming Levante.
Due in 2014, the Levante will share a platform with the Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Maserati is owned by Fiat, which also owns a majority stake of Chrysler.
The Ghibli (rhymes with bib-li) will have a 404-horsepower, turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It will be available in either rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive when it hits the U.S. market in late 2013.
Maserati will also offer the Ghibli in foreign markets with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, but company spokesman Jeffrey Ehoodin said the Italian automaker hasn’t decided whether it will bring that engine to the U.S.
The Ghibli will make its world debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 20. It will join the larger 2013 Quattroporte sedan, which is making its Chinese debut at the show. The all-new Quattroporte made its world debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
This isn’t the first time Maserati has used the Ghibli name. In the late 1960s, the automaker sold a two-door coupe and convertible under the name, and it resurrected Ghibli the early 1990s as a coupe.
I must say, Maserati is really starting to make a comeback. For a while before, it wasn't selling very many cars at all, it was losing money and now, they are coming out with some really striking new cars. The Quattroporte and now this. I hate that Singapore doesn't have it's own Auto Show, other than of course the not-really-an-auto-show Tokyo Auto Salon.
2014 Maserati Ghibli at 2013 Auto Shanghai / Maserati
First diesel-powered Maserati ever
Maserati has publicly unveiled the 2014 Ghibli today at Auto Shanghai.
The baby Quattroporte is the first Maserati ever to be offered with a diesel engine, a 3.0-liter V6 turbo co-developed with former Ferrari chief motorist Paolo Martinelli. The engine produces 275 HP (202 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque, helping the Ghibli reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.3 seconds and return 47 mpg UK (39.2 mpg US or 6 liters / 100 km) with CO2 emissions of less than 160 g/km.
Maserati will also sell the Ghibli with a V6 3.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline engine delivering 330 HP (243 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft). In this case, the rear-wheel drive variant returns 29.4 mpg UK (24.5 mpg US or 9.6 liters / 100 km) and needs 5.6 seconds until 62 mph.
There's also the Ghibli S with a more powerful variant of the same engine generating 410 HP (301 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) from 1,750 rpm, enough to hit 62 mph in 5 seconds and a top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h).
Regardless of the chosen version, all engines are linked to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. In Europe (excluding UK) it will be available with a Q4 all-wheel drive system which promises to provide "the responsiveness of a rear-wheel drive combined with the added security that only an all-wheel drive can bring in critical situations".
The 2014 Maserati Ghibli has a 20cm shorter wheelbase compared to the Quattroporte, while the overall length has been reduced by 29cm. The range-topping S version comes with 360mm x 32mm ventilated cross-drilled dual-cast front brakes with Brembo six-piston calipers along with 350mm x 28mm ventilated rear discs with four-piston calipers. Ghibli sits on 18-inch wheels, but 19-, 20- and 21-inch rims can be optionally fitted.
Full details are available in the press release section.
Maserati has announced that the Ghibli will have a starting price of £48,830 for the 3.0 V6 diesel engine
The new Maserati Ghibli - an exotic rival to the BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF and Audi A6 - will start from £48,830 for the 271bhp 3.0 V6 diesel version. That's £4,780 more than the 258bhp BMW 530d M Sport Auto.
Moving up the range the petrol-engined Ghibli, powered by a 325bhp version of the 3.0 V6 twin-turbo petrol engine, will start from £52,275, while the range-topping Ghibli S (which uses a 404bhp version of the same V6) starts from £63,415.
Unsurprisingly, the Ghibli diesel is the most economical with fuel economy of 47.9mpg and emissions of 158g/km, but still sprints from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds. The 325bhp Ghibli covers the 0-62mph sprint in 5.6 seconds and returns 29.4mpg and 223g/km, while the Ghibli S takes 4.8 seconds from 0-62mph, returns 26.9mpg and emits 246g/km.
Standard equipment on all models includes 18-inch alloys, quad exhausts and bi-xenon headlamps with LED running lights, while the interior gets electric leather seats, wood-trim and an eight-speaker stereo system. The diesel model benefits from stop-start, while all three variants get a mechanical limited slip differential and climate control with 13 vents.
Although well-specced as standard, there are a huge number of options available. These include up to 21-inch wheels (£3,670), Skyhook adjustable dampers (£2,045) and a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system (£3,360). More affordable extras include metallic paint (£660), aluminium shift paddles (£245) and a space-saver spare wheel (£295).