If we had a lot of money to spend on a car, we’d want something exclusive to the point where there won’t be one just like ours. Maybe something exotic, maybe something Italian. In the luxury car segment, Italian manufacturer Maserati clearly distinguishes itself from the rest. Although it’s cool to own a Mercedes or a BWM, it is sexy to arrive in a Maserati. And the fact that the two German brands sell twice as many flagship sedans every month as Maserati sells cars in total means it’s far less likely your Maserati will ever see one of its brethren.
Last year, the brand announced its innovation plan for production, electrification and autonomous driving technologies. In other words, they were aiming for a bigger piece of the pie, which they did it first with their best-selling entry model, the Ghibli. The new Ghibli features discreet refinements with all sorts of electronics trickery beneath its elegantly restyled exterior to make it drive and perform better than ever before. Updated a few times, it has come a long way since the first model was released back in 2014, while still being the epitome of understated Italian elegance.
This is a car that guarantees to turn heads. No amount of photos and videos can do it justice because it just looks so much better in the metal. Italians are master of curves and it is evident with the Ghibli’s dynamically sculpted body that flows gracefully into the flat roofline. The signature grille with the Maserati Trident logo and the refreshed chromed bars add personality to the car and contribute to its powerful stature while the frameless doors, muscular rear and the sloping C-pillar design accentuate its striking coupe look from the side.
The Ghibli is up against some fierce rivals though – such as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and Jaguar XF – all of which are very capable executive saloons that cost significantly less in comparison. So, what makes it a standout? While the Ghibli both looks and drives well, it does the latter very well. Behind the wheel for the first time, it has a lot of hype to live up to. In the city, the car gives off a practical, restrained, sophisticated tone that is surprising for something coming from Ferrari’s factory. On twisting roads as we leave the city, we slap this bad boy into sport mode and its personality shifts in one prod of the accelerator which gives the engine throaty growl that the Ghibli deserves.
With a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 pushing 350 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque to the rear wheels, the Ghibli is a lot more fun to drive allowing you to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. Proving its dedication to the driver, the model has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution, meaning you can go really fast around the corners and still be in total control. The ZF eight-speed transmission shifts through gears rapidly. It is more than happy to rattle off up shifts and some vocal down shifts both quickly and smoothly, which lets out beautiful Italian symphonic hum from the quad exhaust at the back. The electric power steering system also gives some pretty good weight to the car with decent handling chops.
Step in and the Ghibli offers a visual delight with close attention to stitching and brilliant contrasts in shade, shape and material. Driver-focused, the cabin of the Ghibli beautifully combines luxury and sportiness with an analogue clock at up the dashboard and wood inserts along the steering wheel with large aluminium paddle shifters, well bolstered bucket seats and exclusive silk created by Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. Fine details and a livelier design set the Ghibli apart from its German rivals (for instance, the chrome bezel around the central infotainment screen mimics the shape of the sporty grille up front). In terms of technology, the car’s 10-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system provides an audio experience almost on par with a concert hall while the 8.4- inch intuitive digital screen enables easy navigation of the entertainment features. But wait, there are more. It comes with all the safety gear you’d expect of a top-end luxury car; seven airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a surround view camera, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and blind spot monitoring.
Considering all the above, the Ghibli offers quite an enticing package. Selling at RM618,800, which is surprisingly reasonable for a Maserati, we expect the brand’s new luxury sedan offering to sell in droves.
The Ghibli is sold in two performance levels in rear- or all-wheel drive with trim themes of GranLusso or Grand Sport. All models have the same powertrain, but with horsepower differences and an eight-speed automatic transmission. This story first appeared in the February 2020 issue of Men’s Folio Malaysia.
