If a BMW or Mercedes-Benz is too common, a Porsche too brash, an Audi leaving you cold, the Italian solution for a sporty luxury sedan beckons: the Maserati Ghibli.
Autostrada Motore, under Wellington Soong, does not normally lend out these Italian playboys and for good reason: limited stocks, long order times and it’s safe to assume that the few units that enter our country are often spoken for in advance. So when I received the offer to spend a few days with the Ghibli, I had to keep pinching myself if it was a dream or not.
The Ghibli (internally codenamed M157) is based on the Maserati Quattroporte VI platform, albeit with a 20 centimeter shorter wheelbase, and is
29 cm shorter overall compared to the bigger flagship sedan Quattroporte saloon. The Ghibli also forms part of Maserati’s ambitious plan to achieve a total of 50,000 units sold by the end of fiscal year 2015, a massive leap for the Italian car maker who in 2014 sold 22,500 units. It’s not just the Ghibli that’s going to help achieve this; Maserati will also unveil a premium SUV called the Levante, which is what will really turbocharge Maserati’s Renaissance, particularly in SUV hungry China.
The petrol engines are interestingly, designed by Maserati, but built to Ferrari’s specifications. They are cast at Chrysler’s Kokomo and Trenton engine factories in Indiana, then shipped to Modena where Ferrari assembles the complete engine before being delivered to Maserati’s own assembly line at the new Giovanni Agnelli factory in Turin. Remember, Fiat is the parent company that owns Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lancia and now also controls Dodge/Chrysler and Jeep. This sharing of infrastructure and technology as well as R&D helps make all future cars more efficient, safer and better engineered to be cheaper to own and operate (i.e. reliable).
The diesel variant I tested is the first Maserati equipped with such, featuring a 60-degree V6 displacing 3.0 liter, hot-side-inside (the turbo is in the middle of the V formation, much like how Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are developing their new-generation turbo V engines) single turbo with VGT technology. In local trim, the diesel produces a very serious 275 horsepower and an utterly mind-boggling 600 Newton-meters of torque. This engine is built and designed by VM Motori, a subsidiary owned by Fiat Powertrain as well. Attached to it is what is becoming as an industry standard: ZF’s excellent eight-speed automatic transmission, which can also be found in a variety of Audi, Porsche, BMW and Lexus vehicles.
The front suspension is a double-wishbone variety, whereas the rear utilizes a five-link rear affair. Maserati’s Skyhook Adaptive Damping System is available as an option. Not that you need it for the Maserati rides smoothly. Indeed, it’s firm in the vein of a traditional sports sedan, and despite wearing massive 20-inch high-performance tires on lightweight alloy wheels.
There’s good interior space inside, and Maserati promises class-leading space up front versus rivals like BMW’s 6-Series Gran Coupe, Merc’s CLS, Audi’s A7 and Porsche’s Panamera. Rear seat space is pretty decent, but it’s definitely a four-seater: The hump in the middle of the back seat is pronounced such that you feel like riding a pony in a merry-go-round. Driving position is excellent so banish your thoughts of the classic Italian driving position (arms stretched out, legs akimbo and knees right up to your chest). Perhaps the only hint of its questionable driving position lineage is the very slight offset pedals, but you hardly notice it.
In terms of handling, the Maserati is surprisingly good. Foreign reviews have been less kind to the Ghibli, stating that without the Skyhook adjustable suspension system, it loses composure easily. It is quite portly at 2040 kilograms, whereas most of its rivals fall under 1900 kg. But on our roads, the Ghibli feels alive. You feel the heft as you corner hard, and while it can feel skittish on poorly surfaced roads while you’re hammering it, the weight transfer feels very progressive and predictable. Credit is due to the near 50:50 weight distribution, and the Ghibli’s big engine is in a front-midship layout, with everything heavy behind the front axle and steering gear. It’s the type of car you enjoy driving within its limits, and the standard-fit limited slip rear differential helps tame the monstrous torque, together with the traction and stability control as you exit tight turns and boot the throttle to get a little tail wag. The hydraulic power steering feels good, well-weighted and has decent feel and predictability. On the straightaway, the three-spoke wheel feels confidence inspiring as you go faster and faster.
Paddle shifters behind the wheel help give more control if you feel like taking your chances with the speed cops, but the ZF shines best when left in fully automatic mode. Press the Sport button and the engine becomes angrier, more responsive and more like that of a muted but hell-bent on destruction Italian bent-eight while the steering firms up. The brakes felt strong in the Ghibli, featuring four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers on ventilated rotors.
So is the Ghibli better than its rivals? Objectively, no. The competition is faster to 100 kph and 160 kph (the standard acceleration benchmarks in the industry) due mostly to their lighter weights. In extremis, the Ghibli is also hampered around the racetrack versus its rivals, because again of the added heft. Some misgivings too on the inside: The LCD screen looks fuzzy and a bit pixilated, the leather on the edges of the door sidings are already creased in a car with less than 800 km, and some of the plastics feel like they should be on a Fiat, not a Maserati.
But does it matter? No, because all things considered, the Ghibli feels more special, has a greater sense of occasion because it’s rarer, it’s Italian and therefore has more exoticness about it. It never stopped breaking necks wherever I brought it, which is part of the experience. And it’s got the power and poise to back up the looks and the pedigree.
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