Maserati Ghibli

The name Ghibli has been used by Maserati twice in the past. The first Ghibli was a Grand Tourer built in the Sixties and early Seventies, then came a Coupe in the Nineties and now it gets its badge on a sedan. The Ghibli sedan is Maserati’s latest product that went on sale internationally in 2014 and was launched in India in the month of July 2015 when Maserati made its India entry.

The Ghibli is a very important car for Maserati as with it, the niche Italian carmaker has plotted to go mainstream. It may not be the case in India though as it costs about Rs 1.1 crore and comes only with the 3.0-litre V6 diesel powertrain. The twin-turbo V6 petrol mill is expected in 2016 though. But if it’s the V6 diesel you are after, you will get a good mix of performance and mileage. The Ghibli diesel boasts of 274PS of power and 600Nm of torque. 0-100kmph comes in 6.3 seconds and top speed is an impressive 263kmph. The Ghibli comes with an 8-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels. The Ghibli is said to return 16.9kmpl.

While the Ghibli, like all other Maseratis coming to India is overpriced, its exclusivity could tempt high profile buyers. Maserati plans to sell less than 100 units in India per annum and that includes the entire range.

If it’s not the powertrain that stirs your soul, the design definitely would. The Ghibli has all the Italian flair you’d expect from an Italian car but with a mix of European acceptability that over-the-top Italian exotics completely ignore. A set of tapering headlights bring focus to the large chromed Trident logo on the grille. The front fenders house a signature Maserati design element – three diamond shaped gills and the C-pillar houses the Trident logo. Besides, the Ghibli looks much like the scaled down quattroporte.

On the inside, you’d be welcomed by a minimalistic design and acres of high quality Italian leather, textured wood panels or high gloss carbon fibre depending on the trim you choose. A classy analog clock sits atop the centre console that houses a large multimedia screen flanked by vertical airvents. The Ghibli also comes with paddle shifters for when you want controls of the gearbox.