Mentioning an exotic brand like Maserati and the word “sensible” in the same sentence may sound slightly strange, but two years ago the Italians headed precisely in that direction… at least to some extent and, naturally, in their own style. The goal behind the changes that began in 2013 was to reach annual sales of 50,000 units – something that has not happened yet, although they are getting close. To achieve that, Maserati introduced not only a new Maserati Quattroporte, but also a smaller model – the Maserati Ghibli. (And they will almost certainly reach those 50,000 sales very soon because this year sees the arrival of the Maserati Levante – the first SUV in Maserati’s history.)
The Ghibli marks Maserati’s return to the luxury executive sedan segment occupied by cars such as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Jaguar XF, but interpreted in a more stylish way, closer in spirit to the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Audi A7 and BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, although the latter remains slightly more flamboyant.
My first encounter with the Ghibli came at the beginning of 2013, shortly before the model’s world premiere in Shanghai. We crossed paths on German soil because part of the development work for the petrol version was being carried out at the company where I was working at the time. The prototype we had there wore heavy camouflage and, as a result, I could not see much more than the basic lines and proportions.
Shortly afterwards, Maserati released the official photos of the model and my reaction was something along the lines of: “Oh, that’s it?!” Somehow it looked much more ordinary than I had expected – elegant details, certainly, but nothing too extraordinary.
A few months later, however, I found myself in Hall 6 of the Frankfurt Motor Show. That was where I saw the Ghibli in full for the first time and instantly decided it was a car I liked a lot. There was a huge crowd surrounding every example on display, clearly showing that the Ghibli grabs attention far more effectively in person than it does in photographs. In fact, that is precisely why the only pictures I managed to take during the exhibition were of the car displayed on a fenced-off platform.
But let’s leave the old stories aside and return to the present day. The model provided to me by Auto Italia was the entry-level version – the diesel model. In fact, that was exactly the one I wanted to drive because this engine brings a certain degree of rationality into the crazy world of Maserati.
Nowadays, people buying cars in the €46,000–€72,000 price range are generally very rational and calculated buyers (although Bulgaria is not always the best example of this). As a result, they care about “boring” things such as fuel consumption, depreciation, taxation and so on. So, if you happen to be one of those people who has been driving a diesel 5 Series until now but suddenly decides you want to be slightly different (or perhaps you have reached a certain age but are still resisting the urge to buy a yellow Porsche 911 Cabriolet), then you probably are not going to rush out and buy a 400+ hp Ghibli S. Instead, you are more likely to choose something a little closer to your previous lifestyle. That is exactly where the Ghibli Diesel comes in – a sensible choice for someone who has decided to become just slightly less sensible.
Design
The Ghibli is a car with serious road presence, thanks largely to its design and proportions. One of its defining characteristics is the heavily rearward-positioned cabin. This creates a more dynamic profile and gives the impression that the car is smaller than it actually is. Personally, I constantly forget that this is a vehicle almost five metres long and keep thinking I’m driving some compact executive sedan.
One of the truly exceptional details is the front end. And I do not mean only the massive grille with its concave slats and the “angry” headlights, but above all the shape of the bonnet itself. I strongly recommend opening the photo in the lower-right corner because only there can you truly appreciate the curve of the bonnet. It comes from another dimension entirely and has nothing in common with what you would find on a standard business sedan.
The rear is slightly more restrained, at least at first glance, but still possesses curves that give it a more distinctive character. And, of course, we should not ignore the huge exhaust outlets – there are four of them – clearly hinting at the car’s serious intentions.
Another thing I really like is the frameless doors. I cannot logically explain why I enjoy frameless windows so much, but I simply do.
Overall, I would honestly say there is absolutely nothing about the exterior design of this car that irritates me. The only thing I would change is related purely to specification – a car with a presence like this should not be black or white. It needs colour. My personal choice would be blue (the Ghibli’s palette includes a beautiful deep blue), red or gold.
Interior
Inside, things are slightly more restrained. The Ghibli’s dashboard is simple and there are relatively few buttons. In terms of design, I would not call it anything extraordinary, but the build quality and materials immediately create a luxurious atmosphere.
This is due largely to the configuration of the specific test car, which featured a leather-covered dashboard and doors, as well as an Alcantara headliner. The open-pore wood trim further enhances the atmosphere, making you feel somehow more special the moment you step inside the car.
At the same time, Maserati has clearly tried to appeal to more conventional buyers – meaning the interior avoids any major ergonomic oddities or unusual quirks. It has the standard number of pockets, cupholders and storage areas, although they are all slightly narrower than usual… but at least they are there.
Overall, everything in the front feels properly executed. The seats are wide, comfortable and offer sufficient lateral support. The car I drove also featured seat ventilation – an option I value highly. I found an excellent driving position without difficulty and controlling everything I needed was straightforward.
As you would expect, the large central touchscreen controls most of the car’s functions and performs better than expected. I have not researched who developed the system, but whoever it was did a good job. Everything is very easy to operate, although it still trails slightly behind the systems found in the latest Volvo models like the Volvo XC90, Volvo S90 and Volvo V90. That is certainly not a problem, though, and unlike the Volvos I appreciated the fact that the climate control still uses physical buttons.
The only real oddity is the placement of the start button to the left of the steering wheel. Another thing that surprised me was the presence of a manual headlight levelling control. I have absolutely no idea what it was doing there because, according to current legislation, cars equipped with xenon headlights are required to have automatic levelling systems. How Maserati managed to homologate the car in that regard remains a mystery to me.
And before moving on to the rear seats, take a look at Maserati’s traditional dashboard clock:
The rear seats are the weak point of the Ghibli’s interior. The moment someone sits there, they immediately realise that the dramatically rearward cabin creates not only beautiful proportions but also less interior space. That compromise comes directly from rear legroom. Once again, the seats themselves are large and comfortable, but combined with rear legroom comparable to much smaller cars – something like a Volkswagen Golf or Volvo V40. It is not that you will not fit back there, but you simply will not feel as though you are travelling in a competitor to the E-Class.
On the road
I think it is only right to begin with the engine. The unit in question is a six-cylinder diesel developed by the Italians at VM Motori. Its displacement is 2,987 cc, producing 275 hp and 600 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed gearbox supplied by ZF Friedrichshafen.
The exhaust system is equipped with the so-called Active Sound system – technology designed to suppress the unpleasant diesel notes while enhancing the good ones. Essentially, it masks the “bad” diesel sounds and amplifies the parts that actually sound appealing.
But let’s move on to the driving impressions. I collected the car from Auto Italia in Druzhba and headed out on a route I enjoy very much – Mladost, Bistritsa, Zheleznitsa, Dupnitsa and back to Sofia.
Until leaving the city, I decided to drive in I.C.E. mode, which is designed for economical driving and winter conditions. In this setting, the Ghibli behaves in a very civilised manner, allowing easy driving with softer throttle response and generally encouraging calm cruising over Druzhba’s bumps and potholes. Those imperfections are certainly noticeable because the car immediately reveals its firm suspension setup, which may not appeal to someone accustomed to the comfort of the E-Class. Perhaps the optional adaptive suspension provides better isolation from our wonderful road surfaces?
Noise insulation is good overall, although slightly more road noise enters the cabin than would normally be appropriate for a typical business sedan. But then again, I am not really driving a typical business sedan, so I do not mind at all – especially since I can hear the engine, which sounds pleasant thanks to its six cylinders and, probably even more so, the previously mentioned Active Sound system.
After spending some time driving around Druzhba and Mladost, achieving average fuel consumption of 9.1 litres per 100 km (which seemed perfectly reasonable to me), I headed towards Bistritsa.
I continued driving normally in standard mode to get to know the car better and, after leaving Zheleznitsa, I switched into Sport mode and buried the throttle pedal into the floor. The first difference was the deeper exhaust sound, followed naturally by the sharper throttle response.
The car’s performance is genuinely strong. The high torque combined with the lightning-fast gearbox delivers excellent acceleration and in-gear performance. Overall, very enjoyable.
There is enough power to throw the rear end into the neighbouring lane despite the stability systems, so some caution is required (all-wheel drive would suit those 600 Nm perfectly). When driven properly, however, the Ghibli attacks corners quickly, confidently and in a very satisfying way.
What I did not like on this section – and what I feel does not suit a Maserati – was the steering. There is insufficient feedback and it feels too numb for a sports-oriented car.
After joining the Samokov–Dupnitsa road, I activated the cruise control at 100 km/h and, although the stretch was short, I decided to check what sort of fuel economy the car could achieve on a typical secondary road. The answer was 5.7 litres per 100 km. It was also there that I paid more attention to the cruise control and trip computer buttons, which are somewhat unusual and, in my opinion, could have been designed more conveniently. They are combined controls that can either be pressed or flicked up and down, but their travel is too short and they feel strange to operate.
And so, shortly before Dupnitsa, I accidentally found myself at the Dupnitsa airfield, where I accidentally did this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJiMjgEM9_8
After a few laps around the runway and some playing around with the car’s dynamic balance, I concluded that the Ghibli has genuinely excellent road manners, while the almost perfect 51/49 weight distribution clearly plays an important role.
From there I continued onto the motorway, where I confirmed that aerodynamic noise is very well suppressed and even the huge side mirrors do not create excessive wind turbulence. I think the primary source of noise remained the road surface itself, although the overall isolation is still good (even if the car is noisier than a Jaguar or its German competitors). Fuel consumption on the motorway, driven within legal speed limits, was 7.4 litres per 100 km.
After returning to Sofia, I spent some time driving around the city centre, mainly to test fuel economy in urban conditions once again (8 litres per 100 km), but also to entertain a few pedestrians and drivers because the car is undeniably beautiful and attracts a huge amount of attention.
Conclusion
So, the answer to the question is NO – the most sensible Maserati is not actually a particularly sensible car.
That is because the car sits too low for Bulgarian road conditions, the suspension is firm, it is relatively noisy, narrower than its rivals and more expensive than them.
Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not.
The Ghibli charms with character and, in my opinion, it is the ideal sedan for automotive enthusiasts who need something relatively practical – and for people who simply want to stand out from the crowd. From that perspective, I do not think the diesel version is necessarily the perfect fit for the Ghibli because the petrol model will naturally appeal more to such buyers. Still, the very fact Maserati offers a diesel engine is a major advantage and, if paired with all-wheel drive, I believe the company would have a genuine chance of attracting even more customers away from the ordinary business sedans.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
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