Maserati has released details of the car it hopes will help achieve its aim of selling 50,000 cars by 2015. The Ghibli will see Maserati enter the mainstream to do battle with the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class and features a new diesel engine - the first ever fitted to a Maserati.
Exterior
The Ghibli saloon shares a lot with its more illustrious big brother, the Maserati Quattroporte. The concave grille, slim headlights and signature air vents on the wing are lifted directly from the larger car, as too is much of the interior - only on a slightly smaller scale.
Interior
Maserati is targeting the Ghibli at premium executive buyers and, in the associated images at least, has fitted out the interior befitting such clientele. The basic structure and layout of the dashboard is inspired by that of the Quattroporte, but the cabin is finished in more modern colours and materials - Maserati obviously expecting younger executives to plumb for it.
Mechanicals
The big news is the 270hp 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that will power the entry level Ghiblis. Designed and built with input from Ferrari the new unit will be mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and send power to either the rear wheels - or to all four in the Q4 models.
Petrol fans will be well catered for with a pair of twin-turbo V6 engines, the most powerful of which is also offered in the Quattroporte.
Anything else?
The Maserati Ghibli will make its public debut at the Shanghai Motor Show with European deliveries expected to commence in September. It's unlikely at this stage that a Maserati dealership will be opened in the Republic.