3-engines, and 3 trim lines.
Over the weekend, the details of Maserati’s compact saloon contender were dropped, with the Ghibli bearing an improved equipment list, upgraded engines, and a change to its range structure. All this comes along with the subtle design tweaks that have been made for the new model year, which undoubtedly enhances the already noticeable presence that the Ghibli makes on the road.
The 2018 model features a lightly updated design, with the larger grille being the most noticeable change, which now incorporates vertical chrome bars (and bears a striking resemblance to AMG’s Panamericana snout). Updated front bumpers and various small design changes have all contributed to the Ghibli sporting a new and improved drag coefficient of 0.29Cd, lower than the 0.31Cd it used to garner.
The 2018 Ghibli will be offered in base form (just Ghibli), GranLusso, and GranSport trims, in ascending order. To that reason the GranLusso and base Ghibli share similar exterior styling treatments, while GranSport models are treated to unique bumpers, adding a healthy dose of aggression to the Ghibli’s already unique fascia.
There engines are offered across the range, though an 8-speed transmission sends power to the rear wheels in all of them. Entry-level models get a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel as standard, which puts out 202kW and a meaty 600Nm, and will likely be the engine of choice for high-milers.
A bit more verve can be found in the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol motor that comes next, which makes 257kW and 500Nm available to the drivers’ right foot. Lighter and more responsive, this engine promises to offer a degree of drama in proceedings, this engine having been developed with some involvement from Ferrari, which is most evident in the sonorous exhaust note.
But if it’s power and noise you want, the uprated S variant of the same V6 biturbo will be more your bag. Running improvements mean that the new engine puts out a total of 321kW and 580Nm, up 15kW and 30Nm respectively, over the outgoing model. As such, the new car shaves .1-seconds off its century sprint time, capable of hitting 100km/h from rest in just 4.9-seconds.
Equipment lists are generous across the board, though. The base-model Ghibli gets niceties like four exhausts, bi-xenon headlights, an improved electric power steering system, a limited-slip differential (critical, considering this car is powerful and RWD), a new integrated vehicle control system developed by Bosch, as well as an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system (which we quite like, given its intuitive functionality and easily-understood graphics).
Step up to the GranLusso and the visual niceties improve, wth adaptive LED headlights, 19-inch alloys (or 20-inch units if you opt for the most powerful S model), additional chrome garnishes for the front bumper, as well as black brake callipers. As the name suggests, luxury is the theme for the Ghibli GranLusso, hence the featuring of Ermenegildo Zegna silk throughout the cabin, Radica open-pore wood trim, soft-close doors, 12-way power-adjusted Comfort seats (they’d better be comfortable), a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and a glove box that can be locked electronically.
Ghibli GranSport models get even more kit though, befitting its price premium. The black brake callipers from the GranLusso get swapped for red ones, and the front bumper gets replaced with an angrier unit that features piano-black inserts rather than chrome ones, to outline its sporting pretensions. The whole car rides on a SkyHook air suspension system, with wheels measuring either 20- or 21-inches in diameter depending on engine choice. There’s no silk to be found here though, with the GranSport models going for sports leather seats, paddle shifters, metallic pedals, and a Harman/Kardon sound system.
Critically, top-flight S models (the ones with the brawniest engine) will come as standard with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) like lane-keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, and active cruise control. These functions can, however, be added on to other variants as a cost option. If you still have dosh to spend you can choose to add a carbon-fibre package, that covers the wing-mirrors, B- and C-pillars, door handles, front lip and rear spoiler in carbon-fibre on all but GranLusso variants, though this, to us, seems a bit naff.
The base Ghibli range starts at $138,990 for the base-model diesel, rising to $143,990 for the Ghibli V6, before rising further to $175,990 for the Ghibli S. Opt for the GranLusso trim and the prices go up to $159,990, $163,990, and $195,990 for the diesel, V6, and V6S respectively. Naturally, GranSport models are the dearest, with the prices for those starting at $159,990 for the diesel, before going up to $163,990 for the V6, while the V6S commands a heady $195,990. All prices are quoted without insurance and various on-road costs.
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