Maserati Ghibli, 2014

 

 

 

 Maserati Ghibli, 2014

The new Maserati Ghibli marks a turning point in Maserati's history. Unveiled at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show and arriving just months after the new Quattroporte, the Ghibli gives Maserati two four-door saloon models for the first time in its history.

The Maserati Ghibli is smaller, shorter, lighter, more dynamic, less expensive and more economical than the flagship Quattroporte and provides a cornerstone in Maserati's plans to build 50,000 cars a year by 2015.

Its petrol range provides high performance from both of the power outputs from the Twin Turbo-charged, 3.0-litre V6 petrol engines.

The Maserati Ghibli has a more-focused, sportier philosophy than the larger Quattroporte and its most powerful model, the Ghibli S, has 301 kW (410 hp) of power, races to 62mph in 5.0 seconds and stretches out to a top speed of 177mph (285km/h).

The Maserati Ghibli is also the first Maserati in history to be powered by a diesel engine, with a turbo-diesel V6 producing all the sound, refinement and driving pleasure typical of Maserati while delivering fuel consumption over 47mpg (below 6 l/100km) on the NEDC combined cycle . The Ghibli diesel will also become the first Maserati with Start-Stop technology.

It shares much of its core architecture, including its crash safety, chassis, suspension architecture, engines and LED headlight technology, with the larger Quattroporte, though it is 50 kg lighter, 173 mm shorter in the wheel base and 291 mm shorter overall.

The Maserati Ghibli's design team was challenged to produce a saloon that emphasised its more dynamic driving characteristics through a more aggressive visual personality, yet still maintained discernible visual links with the Quattroporte.

The outline of the body reflects a coupe-like philosophy for the four-door saloon, while there are strong feline hints around the Ghibli's grille and headlights. The grille takes its inspiration from the current GranTurismo and it can draw a line back to the classic 1950s A6 GCS.

It also maintains Maserati's distinctive C-pillar treatment, which delivers much of the coupe-like stance and carries the classical Saetta Maserati logo, carrying on a tradition dating back to 1963.

The side profile is dominated by a swage line that runs from the traditional Maserati grille vents behind the front wheels and finishes in the rear lights themselves.

Inside, the Ghibli sets itself apart from the Quattroporte with a unique dashboard design that perfectly matches its sportier and more youthful character without losing any of the luxury expected from Maserati. The Ghibli also delivers a sporty design combined with all the spaciousness expected in an executive saloon from Maserati.

The Maserati Ghibli, Ghibli S and Ghibli Diesel all utilise an eight-speed automatic transmission to deliver their performance, providing seamless comfort with fast gear shifting for hard acceleration.

All Ghibli models deliver exquisite handling thanks to their perfectly balanced weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension. It can now deliver the added security and all-weather assurance of all-wheel drive as well.

It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati's traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest of details.

The Maserati Ghibli has entered the E-segment sports premium market with a marked advantage in cabin craftsmanship and detailing, offering luxury features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, reversing camera, Poltrona Frau leather interior and the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.

The original 1963 Quattroporte invented the concept of the luxury sports saloon, the new Quattroporte continues to be the genre's benchmark and now the Ghibli offers all of the Quattroporte's qualities in a more dynamic, and more affordable package.

ENGINES
A new range of completely innovative petrol engines,designed entirely by Maserati and manufactured by Ferrari, form the beating heart of the Ghibli. New proprietary Maserati V6 engines - all of which Twin Turbo, latest GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) technology developed in strict cooperation between the Maserati powertrain development team and the Ferrari powertrain development team - are built in Maranello for exclusive use of Maserati.

They are being produced in the Ferrari plant in Maranello that is famous for its 60 years of passion and cutting-edge technology.
This new generation of Maserati engines is more powerful, more exciting to drive and more eco-friendly than ever.
The Maserati Ghibli will be available with two versions of its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine.

The most powerful of the V6 petrol engines will be fitted to the rear-wheel drive Ghibli S. This engine produces 301 kW (410hp) of power at 5500 rpm and 550 Nm of torque from just 1750 rpm.

The Ghibli S will reach 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds. It has a quoted top speed of 285 km/h (177mph).

The more affordable V6 petrol engine variant not only has an impressive 243 kW (330 hp) of power and 500 Nm of torque, but also delivers a combined fuel economy figure of just 9.6 litres/100km (29.4mpg). It is much more than a fuel saving car, though, and is capable of accelerating to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.

The Maserati Ghibli Diesel becomes the first car in Maserati's near-100 year history to use a diesel power unit. In keeping with Maserati traditions, it is the most powerful single-turbo 3-litre engine on the market with its 275 Hp and 600 Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm.

It is capable of sprinting to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds and hitting a top speed of 250 km/h (155mph), even though it emits just 158 grams of CO2/km and uses just 5.9 litres/100 km (47.8mpg) on the NEDC combined cycle.

In other first for the Maserati brand, all Ghibli models will have an Active Speed Limiter function as standard equipment. Activated (and deactivated) via a button on the steering wheel, the Active Speed Limiter function lets the driver set a maximum speed for the car, which can be over-ridden by pushing the accelerator pedal through the "kick down".

GHIBLI S V6 ENGINE
The most powerful version of the Ghibli's 2987 cc V6 shares much of its technology with the Quattroporte's flagship 3.8-litre V8 engine.

With 301 kW (410hp) of power at 5500 rpm, the downsized V6 TwinTurbo delivers big V8 performance with 550 Nm of torque between 4500 rpm and 5000 rpm.

The V6's maximum engine speed of 6500 rpm, yet it delivers 90 percent of its 550 Nm of torque from 1600 rpm and its specific torque is actually higher than the V8's, at 183 Nm per litre. It also has an overboost function that is capable of providing the engine's maximum boost between 1750 rpm and 5000 rpm.

It uses the V8's petrol direct injection technology, cylinder architecture and combustion technology along with two low-inertia parallel turbochargers and four continuous camshaft phasers. It uses high-pressure fuel injection to deliver its fuel at around 200 bars of pressure.
The Maserati Ghibli S accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds, a tenth of a second faster to 100 km/h than the corresponding Quattroporte S.

It has a top speed of 285 km/h (177mph) top speed almost matching the Quattroporte S.
The engine is also efficient, given its powerful performance numbers. The Ghibli S posts 10.4 (27.2mpg) on the NEDCcombined cycle.

The Ghibli S emits 242 grams of CO2/km.
The V6 engine's parallel turbochargers are slightly different to the twin-scroll units on the V8, but it retains the V8's core dimensions with its bore measurement unchanged at 86.5 mm.

It uses high-tumble cylinder heads and two continuous cam phasers for each cylinder head; it can advance or retard the inlet and exhaust valve timing independently in real time four-phase variators for optimal combustion control for high performance and low consumption.

Another characteristic feature of the new Maserati engine family is the 200 bar direct fuel-injection system. This very high pressure helps atomise the fuel, thus improving the fuel-air mixture and optimising combustion at higher engine speeds.

The Maserati Ghibli S has two intercoolers - one to feed each of the turbo chargers -mounted low on either side of the main radiator to catch a constant supply of fresh, cool air.

The engine also uses a state-of-the-art ECU, with integral high-speed processors, which handle an array of shifting functions in real time.
Maserati Powertrain has also switched to on-demand ancillaries, with a variable displacement oil pump that works under electrical control for improved consumption and performance.

It also uses an innovative, computer control of the alternator, which monitors the vehicle's electricity consumption and manages the alternator's workload to suit.
The engine also operates in both Normal and Sport modes, along with Manual versions of either mode, operated by elongated shift paddles fixed to the steering column.

The new Maserati Ghibli also makes available the I.C.E. (Increased Control and Efficiency) strategy, a function aimed at reducing consumption, emissions and noise. This is a user-select strategy that delivers a softer throttle pedal response for smooth driving, cancels the turbocharger's over-boost function and keeps the exhaust's Sport flaps closed until 5000 rpm. It also adjusts the gear changes to make them softer and slower and reduces torque at each gear's take-up point.