In September 2019, Maserati management were celebrating the success of their best selling car in a very long time. Best selling simply because of its sheer production numbers and for a car that continues to be produced since its introduction in 2013, which is 6 years ago. This is a car that has brought good profit to the Malaysian Maserati dealer, Naza Italia and a car that we picked to be our choice as car of the decade.
It all happened at the Avv. Giovanni Agnelli Plant (AGAP) where the Ghibli sports sedan and the Quattroporte flagship are built, celebrations were held to mark the production of Ghibli number 100,000. The car in question is a Ghibli S Q4 in the GranSport trim with Blu Emozione exterior colour and interior in black natural full-grain Pieno Fiore leather. Externally, the Ghibli GranSport features Adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights and is also recognisable for the Black Piano inserts on the front bumper, the “GranSport” badge on the front wing, body-colour side skirts, red brake callipers and 20-inch polished alloy wheels.
The car is destined for the Italian market, where the Maserati sports sedan has been a great success since its launch in 2013, due to its comfortable ride, exquisite finishes, sporty character and enjoyable driving experience. Thanks to the powerful 430 HP 3.0 litre V6 Twin Turbo engine, the Ghibli S Q4 with Q4 intelligent all-wheel drive delivers impressive performance: a top speed of 286 km/h and acceleration 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
The Ghibli is available with V6 Twin Turbo 3.0 litre petrol engines with power outputs of both 350 and 430 HP. The range also includes the mighty V6 turbodiesel with the same displacement, producing 275 HP. The sports sedan can be customised with a choice of 10 different bodywork colours, including Blu Nobile, a tri-coat colour with sparkling glass flakes in the paint which shimmer in the sun, and five interior colours. There are no fewer than 150,000 possible combinations. The alloy wheels are available in six designs with various finishes, in sizes ranging from 18 to 21-inch.
As well as the GranSport, Ghibli is also produced in the GranLusso trim, with an emphasis on luxury and sophistication. In this case, the interior is by Ermenegildo Zegna and combines Full Premium natural leather with 100% natural fibre mulberry silk inserts on seats, door panels, roof lining, sunshades and the ceiling light fixture. The chromed bumper inserts, body-colour side skirts, “GranLusso” badge on the front bumper and 19-inch alloy wheels with black callipers complete the look for this trim.
Ghibli number 100,000 is a major milestone for Maserati and for the people who work at the Grugliasco plant. Since its launch at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2013, Ghibli has garnered positive reviews in the world’s top motoring journals, and has also found favour with many customers around the globe. The Maserati sports sedan’s main markets are the USA, China, Italy, Japan and Germany.
Since its debut the Ghibli, the first Maserati car to be fitted with a Diesel engine, has benefited over the years from a large number of continual updates covering every aspect of its design and engineering, to constantly increase its market competitiveness. It was at the Chengdu Motor Show in China in 2017 that the Ghibli GranLusso and GranSport trims were presented. New advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) were also introduced at the same time.
Important new interior features were presented at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed in 2018, including the new gearshift lever with more ergonomic, functional design and the full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather seats in three different colours, as well as a number of completely restyled internal components.
All the engines in the current Ghibli range (petrol and diesel) are Euro 6D Temp Evap and therefore comply with the latest international emissions standards.
Every single Ghibli that comes off the production line at the Grugliasco plant is meticulously inspected to guarantee impeccable quality throughout the production process, from ‘Body-in-White’ to painting, and from assembly to dynamometer, water and electronics testing. What’s more, every car is road-tested for approximately 40km by a professional test-driver, after which it leaves the production plant for shipment to the customer.
