Maserati’s Ghibli hangs on as the brand faces an uncertain future

By Stephen Edelstein August 25, 2017

1 of 4

Ghibli

2018 Maserati Ghibli GranLusso

2018 Maserati Ghibli GranLusso

2018 Maserati Ghibli GranLusso

The current-generation Maserati Ghibli launched in 2014 as Maserati’s boldest attempt yet to grow sales and compete with German luxury brands. With sleek Italian styling and the name of a legendary sports car, the Ghibli looked promising. But the sedan has not been without shortcomings, some of which Maserati plans to address with an update.

The refreshed Ghibli set to debut at China’s Chengdu Auto Show follows the same pattern as the recently updated Maserati GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio convertible. It features major tech and minor styling changes, but no significant mechanical updates. Will that be enough to keep the Ghibli in the luxury-car fight?

Related Videos

On the styling front, Maserati gave the Ghibli a new grille and rear fascia. New GranLusso (pictured above) and GranSport trim packages also replace the previous Luxury and Sport trims, respectively. The changes are incredibly subtle, but that is not exactly a bad thing. The Ghibli was already a pretty good looking car.

A more significant change is the addition of Matrix LED headlights on GranLusso model. They essentially let the driver keep the high beams on all of the time. When an onboard camera detects an oncoming car, a mechanism covers part of the light beam so it does not blind the other driver. Maserati has not confirmed whether this feature will be available in the U.S., though. The automaker also promises an array of electronic driver aids but did not give specifics.

The interior does not appear to get any significant updates, although Maserati did add parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ ubiquitous 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system for 2017.

All Ghibli models will continue to use a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and performance is not expected to change. The base Ghibli has 345 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque and does 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. The Ghibli S has 404 hp and 406 pound-feet, allowing for 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Both versions are rear-wheel drive.

Maserati also offers an all-wheel drive Ghibli S Q4 model, which is the quickest to 60 mph at 4.7 seconds. The rear-wheel drive Ghibli S has a one-mph advantage in top speed, though, at 177 mph. The base Ghibli tops out at 166 mph.

The refreshed Ghibli arrives amid renewed rumors that Fiat Chrysler is planning to spin off Maserati and fellow Italian brand Alfa Romeo. Rumors of a spinoff circulated earlier this year, but a recent Bloomberg report claims FCA is once again considering getting rid of Alfa and Maserati, as well as some supplier divisions. The report said a final decision could come in early 2018.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Cars

Audi ActiveSphere concept is part luxury sedan, part pickup truck

Audi ActiveSphere concept car in a mountainous setting with a bike on the rear rack.

Audi unveiled the fourth and final member of its Sphere-branded series of concept cars, and the design study is unlike anything we've seen before. Called ActiveSphere, it's an electric luxury sedan with a generous amount of ground clearance that can turn into a pickup truck.

Created at the Audi Design Studio in Malibu, California, the ActiveSphere stretches approximately 196 inches long, 81 inches wide, and 63 inches tall, figures that make it about as long as the current-generation A6, 7 inches wider, and 6 inches taller. It wears a rounded exterior design characterized by thin headlights, a transparent piece of trim where you'd expect to find a grille, and a fastback-like silhouette.

Cars

2024 Polestar 2 gets a major overhaul for the 2024 model year

2024 Polestar 2

Volvo off-shoot Polestar is looking forward to an eventful year. It will begin production of the 3, its first crossover, and it will release a comprehensively updated version of the 2 sedan that's sportier than the outgoing model, more road trip-friendly, and better equipped.

The biggest visual difference between the original 2 and the new-look car due out in 2023 as a 2024 model is found on the front end. The electric sedan swaps its grille for what Polestar designers call a SmartZone that frames the front-facing camera and covers the mid-range radar used to power some of the electronic driving aids. While the shift isn't significant, it's symbolic. The grille created a visual link between the 2 and the 1, Polestar's now-retired first model; the SmartZone brings the sedan in line with the sleek-looking 3 unveiled in late 2022.

Cars

Electric trucks aren’t ready for the big leagues — but I still loved the F-150 Lightning

Ford F-150 Lightning

Electric cars are getting pretty cool. While Tesla popularized the concept of a "fun" electric car, these days there are quite a few options out there, like the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and even some luxury options from Mercedes and BMW. These cars offer awesome performance and often a sweet design, making them excellent choices for first-time EV buyers.

But with electric trucks, it's a slightly different story. To be clear, they're just as powerful, -- often more so -- than electric cars. But when you're driving a truck, you expect to be able to use that power in different ways, and frankly, electric trucks seem to have a way to go before they'll hold up in those settings.
Towing is tough
The Achilles' heel of every electric truck comes down to hauling: Adding a ton of weight to the load seriously impacts range -- and not in a trivial way. Add a camper or even a lightweight trailer, and you might find that you're getting half of the expected range out of a charge. That means that you'll have to charge up more than every 150 miles, and if you're towing a camper, it's very likely that you're driving further than that. And even lighter loads can have a heavy impact on range.