Maserati Ghibli S 2014 review

Luxury maker Maserati is throwing the dice with the more affordable Ghibli. This four-door coupe, the same size as the BMW 5 Series, is the cheapest Maserati ever, starting at $138,900, tens of thousands less than the next model in the lineup.

At risk is Maserati's mystique stemming from its exclusivity, which could suffer as more of its cars are seen on the street. The reward will be a dramatic increase in sales and profits. In 6300, Maserati sold only 2012 vehicles worldwide, but plans to sell 50,000 vehicles next year. Ghibli (pronounced Gibbly) is right in the center of the plan.

The new Maserati coupe will quickly become the brand's best seller in Australia, but in turn it is expected to sell more than Maserati's new Levante SUV, which will cost the same when it arrives in 2016. For its part, Maserati says the new, more affordable models won't hurt the brand because they'll still be rarely seen on Australian roads anyway.

Even if Maserati has been selling 1500 cars a year since the Levante's introduction, spokesman Edward Roe says, "That's still a low number when you consider Australia's new car market is one million cars a year." Ghibli takes its name from the prevailing wind in Syria. Maserati first used the name in 1963 and then repeated it in 1992.

The new car is essentially a downsized Quattroporte, though it would be rude to point that out to someone who shelled out over a quarter of a million dollars for a larger model. At first, it looks like a Quattroporte, with the same aggressive nose and sloping coupe profile, but smaller proportions mean it looks better than its big brother.

Obviously it's not as expensive as the Quattroporte and doesn't have the same appeal, but most people will think it costs more than it actually does. The Ghibli is also built on a shortened version of the Quattroporte platform and even uses the same suspension design.

As for the engines, yes, you guessed it, they are from Quattroporte too. The most affordable Ghibli costs $138,900. It uses VM Motori's 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, which is also available in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. This example has Maserati's unique setting for a power output of 202kW/600Nm so it doesn't twitch when you hit the accelerator.

Next up is the "standard" petrol engine, a 3.0-liter V6 with direct injection and two intercooled turbochargers, co-developed with Ferrari and built in Maranello. It costs $139,990 and has a 243kW/500Nm version of the engine under the long hood.

A warmer version with more aggressive engine management software that boosts power to 301kW/550Nm tops the current range at $169,900. For the record, Maserati says that at some stage in the next few years, a high-revving V8 and an even more powerful V6 are planned for the Ghibli.

Driving

This week, Carsguide unveiled the more powerful V6 at a presentation near Byron Bay and walked away thinking "why would anyone buy a more expensive Quattroporte?" For its part, Maserati believes that customers who want a larger limousine with more interior space will be happy to pay the extra money for a larger vehicle.

Regardless, the Ghibli is a great sedan that looks good, stands out on the road, and goes really fast when needed (0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds).

It handles very well, and its hydraulic steering (rather than electric, like almost all other new cars) works great. The ride on our test car was uncomfortably stiff, but it had optional 20-inch wheels ($5090). It should ride better on standard 18s.

Surprisingly, there is some turbo lag, but the engine is surprisingly strong once the turbos start spinning. You'd better pay attention because the momentum is picking up really fast.

The V6 has a beefy sound that's louder in sport mode, thumps great when shifting gears - but doesn't sound as good as the V8.

All Ghiblis get an eight-speed automatic with a conventional torque converter that changes gears quickly and without fuss, and is controlled via steering-column paddle shifters. Selecting reverse, park, or neutral with the center-mounted shift lever can be frustrating as the design is surprisingly poor.

This is a rare minus in a great interior.

The cabin not only looks posh and expensive, but the controls are easy to use. There's enough room for four adults to sit on sculpted, soft leather seats and a decent boot. Small items like the USB charger and 12V charger ports in the rear center armrest show that Maserati has thought a lot.

The long-term impact of more affordable models on the Maserati brand is unclear, but the Ghibli is almost certain to be a hit in the short term. Some will buy it just for the badge, while others will buy it because it's actually a beautiful luxury car.