Return of the Maserati Ghibli

CrzRsn

So long, and thanks for all the fish
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We knew it was coming, and here it is: the 2014 Maserati Ghibli. Maserati's plan of selling 50,000 cars per year by 2015 starts with the Ghibli, which will be positioned in a more volume-friendly market against the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series. The Ghibli will make its official debut later this month at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Although our first look at Maseati's newest sedan is limited to just three images, we can see that the car will have a sportier exterior design than its bigger brother, the Quattroporte, to go with an equally luxurious interior. Under its long, sleek hood, Maserati has confirmed that the Ghibli will utilize a pair of 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engines ? one gas and one diesel ? both mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions. A rear-wheel-drive configuration will be standard, and the Italian automaker's new Q4 all-wheel-drive system will be available.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/09/maserati-ghibli-revealed-ahead-of-shanghai-debut

I have nothing against seeing more good looking Italian tridents on the roads, but I do think its a bit ambitious to go up against well established names like the 5er, E-Class and A6.

The taillights do look a bit generic though. They'd look at home on a new Kia.
 
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Damn, I was hoping they'd got for "Tipo X".
 
Well there we have the GT Sedan :D. But as I like those looks, I am fairly happy with that. Also the rear/taillights made me think "Merc CLA" instantly.
 
At first I thought they slightly reworked and renamed the Quattroporte. Then I read the descrpition.
 
Front 3/4: Amazing, spoiled only by the shared mirrors. FIAT, get rid of them ASAP, and come up with some properly looking ones.
Rear 3/4: Great, though the lights and the bumper could be a little wilder.
Interior: Awesome. I'd have mine just like that.
 
I like it, but it needs another colour. Preferably a dark blue.

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I love to see some competition in the luxury market, it seems like the Germans have it all on their own.

Both this and the new Cadillac CTS are more attractive looking than their main rivals. Problem is that some deep-rooted prejudices won't allow them to sell so well in certain markets.
 
And looking is not everything. The example of the CTS is a good one, as Cadillac just recently even started selling cars here, or trying to. So them not even trying to sell their cars here for ages was another influence on the whole development of that market.
 
Mercedes-Benz in particular, have done quite a good job of building a loyal customer base. Around 60% I last saw, said they won't consider anything else. I'm not sure it's so much a prejudice against Cadillac, but a conviction to a certain brand and a defence of their purchase.
 
Well, the interior's supposed to be a bit tacky. That's Maserati's trademark. If you want a Maser, you have to adjust your taste circuits to compensate for that. Also, I normally don't like oversculpting on the side panels. Okay, normally I don't like any sculpting at all on the side panels. But on a Maserati, it just looks right. A Maser is supposed to be an over-the-top experience to look at. This looks absolutely right with the badge that it has, and, yes, I'd want one. A Quattroporte has been on my bucket list for a while now, and this joins it, as long as the transmission actually functions like a transmission should. And Ausley hates it, so that makes it good in my book.

But Jens is right. The color absolutely sucks. Maseratis should not be offered in any shade lighter than midnight blue.
 
Oh my world, what's gone into people? It looks like an angry badger. It's hideous, worse than the BMW F30.
 
But Jens is right. The color absolutely sucks. Maseratis should not be offered in any shade lighter than midnight blue.



Begs to differ.
 
And I beg to differ with that. Too nice of a color. Masers should be menacing. That is too close to the color that I had the beloved Shadow resprayed after it got spit-roasted while standing still in traffic. It wasn't menacing. This isn't either.
 
Looks like the new Quattroporte was photocopied at 65%. Not a compliment.
 
I like quite a lot of what I see there. Not that it would be without fault, the interior is dreadful in that color-combination ... but maybe with some different colors, that would look nice ...

The question with this is of course, if they really know the nieche they try to get into here. Amough Jags, Audis, BMWs and Mercedes ... one does wonder if Maserati did their homework tech-wise. Not only engine wise, but also toys ... an Audi/merc/bmw in that class basically drives itself on the Autobahn these days ... what kind of toys does this have? I spot a manual adjustment wheel for the headlights in one of those pics ... and if they can?t even get that automated, I don?t see these coming with radar-guided cruise-control, a lane assistant or 200 Airbags ... all stuff that customers in the high-end of that class of car want. And I personally find it hard to imagine walking past an M5 or RS6 when they aren?t exactly bad looking and offer me a lot more usability ...
 
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