The all-new Maserati Ghibli, the first-ever mid-size four-door sports luxury sedan in Maserati’s 100 year history, has been revealed to the world at the Shanghai International Motor Show (20 April 2013) in anticipation of its key role in driving Maserati sales to 50,000 a year.
The Maserati Ghibli shares the motor show stand with the latest version of the all new Quattroporte, a variant designed specifically to meet the needs of the Chinese market.
Australia and New Zealand’s role in Maserati’s new era will start in the third quarter of this year when the all-new Quattroporte will make its debut, followed by the Maserati Ghibli in early 2014. Maserati’s global target of 50,000 units a year by 2015 will be matched by local sales of 1500 in 2016, of which approximately 10 per cent will be allocated to New Zealand.
Both the Quattroporte and the Ghibli sedans will boast two different power outputs from their unique-to-Maserati turbo-charged V6 petrol engines with the classic rear wheel drive versions complimented by four wheel drive versions in selected markets.
The Ghibli will additionally be offered with the first diesel engine in Maserati’s history. The turbo-diesel 3.0-litre V6 will deliver traditional Maserati high performance and sound but will use less than six litres per 100 km on the NEDC fuel economy cycle and was developed by Maserati engineers under the direction of Paolo Martinelli, who lead Ferrari engine design before joining Maserati.
Another Maserati making its world debut in Shanghai is a version of the new Quattroporte equipped with a V6 capable producing 243kW and specifically conceived and developed for the Chinese market
