Maserati Ghibli V8 334 Ultima 4dr Auto

  • Automatic
  • Petrol
  • 4 door saloon
  • 286 g/km CO2
  • 286 g/km CO2 emissions
  • 580 bhp Engine power

Ten Second Review

The third generation Ghibli, launched here in 2014, was Maserati's attempt to move from a low volume boutique manufacturer to one able to shift far bigger numbers. It first mainly sold in diesel form, but these days, black pump-fuelled customers are targeted by a petrol Hybrid variant - and there are powerful charismatic V6 and V8 petrol variants further up the range.

Background

The Ghibl has proved to be a pivotal car for Maserati and it accounts for most of the marque's current global sales. It's been a case of putting all the corporate eggs in this one rather handsome basket. One that could hardly be more important. The Italian manufacturer wants to sell 50,000 cars per year going forward and this sleek Latin sports saloon remains crucial to that aim. Is this 'M157'-series model really up to it? Maserati loyalists will probably remember the Ghibli sportscar of the early 1990s. That 'AM336'-series car was fast, fun and more than slightly flawed, but was instrumental in repairing Maserati's reputation after some of the awful product decisions of the 1980s. Those with longer memories might even recall the brutal and beautiful Giugiaro-designed 'AM115'-series original of the 1960s. In short, the Ghibli badge is one with provenance. When going into battle with the likes of the BMW 5 Series and the Jaguar XF, Maserati needs all the help it can lay its hands on.

Driving Experience

The big news first. You can now buy a Maserati Hybrid. Yes, I know that sounds about as likely as a Ferrari pick-up truck but get over the initial shock and you'll realise that if trying to compete in the executive market in Europe, a brand would be utterly scotched without a good hybrid these days - and it'll compensate the folk who used to choose the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel that is no longer available in this car. Whether the electrified Ghibli is a 'good' hybrid is a matter for debate. The electrification offered here is of the 'mild' 48-volt form, so it can't ever run without the aid of its 2.0-litre 330hp four cylinder engine. But said powerplant is decently rapid,particularly if you slot the drivetrain into its 'Sport' mode. The engine drives through the rear wheels only via an 8-speed ZF auto gearbox. You may well feel though, that a four cylinder powerplant, electrified or not, is insufficient to create the kind of charismatic appeal that a Maserato should have. If so, you'll start your search in the rear-driven petrol-only Ghibli portfolio with the V6 Ghibli Modena. Like the Hybrid, this 350hp derivative takes just under 6s to reach 62mph, on the way to a top speed in the region of 160mph - but it sounds far more appealing while it's doing it. The V6 is also available in an uprated 430hp state of tune in the Ghibli Modena S. Or, if you want this Maserati to have a properly charismatic growl, you'll need to stretch to the V8-powered Ghibli Trofeo at the very top of the range, which has 580hp, almost enough to give a BMW M5 a good seeing to.

Design and Build

The design team for the 'M157'-series third generation Ghibli worked under the auspices of Gio Ribotta, Maserati's exterior design manager, who points to styling cues from the brand's legendary Tipo 61 'Birdcage' model, although to be honest, they're lost on me. Think of the Ghibli as a truncated Quattroporte and you're not too far off the mark. It looks anything but a hall of mirrors aping of the elegant QP though and it has its own muscularity that distances itself from the executive car mainstream. It shares much the same drivetrain and suspension with its bigger brother and weight has been cut by building the doors and internal cross members from aluminium, with the dashboard structure constructed in magnesium. It shares the same drivelines and suspension, steel monocoque and production line as Maserati's larger model, but the Ghibli is a foot shorter, with very different coachwork. The suspension is as you'd expect with front double wishbones and a multilink rear, this time using electronically adjustable dampers all round. Drop inside and the interior feels and looks reassuringly expensive and well screwed together. Rear legroom and headroom isn't at all bad and there's even a big 500-litre boot. In case you were wondering, yes, you do get that iconic Maserati dash-mounted analogue clock. The information systems never feel quite as slick or as technologically dense as German and Japanese rivals, so if you want the latest in toy tech, you might find the Maserati wanting. If you prefer to make a dramatic entrance, however, there's really nothing to touch it.

Market and Model

The Ghibli has been positioned as a rival to the established full-Executive saloon segment elite but does it really square up competitively against them or is there a premium to pay for that badge? Prices open at around the £67,000 mark for the 330hp GT Hybrid version, which you might not think to be unreasonably given that something like a BMW 540i would be needed to properly compete. Allow a budget of just under £74,000 for the 350hp V6 Ghibli Modena - or around £86,000 for the V6 430hp Modena S. There's a big price jump though, to the top V8-powered Trofeo flagship model, which offers 580hp, sounds amazing but costs around £107,500. Standard equipment on all models includes 18-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, plus lovely quad exhaust tips. The interior meanwhile, features electrically powered and heated leather seats, wood trim and a punchy eight-speaker stereo system. There's also a mechanical limited slip differential and climate control with no fewer than 13 vents.

Cost of Ownership

Nobody buys a Maserati and expects it to offer tiny running costs but the Hybrid version of the Ghibli makes some very respectable WLTP numbers. Helped by its standard 48-volt mild hybrid system, this variant manages a combined cycle fuel economy figure of up to 33.3mpg - which is better than you might be expecting. True, this Italian saloon can't get anywhere close to the efficiency figures of diesel-powered rivals, but at least the figures are reasonably justifiable for your company accountant to swallow, as is the quoted CO2 best of 192g/km. Which isn't at all bad for a big car that will accelerate to 62mph in just 5.7 seconds. Naturally, the V6 petrol-powered models are a good deal thirstier, the 330hp Ghibli Modena consuming fuel at a combined cycle rate of 25.2mpg. For the Modena S, it's 25.0mpg. Don't awsk about the figures for the V8 Trofeo version.... Across the range, residual values will be the big ticket item, but such is the economy and cachet of the diesel model in particular that it might well perform very well indeed.

Summary

Maserati bet the family jewels on the Ghibli and still can't afford for it to fail. With this car, the company has staked the heritage and exclusivity of its famous trident badge and put its product right into the face of some of the most talented cars on the market. Does it square up? On a purely objective basis, you might wonder. Obvious rivals have, after all, been at it for too long, have too much in the way of development budget and have refined their wares to a finely honed edge. That said, the Ghibli isn't that far off their pace and is a formidable effort from Maserati. What's more, there's a bigger sense of occasion about this car that counts for a lot when buyers are forking out this sort of money. Prestige matters a whole lot and it's why BMW, Audi and Mercedes have been so successful. The Ghibli's not perfect of course. Its ride quality needs work and the infotainment systems feel a generation or two behind its key rivals. That said, it's a car that's impossible to dislike and has a charisma and appeal all of its own. Will it take Maserati where the company wants to go? We'll have to wait and see for that but if you were presented with the choice between a BMW 5 Series and a Maserati Ghibli, would you really be able to resist the lure of the Italian car? I know I couldn't.

  • Power boot lid with kick sensor
  • Start/stop system
  • Wireless charger
  • DAB Digital radio
  • Harman Kardon premium sound system with 10 speakers
  • 334 Exterior detailing (Black air vents, upper front grille and rear boot insert in black chrome finish)
  • 334 exterior trim (badging and insert on rear boot lid in black chrome finish, DLO in black, Italian flag on B-Pillar, side air vents in black)
  • Black chrome badging
  • Black chrome insert on rear boot lid
  • Black Day Light opening (DLO) surround
  • Body colour door handles
  • Body coloured side skirts, front and rear sport fascias with front inserts and rear diffuser in carbon fibre
  • Carbon black front splitter
  • Dark finish taillights
  • Front and rear steel door sills with maserati sign
  • Front grille with double and verticle grille bars in piano black
  • Indoor car cover
  • Maserati active sound system
  • Painted "334" Logo on front wing in Rosso Rubino
  • Rear boot
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Special metallic paint
  • Trofeo specific engine bonnet with air vents
  • Trofeo Specific engine cover in carbon fibre
  • Twin, dual pipe exhaust system with dark finish
  • Alcantara headlining
  • Aluminium gear shift paddles
  • Boot lateral cargo net and 12V socket
  • Brushed stainless steel sports pedals
  • Dual colour full premium fine grain leather upholstery(with Alcantara seat squab and backrest centres),instrument cowl,upper & lower dashboard,armrest
  • Foldable box
  • Front armrest with twin mechanical opening, with illuminated storage compartment, air conditioned, 12V socket and 2 cup holders
  • Multifunction steering wheel
  • Nero leather sport steering wheel
  • Power height and reach adjustable steering wheel
  • Rear armrest with 2 cupholders
  • Soft close doors
  • Specific Interior Badge (one of 103) on Central Tunnel
  • 3x3 point rear seat belts
  • Dual stage Driver/Passenger Airbags, side, window and driver knee airbags
  • Front seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters, rear seatbelts with load limiters
  • Manual rear child locks
  • Passenger airbag deactivation system
  • Tyre pressure monitoring system with pressure displayed with central digital cluster
  • Aluminium key fob, with key-less entry and key-less go function with (lock/unlock button, boot opening and exterior light on)
  • Perimetric and volumetric anti theft alarm with electronic immobiliser
  • Vodafone stolen vehicle recovery with automatic driver recognition and remote inhibition
  • HC+NOx: N
  • Particles: N
  • Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 286
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 286
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 286
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High - TEH: 244
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High - TEL: 244
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High - TEH: 246
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High - TEL: 246
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low - TEH: 462
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low - TEL: 461
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium - TEH: 305
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium - TEL: 304
  • Camshaft: QUAD CAM
  • Catalytic Convertor: True
  • CC: 3799
  • Compression Ratio: 9.4:1
  • Cylinder Layout: V8
  • Cylinders: 8
  • Cylinders - Bore (mm): 86.5
  • Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 80.8
  • Engine Layout: NORTH SOUTH
  • Fuel Delivery: TURBO INJECTION
  • Gears: 8 SPEED
  • Number of Valves: 32
  • Transmission: SEMI-AUTO
  • EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: False
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 12.7
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL: 12.7
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High - TEH: 10.9
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High - TEL: 10.9
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High - TEH: 11
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High - TEL: 11
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low - TEH: 20.5
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low - TEL: 20.4
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - TEH: 13.6
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - TEL: 13.5
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 22.2
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL: 22.2
  • WLTP - MPG - Extra High - TEH: 25.9
  • WLTP - MPG - Extra High - TEL: 25.9
  • WLTP - MPG - High - TEH: 25.6
  • WLTP - MPG - High - TEL: 25.6
  • WLTP - MPG - Low - TEH: 13.7
  • WLTP - MPG - Low - TEL: 13.8
  • WLTP - MPG - Medium - TEH: 20.7
  • WLTP - MPG - Medium - TEL: 20.9
  • Alternative Fuel Qualifying: False
  • Badge Engine CC: 3.8
  • Badge Power: 580
  • Based On ID: N
  • Coin Description: V8
  • Coin Series: 334 Ultima
  • Generation Mark: 3
  • Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: N
  • Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 4
  • Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
  • NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: N
  • NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: N
  • NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: N
  • NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: N
  • NCAP Safety Assist %: N
  • Safety Concerns: False
  • Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24
  • Service Interval Mileage: 20000
  • Special Edition: True
  • Special Order: False
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
  • Vehicle Homologation Class: M1
  • Engine Power - BHP: 580
  • Engine Power - KW: 427
  • Engine Power - PS: True
  • Engine Power - RPM: 6750
  • Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 538
  • Engine Torque - MKG: 74.4
  • Engine Torque - NM: 730
  • Engine Torque - RPM: 2250
  • Top Speed: 207
  • Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP
  • RDE Certification Level: RDE 2
  • Alloys: True
  • Space Saver: False
  • Tyre Size Front: 245/35 R21
  • Tyre Size Rear: 285/30 R21
  • Tyre Size Spare: N
  • Wheel Style: 334 ULTIMA
  • Wheel Type: 21" ALLOY
  • Height: 1461
  • Height (including roof rails): N
  • Length: 4971
  • Wheelbase: 2998
  • Width: 1945
  • Width (including mirrors): 2128
  • Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 80
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): N
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 500
  • No. of Seats: 5
  • Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.7