The Maserati Ghibli Range
Maserati’s latest addition to its model range is the Maserati Ghibli – a four-door sports executive sedan and first E-segment model by the Italian luxury brand. By combining breath-taking design with exceptional handling qualities and outstanding performance, the Ghibli appeals to the heart, the head and the soul making the dream of owning a Maserati more accessible.
With the Ghibli, the Italian marque produces two concurrent four-door sedan models for the first time in its 100-year history. It is the second model after the flagship, the Quattroporte, to be manufactured to new benchmark quality standards in Maserati’s new state-of-the-art production facilities in Grugliasco close to Turin.
In line with Maserati’s long tradition of naming cars after winds, the name “Ghibli” originates from hot and dry, dust-bearing desert wind descending from the interior highlands of Libya toward the Mediterranean Sea. Although the wind may occur throughout the year, it is most frequent during the spring and early summer.
The first Maserati Ghibli, the mark “I”, was launched in 1967 as a two door, two-seater grand tourer with a V8 engine and 330 hp. The Maserati Ghibli II appeared in 1992, with a 2.0l V6 engine and 306 hp – the highest hp/liter output ever at the time.
Today’s Maserati Ghibli range offers unmistakable class, top-quality performance and a thrilling yet comfortable drive in an eye-catching sedan. Both versions of the petrol range, Ghibli and Ghibli S, feature a new-generation twin turbo-charged 3.0-litre V6 engine and an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. With its power output of 410 hp the Ghibli S races to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 285 km/h. The Ghibli delivers 330 hp, a top speed of 263 km/h and acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.
The Ghibli Diesel with its 3.0 litre V6 engine has been exclusively developed for Maserati by VM Motori under the watchful eye of Powertrain Director Paolo Martinelli, a legendary ex-Ferrari F1 engine designer. This new engine produces a best-in-its-class power output of 275 hp.
The new Ghibli shares parts of its core architecture, its chassis, its suspension architecture, the V6 engine and the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission with the flagship limousine Quattroporte. It is, however, 173 mm shorter in the wheel base and 291 mm shorter overall, as well as 50 kg lighter.
Dynamic and precise handling is guaranteed by the car’s perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution while the sophisticated suspension system and limited slip differential make every ride even more enjoyable. Achieving five stars on the Euro NCAP crash test, the Ghibli provides peace of mind for all occupants.
While the Ghibli features all classic Maserati design traits, its exterior emphasizes its determined personality.
The outline of the body reflects a coupé-like philosophy for the four-door sedan, while there are noticeable feline hints around the Ghibli’s grille and headlights. The pronounced grille draws a line back to the iconic A6 GCS of the 1950s. The shape of the headlights converges onto the Trident symbol, with every angle designed to attract the eye to Maserati’s legendary marque.
The distinctive C-pillar delivers much of the Ghibli’s coupé-like stance and hosts the classical Saetta Maserati logo, carrying on a tradition dating back to 1963. The side profile is dominated by a swage line that runs from the three unmistakable Maserati air vents behind the front wheels and finishes in the rear lights themselves.
With its long wheelbase, a total length of 4.97m and wide tracks, the Ghibli demonstrates a perfect blend of sportiness and elegance that is second to none in its class.
The Ghibli enters the E-segment of the sports premium market with a tangible advantage in cabin craftsmanship and detailing. It also sets itself apart with a unique, cockpit-inspired dashboard design that perfectly matches its sporty and youthful character without compromising on the highest level of refinement and sophistication. Key elements such as the 8.4″ Maserati Touch Control and the fine Poltrona Frau® leather finish underline the cabin’s timeless sporting character. Optional features include the 10-speaker premium Harman Kardon sound system or the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins high end audio system, Blind Spot Alert, Siri integration, WLAN based WiFi and a wide range of customization options that cater for the most demanding individuals.
Technical specifications:
Ghibli
Engine: 3.0L 60°V6
Power: 330 hp
Transmission: ZF Eight Speed Automatic Gearbox
Torque: 500 Nm
Top Speed: 263 km/h
Acceleration: 5.6s 0-100km/h
Consumption combined / extra-urban / urban: 8.9 / 6.8 / 12.6 (l/100 km)
CO2 emissions combined / extra-urban / urban: 207 / 158 / 292 (g/km)
Ghibli S
Engine: 3.0L 60°V6
Power: 410 hp
Transmission: ZF Eight Speed Automatic Gearbox
Torque: 550 Nm
Top Speed: 285 km/h
Acceleration: 5.0s 0-100km/h
Consumption combined / extra-urban / urban: 9.6 / 7.1 / 13.8 (l/100 km)
CO2 emissions combined / extra-urban / urban: 223 / 165 / 321 (g/km)
Ghibli Diesel
Engine: 3.0L 60°V6
Power: 275 hp
Transmission: ZF Eight Speed Automatic Gearbox
Torque: 600 Nm
Top Speed: 250 km/h
Acceleration 6.3s 0-100km/h
Ghibli Pricing
Ghibli R1 322 000
Ghibli D R1 370 000
Ghibli S R1 622 000
Consumption combined / extra-urban / urban: 5.9 / 4.9 / 7.7 (l/100 km)
CO2 emissions combined / extra-urban / urban: 158 / 132 / 204 (g/km)
Exterior Design
While the Ghibli features all classic Maserati design traits, its exterior emphasizes its determined personality.
The outline of the body reflects a coupé-like philosophy for the four-door sedan, while there are noticeable feline hints around the Ghibli’s grille and headlights. The pronounced grille draws a line back to the iconic A6 GCS of the 1950s. The shape of the headlights converges onto the Trident symbol, with every angle designed to attract the eye to Maserati’s legendary marque. The distinctive C-pillar delivers much of the Ghibli’s coupé-like stance and hosts the classical Saetta Maserati logo, carrying on a tradition dating back to 1963. The side profile is dominated by a swage line that runs from the three unmistakable Maserati air vents behind the front wheels and finishes in the rear lights themselves.
With its long wheelbase, a total length of 4.97m and wide tracks, the Ghibli demonstrates a perfect blend of sportiness and elegance that is second to none in its class.
Its dominant appearance is underlined by a wide track of 1635 mm. Compared to the Quattroporte the Ghibli is, 291 mm shorter, 20 mm lower and 50 kg lighter.
The Ghibli can be fitted with a selection of rims ranging from 18- to 21-inch sizes, all enhancing the car’s visual appearance and engineered to lower the unsprung mass, which improves grip and handling. While the 18’’ 19” and 20” alloys are crafted from flow-forming technology that reduces the core thickness of the wheels and prioritizes light weight without sacrificing stiffness and strength, the 21” rim is a forged alloy wheel and no heavier than the 20” rim.
Interior Design
The Ghibli enters the E-segment of the sports premium market with a tangible advantage in cabin craftsmanship and detailing. It also sets itself apart with a unique, cockpit-inspired dashboard design that perfectly matches its sporty and youthful character without compromising on the highest level of refinement and sophistication. Key elements such as the central 8.4″ Maserati Touch Control and the fine Poltrona Frau® leather finish underline the cabin’s timeless sporting character. Optional features include the 10-speaker premium Harman Kardon sound system or the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins high end audio system, WLAN based WiFi and a wide range of customization options that cater for the most demanding individuals.
The variety of materials to choose from includes wood trims, carbon fibre inlays, different leather qualities and colours as well as Alcantara headlining.
The Ghibli’s interior is built around a driver interface that is intuitive, uncluttered and simple to use. The instrument cluster features large dials and a 7” TFT display. Major functionalities are incorporated into the key buttons alongside the gear lever, while other on-board settings can be set via the Maserati Touch Control (MTC) at the centre of the dashboard.
The Ghibli provides class-leading front legroom and despite its coupé-like silhouette, comfortable head room for all occupants.
The clever interior packaging also incorporates 60:40 folding rear seats and a 500 litres of luggage capacity alongside the practical centre console compartment, large door pockets and a ventilated glove box. A large central tunnel splits contains two cup holders as well as a 12V power socket, while its console houses an air vented compartment for mobile phones as well as USB- and Aux-In plug.
The standard driver’s seat in the Ghibli offers six-way electric adjustment, while the Ghibli S features an even more supportive seat with eight-way electric adjustment. Preferred seat, lumbar and mirror settings can all be saved and recalled at the touch of a button.
The Ghibli’s rear seats provide optimized lateral support and guarantee comfort even on long journeys. The foldable central armrest doubles as a fifth seat when necessary and houses two cup holders and a storage box. The rear is equipped with ISOFIX fittings to securely anchor child seats.
The optional Ermenegildo Zegna interior combines Poltrona Frau leather with 100% natural fibre Zegna Mulberry Silk inserts on the seats, door panels, roof lining, sunshades and ceiling light fixture. Available in three colour variants this exclusive outfit will be the most exquisite of all Maserati customisations.
Key features
MASERATI TOUCH CONTROL (MTC)
The MTC’s 8.4″ Touch Screen display comes as a standard on Ghibli and Ghibli S allows the user to intuitively control almost all of the Ghibli’s on-board equipment such as CD-/DVD-player, radio and navigation as well as Bluetooth mobile phone connections. iPhone’s Siri functionality has been integrated into the system to allow users to perform iPhone tasks and make requests using voice commands, for example for Navigation, music or web search. Large icons at the bottom of the screen guide to the various menus. The MTC also controls the front seat heating and ventilation, the steering wheel heating and rear window shade. At the same time it functions as the screen for the revering camera. MTC is equipped with Aux-In and USB sockets as well as a SD card reader.
WI-FI HOTSPOT
The new Ghibli contains optional WLAN technology that effectively turns the car into a Wi-Fi HotSpot.
Owners can place a SIM card into its WLAN router to receive Internet signals, which can be resent around the car as a wireless Internet signal. Up to three devices can be connected simultaneously.
AUDIO
The standard 8-speaker audio system can be optionally be upgraded to a premium Harman Kardon sound system, with 10 speakers and a 900 Watt amplifier.
Maserati also offers to choose the Bowers & Wilkins Premium Surround Sound system, with 15 speakers, a 1280 Watt amplifier and a perfectly configured QuantumLogic™ Surround.
The system perfectly reproduces every nuance of the sound, with a dynamic purity at the highest level.
As the QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound system processes each track, individual elements such as musical instruments and voices and the interior’s reverb, are identified, separated and processed into a surround sound field which is exceptionally realistic and precise and creates perfectly defined audio image. The CLARI-FI function restores the artistic details lost in digitally compressed music, rebuilds lost details and restores high-fidelity.
The Bowers & Wilkins Premium Surround Sound system features a central 100 mm Kevlar cone for midrange sound and three 25 mm tweeters at the centre and sides of the dashboard. The front doors house a 165 mm woofer and 100 mm Kevlar cone midrange speaker, while the rear doors each carry a 165 mm Kevlar woofer and 25 mm tweeter. The rear shelf has two 100 mm Kevlar midranges and a 350 x 200 mm subwoofer.
Ghibli & Ghibli S
The new Maserati twin turbo V6 engine featuring the latest GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) technology forms the beating heart of the Ghibli and the Ghibli S.
The engine was designed by Maserati and is being manufactured by Ferrari in Maranello for exclusive use of Maserati. This new-generation engine is more powerful, more exciting to drive and more eco-friendly.
The Ghibli S features the most powerful version of the 2987 cc V6 engine, which shares part of its technology with the 3.0-litre V6 engine available on the Quattroporte S. It uses the same gasoline direct injection technology, cylinder architecture and combustion technology along with two low-inertia parallel turbochargers and four continuous camshaft phasers.
A characteristic feature of the new Maserati engine family is the 200 bar direct fuel-injection system. This very high pressure helps atomise the fuel, thus improving the fuel-air mixture and optimising combustion at higher engine speeds.
The Ghibli S has two intercoolers – one to feed each of the turbo chargers –mounted low on either side of the main radiator to catch a constant supply of fresh, cool air.
With 410 hp at 5500 rpm, the V6 available on the Ghibli S delivers a powerful drive with a torque of 550 Nm between 1750 rpm and 5000 rpm. The maximum engine speed is 6500 rpm, yet it delivers 90 per cent of its 550 Nm of torque from 1600 rpm. It also has an overboost function that is capable of providing the engine’s maximum boost between 1750 rpm and 5000 rpm.
The second turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 gasoline engine available on the Ghibli delivers 330hp at 5000rpm, a fuel economy of just 9.6 litres/100km with 223 grams of CO2 emissions/km, and is capable of accelerating to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.
Maserati Powertrain has implemented on-demand ancillaries, with a variable displacement oil pump that works under electrical control for improved consumption and performance. The new Ghibli also features the I.C.E. (Increased Control and Efficiency) strategy, a function aimed at reducing consumption, emissions and noise. It delivers a softer pedal response for smooth driving, cancels the turbocharger’s over-boost function and keeps the exhaust’s Sport flaps closed until 5000 rpm. It also adjusts the gear changes to make them softer and slower and reduces torque at each gear’s take-up point.
Ghibli Diesel
The Ghibli Diesel is the first ever diesel-powered car in Maserati’s history. The 3.0 litre V6 has been exclusively developed for Maserati under the watchful eye of Powertrain Director Paolo Martinelli, a legendary ex-Ferrari F1 engine designer. This new engine produces a best-in-its-class power output of 275 hp, while still achieving a CO2 figure of 158 g/km. A fuel consumption of less than 6.0 l /100 km and a 70-litre tank ensure a long range of over 1,000 kilometres, making the Ghibli Diesel a real grand touring long-distance champion.
The Ghibli Diesel boasts a maximum torque of 600 Nm between 2000-2600 rpm (with overboost turbocharging). It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds before going on to a top speed of 250 km/h.
The state-of-the-art engine includes a Common-Rail direct injection with a system pressure up to 2,000 bar. Multiple injections reduce fuel consumption and noise levels while also improving responsiveness and agility. In addition, the variable geometry turbocharger with variable nozzle turbine allows the engine to deliver both a high output and high torque from low revolutions.
The Start&Stop-System allows to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions up to 6%.
The Ghibli Diesel sounds like a Maserati should, thanks to the Maserati Active Sound technology. Active Sound gives an emotional sound signature to the exhaust note. Two sound actuators, fitted near the exhaust tailpipes, accentuate the engine’s most distinctive tones and modulate them according to the way the car is being driven. Depending on the requirement, the actuator is stimulated to produce the desired sound signature. The driver can select a more sporty and aggressive sound with the touch of a button.
Start&Stop-System
A Start&Stop-System is included in all petrol and diesel variants and allows to further reduce consumption and CO2 emissions (automatically disabled in Sport Mode and ESC OFF mode). The system activates when stationary and the brake pedal is sufficiently pressed. As soon as the brake pedal is released the engine turns back on. It can be deactivated from the cluster display controls available on the right menu button of the steering wheel.
Exhaust system
In the best Maserati tradition, sound and performance of the Ghibli’s exhaust system are controlled by pneumatic valves in the pipes emerging from each bank, passing through the unique Maserati Sound Tank to maintain the rich aural tradition of the brand.
In the default Normal mode, the bypass valves are closed up to 3,000 rpm to give a comfortable and discreet engine sound, which emerges through four sport exhaust tips.
The Sport mode not only adjust a variety of handling parameters, but also opens the exhaust valves, giving the shortest possible, high-energy route for the exhaust gases, which gives the Ghibli its maximum engine performance and the unique Maserati engine sound.
ZF Eight Speed Automatic Gearbox
All versions of the Ghibli are fitted with the same ZF AT8 – HP70 eight-speed automatic transmission that has already proven itself in the new Quattroporte. The transmission caters for all demands, from comfort to fast gear shifting, and from minimized fuel consumption to low NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness). There are five dedicated shift modes: Auto Normal, Auto Sport, Manual Normal, Manual Sport and ICE mode.
Auto Normal is the Ghibli’s default setting and performs its gear changes with smooth shifts at low engine speeds to emphasize the car’s comfort and to minimize fuel consumption.
The Auto Sport mode sees the transmission switch the drive character to change gears with greater alacrity at higher engine speeds and delivers a distinct gear engagement to enhance the powertrain’s sporting feel.
The car also recognizes a variety of conditions, such as whether the car is travelling up or down hill, is braking hard or is driving through a corner, and selects the best gear and the best gear-shift style accordingly.
The transmission can also be controlled manually by selecting the M button on the transmission tunnel.
In Manual Normal mode, the driver can change gear with either the elongated gearshift paddles besides the steering column or by using the gear lever. The driver is in charge of the gear selection, though the system will intervene and change to a lower gear if the engine revs drop too low or change to a higher gear if the engine revs climb too high.
In Manual Sport mode gearshifts are at their fastest and crispest, giving the driver full control of the powertrain. The system will not intervene, even if the driver strikes the engine’s rev limiter. It will only intervene if the engine’s revs drop too low to be effective in a given gear.
The ICE (Increased Control Efficiency) mode is designed for remarkable fuel economy, relaxed driving and extremely low grip conditions. The transmission changes gear as softly as possible, both going up through the gears and returning back down.
All gearshift modes can be selected via buttons on the left of the gear knob.
Limited-Slip Differential
The Ghibli is the only car in its class to use a standard mechanical limited slip differential in all of its versions in order to deliver the best inherent traction in all driving situations.
The bevel-drive, asymmetric unit offers 35 per cent lock-up under power and 45 per cent under release.
The rear differential is driven via a two-piece, 80 mm-thick light-weight steel prop shaft with two constant velocity joints and a head rubber coupling, which runs through a cross member-mounted rubber bearing for lower NVH levels without compromising rigidity.
Body
The Ghibli’s body and underbody design fulfil the sporty promise of its appearance. With a low drag coefficient of 0.31 reducing fuel consumption low and increasing stability at high speeds.
Chassis
The chassis of the new Ghibli shares its core architecture with the Quattroporte and has been precisely designed to meet the performance and comfort demands of Maserati buyers while maximizing safety aspects.
Based around a rigid and extremely secure steel cell, it uses an array of different steel and aluminium alloys, each designated a precise task to maximize strength, minimize weight and retains the sports sedan’s perfect 50 : 50 weight distribution models.
The front of the chassis features an aluminium casting, with a reinforced cross-strut which helps deliver outstanding rigidity in all directions, while the rear of the chassis is made from rolled steel.
Accordingly, all four doors and the bonnet are all made from aluminium. Ultra-light weight magnesium is used in the dashboard’s cross strut.
Suspension
Double wishbone suspension layouts are a race-bred tradition at Maserati and the Ghibli continues with this heritage but also incorporates some new technologies.
Utilizing a suspension layout and software system that has already proven its qualities in the Quattroporte, the Ghibli has high-mounted all-aluminium double wishbones at the front to guarantee light and precise handling characteristics The geometry of the system has delivered a quadrilateral architecture, which has enabled Maserati’s handling team to deliver steering that is precise, communicative and comfortable.
The rear suspension employs a five-bar multi-link system, with four aluminium suspension arms, and has achieved the conflicting targets of executive ride comfort and extreme sports performance.
The Ghibli’s suspension package is based around a fixed rate damping system to control the movement of its steel springs and anti-roll bars.
The Ghibli is also available with the option of the Skyhook adaptive damping system, where all four Skyhook dampers can now be electronically controlled independent of each other.
The default mode for the Skyhook system prioritizes comfort, and then becomes more athletic if the driver presses the suspension button. This extra damping stiffness pushes the Ghibli’s handling to even higher levels and its tune was developed in both extreme test scenarios and on the racetrack. Essentially, it drastically reduces both longitudinal and lateral load transfers and minimizes body roll to bring out the sportiest side of the car’s character. The computer system in control of the Skyhook dampers monitors an enormous array of parameters including, speed and lateral and longitudinal acceleration, individual wheel movements, body movement and damper dynamics.
Adjusting also to suite the suspension mode chosen by the driver, the system delivers the perfect damping mode for each wheel almost instantly.
Brakes
The Ghibli and the Ghibli Diesel feature four-piston brakes with fixed alloy Brembo calipers and 345x28mm ventilated discs in the front; floating calipers with 320x22mm ventilated discs in the rear.
The brakes on Ghibli S model are only marginally smaller than the V8 Twin Turbo’s brakes, with 360mm x 32mm ventilated and cross-drilled Dual Cast brake discs and six-piston fixed alloy Brembo calipers on the front axle. It carries over the V8’s four-piston, fixed alloy Brembo rear brake caliper.
The Dual Cast technology, pioneered by Maserati, allows the weight of the cast-iron braking surface area to be offset with an alloy hat to minimise unsprung mass.
These brakes have a large swept area, highly efficient cooling, are designed for consistent performance in sports driving situations.
The Ghibli stops from 100 km/h in 36 metres. But high-performance stopping power is only one measure of overall braking performance and the collaboration with Brembo also concentrated on optimizing the acoustic comfort of the Ghibli’s breaking systems.
Besides being effectively forceful, Maserati brake calipers have also always added a significant stylistic effect. This continues with the Ghibli, with the front and rear brake calipers available in the classic matt black form for the Ghibli S and grey matt for the Ghibli and Ghibli Diesel, with the Maserati name in white. These are also available in the aggressively sporting red colour, Maserati blue or luminous silver grey.
Steering System
The Ghibli uses an all-new aluminium steering box, developed specifically for the new front-suspension geometry to deliver more response, more consistency at high speed and easy manoeuvring at low speed. This allowed Maserati’s suspension engineers to deliver extreme precision combined with the steering sensitivity needed for turning into corners at high speeds.
It also has a reduced steering ratio, which delivers an agility that is rare for this class and while it is comfortable in all situations, the steering feel is geared up towards driving enjoyment.
In line with the feedback from customer demand, Maserati has bypassed the trend to electro-hydraulic steering systems. The Ghibli employs a speed-sensitive, servo-powered hydraulic system that prevents unpleasantly artificial assistance when the driver turns the wheel quickly.
Maserati Stability Program
Maserati drivers have long known the benefits of the Maserati Stability Program (MSP) and the Ghibli’s system has been further refined.
Developed in the most extreme test circumstances, the MSP uses a wide array of sensors to detect any need to intervene on the driver’s behalf.
MSP adds a layer of security on top of the Ghibli’s inherent chassis stability. It constantly measures the car’s handling and grip and combines a host of safety and performance systems to maintain the car’s ideal handling stance.
Two of the main elements of the MSP’s operation are the engine and the brakes. If skidding is detected, the MSP reduces the engine’s torque output and can actuate the brakes with finely varied inputs to restore the car’s stability within milliseconds.
The other key systems that make up MSP include:
- ABS, which stops the wheels locking up when braking, thereby maintaining steering control at all 5times.
- EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), to distribute braking force between the front and rear axles to prevent rear-wheel lock up.
- ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) stops the wheels from spinning in low-grip situations.
- MSR prevents the wheels from locking up when downshifting on low-grip surfaces.
- BAS (Brake Apply Sensor) uses a variety of sensors to recognise emergency braking situations and increases the pressure in the braking circuit.
- Hill Holder: Automatically connects to the braking system to prevent roll back
Safety
The new Ghibli’s passive safety equipment has been designed to achieve maximum peace of mind. The Ghibli achieves five stars on the Euro NCAP crash test, all without compromising its weight or fuel consumption.
Maserati has balanced these conflicting demands by using hot-formed steels in critical areas of the passenger compartment for added occupant safety, while using aluminium in other areas to save weight.
In particular, the front of the passenger compartment (the pillars and under-door mouldings) features hot-moulded steel components, with a magnesium dashboard strut to save weight, while the rear is stiffened with high strength steel.
The crash bars at the front and rear of the car are made of extruded aluminium, while the doors, engine compartment, mudguards and luggage compartment are in aluminium.
Maserati’s engineers added a third crash load path to the front structure of the car to help dissipate load and distribute the forces on the car to guarantee the stability of the body structure in frontal impacts.
The new Ghibli is equipped with a seven-airbag system and anti-whiplash front headrests. At the front, two-stage airbags are concealed from the occupants inside the steering wheel and dashboard to protect the head in frontal accidents while a knee airbag protects the driver’s legs and reduces the femur load in crash situations. The chest and hips of the front occupants are further protected by the side airbags beneath the seat leather. The sides of the occupants’ heads are protected by two head “curtain” bags mounted in the roof of the car, next to the B-pillar. The “curtain” bag protects the heads of the front and rear occupants against lateral impact.
The front seats are brimming with safety equipment designed to reduce trauma to the occupant’s cervical vertebrae.
If the car is involved in a rear-end accident, its active headrests automatically reduce the distance between their surface and the passenger’s head.
The front three-point seatbelts are equipped with load-limiting pyrotechnic pre-tensioners, which trip in a collision to hold the passengers securely and prevent or minimize injury.
The front seatbelts are fitted with height adjusters; properly adjusting the height of the seatbelts to the occupant’s height, which is not only more comfortable but also improves the safety function of the device.
Assistance and Safety features
REAR VIEW CAMERA
The rear-view parking camera on the new Ghibli makes manoeuvring and reversing safer and more comfortable. Installed next to the luggage compartment’s release button, it views the area behind the car, and shows the resulting colour image on the 8.4” MTC display. The system works together with the standard parking sensors and sends an acoustic warning as it approaches obstacles behind the car.
BLIND SPOT ALERT
The Blind Spot Alert monitors the blind spot areas, visualizes a warning triangle in the exterior mirror in case of danger and reacts with an audible warning if the driver uses the turn indicator to change lane. The RCP (Rear Cross Path) function issues the same alerts also when backing out of a parking space. The Blind Spot Alert can be deactivated from the MTC Settings mask.
KEYLESS ENTRY
In the world of Maserati, small details are everything – right down to the design of the aluminium key, which reflects the Ghibli’s style and incorporates ‘Keyless Go’ technology. Once inside the car, the driver has only to press the ignition button to start the engine. The ‘Keyless Entry’ function enables the driver to open the doors or boot without ever touching the key
POWER BOOT LID
The boot lid can be controlled hands-free to open and close automatically via foot movements as well as buttons on the car remote control and exterior and interior of the vehicle.
TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System)
The system continuously monitors the tyre pressure with a sensor mounted inside the rim as part of the valve; the pressure can be read in the display on the dashboard. If case of puncture or changing of tyre pressure, the system notifies the driver with visual and acoustic warnings.
SPEED LIMITER FUNCTION
For a top level safety all the Ghibli cars allow the driver to set a maximum speed limit though the Active Speed Limiter function. It can be activated and deactivated from the button on the steering wheel.
If the driver decides to override the limit he just has to “kick down” (providing significant accelerator pedal input) and thus exceeding the set speed.
LIGHTING
The Ghibli’s distinctive headlights are fitted with Bi-xenon and LED daytime running lights. The LED tail light assembly provides excellent visibility adding to the safety aspect.
HEADLIGHTS
The Automatic Frontlighting System (AFS) actively adjusts the headlight depth to combine an outstanding view of the road with very low glare for oncoming traffic. Each headlight includes LED daytime running lights, with a light shape that provides instant recognisability in both day and night running. Each light also contains direction indicators, LED side position lights and a side reflector.
With a video camera mounted in front of the rear-view mirror, the lighting system offers a beam control specifically for motorway driving which increases the depth of the light beam without the need for manual high beam activation.
Sensors monitor the driving style and speed and if the road is clear, the beam depth offers the greatest depth and width, combined with the directional rotation of the headlights themselves.
In addition, there are four different automatic lighting setups: for city driving, for motorway conditions, for low visibility and for driving on the opposite side of the road in applicable countries. Each of these modes automatically activates a strategy to best illuminate the road surface. The Town Beam turns on below 45km/h and sets the beam wider and shallower, giving a better view for turning and for peripheral danger zones while causing minimum disturbance for fellow road users. There is also a Rain Beam, which begins when the windscreen wipers operate.
TAIL LIGHTS
The Ghibli’s taillights have been designed to offer maximum visibility and to have a recognisable style. These LED lights integrate the position light function in an illuminated ring running right around the tail light itself. Inside this ring are the brake lights, the direction indicators, reversing lights and fog lights. The outside reflector and LED side position lights round off the unit.
Quality control
The Ghibli is manufactured to the highest quality standards at Maserati’s new state-of-the-art factory near Turin. Every single Ghibli runs through a quality assurance test as it emerges from the production line.
Tests during the car’s development phase included:
- More than six million test kilometres with a fleet of more than 90 Ghiblis
- Hundreds of thousands of additional test kilometres to validate any upgrades
- Testing every single component for endurance, quality and noise
- Testing in extreme heat in South Africa and Morocco
- Testing in extreme cold in Sweden and New Zealand
- Severe process control, including four in ‘Body-in-White’, three in painting, four in the assembly process, plus additional electronics, dynamometer and water testing
- A total of more than 700 control checks for each car in production
- Every finished Ghibli has a final, 30-minute quality audit before being delivered to the customer
- Every finished Ghibli is tested on-road for 60 km before it is delivered to the customer.
