Australian specifications and pricing have been announced for the 2018 Maserati Ghibli range. 2018 sees the addition of two new variants, the Ghibli GranLusso and the Ghibli GranSport, along with improvements in styling, performance and technology.
The new variants and naming strategy were first seen in the 2017 Quattroporte range.
The standard Ghibli and the Ghibli GranLusso share the same design features, while the Ghibli GranSport is differentiated by a slightly sportier exterior with larger wheels and red calipers.
The front bumper now houses a larger grille with a ‘sharknose’ profile and integrated chrome bars. Maserati tells us the concave grille is inspired by the Alfieri concept car. There’s also a restyled air duct to accentuate the Ghibli’s width.
Adaptive full LED headlights are standard on the GranLusso and GranSport. Buyers of the base Ghibli will need to slum it with Bi-Xenon lights which seems a bit stingy on a car at this price point.
GranLusso owners can now enjoy the Ermenegildo Zegna Silk interior upholstery on the seats, doors panels, roof lining and ceiling light fixture as standard. In keeping with the luxury focus, 12-way power adjustable comfort seats, parking sensors, electrically lockable glove box and soft close doors are also included.
The GranSport features gearshift paddles, Inox sport foot pedals and carbon fibre trim on the dash and centre console.
The Ghibli borrows the majority of its architecture – chassis, suspension layout, V6 engines and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission from the larger Quattroporte.
Mechanically, the Ghibli is largely unchanged, 50:50 weight distribution, front double-wishbone/rear multi-link suspension and a standard Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) carry over.
Petrol engines continue to be made by Ferrari in Maranello and are also carried over for 2018. The standard Ghibli 3.0-litre petrol produces 257kW/500Nm, while the Ghibli S does get a slight power boost, the V6 in the S now develops 321kW/580Nm. The consumption figures look impressive on paper with the base car sipping 8.9L/100km while the Ghibli S is rated at a very optimistic 9.6L/100km.
Those chasing the more economical 3.0-litre diesel unit get outputs of 202kW/600Nm. The combined consumption figure of the diesel comes in at a very frugal 5.9L/100km.
The restyled Ghibli has seen a 7 per cent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency, reducing the drag coefficient to 0.29 from 0.31 on the 2017 model.
Electric Power Steering (EPS) replaces the hydraulic setup to incorporate the improved safety technology found in the Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The ADAS package adds Highway Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition. Disappointingly, only the Ghibli S variants get the ADAS pack as standard, which again seems a bit harsh at this price.
2018 Maserati Ghibli pricing (excludes on-road costs):
Ghibli D - $138,990
Ghibli - $143,990
Ghibli S - $175,990
Ghibli D GranLusso - $159,990
Ghibli GranLusso - $163,990
Ghibli S GranLusso - $195,990
Ghibli D GranSport - $159,990
Ghibli GranSport - $163,990
Ghibli S GranSport - $195,990
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