“A four-cylinder Maserati? That’s insane!” Believe it or not, that’s exactly how the first-ever production car with electrified assistance from the House of the Trident likes to roll. But is the Ghibli Hybrid any good?
Let’s run the numbers, starting with the weight. 80 kilograms (176 pounds) lighter than the diesel, the mid-size sedan with a 2.0-liter engine and 48-volt electrification features a conventional turbo and an electric supercharger. “A unique solution in its segment,” this arrangement is also described as “the perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency, and driving pleasure.”
The question is, why would Maserati mention a trade-off?
Let us analyze the on-paper output figures of the mid-size sedan. 330 PS (325 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) of torque from 1,500 rpm enable the Ghibli Hybrid to hit 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 255 kph (158 mph).
In other words, straight-line performance isn’t this car’s strongest point. Fuel consumption on the combined driving cycle – under WLTP regulations – is a bit better at 8.5 liters per 100 kilometers but not a segment-leading figure. Make that 27.6 and 33.2 miles per gallon in the U.S. and United Kingdom.
Only available with rear-wheel drive, “the best possible hybrid” from Maserati is also gifted with special resonators for the exhaust system that makes the most out of those four cylinders and 2.0 liters. The Ghibli Hybrid also happens to pave the way for electrified versions of the MC20 supercar, GranTurismo, and GranCabrio. The latter two will also be available as EVs.
As standard, the Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system – which is based on the Uconnect – comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen and Android Automotive OS. The instrument cluster also benefits from new hardware and redesigned graphics, and Maserati Connect is on the menu as well.
Developed in Modena and made in Italy at the Avvocato Giovanni Agnelli Plant in Grugliasco, the Ghibli Hybrid doesn’t have a price yet. According to Maserati, series production kicks off this September. On that note – and rather surprisingly - the United States won’t receive this powertrain option.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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