What’s fancier than a 5 Series but fails to live up to the technological prowess of the Bavarian sedan? The answer is Ghibli, and Maserati knows very well that it’s a lost cause. Come 2024, the mid-size luxury sedan will be discontinued along with the twin-turbo V8 engine of the Ghibli Trofeo.
A member of the F154 modular twin-turbocharged V8 family produced by Ferrari since 2013, the 3.8-liter mill was introduced in 2013 by the Quattroporte GTS. It originally developed 523 horsepower and 524 pound-feet (710 Nm) from 2,250 to 3,500 revolutions per minute on overboost.
The pokiest version is employed by the Levante Trofeo for the U.S. market, which belts out 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet (730 Nm) between 2,250 and 5,000 revolutions per minute. Rather than a Ferrari-style dry sump and flat-plane crankshaft, the Maserati-spec F154 uses a conventional wet sump and a cross-plane crank that gives this engine a baritone burble.
As for the Ghibli, the mid-size luxury sedan was introduced in 2013 in a bid to improve sales. Codenamed M157, the Ghibli was originally offered with a twin-turbo V6 gasoline lump and a V6 diesel with similar displacement.
Elevated to a four-cylinder hybrid in July 2020, the 5 Series-rivaling model simply doesn’t cut the mustard. It was outdated when it came out, and it’s even more so today as BMW prepares to unveil the next-generation 5er.
Published in March 2022, the Maserati Folgore plan confirmed that the Italian automaker won’t develop a successor for the Ghibli. Further confirmation comes by way of Maserati Australia general manager Grant Barling. He told Drive.com.au that "the plan is for the Ghibli and Quattroporte to become one.” In other words, the next-gen Quattroporte will adopt a shorter wheelbase that will hopefully translate to slightly nimbler handling.
Barling acknowledged that large cars aren’t selling as well as they used to. “Other than the Porsche Taycan, that segment is down 15% year to date. The Quattroporte's segment is down even more,” he told Drive.com.au.
The pokiest version is employed by the Levante Trofeo for the U.S. market, which belts out 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet (730 Nm) between 2,250 and 5,000 revolutions per minute. Rather than a Ferrari-style dry sump and flat-plane crankshaft, the Maserati-spec F154 uses a conventional wet sump and a cross-plane crank that gives this engine a baritone burble.
As for the Ghibli, the mid-size luxury sedan was introduced in 2013 in a bid to improve sales. Codenamed M157, the Ghibli was originally offered with a twin-turbo V6 gasoline lump and a V6 diesel with similar displacement.
Elevated to a four-cylinder hybrid in July 2020, the 5 Series-rivaling model simply doesn’t cut the mustard. It was outdated when it came out, and it’s even more so today as BMW prepares to unveil the next-generation 5er.
Published in March 2022, the Maserati Folgore plan confirmed that the Italian automaker won’t develop a successor for the Ghibli. Further confirmation comes by way of Maserati Australia general manager Grant Barling. He told Drive.com.au that "the plan is for the Ghibli and Quattroporte to become one.” In other words, the next-gen Quattroporte will adopt a shorter wheelbase that will hopefully translate to slightly nimbler handling.
Barling acknowledged that large cars aren’t selling as well as they used to. “Other than the Porsche Taycan, that segment is down 15% year to date. The Quattroporte's segment is down even more,” he told Drive.com.au.