Maserati Karif Reviews

A BMW-chasing mid-size Maserati is tasked with being the vital cog in an extraordinary plan to boost sales by more than eight times. Maserati this week debuted its first mid-size sedan, the Ghibli, at the Shanghai motor show and claims it will sell 20,000 a year by 2015. In fact, Maserati wants a total of 50,000 sales in 2015 - more than eight times the 6200 units sold in 2012. Company chief executive Harald Wester is dead serious about the prediction that flies in the face of a massive car sales retraction in Europe. Wester agrees that since the recent sales peak of about 9000 annual Maserati sales of 2008, the market has plummeted. “Italy has been our Number 2 market for seven years up to 2008 when we sold about 900 cars,’‘ Wester says. “Last year, in Italy, we sold less than 100 cars.’’ Wester is clinical in his outlook but says the Ghibli, the new Quattroporte (on which the Ghibli is based) and the 2015 debut of Maserati’s first SUV, the Levante, will be so well received by buyers that sales of the company will hit 50,000 for 2015. “We’re doing cars better for our customers,’‘ he says. “The engine, the transmissions, the size of the cars and the price, will all meet the requests of our customers. “The old Quattroporte, for example, didn’t meet the requests of buyers. It had a size issue, it had an engine that was to big for the market and it was only available as a rear drive. “Now we move into a new Quattroporte with a selection of engines, all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, new levels of equipment. It satisfies markets like North America and Europe where if we don’t have an all-wheel drive, we don’t have a sale. “The Quattroporte appeals to a far bigger audience than before.’’ Though the emphasis is on the Quattroporte, Wester says the mid-size Ghibli will have ‘’substantially’’ more sales than its bigger sister. The Ghibli is the first mid-size four-door sports luxury sedan in Maserati’s 100 year history. It goes on sale in Australia in early 2014 from about $160,000 and follows the third-quarter release of the new Quattroporte. Australian importer Ateco says Maserati’s global 2015 target of 50,000 cars a year will be matched by local sales of about 1400 in 2016. Wester says the Ghibli is heavily based on the Quattroporte, using the same platform - but shortened by 200mm - and common suspension and drivetrain components. He says the Ghibli will have engine options of two 3-litre turbo-petrols and a 3-litre turbo-diesel. The three are built by - and related to - Ferrari products. Both V6 petrols have a bi-turbo system and are based on the Quattroporte’s V8. The higher-spec version will also be available as an optional powerplant in the Quattroporte. This engine produces 310kW/550Nm and allows the car to hit 100km/h from rest in only 4.8 seconds. The second petrol is slightly detuned with 243kW/500Nm and a sprint of 5.6 seconds. It claims 9.6 L/100km. The 202kW/600Nm 3-litre turbo-diesel is a Chrysler-VM engine though has been “enhanced’’ - says Wester - by Ferrari and is capable of less than 6 litres/100km and a 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds. The diesel represents not only a first for Maserati, but possibly the first time Ferrari has worked on a diesel engine for one of its family cars. “Diesel engine represent 75 per cent of the large-car segment in Europe ,’’ Wester says. “Buyers in Italy, for example, are more interested in the car’s size and the engine - they’re not interested in 500 horsepower.' “This is also a time of new engines. The old engines were normally-aspirated, big capacity, high revs and conventional technologies.“The new engines have two turbochargers, smaller capacities and direct injection. We are also seeing technologies of petrol and diesel engines getting closer and closer.’’ All Ghibli engines pick up improved economy and performance thanks to their eight-speed automatic transmission. “We have been accused on not being faithful to our roots,’’ Wester says. “But the Ghibli is everything we stand for. It remains an exclusive product. It is a car for someone outside the mainstream.’’ Maserati expects the Ghibli will contribute 20,000 units to its predicted 50,000 annual sales in 2015. The Quattroporte will deliver an estimated 10,000 sales and the new Levante SUV, based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee which is part of the new Fiat-Chrysler family, will sell at a rate of 20,000 a year. This is the third time the Ghibli name has been worn on a Maserati, though the first applied to a sedan. But Maserati nods to its predecessors by giving the Ghibli a couple-like style, especially around the C-pillar. It shares most of the dashboard design with the Quattroporte - one of the first signs of the commonality of the two models - while the shortened wheelbase crimps rear-seat room back to the same accommodation as the Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series. The Ghibli also continues Maserati’s dedication to an aural symphony. Like the petrol models, the diesel also gets the Maserati Active Sound system comprising two sound actuators fitted near the exhaust tailpipes that  accentuate the engine sound. Ghibli also shares Quattroporte’s suspension system with a double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension with the option of the active Skyhook system, part-time all-wheel drive and sport-spec suspension damping. The Ghibli also has a standard mechanical limited slip differential to maximise traction.  

Two of Italy’s finest luxury labels, Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna, have entered a partnership aimed at promoting Italian design and manufacturing excellence worldwide. At the same time, the two will collaborate on a number of projects, starting with a special edition model next year to celebrate the centenary of Maserati. The new special edition will be a Quattroporte sedan inspired by the collections of the famous fashion label. The Maserati flagship sedan will be reinterpreted and customised with new colours, materials and trims, with some lifted directly from Zegna’s famous suit line. In particular, fabrics will be produced by the historic Lanificio Zegna wool mill in Trivero, Italy. Only 100 examples will be built and owners will also benefit from a unique collection of accessories by Zegna, specially designed for each of the cars. The first prototype will be unveiled at a major international auto show later this year (a standard 2014 Quattroporte is featured above). In 2015, Maserati will start offering Zegna-designed trim across its range, and in 2016 the automaker will launch a new personalisation department to help capitalise on the growing demand for tailor-made products. The demand has been so strong that even Hyundai has developed a custom version of its Equus flagship with French fashion label Hermès. “The partnership between Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna Group is the meeting point of two leading companies representing pioneering Italian design and manufacturing,” Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. “The partnership with an equally prominent company such as Ermenegildo Zegna will benefit both brands and the Fiat Chrysler Group.” www.motorauthority.com  

It appears Maserati’s mystery teaser for this month’s 2013 Shanghai motor show was in fact depicting the automaker’s upcoming Ghibli sedan, which has already been spied in prototype form for several months and was rumored to be debuting at the Chinese show. After an early leak, Maserati has now revealed its Ghibli and provided some initial details. These images, plus our own spy shots, confirm that Maserati designers have gone with a coupe-like profile for the latest Ghibli. This coupe styling, plus the long hood, is reminiscent of the original Ghibli, which was a sporty, two-door GT. The powerful rear fenders of the car, on the other hand, look similar to those found on the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, while up front, the nose and grille section appears to protrude much farther than on Maserati’s bigger sedan. The interior has also been revealed; it exhibits a sporty, distinctly Italian design, with some elements also borrowed from the more upmarket Quattroporte in addition to plenty of carbon fiber to denote its sportier positioning in the Maserati lineup. Sales of new Maserati sedan will commence late in the year, making the Ghibli a 2014 model. The reason for the speedy rollout is due to Maserati’s ambitions growth plans, with the automaker hoping to boost its annual sales almost 10-fold to as much as 50,000 units per year by the middle of the decade. To speed up development, the Ghibli shares most of its underpinnings with the Quattroporte, including engines, transmissions and Maserati’s available Q4 all-wheel-drive system. In fact, the two cars were largely developed side by side. At launch, the Ghibli will be available with two turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engines, the more powerful of which will develop 297 kW. Overseas, the car will also come with a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel option, likely to be the same VM Motori unit fitted to a number of Fiat and Chrysler vehicles. This makes the Ghibli the first production Maserati to feature a diesel engine. www.motorauthority.com  

Though no mention of what model is hidden beneath the teaser’s blue veil -- which will come off at Shanghai motor show later this month -- we do know Maserati is working on a new generation of its Ghibli nameplate, which we’ve previously reported will debut in Shanghai before going on sale as a 2014 model. We’ve even spotted prototypes for this new 2014 Maserati Ghibli testing in Europe. In the description that accompanied the latest teaser, Maserati said the shrouded car represents the newest addition to its lineup and that it not only borrows from the past but also looks to the future. The shrouded car also appears to have a long hood and coupe-like fastback design, which are both reminiscent of the original Ghibli and could certainly appear on any new model, even though the new Ghibli is expected to be a four-door coupe rather than a two-door like the stunning original. The powerful rear fender of the shrouded car looks similar to that found on the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, while up front, the nose and grille section appears to protrude much farther than on Maserati’s bigger sedan. Whatever model Maserati is teasing, we don’t have long until its reveal; the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show opens on April 19. www.motorauthority.com  

It's the mid-sized Ghibli, which soon joins the Italian lineup ahead of the arrival of the SUV called Levante. Details will be revealed soon, but the new Maserati is expected to tap Chrysler technology - through the Fiat-Chrysler partnership - including a turbocharged 3.5-litre Pentastar V6 engine.It will arrive later this year priced at less than $100,000. 

   

   

The launch of the new Quattroporte -- the world's fastest four-door saloon -- which replaces the best-selling Maserati in the company's 100-year history, heralds the start of an onslaught of new models over the next 18 months that may drive global Maserati sales to 50,000 worldwide.In additional to the new Quattroporte, Maserati will also launch a second sedan, the Ghibli, and its first SUV, the Levante, both of which take Maserati into new market sectors for the first time. These new models will be complimented by the fastest selling Maserati of all time, the GranTurismo, and its four seat open-top sibling, the GranCabrio.The new Maserati flagship, the Quattroporte, is larger, lighter, more luxurious and more practical than the car it replaces. With a three dollar top speed and a 0-100kmh time of 4.7 seconds, it's also as fast as most two-door supercars.The sixth-generation Quattroporte delivers a leap forward but also remains faithful to Maserati's long history in luxury sports saloons. The powerful engine and the large cabin at the core of the Quattroporte's design, dominated by a long, powerful nose and a concave Trident grille, provide a clear link to both the outgoing Quattroporte and the GranTurismo.Even with all of its new technology, the new Quattroporte remains true to Maserati's roots. Its V8 twin turbo makes it not only the fastest four-door Maserati ever built, but also the most powerful and the most fuel efficient.The Maserati direct-injection engine family boasts a twin turbo, 390kW/710Nm 3.8-litre V8 and a 301kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V6, both of which are new, twin turbo charged, designed by Maserati Powertrain and assembled by Ferrari at Maranello. The V6 twin turbo doesn't lack in performance.The V8 Maserati Quattroporte has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 per cent over the outgoing Quattroporte. The all-new architecture retains the Quattroporte's handling thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution, a double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension.It also delivers new standards in quality in every area from design, development, fabrication and process controls. It is produced in a new plant that combines Maserati's traditions of craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies that are able to guarantee outstanding quality by controlling even the tiniest details.Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte's cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts. Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals (left hand drive only), reversing camera and the optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, as well as WLAN-based WiFi and compatibility with most modern mobile phone systems.It lobs here in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

Tired of reading about hybrid cars? At least one car company is bucking the trend towards petrol-electric propulsion and sticking with raw horsepower. Maserati is poised to build a supercar based on the LaFerrari -- but unlike its Italian stablemate it will not have the high-powered hybrid system.Car magazine in the UK reports that Ferrari’s sister company is planning to produce a supercar of its own based on the same underpinnings as the LaFerrari that was unveiled at Geneva motor show a fortnight ago.The two companies have worked closely before. The last time Ferrari built a supercar - the Enzo - Maserati had a limited edition version of the same car called the MC12. Only 50 were built compared to the run of 400 Ferrari Enzo models.Significantly, the Maserati wasn’t allowed to out-power the Ferrari; the magazine report says the same deal will apply this time around as well. The Maserati supercar is due in 2015, about a year after the LaFerrari has enjoyed its first full year in production.The Maserati is likely to make do with a slightly detuned version of the mighty 6.2-litre V12 in the LaFerrari. It will also be slightly slower because the LaFerrari gets a power and acceleration boost from the electric motor.The LaFerrari will be the fastest and most powerful hybrid in the world when it goes on sale next year priced in excess of $1 million. Only 499 will be built. Ferrari, which used to mock the Toyota Prius, the world’s highest selling hybrid, has been forced to embrace the technology because of stringent emissions regulations in Europe.Ferrari used to boast that its cars produce fewer emissions than the Prius because so few Ferraris are sold each year. There are more than 4 million Prius hybrids on the road compared to Ferrari’s annual production of about 7000 V8 and V12 sportscars.But at least the “LaFerrari” will go like the wind. With a 0 to 100kmh time of “less than 3 seconds” it is almost as fast as a Formula One race car. It has a top speed in excess of 350km/h, and can reach 300km/h from rest in less time than it takes a tiny Smart car to reach 100km/h.It is powered by a conventional 6.2-litre V12 engine matched with a 120kW electric motor to create a combined output of 960 horsepower, or 715kW (more than a race-ready V8 Supercar). It is so fast that tyre maker Pirelli had to develop special tyres. “The LaFerrari represents Ferrari’s most ambitious project yet, to push the boundaries of technology on a road car,” the company said.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

After hitting the auto show scene in 2010, Maserati’s race-inspired GranTurismo MC Stradale has undergone its first major update. Set to debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show next week, the updated Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale goes on sale in Europe this summer and previews some of the changes we may see on our own GranTurismo MC. Key among the changes is an upgrade to the 338 kW variant of the GranTurismo’s 4.7-litre V-8 engine as well as the availability of a 2+2 seating configuration. Previously, the GranTurismo MC Stradale came with 331 kW and just two seats (the rear seats were removed in order to save weight). And just like the previous car, the updated GranTurismo MC Stradale continues to take its inspiration from the racing version which competes in the Maserati MC Trofeo racing series. This means it also features the race car’s latest upgrades, which include a new vented hood constructed from carbon fiber, forged alloy wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter, and carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo. The transmission remains Maserati’s six-speed automated manual ‘box, which paired to the slightly more powerful V-8 engine helps deliver a top speed of 303 km/h. www.motorauthority.com