Maserati Ghibli News

Maserati has opened the order books for its first-ever electrified model, the Ghibli Hybrid large sedan, which is set to compete with similar German offerings with a pricetag of $139,990 plus on-road costs.This pricing puts the Ghibli Hybrid in contention

The first-ever Maserati hybrid – as well as modern-era four-cylinder Maserati – has had its timing for Australia confirmed, with the Italian luxury sports-car brand forging ahead with electrification

Maserati has revealed its first electrified model, the Ghibli Hybrid large sedan, which is partly powered by a four-cylinder engine

Ford has recalled 8878 examples of its Kuga mid-size SUV over a potential fire risk.

Last year the vehicle market notched up a record with 1,136,227 sales, busting the previous zenith by about 24,000 and confirming that in Australia, one million-plus is the norm.Figures for November, released last week, show sales have already passed the million mark, and when the final tally emerges in early January the industry will congratulate itself on another bumper year.In reality, it has spent most of 2014 in reverse and it would take a freak December to even approach last year's total.If the trend holds, then the overall decline will be about 2 per cent - equivalent to 500 fewer buyers a week. But it's a mixed picture for the 50 or so brands, with the gap between winners and losers larger than ever.With one or two exceptions, the winners by a substantial margin are luxury brands. Their share of the market now approaches 9 per cent, up from 7.7 per cent last year, and it's reflected in some impressive numbers.The German luxury trio dominates but Australia bucks the trend by favouring Mercedes-Benz ahead of BMW and Audi.With its small car range - the A, B, CLA and GLA - flying out of showrooms, the three-pointed star is stretching its lead over BMW and rubs it in by selling more of its expensive performance variants as well.Its bestseller, the C-Class, has been available for only a few months but will finish the year as the third most popular mid-size car at any price - behind only the Toyota Camry and Mazda6.Audi's ambition is to overtake its German peers and become No 1 here, replicating its position in Europe and China. After slowing in 2012, its growth spurt has resumed and it's catching BMW on the strength of its award-winning A3 small car.Some of the second-tier luxury brands are powering ahead even faster. Thanks to its new-generation Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, demand for the British SUV specialist is up 22 per cent. It will finish as the fourth most popular luxury marque.Ironically, SUV demand is also powering Porsche. It cannot get enough of its second SUV, the Macan, and waiting times are stretching the patience of buyers. Without the Macan, Porsche was on track for a record. With it, sales are up almost 50 per cent. When Maserati adds an SUV, the Levante, in 2016 it can expect to get a comparable boost.Super-large, super-expensive SUVs are what the elite badges lack but they are all working on one. Even so, Maserati's push for volume is yielding results. The new-generation large sedans Ghibli and Quattroporte have almost tripled sales this year.Even among the luxury brands there are losers. Volvo lacks the deep pockets of the Germans and is struggling to keep its product pipeline full. Its dealers will doubtless breathe easier when the overdue replacement for its XC90 SUV arrives in the second quarter next year, with sales down 7 per cent in 2014.Lexus is another that has waited too long for fresh product and its NX mid-size SUV arrives too late to prevent it treading water.Among mainstream brands, losers are much easier to find than winners. Over-optimism and the pressure to grow meant many ended 2013 carrying too much stock, with Nissan the standout - but far from sole - example.The traditional solution to this problem, and one by no means limited to mainstream brands, is for the distributor and/or dealers to register cars themselves.It's a way of meeting sales targets but it simply saves up trouble, not the least of which is an excess of ageing 'demonstrator' models that sooner or later have to actually be sold. When they are, the sales have already been counted.Combine that with an assault on their traditional territory by the luxury brands and everyone from Toyota to Honda, Holden to Ford, has seen their numbers go south.But the biggest losers in 2014? Cheap Chinese brands, with Chery sales down 35 per cent and Great Wall almost 60 per cent.

New S-Class Coupe to make Australian debut at Motorclassica, along with appearances from Maserati, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin and Lotus.Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building will play host to Motorclassica this weekend, as over 500 cars and motorcycles fill the world-heritage listed building and its surrounding grounds.Celebrating classic cars and bikes, Motorclassica started as a concourse event but has since grown to become a motor show-style exhibition which has attracted attention from several iconic sports car marques.Among the classic cars at this year's event will be new models from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Lotus, Caterham and Morgan.Each of these brands have rich histories, and Motorclassica gives manufacturers a platform to build on this heritage with their latest models.S-Class Coupe will be available with a number of powertrains, including the 430kW/900Nm AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8Mercedes-Benz was the first contemporary manufacturer to debut a new model at Motorclassica last year, and will use this year's event to reveal its new S-Class Coupe to an Australian audience for the first time.The new model is Mercedes' flagship luxury coupe, replacing the CL-Class range, and will rival the Bentley Continental when it goes on sale locally in the first quarter of next year.Though Australian specifications are still unconfirmed, the S-Class Coupe will be available with a number of powertrains, including the 430kW/900Nm AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 aboard the S63 performance flagship.Maserati will celebrate 100 years in the automotive business at this year's show and is expected to be represented strongly with iconic past models. The Italian marque's new Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans will also be on display, along with the Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio two-door models.Jaguar will showcase its F-Type R Coupe, the firm's most powerful production model ever, while fellow British brand Aston Martin will have a Vanquish and V8 Vantage on display.Lotus will also show a pair of mid-engine Exige S sports cars, one hardtop and one roadster.The show will also celebrate 50 years of the Ford Mustang with a special display featuring the most desirable and classic Pony cars, although the new 2015 model due to go on sale in Australia next year won't make the show.Motorclassica 2014 will run between October 24-26 at Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building.

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Transformers Super Bowl adParamount pictures is using the 2014 Super Bowl to give us our first taste of the upcoming film Transformers: Age of Extinction. The upcoming fourth instalment of the Transformers franchise brings a new cast led by Mark Wahlberg, and new Tranformers too in the form of Dinobots. Seinfeld reunion Super Bowl adWe last saw Jerry Seinfeld during a Super Bowl battling Jay Leno for Honda NSX keys, but now Seinfeld’s web series ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’ is doing well enough to warrant its own Big Game ad. Now into its third season, the Super Bowl ad for the show sees Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander reprising their roles of Jerry and George from Seinfeld’s classic 90s sitcom.Jeep Cherokee Super Bowl adJeep is pretty keen to show off its new Cherokee SUV’s adventure potential, so has created this Big Game ad to tickle at your outdoor heartstrings. Despite its fundamentally road-going Dodge Dart/Alfa Romeo Giulietta-based underpinnings, Jeep’s Super Bowl ad reckons the new Cherokee is the cure for restlessness, and prepared for whatever’s on the other side of the horizon. Bruce Willis Honda Super Bowl adTough guy Willis is doing duty for Honda’s Super Bowl commercial, highlighting that the Japanese carmaker builds more cars with top safety ratings in America than any other brand. To underscore his point, Willis emphasises the importance of the people around you. Friends, family, loved ones, "everyone you care about". They’re not test dummies, he points out. So he wants you to give them a hug. Right now ... go on. Bob Dylan Super Bowl adOf all the superstars that would seem an unlikely bet to ever advertise cars, iconic musician Bob Dylan would be the unlikeliest. And yet here he is for the Chrysler 200 sedan at the 2014 Super Bowl, his gravelly tones singing about how well America builds cars, providing a soundtrack for a cavalcade of glorious stars-and-stripes imagery.Maserati Super Bowl debut Maserati has showcased the launch of the four-door Ghibli sedan with a debut appearance in the world’s biggest advertising slot – the Super Bowl. The footage stars 10-year-old Academy Award-nominated child actress Quvenzhane Wallis from 12 Years A Slave, directed in this piece by David Gordon Green. Ford Super Bowl ad Twice as GoodLongtime stalwart of The Daily Show and Saturday Night Live, comedian Rob Riggle is performing a bit of transformational magic for Ford during the Super Bowl. The key ad showcases the Ford Fusion sedan, claiming to have double the fuel economy of the average vehicle.That's the take-off point to a series of magical morphs that show just having the Fusion in your driveway can do wonders for house and yard -- not to forget your wardrobe and pets. Riggle ultimately upgrades himself to Hollywood heartthrob James Franco, and the whole shebang should help put you in the mood for the Fusion's arrival in Australia next year, badged as the 2015 Mondeo mid-sizer.Jaguar teases first Super Bowl ‘bad boy’ adJaguar's first Super Bowl teaser shows they've got some top-shelf baddies lined up as part of the 'British Villains' theme to sell the F-Type Coupe. First off the leash is screen and theatre legend Ben Kingsley -- with a shelf of Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG awards, but most recently seen as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. VW teases Super Bowl ad with Carmen ElectraVolkswagen hits all the memes in engineering an algorithm for the perfect Game Day commercial. And apparently, the algorithm requires the integration of glamour model/actress Carmen Electra, puppies, babies, some twerking, a Wang Chung soundtrack and ... well, you've probably seen every highlight of every other ad.Danica Patrick gets buff for Super Bowl adIt wouldn't be the Super Bowl without an ad featuring race driver Danica Patrick touting for website hosters GoDaddy -- who also sponsored her Nascar Nationwide Series campaign for JR Motorsports. The Game Day commercial shows a lot of Patrick's body sporting a set of pumped muscles that almost shame the bodybuilders racing her to a tanning salon.Toyota taps Muppets and Terry Crews for Super BowlThe Toyota Highlander -- sold here as the Kluger -- has a strong family focus, and the car giant will underscore that by starring the Muppets in its Super Bowl commercial. The teaser video gives a glimpse, with a supporting role from former footballer and lately actor Terry Crews (The Newsroom and Arrested Development). 2015 Hyundai Genesis Super Bowl adThe 'Dad's Sixth Sense' ad shows the parent rescuing his son from a series of falls and mishaps from infancy onwards -- but then the Genesis' auto braking saving him from a crash when he's distracted by a pretty girl during a driving lesson.Audi unleashes mongrel for Super BowlAudi has created a miniature mongrel with a savage streak for their Super Bowl ad. The footage shows a couple trying to choose between a chihuahua and a doberman as a pet, and deciding to breed them together as a -- wait for it -- doberhuahua.VW channels Victoria’s Secret for Super BowlVolkswagen is aiming to tout durability and reliability in its Super Bowl, which features a father telling his daughter that every time a VW hits 100,000 miles (160,000km) an engineer back in Germany sprouts wings. While the appendages might usually be better worn by the Victoria's Secret 'Angel' models, the addition of the wings offers the opportunity for a few sight gags.Jaguar Super Bowl with Tom HiddlestonIt's good to be bad, Jaguar claims. And the luxury brand is pushing that theme for their Super Bowl ads, featuring a line-up of British villains. We've already seen Ben Kingsley in the main teaser, and now we get Tom Hiddleston in a second spot. Most recently seen playing Loki in the films Thor, The Avengers, and Thor: The Dark World.Jaguar full Super Bowl adContinuing the bad boy theme to showcase the F-Type Coupe, Jaguar has revealed the full 60-second commercial that will screen at the Super Bowl. Shot in a mock thriller style, with moody lighting and all the super-villain props of planes, attractive assistants -- and of course the F-Type -- the ad takes a tongue-in-cheek approach, and comes off being very engaging as a result.Terry Crews disturbs with shirtless Super Bowl teaserGet ready to see a whole lot more of actor Terry Crews than you ever bargained for. The latest teaser for Toyota's Super Bowl ad shows the sports star turned movie star without a shirt and demonstrating muscle control with his pecs in time to the cheesy jingle.Big Bang Theory star in Hyundai Super Bowl adThe theme for the Hyundai Elantra Super Bowl commercial is 'Nice' and actor Johnny Galecki is almost typecast in it, after playing nice guys on both The Big Bang Theory (Leonard) and Roseanne (David). In the footage, Galecki tries to chat up a woman who pulls up beside him in a matching Elantra, pointing out all the nice features of the car -- and getting some nice brush-offs in return.Kia plugs into The Matrix for 2014 Super BowlThe 60-second commercial, scheduled to run during the 2014 Super Bowl prime advertising slot, will see Fishburne as Morpheus offering the 'red vs blue' choice. In the movie it was red and blue pills, one of which would let you stumble on in an illusory world while the other would awaken you to reality. For the Super Bowl ad, promoting the Kia K900 flagship launching in overseas markets, Morpheus offers people the chance to choose either a red or blue key.Toyota full Super Bowl adToyota is aiming for catchy family fun with its 60-second Super Bowl, in which actor Terry Crews is piloting his new Highlander -- sold here as the Kluger -- along a remote highway, when he stops to help out after spotting a broken-down, brightly painted bus. Within seconds, his SUV is crammed with Muppets: Animal stuffing his drum kit into the cargo area and Dr Teeth hijacking the driver's seat to steer off into a series of adventures, all singing an annoyingly catchy jingle perfectly designed to stick itself limpet-like to the viewer's brain.Chevrolet Super Bowl ad is all bullIn the ad, titled Romance, we get to meet "a man ... a man and his truck ... and a very eligible bachelor" who just happens to be a prize bull. It goes on in the vein of "bated breath and lonely hearts" -- you get the picture -- as the driver hauls his new bull through the US landscape with Hot Chocolate's 'You Sexy Thing' in the background.The ad that shocked the Super BowlCreated for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) as part of its Zero Fatalities campaign, The Twist starts off with an image of a young boy curled up in a car seat, and a voiceover that starts off "Sam looks like he's sleeping..." but as the camera zooms out we see that he's been killed in a car crash, not by the crash itself but by being unbuckled and flying into the back of the seat in front of him. M&M's Super Bowl adConfectionary brand M&M’s has also delivered a Super Bowl treat this week, with a new ad for the colourful button-shaped candies. Yellow – the peanut M&M character – is unknowingly taken captive by Russian underworld types, in the boot of an oh-so Russian baddie black S-Class Mercedes-Benz. 

Maserati has showcased the launch of the four-door Ghibli sedan with a debut appearance in the world’s biggest advertising slot – the Super Bowl. The footage stars 10-year-old Academy Award-nominated child actress Quvenzhane Wallis from 12 Years A Slave, directed in this piece by David Gordon Green.The moody piece builds with an underlying current of suspense, with Wallis intoning a poetic voiceover about being small but dealing with giants. “We were small but fast, remember? We were like a wind appearing out of nowhere. We knew that being clever was more important than being the biggest kid in the neighborhood,” she says.“We wait until they get sleepy, wait until they get so big they can barely move, and then walk out of the shadows, quietly walk out of the dark—and strike.”The overall effect is closer to a movie trailer than a car ad, and in fact you don’t get to see the Ghibli until the closing frame. The dramatic approach was previously used to effect by Chrysler with Eminem a couple of years ago, but it remains to be seen whether it will resonate as well for the imported Maserati. Watch the desktop version of the Maserati Super Bowl ad here.  This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000LUXURY CARSAudi A8: Audi will refresh its A8 flagship sedan lineup by mid-2014, with subtle styling tweaks and interior details, along with shuffled drivetrain options. (Approximately $188,000-$249,000)Audi RS7 Sportback: Essentially a five-door hatch version of the existing RS6 Avant, the RS7 will arrive in February with sleeker Sportback styling than the wagon, and the same 412kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. 0-100km/h is the same 3.9 seconds too. (Approximately $240,000)Bentley Continental GT S: While Bentley prepares its first SUV model, there’s not much else in store for 2014 from the legendary Brit aside from powered-up new S models added to the V8 Continental GT lineup. (Approximately $380,000)Jaguar XJR: Jaguar will add the new XJR to its XJ big sedan lineup in the first quarter, with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 performance flagship to sit above the existing Supersport range-topper. (Approximately $350,000)Lexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli: 2014 is set to be a big year for Maserati, with the new Quattroporte (Approximately from $250,000) arriving in V6 form in January, and V8 form in February, with the return of the smaller Ghibli sedan ( Approximately from $150,000) in March.Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Mercedes will cap its local S-Class sedan lineup in January, with the arrival of the $385,000 S63 AMG high performance model. The 430kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 S63 will sit above the existing S350 and S500 models, and be joined by the diesel-electric S350 BlueTec hybrid and twin-turbo V6 S400 variants by June. (Approximately $250,000-$385,000)Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: Mercedes’ upcoming S-Class Coupe is expected down under before the year’s end, with the yet to be officially revealed new model replacing the existing CL coupe models. A drop-top version is also planned, and a V8 and V12 petrol-only lineup is expected with an entry price north of $300,000 likely.Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid: The plug-in Panamera E-Hybrid is also due early in the year, with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and 70kW electric motor to enable 3.1L/100km fuel use with 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $296,900)SUV/4WDLand Rover Range Rover: Before mid-year, Land Rover will add a range-topping lineup (Approximately $250,000) with new hybrid versions of it and the Sport expected before the end of the year. (Approximately $102,000-$182,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAston Martin V12 Vantage S: Aston will add its fastest model this side of the ultra-exclusive One-77 in the first quarter of this year, in the form of the track-ready V12 Vantage S coupe. (Approximately $450,000)BMW M3 and M4: BMW’s new M3 and M4 mid-size performance heroes are set to arrive after mid-year, with the move to twin-turbo six power resulting in the fastest M3 to date, and matched by the renamed M4 coupe. (Approximately $124,000-$180,000)BMW i8: The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is expected to arrive before the year’s end, blending grand tourer luxury with 4.4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 2.5L/100km fuel economy. (Approximately $200,000)Ferrari 458 Speciale: The first of 60 Australian examples of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale are set to arrive before mid-year, with the lighter, more powerful track-focused special able to lap Fiorano 1.5 seconds faster than the old Enzo flagship. (Approximately $550,000)Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Jaguar will add the recently unveiled Coupe version of its stunning F-Type in the third quarter, with the 20kg lighter V6, V6 S and V8 S variants also expected to slightly undercut their soft-top counterparts on price. The Coupe-only F-Type R will sit at the top of the hardtop range, with the 404kW/680Nm spec V8 promising 0-100km/h acceleration in the order of 4.2 seconds. (Approximately $125,000-$200,000)Lamborghini Huracan: With the Gallardo now officially out of production, Lamborghini is keen to follow with its Huracan replacement to sit beneath the V12 Aventador models before June. The V10 Huracan is set to challenge Ferrari’s 458 with an uprated version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. From $428,000Nissan GT-R: Nissan will bring its latest incarnation of the GT-R performance coupe down under from March, with cosmetic upgrades the key changes for 2014. New LED headlights and taillights are changed for the first time since 2007, and mesh wheels keep Nissan’s giant-killer a fresh opponent for Porsche’s new 911 Turbo models. (Approximately from $170,000)Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3: Porsche will launch several key hi-po versions of the 991 911 to its Australian lineup in the first half of 2014, with the $359,800 Turbo and $441,300 Turbo S arriving first in coupe and convertible ($29,000 premium) guises, with the $294,000 track-oriented and now PDK-only GT3 soon after.Porsche 911 Targa: The new semi-convertible unveiled in Detroit will touch down in Australia before mis-year, with a new folding roof mechanism and all-wheel drive 4 and 4S versions. Both manual and PDK auto will be available, and prices will sit $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models. (Approximately $247,900-$291,050)CONVERTIBLESAston Martin Vanquish Volante: For those who prefer their V12 Astons roofless and with a back seat, Aston will bring the Vanquish Volante to Australia in the first quarter of 2014. (Approximately $510,000)Bentley Continental GTC S: Like the hardtop GT, the soft top Continental GTC is set to score a powered up S model in 2014. (Approximately $420,000)BMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)