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2014 Maserati Ghibli Diesel

It used to be easier to make sense of the auto industry. There were mainstream manufacturers, and there were niche sports car manufacturers. That was before Porsche starting selling more crossovers than it does sports cars, Lamborghini began preparing to go down the same road, and Ferrari introduced an all-wheel-drive hatchback. But long before the arrival of the Cayenne, the unveiling of the Urus and the advent of the FF, the storied marque that is Maserati was already bolstering its sports car offerings with four-door sedans.
In fact, it's now been half a century and six generations since the launch of the original Quattroporte. So the idea of a four-door Maserati shouldn't come as any surprise by now, but the vehicle you see here has the Modenese automaker breaking new ground in another way entirely. And it's not the size, either: although the new Ghibli is smaller than the current QP, it's roughly the same size as the aforementioned original - not to mention the Dodge Charger, a corporate stablemate which similarly revived a coupe nameplate for a four-door sedan. No, what makes this Ghibli 'special' is what resides under the hood, because the model you're looking at packs the very first diesel Maserati has ever offered in its hundred-year history.
Sacrilege, you say? Maybe, but as so-called performance brands have turned their attention to four-door sedans and crossovers, they've also begun to embrace diesel propulsion. In Europe these days, even Porsche, Jaguar, the BMW M division and Audi Quattro GmbH are burning the midnight oil. So while it may be new territory for Maserati, the Ghibli is far from the first high-end, performance-oriented diesel on the Old World's market. It's also a vital addition to the brand's portfolio, particularly in Europe where the advantageous price of diesel fuel over gasoline (and the smaller volumes of fuel a diesel engine typically consumes) makes offering a model so equipped vital to the Trident marque's ambitious growth plans. The question, then, is whether it delivers.

Maserati Ghibli dies by 2024, replaced by smaller Quattroporte EV

In March, when Maserati divulged some of its electrification plans, the automaker's head of product planning said: "We strongly believe that there is a future for the sedan, but probably not for two sedans. One will be enough to meet demand." The company made it clear which of its two sedans would get the nod by letting the world know that the next-gen Quattroporte sedan and Levante crossover would get electric powertrains only. We have a timeline for the demise of the smaller four-door, Maserati's Australian general manager Grant Barling telling Australian news outlet Drive that "The Ghibli will move into run-out phase into 2024." Assuming international markets are on the same timeline, that gives Ghibli intenders two years to stump up the cash for the mid-size Italian thoroughbred. What's good for the Ghibli, but bad for enthusiasts, is that the BMW 5 Series competitor won't cross the Styx alone — it's taking the Ferrari-sourced F154 twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 with it. In Ghibli Trofeo trim, that engine produces 580 horsepower, 538 pound-feet of torque, and an engine note that will let every creature in the underworld know, "I'm coming."  And yet the Ghibli isn't going away completely. Barling said, "The plan is for the Ghibli and Quattroporte to become one. So the Quattroporte will become a short-wheelbase [model] – Ghibli-sized, but called a Quattroporte." Seems Maserati likes the Ghibli sales volumes but Quattroporte brand recognition. The Ghibli made up 33% of Maserati's global sales last year while the Quattroporte only accounted for 7%. The former nameplate returned in 2013 as a four-door sedan after being a 2+2 grand tourer hardtop and convertible as well as a four-seat coupe, while the Quattroporte has been on sale as a luxury sedan continuously through six generations since 1963.  If there's an ICE engine to keep the Maserati sound alive, it will be the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 launched with the MC20. The Folgore electric trims will be responsible for the other side of Maserati sound, starting with the GranTurismo Folgore debuting next year with three motors and around 1,200 horespower.   Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Maserati Grecale walkaround

Maserati Pelletessuta models bring their Italian fashion to the U.S.

Maserati's partnered with Italian fashion house Emenegildo Zegna for seven years, going back to the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition Concept worked up as part of Maserati's centennary celebrations in 2014. At last year's New York Auto Show, the pair debuted the results of another collaboration, the new Pelletessuta woven leather interior. Working with hide as it would with yarn, Zegna wove thin strips of lightweight Napa fabric for 100 special edition vehicles that the Italian automaker pledged for the U.S. market and said it would never build again. After previews during Monterey Car Week in August, the 100 limited edition models have finally reached U.S. dealerships. Until they're sold out, the two models will stand here as the carmaker's fullest expression of Italian prowess. Meanwhile, in Italy, Maserati made a gesture towards its compatriots and its country by lighting the towers at its Modena headquarters in the three hues of il Tricolore, the Italian flag. There are 50 examples of the 2020 Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso, which already comes with a Luxury Zegna Package interior compared to the entry-level Quattroporte. Each special model wears a custom Blu Sofisticato metallic paint with blue brake calipers. Inside, dark brown Pelletessuta interior includes sport seats for the front passengers and a Zegna badge to highlight the work. It's joined by 50 examples of the 2020 Levante S GranSport dressed in Bronzo Tri-Coat and 21-inch polished Helios rims, those wheels an inch larger than the standard units. The Levante interior gets tailored in black Pelletessuta fabric, accented with custom Radica wood trim — radica being a kind of veneer or parquet with a history in Italian luxury. The news about U.S. arrival didn't come with prices, though, so the interested will need to make the call to a dealer for information. Since the Quattroporte S Q4 GranLusso starts at $114,485 after destination and the Levante S GranSport at $91,985, those are good baselines to add to the required premiums for exclusive upgrades and low volume. Related Video: