Tuesday 26 / November / 2024
If amongst all, there was one thing to be picked out about Italians, it would be their devotion to finesse. Their love for arts and beauty, is reflected in anything that comes out of the lo Stivale — the heart of the Mediterranean.
From sulptures to paintings, to piazza, pizzas and even soccer — all portray the Italians’ penchant for perfection, in their unexampled designs, quality, and flavour. Ahh, and how could we forget their cars; exemplars of the very best engineering – the homeland of Ferrari.
Every Italian designed car, with its lines, curves, and grace, captures instant marvel, that makes it a lot more exciting than any other; one that makes you think it’s not of this world, and looks fast even when it is not moving.
And so the other day when we got a chance to lay our hands on one of the best Italian creations, excitement peaked, and joy knew no bounds. From the house of Maserati, the car was envisioned to offer a unique conjunction of elegance and sportscar verve, drawing on the iconic brand’s design tradition.
Its sleek silhouette defined by the prominent Maserati grille with concave vertical fillets and the trident badge sitting in the middle, the Maserati Ghibli S Q4, pays homage to the GranTurismo and the famous Maserati icon from the past, the historic A6 GCS Berlinetta.
The Ghibli’s exterior is another example of Maserati’s simple yet brilliant design. The premium executive sedan is scaled down version of its bigger sibling, the Quattroporte. Relatively compact for its class, the Ghibli S Q4 is brilliantly rendered, with a deep shoveled nose, sleekly sculpted fenders, and a pert rear end with a roofline.
The aggressive front headlights accentuate the overall dynamic design. Especially when glowing in the dark, it looks as if the devil itself is staring at you. Incorporated in the headlight units, the LED indicator lights replicate the distinctive motif of Maserati’s three signature side air vents.
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Maserati Ghibli S Q4 imparts a sense of total control. The three-spoke leather-clad steering wheel, with controls for interacting with the main multimedia functions, frames a simple but striking instrument panel. The large speedometer and tachometer have elegant white backlighting and are separated by a 7-inch TFT display that shows the car’s dynamic data.
The front bucket seats are ample and plush. The all-electric front seat adjustment system helps to achieve the optimal driving position in terms of height, depth and the angle of the back and seat, and also includes four different lumbar support settings. The optional pedal height adjustment system, operated by a control in the front of the driving seat, allows the precise positioning of the accelerator and brake pedals.The centre of the dashboard is dominated by the traditional Maserati clock with blue face and aluminium details and the large 8.4-inch display of the Maserati Touch Control, the access portal for the entertainment technologies and control center for most of the onboard devices.
The elegant but sporty soul of the Ghibli is highlighted in the dark mirror (high-gloss) trim, with five options. The sporty feel of the carbon fibre finish can be combined with the Active Shift gearshift paddles, mounted behind the steering wheel and integrated into the steering column, and the sporty brushed steel pedals.
For those seeking even greater luxury, the entire interior— seats, dashboard, doors and centre console — can be upholstered in even higher premium quality, with multiple combinations of material, design, and stitch. It is the rear compartment that annoys a bit, with the seats a bit too flat, and the leg space really tight despite the car having a long wheelbase. Perhaps it is the big 80ltr fuel tank and an even bigger 500ltr boot that are to be blamed for it (or not really. Good thing they are big). Also, Ghibli is an executive sedan, and there is the Quattroporte for more rear space.
While the Ghibli looks and feels amazing, driving it is an even better experience. The all-wheel drive sedan is powered by a 404bhp Ferrari-tuned 3.0ltr twin-turbo V6 engine with 550Nm of torque. The acceleration is responsive, and holds power throughout the range, giving all the snappy drive you’d want from a car that can also fit your family.
The innovative ‘On demand’ all-wheel drive system combines maximum driving pleasure with enhanced safety on all road surfaces. In normal conditions, the rear-wheel drive system transfers the power of the V6 to the road, but if the road surface turns slippery or the wheels lose grip, the system instantaneously (within 150 milliseconds) transfers the necessary drive force to the front wheels.
The Ghibli is wide and stable with ample grip. You can go real fast and feel secure doing it, with the four-wheel-drive system seamlessly handling changing traction conditions. There’s also a choice of driving modes, from economy, normal, and sport to a mode with all stability control turned off. To make matters sportier, the S Q4 features a limited-slip diff, and Maserati’s performance oriented Skyhook variable dampers, and a sport exhaust. Ripping through tight coastal roads, or accelerating on the freeways, the Ghibli’s exhaust soundtrack is total aural ecstasy. On-board entertainment is highlighted by the new 900W, 10-speaker and additional sub-woofer, Harman Kardon audio system which comes as a standard feature that will incorporate both the subwoofer and 12-channel amplifier. The Ghibli has the option to upgrade to the premium Bowers & Wilkins system, with a 16-channel 1,280-watt amplifier and 15 speakers, featuring the ‘Clar-Fi’ function designed to improve the audio of compressed music files (now that’s really something).
Maserati adds its own form of flare to the offerings. With the Ghibli S Q4, there’s thrill of the powerful drive, pleasure of good looks, and of course the unsurpassable charm of flirting with an Italian.
Tech Specs
Maserati Ghibli S Q4 (AWD)
Engine: 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-Speed ZF Automatic
Power: 404bhp, 550Nm (1750rpm)
Performance: 0-100kph: 4.6 seconds
Top Speed: 283kph
Trunk Capacity: 500ltr
Fuel Tank Capacity: 79.8ltr
Curb Weight: 1,870kg
Authorised Dealer
Al Fardan Motors, Azaiba
+968 2452 3014,
+968 9882 9993
— [email protected]
