Sunday, March 25, 2018

2018 Maserati Ghibli Now On Sale In Malaysia With Prices Starting From RM618,000


The 2018 Maserati Ghibli is now being offered in Malaysia and it is on display (and available for test drives) at Naza Italia's Showroom in Petaling Jaya. Naza Italia are the official distributors of Maserati here in Malaysia. This latest edition sports some restyling and a thorough upgrade of its equipment. It brings a welcome and timely update to what has been Maserati's best selling model globally as this revision includes upgrades that allow it to compete on equal footing with the rest of the premium luxury class.


The new upgraded Ghibli first made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motorshow. It is said to be a timely upgrade as the Ghibli was launched in 2013 and whilst the driving experience was deemed as, well, typically sporting Italian, the equipment levels of the mid-sized luxury sports sedan wasn't on par. Now, Maserati have upgraded the Ghibli, especially with better driver aids, better active safety systems and an infotainment system that is worthy of a high end luxury sedan. They also gave is some tweaks to the styling.

Anyway, there are two distinctive trims offered, the GranLusso and GranSport. Both are available as an upgrade of the all-powerful versions – Ghibli 350 Hp and Ghibli S 430Hp. The Ghibli is priced from RM 618,800.00 (inclusive of local taxes and duties) for the standard model. The Ghibli GranLusso is priced at RM668,800.00 and the GranSport at RM 668,800.00. All three models include 5 years Standard Warranty coverage with no mileage restriction plus a Free maintenance program of 5 years/ 100,000 km whichever comes first (Inclusive of *Maserati Premium Service Plus of 3 Years /60,000KM).

As for the more powerful Ghibli S, prices start at RM 718,800.00 (inclusive of local taxes and duties) for the standard model while the GranLusso is priced at RM768,800.00 and the GranSport at RM 768,800.00. All three models include 5 yearsStandard Warranty coverage with no mileage restriction plus a Free maintenance program of 5 years/ 100,000 km whichever comes first (Inclusive of *Maserati Premium Service Plus of 3 Years /60,000KM). The unlimited mileage warranty makes this quite a good package for an exotic Italian sports sedan.

The Maserati Ghibli essentially shares the same platform, suspension layout, V6 engines and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with the larger Maserati Quattroporte flagship sedan. No V8 though. It is of course shorter and lighter (293 mm shorter and 50 kg lighter). It has 50:50 weight distribution, front double-wishbone/rear multi-link suspension and standard Limited-Slip Differential (LSD). This is pure sports sedan in terms of setup and would certainly make any Maserati a drive to remember. It has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and with the new integrated Advanced Driving Assistance Systems, it offiers more peace of mind for both driver and passengers.

In terms of its styling, the Ghibli GranLusso and GranSport are both immediately recognisable thanks to their exterior features and exclusive interiors. The exterior design still has the distinctive C-pillar bearing Maserati's Saetta logo, frameless doors and the grille which harks back to the iconic Maserati cars of the 1950s to name a few.

Both the Ghibli GranLusso and GranSport offer slightly different exterior styling. The upgrades feature different front and rear bumpers for both variants and are slightly different. The tweaks were first revealed in 2017. The aerodynamic efficiency of the restyled Ghibli have been improved by 7% whilst drag coefficient has been reduced to 0.29 from 0.31.

All petrol engined versions of the Ghibli, which are the only Ghibli sold in Malaysia, are currently manufactured by Ferrari in Maranello. They feature the Maserati specific Euro 6 homologated Twin Turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine in different state of tune and is coupled to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission powering the rear wheels (unless one specs it with the Q4 system with the Ghibli S for some markets).

The top-range Ghibli S version now delivers 430hp and 580 Nm peak torque, up from 410hp and 550Nm over the 2017 car. Maximum speed is 286 km/h and the new Ghibli S accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

The 2017-2018 Maserati Ghibli and also the flagship Quattroporte are the first Maserati models to adopt the Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system by Bosch. The system helps to prevent, rather than simply correct, vehicle instability. It provides enhanced active safety, and offers improved driving dynamics too. 

The introduction of Electric Power Steering (EPS) is also another first for Maserati. According to Maserati, this improves the car’s handling and comforttoo as it offers better support for the driving modes available and enables the newly-introduced active functions of the Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) package while retaining the razor-sharp steering feel.

The new ADAS package however is an option.  In addition to the existing features, it includes functions like Highway Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition.

What actually differentiates the Ghibli Base, Ghibli GranLusso and the Ghibli GranSport Trim Levels?
The baseline Ghibli and the new Ghibli GranLusso share the same design features while the Ghibli GranSport boasts a subtly different exterior. The front bumper gets a larger grille with a ‘sharknose’ profile and integrated chrome bars. This concave grille is inspired by Maserati's Alfieri Concept and is more three-dimensional when viewed from the front or especially front three-quarters.

The 2018 Ghibli features restyled air vents up front. These are wide open and more linear on the Ghibli and Ghibli GranLusso, it features a sportier layout on the Ghibli GranSport with two wings facing outwards supporting the grille, separating the central splitter from the side air ducts.

The full Ghibli model range is equipped with the all new, Adaptive full LED headlights developed in collaboration with Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting, while the baseline model uses Bi-Xenon technology.

The new higher specced, more luxurious Ghibli GranLusso gets adaptive full LED headlights, chrome inserts on the front bumper, GranLusso badge at the base of the front wing, body-colour side skirts, silver brake calipers and 20” Urano Diamond alloy wheels.

It features an Ermenegildo Zegna Silk interior with patented mulberry silk inserts on the seats, doors panels, roof lining and ceiling light fixture. The tailored seat details and the label on the sun visors, complemented by a Ebano wood trim and Ebony wood-finished leather steering wheel, make this trim unique and exclusive, beautifully epitomising the GranLusso soul.

This uniquely luxurious trim includes Comfort seats with extensive 12-way power adjustment as standard, as well as power-adjustable steering wheel and foot pedals, parking sensors, and new Soft Close Doors.


The Ghibli GranSport (on the right side - the left is a GranLusso) takes its inspiration from the legendary racing heritage of Maserati and is the sportiest of the Ghibli variants offered. This specific trim was conceived to meet the needs of customers seeking a sportier expression of a high-end sedan in the segment.

The GranSport features Adaptive full LED headlights and is also recognisable for the Black Piano inserts on the front bumper, the GranSport badge on the front wing, body-colour side skirts, blue inserts on all Trident and Saetta logos, red brake calipers and 21” Titano Anthracite alloy wheels.

The GranSport also has12-way power full leather seats and Sport steering wheel. The interior of the Ghibli GranSport also features standard gearshift paddles and Inox (aluminium) foot pedals.

As for more custom options,there an Exterior Carbon Package available for all models taking into account the marque's racing roots. When specified, carbon trimming can cover the external door mirrors, B- and C-pillar covers and door handles on the base trim, as well as the front splitter and rear spoiler on the GranSport.


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