This car is the third varient to use the Ghibli name - the first, iconic example being probably the most well deserving of the reputation this car upholds.
Maserati has always been a name to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand when it comes to cars, to be honest. Somehow classier, more prestigious, more in-tune with the ideology of the 'gentleman racer' than anything from the likes of Ferrari or Lamborghini. It is somehow more than prestige - Maserati sits up there in the gods of automative brands and provide customers with a tempting change from more mainstream rivals.
Looks & Interior
There's no doubt that if you're looking for an executive cruiser, the Ghibli S manages to outsmart the Germans in the looks department. Maserati are of course known for their looks and their sense of style, but despite how huge the Ghibli S is, it still manages to be poised and elegant. There's a sense of brutishness about it - but the calm and well designed cabin manages to lull you into a false sense of security here. It's a great place to be - and manages to make everything else vaguely similar disappear into a fog of generic similarity.
Engine & Ride
The 410hp engine in the Ghibli S is certainly the pick of the bunch - and sits alongside a smaller 330hp variant that doesn't carry the 'S' badge. A diesel is available as well which pushes out 275hp...it's said that this will comprise 70% of sales of the Ghibli in the UK.
There's no doubt the engine in the S is the halo example of the range...the noise is incredible and there's no denying the availability of power on offer. There is also minimal turbo lag from the V6, and this manages to push the car to 60 in an impressive 5 seconds. When you think it must weigh about the same as the Titanic, that's not too shabby at all.
However, a slight disappointment was the gearbox - for some reason I was expecting something perky and alive, but instead the box seemed to behave as though it belonged on a cruise ship - which I guess in a sense it does. It did the job well, but changes weren't exactly fast. It was underwhelming on the fun stakes to put it mildly - and it seemed to be far happier just being left in auto and sedately cruising. Not a bad thing, necessarily, but not exactly what the average petrolhead that'll buy a Maserati would want to see.
The ride was a little crashy too...and noisy, to be honest. It seemed to skip across bumps in the road rather than soak them up - which is not quite what I was expecting from something that promises so much comfort.
Summary
There is something incredibly attractive about the Ghibli S. Maserati are an incredible car maker and they have bucketloads of prestige and prowess to show off.
Having said that, the Ghibli S failed to excite me in the way it should have. Maserati had the perfect opportunity here to produce one of the best Italian cruisers on the market, but it feels like they have slightly fallen short here. Although it's wonderful at munching the miles - that's pretty much all it feels like it does - the electric steering can feel vague and although the engine is the very best bit, I was underwhelmed by the gearbox. To be honest, the driving experience of this Maserati doesn't quite match how it feels to actually sit in a Maserati, which is a real shame.
