Italian premium car manufacturer Maserati has announced that the brand will be producing a new electrified range of cars with both hybrid and full electric powerplants that will be 100% developed and engineered in Italy. Maserati will also invest EUR 800 million in the Mirafiori production hub for the production of the new Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which will become the brand’s first cars to adopt a 100% electric powertrain.
In 2020, Maserati will begin the electrification programme with the new Maserati Ghibli which will become the first hybrid car carrying the Trident. The Maserati Ghibli that is currently available for sale is offered with a 3.0-litre V6 Twin Turbocharged petrol engine that comes in two states of tune, one that produces 350 hp of power and 500 Nm of torque while another that produces 430 hp of power and 580 Nm of torque. The former can achieve a top speed of 267 kmph and can sprint from 0-100 kmph in 5.5 seconds the latter can do a top speed of 286 kmph and 0-100 kmph is achieved in 4.9 seconds. The Ghibli is also available with a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel powertrain that is offered in two states of tune 250 hp of power and 600 Nm of torque and another 275 hp of power and 600 Nm of torque. The engines on the Ghibli are matched to a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox and the power is sent to the rear wheels through a standard mechanical Limited-Slip Differential and in case of the Ghibli S Q4 to all its wheels via a Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system which continuously monitors wheel grip, steering and yaw angle, wheel speed and wheel grip versus driving style and through a Maserati developed algorithm, establishes the dedicated grip for each individual wheel.
On the outside, the Ghibli follows the classic Maserati design language and features a bold chrome-accented vertically slated concave grille with a Maserati ‘Trident’ in the centre, a wide air dam and air intakes on the front bumper, full Adaptive LED headlights with 15 LEDs operating at high-beam, muscular crease lines on the bonnet, 18-inch alloy wheels, rounded wheel arches, Maserati signature air vents on the front quarter panel, Maserati branding on the C-Pillar, wrap-around LED combination tail lamps, quad chrome-tipped exhaust, a rear diffuser and a ‘Maserati’ moniker on the powered tailgate.
Maserati has also started to expand and modernise the Modena facility where the brand is headquartered and plans to build a new Super Sports Car in 2020. Production of the new GranTurismo and GranCabrio will commence in 2021 and the cars will be built at the Mirafiori facility.
