Maserati has just revealed the Ghibli Hybrid, which marks the brand’s entry into the world of electrification. With electrification comes downsizing and that means for the first time, the Ghibli will not come with one of its famous V6 engines. That’s right, the Ghibli Hybrid’s power comes from a 2.0L inline 4 turbocharged and supercharged petrol and a mild hybrid system.
The Ghibli Hybrid is NOT a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), rather it uses recovered kinetic energy from deceleration and braking to recharge its battery. The battery is mounted in the rear, for better weight distribution.
It powers an electric starter generator, with a 48V alternator and electric supercharger also drawing from this battery. This system outputs 330hp and 450Nm from 1,500rpm. It is sent to the rear wheels, giving the Ghibli Hybrid a top speed of 255km/h and a 0-100km/h time of just 5.7 seconds.
Despite the additional equipment, the Ghibli Hybrid weighs a full 80kg less than the Ghibli Diesel.
To distinguish the Ghibli Hybrid from the other models in the range, Maserati have given it blue accents, including blue brake callipers, side air ducts, and on the seat stitching. Maserati have also given its C-pillar-mounted Trident logo a little Thunderbolt to signify electrification.
The Ghibli Hybrid also comes with a redesigned front grille and rear light clusters.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
The spark of electrification ignites Maserati’s future: with the new Maserati Ghibli Hybrid, the Trident Brand enters the world of electrification.
The new Maserati Ghibli Hybrid represents one of the most ambitious projects for Maserati, which after the announcement of the new engine for the MC20 super sports car now sets the seal on another step forward towards the brand’s new Era.
The choice to introduce the hybrid technology on the Ghibli sedan is no coincidence: this model, with over 100,000 units produced since its launch in 2013, perfectly embodies the Modena-based manufacturer’s DNA.
In fact, the challenge facing Maserati was to enter the world of electrification without altering the brand’s core philosophy and values. The result? The creation of the best possible hybrid. What’s more, Maserati Ghibli Hybrid will retain the unmistakable sound that has always distinguished every Maserati.
The arrival of the new Ghibli Hybrid thus expands the Maserati range, which is now even more competitive and responsive to the demands of the market.
Design
Maserati Ghibli Hybrid is immediately recognisable, thanks in part to the new design of both exterior and interior. The common denominator of the restyling, developed by the Centro Stile Maserati, is the blue colour, chosen to identify all cars with hybrid technology and the new world they represent.
On the exterior, the blue colour characterises the three iconic side air ducts, the brake calipers and the thunderbolt in the oval that encloses the Trident on the rear pillar. The same blue colour reappears inside the car, in particular on the embroidered seams of the seats. The new Ghibli Hybrid also introduces new stylistic contents, starting from the new front grille, with bars redesigned to represent a tuning fork, a musical device that emits a sound of extreme purity, and which also evokes the Trident symbol itself. There are significant changes at the rear of the car, where the light clusters have been completely restyled, with a boomerang-like profile inspired by the 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car.
Hybrid
Mild Hybrid
In perfect harmony with its DNA, Maserati has chosen a hybrid solution focused primarily on improving performance, while also reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions. The hybrid technology exploits kinetic energy the car accumulates when in motion, recovering it and transforming it into electricity during deceleration and braking, and storing it in a battery. The innovative powertrain, the outcome of in-depth engineering development work by the technicians and engineers of the Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena, combines an internal combustion engine (4 cylinders, turbo, displacement of 2.0 l) with a 48 volt alternator and an additional electric supercharger (e-Booster), supported by a battery. This solution is unique in its segment, and is the first in a new generation of powertrains, with the perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure. The battery is mounted in the rear of the car, with benefits in terms of improved weight distribution. This version weighs about 80 kg less than the Diesel. Thanks to maximum power output of 330 hp and torque of 450 Nm delivered from just 1,500 rpm, the new Maserati Ghibli Hybrid’s performance data are very impressive: top speed of 255 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. Maserati Ghibli Hybrid occupants will still revel in the unmistakable sound that characterises all Maserati models, thanks to the optimised exhaust, which includes specially designed resonators.
Connectivity
Maserati Ghibli Hybrid also marks the debut of the new Maserati Connect program, which enables a constant connection with the car: the information exchange continues when on the move, to improve the services offered to the driver. As well as updating the software packages, the system performs checks on the car and monitors the Safety Security services in emergencies.
The Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system is latest-generation, based on digital inputs from Android Automotive, software that delivers an innovative User Experience fully customisable to the driver’s personal preferences. The multimedia system’s HD screen, with new graphics, more user-friendly and without surrounds, is increased in size from 8″4 to 10″1. A new instrument panel with digital devices and new graphics is also introduced.
Electrification the Maserati way
The new Maserati Ghibli Hybrid represents the first step in a plan that will lead to the electrification of all new Maserati models. The Brand’s first all-electric cars will be the new GranTurismo and GranCabrio, scheduled for 2021.
