Maserati Ghibli review, test drive

What’s also surprisingly nice on this updated 2016 car is the ride. Set in Comfort, the suspension soaks up big bumps really well. It feels well insulated from even coarse road surfaces and the suspension seems to have the ability to take the edge off pretty much anything; something that’s sure to make it really useful in our conditions. And cabin insulation really feels good too, which only adds to the feeling of luxury.

 

We stop for a break on a pass where the views are just stunning; good time to take a closer look at the equally stunning lines of the car, penned by ex-Pininfarina designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti. A four-door coupé, much in the same mould as the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Audi A7, the Ghibli features perfect proportions, muscle in all the right places and confident cuts and slashes all over. Also brilliant are the details. The low-slung grille hits the spot, the vents on the fenders are now a Maserati signature and the compact and low-slung cabin is nicely pushed back too. Under the skin is a shorter wheelbase version of the bigger Quattroporte’s chassis (173mm shorter). Consisting of a steel monocoque with additional subframes, the suspension has the same layout as the Quattroporte too, with double wishbones at the front and a multi-link rear end. However, it has its own spring and damper rates and, importantly, a wider track.

 

It’s extremely nice on the inside too. Quality levels in general are good, the design of the interior with its two big dials works well and there’s clearly a lot of Italian flair mixed in with plenty of practicality and functionality. Quality, however, is not up to the standards of competitors like Audi and Mercedes, and the touchscreen is nowhere near as good. There is, however, a decent amount of headroom in the rear, always a difficulty with low-roof cars like these, and the rear seat is nice and supportive. Legroom is not as generous as in an E-class, but the back seat is very useable, and Indian customers will like that.