Maserati Ghibli review - can the Italian exec live with the German elite? - Performance and 0-60
Charismatic, good looking and distinctive - but lacking in substance compared to German rivals
Performance and 0-60
When fitted with the more powerful petrol engine in S guise, the Ghibli will hit 62mph in 5 seconds flat, a not especially impressive time that is likely due to the Ghibli’s considerable kerb weight of over 1800kg. By comparison, a Mercedes-AMG E43 is around 50bhp down on the Maserati, yet will do the 0-62pmh sprint in 4.6 seconds, with the even less powerful BMW 540i also in the sub five second range. This weight disadvantage is felt on the road, where the turbocharged unit never really feels worth its full 414bhp.
The less powerful petrol powered Ghibli will hit 62 in 6.3 seconds, while the diesel only takes an extra tenth at 6.4 seconds. These figures are all behind the main competition, but like the S, these models fight back with that Italian flair. No executive saloon sounds like the Ghibli, especially in these times of downsizing, it is just a shame that the Maserati is falling quite so far behind rivals in other respects.
