Maserati Ghibli Spied In Final Bodywork

Maserati’s new Ghibli performance saloon has been spied testing this week, wearing thick cladding over what appears to be a production-ready body.

Glimpses of unique head and taillights along with specific trident-spoked wheels suggest that development is near completion, and a concave grille design apes the existing GranTurismo and GranCabrio models.

The disguise hides most other body details, but the overall proportions appear to match the Ghibli prototype scale model that surfaced earlier this month.

These proportions are clearly a step down in size from the recently revealed 2014 Quattroporte, and the new model is expected to go head to head with high-spec versions of the Jaguar XF, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series. 

Using a shrunken take on the Quattroporte’s platform, the Ghibli is likely to feature versions of the larger sedan’s new twin-turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 and 3.8 litre V8.

A turbodiesel version using the VM Motori 3.0 litre V6 found in the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee is also said to be under consideration.

All Ghibli variants are expected to use the eight-speed ZF auto found in the Quattroporte, and an all-wheel drive option is likely to appear. 

Recent reports have suggested the production Ghibli could make its debut as early as April’s Shanghai Suto Show, so keep an eye on TMR for any updates.

• Ghibli | Maserati | Prestige Cars | Enthusiast