This is the Maserati Ghibli Trofeo. It joins the new Quattroporte Trofeo in the Italian brand’s assault on its German rivals and will go on sale later this year, sporting a handful of cosmetic tweaks and a new twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine.
Designed to compete against the latest BMW M5, the Ghibli Trofeo’s V8 engine develops 572bhp and 730Nm of torque, which is around 40bhp less than the M5. However, the engine still has enough grunt to propel the Ghibli from 0–62mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 202mph.
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What’s more, unlike its rivals, the Ghibli Trofeo is rear-wheel-drive only. There’s no configurable four-wheel drive system, just an eight-speed automatic transmission, a prop shaft and a mechanical limited-slip differential mounted on the rear axle.
To control the Ghibli Trofeo’s extra performance without the help of four-wheel drive, Maserati has fitted a broad range of chassis upgrades, including new adaptive dampers, stiffer springs, bigger brakes, grippy Continental Sport Contact tyres and a revised geometry setup for the car’s multi-link double wishbone suspension.
There’s also a tweaked version of the standard car’s traction control system and a host of driver assistance technology, which includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and Maserati’s active driving assist system which can pretty much assume control of the vehicle on the motorway, providing the driver keeps their hands on the wheel.
Maserati has also given the Ghibli Trofeo a few styling tweaks to mark its position as the saloon’s flagship model. Upgrades include new 21-inch alloy wheels, a new vented bonnet, fresh ducting on the front wings and an aggressive carbon fibre styling package, which features a larger front splitter, deeper side skirts and a new rear diffuser.
Inside, buyers get perforated leather upholstery, a wireless smartphone charger, a improved 10.1-inch infotainment system mounted in the centre of the dashboard and a 10-speaker Harman-Kardon premium stereo system. Like the Quattroporte, buyers also get an analogue gauge cluster with a seven-inch TFT screen.
Prices for the new Maserati Ghibli Trofeo will start from £103,890, while first deliveries will arrive before the end of the year.
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