Ghibli reinvents itself

MAYBE it's a reflection of how dynamic the Ghibli is. Three generations of this Maserati may share the same nameplate but not the same styling. The first Ghibli was a sensuously styled two-door grand tourer launched in 1967, while the second was a boxy bruiser of a coupe that appeared in 1992. Now, for the 21st century, the Ghibli gets four doors and is aimed smartly at the luxury sedan segment.

With its gaping grille and menacing headlamps, the Ghibli looks like a shorter version of the Quattroporte. It is, sort of. But unlike the QP which also has a V8, the Ghibli is available with only a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that is designed and owned by Maserati but produced by Ferrari. It drives the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF au…