Ghibli diesel test drive in Autocar last week

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bigbob

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Flicked at it in the shops and it read ok. Strong comment on residuals viz a viz 535d but the BMW has big discounts and the Ghibli does not currently so it was not a fair price comparison.

The BMW also has way more power. Indeed the Ghibli performance figures were disappointing. 0-100mph was over 17 seconds which reminds us that this car is very different to the 3200, 4200, GS, QPV, GranTurismo that we are all used to. Even the 4.2 GranTurismo can do 0-100 in 12 point something. Food for thought - a nice daily driver with the diesel engine but not a fast car unlike the new 435d which has amazing performance.

Spoke to a dealer who mentioned that Ghibli sales are almost exclusively diesel. In fact you can now order the QP with that engine.
 
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dem maser

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The brand is going a different direction
0-100 is not what they go for, all about economy and selling more....

I dont like it but thats the way forward now
 
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bigbob

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Completely agree with you. The trick will be the ability to do both well as the likes of BMW manage.

I'm in a 320d M Sport loaner at the moment and it is deeply impressive - handling, economy, performance - it manages the compromises very well. With cars like this available for low thirties pounds it makes it harder and harder to do better as you go up the price curve.
 
Maser Sod

Maser Sod

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dem maser said:
The brand is going a different direction
0-100 is not what they go for, all about economy and selling more....

I dont like it but thats the way forward now
Click to expand...

It's an interesting direction. I'm waiting to see how the 'selling more' thing goes, given my own experiences in trying to buy one - i.e., having to fit into a 5 petrol, 5 diesel allocation per quarter (or something like that, I can't quite remember now), and getting bored of the wait.

I've actually yet to see a single Ghibli on the road to date. Have many been spotted, or is it just me?

Funnily enough, I was actually in for a petrol one, but got turned off by the fact that 52K would only get me the 'detuned' version. I think Maserati should have simply offered the Diesel and the 'S'. Who wants a half-fat Maserati?
 
BennyD

BennyD

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bigbob said:
Flicked at it in the shops and it read ok. Strong comment on residuals viz a viz 535d but the BMW has big discounts and the Ghibli does not currently so it was not a fair price comparison.

The BMW also has way more power. Indeed the Ghibli performance figures were disappointing. 0-100mph was over 17 seconds which reminds us that this car is very different to the 3200, 4200, GS, QPV, GranTurismo that we are all used to. Even the 4.2 GranTurismo can do 0-100 in 12 point something. Food for thought - a nice daily driver with the diesel engine but not a fast car unlike the new 435d which has amazing performance.
Click to expand...

I've got a chipped 335D as my everyday car and it is fantastic; great performance, pretty good economy and a lot of bells and whistles that work well. However, in 3 years when the first Ghibli diesel lease cars start to come back I'll get one to replace it. I don't really need 335D performance everyday and the Ghibli, IMO, is a nicer place to be and it drives very nicely too.
 
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bigbob

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Maser Sod said:
It's an interesting direction. I'm waiting to see how the 'selling more' thing goes, given my own experiences in trying to buy one - i.e., having to fit into a 5 petrol, 5 diesel allocation per quarter (or something like that, I can't quite remember now), and getting bored of the wait.

I've actually yet to see a single Ghibli on the road to date. Have many been spotted, or is it just me?

Funnily enough, I was actually in for a petrol one, but got turned off by the fact that 52K would only get me the 'detuned' version. I think Maserati should have simply offered the Diesel and the 'S'. Who wants a half-fat Maserati?
Click to expand...

So the do a 1/4, 1/2 and a FF?
 
Maser Sod

Maser Sod

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I think Ferrari have always blocked the FF Maserati.

Didn't stop them building their own, though.

1_610x392.jpg
 
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bigbob

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Maser Sod said:
I think Ferrari have always blocked the FF Maserati.

Didn't stop them building their own, though.

1_610x392.jpg
Click to expand...


I thought that someone might pick up on my FF reference - comes from my Land Rover/Range Rover other side.

Always liked the Ferrari FF. Got some memory of it not being 4WD in the top two gears which seems strange - if indeed my memory is correct.
 
Contigo

Contigo

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Yep I got the FF (Full Fat) RR reference :D

The FF is RWD in the main but pushes traction to the front if needed, almost like a reverse Haldex system.

Ask Barrie about them he was hooning around Millbrook at 175mph plus in one last week.
 
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Bowker Maserati

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236
Maser Sod said:
It's an interesting direction. I'm waiting to see how the 'selling more' thing goes, given my own experiences in trying to buy one - i.e., having to fit into a 5 petrol, 5 diesel allocation per quarter (or something like that, I can't quite remember now), and getting bored of the wait.

I've actually yet to see a single Ghibli on the road to date. Have many been spotted, or is it just me?

Funnily enough, I was actually in for a petrol one, but got turned off by the fact that 52K would only get me the 'detuned' version. I think Maserati should have simply offered the Diesel and the 'S'. Who wants a half-fat Maserati?
Click to expand...

Don't understand the 5 petrol/5 diesel allocation thing, we have sold 30 plus to date and order as and when we want/need.
But maybe that is down to the attitude of other dealers.
And will have 10 customer cars on the road by the end of the month.
The Ghibli is selling so well for us, and the diesel is the most common, probably running at 10-1 so far.
Gary
 
lofty

lofty

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Bowker Maserati said:
Don't understand the 5 petrol/5 diesel allocation thing, we have sold 30 plus to date and order as and when we want/need.
But maybe that is down to the attitude of other dealers.
And will have 10 customer cars on the road by the end of the month.
The Ghibli is selling so well for us, and the diesel is the most common, probably running at 10-1 so far.
Gary
Click to expand...
Who's buying them? Maserati owners or BMW/Audi/MB drivers
 
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Bowker Maserati

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236
lofty said:
Who's buying them? Maserati owners or BMW/Audi/MB drivers
Click to expand...

A mixture, very very few BMW owners, but a broad spectrum.
Including Maserati owners as well.
The car cannot and does not try to compete, on a monthly payment, with any of the german manufacturers.
The marketing for this car, is the car that is different to the others...........if you are buying on a monthly budget then the german cars (and now the jag xf) are
the way to go.
Gary
 
Andyk

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,120
Bowker Maserati said:
Don't understand the 5 petrol/5 diesel allocation thing, we have sold 30 plus to date and order as and when we want/need.
But maybe that is down to the attitude of other dealers.
And will have 10 customer cars on the road by the end of the month.
The Ghibli is selling so well for us, and the diesel is the most common, probably running at 10-1 so far.
Gary
Click to expand...

Gary, heard loads about the diesel but has anyone driven the top petrol S model yet and have you sold any...?
 
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Bowker Maserati

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Andyk said:
Gary, heard loads about the diesel but has anyone driven the top petrol S model yet and have you sold any...?
Click to expand...

Yes I have driven the S model we had in, goes very very well and sounds amazing, a real grasping exhaust note.
Sold the car yesterday to a gentlemen who also took delivery of a diesel Ghibli on friday............I would have a guess he is probably the first customer to own two new Ghiblis...............
Gary
 
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