Lusso Or Sport?

Maserati’s executive saloon is relaunched for 2018 with a subtle facelift, more equipment, a power boost and new GranSport/GranLusso versions. Is it better to drive, though?

- Chris Rees

It was 50 years ago that Maserati launched the Ghibli as its first-ever supercar. Since then, the name has morphed to suit Maserati’s ever-changing character, with a brief revival in 1992, for instance, during the Biturbo era.

Four years ago, the Ghibli badge transformed again to grace a four-door model (even though Maserati plugs its executive-class saloon as “a coupe among sedans”). During those four years, some 82,000 Ghiblis have been made – small fry by BMW 5 Series standards, maybe, but huge by Maserati’s. Indeed, the Ghibli is comfortably the best-selling Maserati of all time.

Now the Ghibli’s getting a mid-life refresh and facelift, the latter only affecting the front and rear ends. I’m still not sure about Maserati’s current Alfieri-inspired gaping maw grille. The chunky ‘chrome’ (actually plastic) bars look dramatic but somehow don’t feel upmarket enough. Avoid the base model, which sticks with xenon headlights, and you get nice new adaptive LED headlights. And there are now distinct GranSport and GranLusso versions (see panel) with quite different looks, too.

During the facelift presentation, the Ghibli’s shape is somewhat implausibly described by the design department as “Birdcage-inspired.” You what? Whatever, it still looks classy and it’s now slightly more aero-friendly with a Cd of 0.29, down from 0.31.