Maserati Ghibli Hybrid on sale now

Maserati Australia has announced local pricing and specs for its first electrified model, the Ghibli Hybrid, which is now available to order.

Priced at $139,990 plus on-road costs, the Italian brand’s first petrol-electric model will also be the cheapest variant in the Ghibli line-up, which previously opened at $144,990 plus ORCs.

The new mild-hybrid version effectively replaces the entry-level diesel version that disappeared from the MY21 Ghibli line-up in January and rivals big petrol-electric luxury sedans like the BMW 530e ($122,900) and Mercedes-Benz E 300e ($123,500).

Apart from the newly launched 3.8-litre V8-powered Trofeo flagship, the hybrid is the only Ghibli variant not powered by a turbo-petrol V6.

Instead of V6 or V8 power, the Trident brand’s first petrol-electric model brings a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech.

The Maserati Ghibli Hybrid will be joined by a hybrid version of the Italian car-maker’s best-selling model, the Levante large SUV, which was unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2021 this week.

Maserati says the Ghibli Hybrid retains the “unmistakable sound that has always distinguished every Maserati” thanks to an optimised exhaust with specially designed resonators.

Weighing 80kg less than the V6 diesel Ghibli, the mild-hybrid system is claimed to improve performance while also reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

It’s matched to the same ZF eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels, but the 2.0-litre turbo engine is paired to a 48-volt alternator and an additional electric e-Booster supercharger, supported by a battery in the rear of the car to improve weight distribution.

Maximum outputs are rated at 246kW of power and 450Nm of torque (delivered from as little as 1500rpm), which is claimed to allow the Ghibli Hybrid to hit 100km/h from standstill in 5.7 seconds. 

On the outside, the big hybrid sports sedan is distinctively finished with lashings of blue, in order to “identify all cars with hybrid technology and the new world they represent”, says Maserati.

Up front, the grille is redesigned to represent a tuning fork, while the rear-end has revised tail-light clusters with a boomerang-like profile, plus a blue thunderbolt added to the Trident badge on the rear pillar.

The same blue theme continues throughout the cabin via unique seat stitching.

The Maserati Ghibli Hybrid is available now – stand by for our first drive in coming weeks.

How much does the 2021 Maserati Ghibli cost?
Hybrid – $139,990
Ghibli – $144,990
GranLusso – $168,990
S GranLusso – $175,000
GranSport – $168,990
S GranSport – $175,000
Trofeo – $265,000
* Prices exclude on-road costs