Ghibli celebrates 100 years of Maserati

Italian automaker Maserati is celebrating its centenary anniversary this year, and coinciding with the joyous occasion is the local launch of the new Ghibli.

Founded on 1^st December 1914 in the city of Bologna, Italy, Maserati has established itself as a builder of unique, characterful and driver-centric cars.

With a love for mechanics and passion for speed, Alfieri Maserati started the company with two of his brothers, Ettore and Ernesto.

The first car to roll out was a race car named Tipo 26, which scored victory in its debut race at the 1926 Targa Florio. It was the first of a series of wins for Maserati, including two editions of the Indianapolis 500, nine wins in Formula One and the 1957 F1 World Championship.

In recent years, the marque has gone from strength to strength, building on its racing pedigree and expertise in performance luxury cars to grow exponentially in various markets all around the world.

The Ghibli nameplate first saw daylight in 1967 in the form of a two-door two-seater grand tourer. The new Ghibli, on the other hand, marks the firm's foray into the executive sedan market, and will, without doubt, serve as a cornerstone for the brand's future.

A total of two variants were launched, both with a 3.0-litre V6 engine. In base trim, the unit churns out 330bhp and 500Nm of torque, while the Ghibli S will have 410bhp and 550Nm of torque on tap. 

Both V6s were engineered in collaboration with Ferrari and manufactured in Ferrari's Maranello plant.

The Ghibli will also receive a ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox that offers up to five different shift modes - the same unit found in the flagship Quattroporte.

At press time, prices for the Ghibli and Ghibli S start from $340,000 and $390,000 respectively (without COE).