Cars on show: Alfieri concept, new Ghibli
Alfieri concept
Something of an unexpected surprise from Maserati is the Alfieri concept car, a design study for a possible 2+2 coupe sports car in the near future.
Maserati CEO Harald Wester says the company is considering whether the car could be put into production and if reaction at the show is anything to go by, it might just happen.
Under the skin, it’s built on a shortened version of the GranTurismo MC Stradale’s chassis. In the engine bay sits a 460bhp 4.7-litre V8, also borrowed from the GranTurismo and running through an automatic transmission. The brakes are carbon ceramic discs, as used on the MC Stradale.
Unlike many concept cars, the Alfieri is a functional, running machine and Maserati says it has been designed with production feasibility in mind and that there is ‘a strong desire to turn the Alfieri into reality.’
Were the Alfieri (or, as is more likely, a different car but along similar lines) to make production it would sit just below the GranTurismo in Maserati’s line-up and have a more sporting character.
We’ll almost certainly see styling cues from the Alfieri used next time the Quattroporte and GranTurismo are due for an update, too.
Maserati celebrates its centenary this year and the concept is named after Alfieri Maserati, one of the three brothers who founded the company.
An Italian rival for the Jaguar F-Type coupe in 2016? Watch this space.
From the show floor
“No-one really saw the Alfieri coming and for many observers its been a real highlight of the show. Here’s hoping it – or something very close to it – makes production.” – James Taylor, Staff Writer
Ghibli
The Ghibli is a luxury sports saloon that Maserati hopes will be particularly successful in the North American market.
It’s available with a choice of engines, including a Ferrari-sourced V6 with twin turbochargers and 400bhp and a diesel variant. A four-wheel-drive version is available, too.
Inside, the Ghibli feels suitably luxurious with plenty of leather and wood trim and generous leg room for rear passengers.
In their press conference, Maserati described the Ghibli, which costs just under £50,000, as ‘the most value-for-money luxury sports car’ available today. We’re not sure about that, but it’s certainly the most affordable of Maserati’s current model range and potentially an interesting alternative to the usual luxury saloon suspects from Mercedes and Jaguar.
