Maserati has previewed its future product plans, and one vehicle is conspicuous in its absence: the Ghibli.
In 2023, Maserati will introduce electric versions of its redesigned GranTurismo and GranCabrio and new Grecale, while by 2025 it’ll offer electric versions of the MC20 supercar and the redesigned Quattroporte and Levante.
That will leave the ageing Ghibli without a replacement, as the company has said “all Maserati models will come in a 100% electric version by 2025” and will only sell electric vehicles after 2030.
“What we see in the market is that there is a transition from sedans to SUVs,” said head of product planning Francesco Tonon according to a report from Yahoo News.
“There is still a very clear demand for sport sedans, but we believe that we can serve customers even better by substituting the Ghibli and the Quattroporte with just one new sport sedan.
“We strongly believe that there is a future for the sedan, but probably not for two sedans. One will be enough to meet demand.”
The Ghibli’s future has been in doubt for a while, despite its status as the brand’s second highest-volume model.
A report last year suggested the current Ghibli would end production in 2023, with the new mid-sized Grecale crossover assuming the role of Maserati’s most affordable model.
A redesigned Ghibli hasn’t featured in Maserati’s future product plans since one released under Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) ownership in 2018.
Globally, the Ghibli accounted for 33 per cent of Maserati sales in 2021 – or around 8000 units – which put it behind only the Levante (59 per cent) but well ahead of the Quattroporte (7 per cent).
Though the Ghibli name has been used before on two-door models, the current car was the first time it was applied to a four-door sedan and it was Maserati’s first attempt at a direct rival for the BMW 5 Series.
The Quattroporte, in contrast, has been a fairly consistent fixture as Maserati’s flagship sedan since 1963, albeit with some periods of absence during that time.
The current Ghibli and Quattroporte are produced in a former Bertone factory in Grugliasco, Italy, which Stellantis (nee. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) acquired in 2009.
The vehicles entered production in 2013, and are therefore at the end of their lifecycles.
The Ghibli’s best year in Australia was 2015, when Maserati sold 345 units. It’s steadily declined since then, reaching 114 units in 2020.
In 2021, however, Ghibli sales ticked upward, as did the brand overall both in Australia and globally.
The range was bolstered in 2021 by a new mild-hybrid turbocharged four-cylinder entry model, plus a flagship V8-powered Trofeo.
Maserati sold 152 units last year, outselling the Genesis G80 (53), Jaguar XF (40) and Mercedes-Benz CLS (30).
