243kW 4-cylinder: Maserati’s first hybrid
High-performance Italian brand Maserati has revealed its first electrified model. Beneath the bonnet of the Ghibli Hybrid is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with low-voltage boost. Until now, Maserati’s entire model line-up has relied on V6 and V8 power.
The 2.0-litre four at the heart of the Ghibli Hybrid is based on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Global Medium Engine, produced in Italy for the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, and in the USA for the Jeep Wrangler, Cherokee and Grand Commander. Naturally, the Ghibli Hybrid’s engine is sourced from the Italian factory.
What makes Maserati’s version special is the addition of a 48-volt electric turbocharger to provide a low-rev power boost. At higher revs the engine’s conventional exhaust-driven turbocharger takes over. Other components of the system are a belt starter-generator unit, 48-volt battery and DC/DC convertor.
Rather than a plug-in hybrid, Maserati opted for a regular hybrid system that runs purely on petrol.
Maserati says it believes “this hybrid solution is the best possible solution for Maserati”.
“We thought about a plug-in electric option for Maserati,” says Maserati product planning boss Francesco Tonon. “But you know when you put lots of batteries … that has lots of weight … which is going to jeopardise performance.”
According to Maserati, the Ghibli Hybrid focuses more on performance than efficiency. It has the low-end performance of the company’s V6 turbo diesel, similar power to its V6 petrol engine, with CO2 emissions lower than both of them.
Maximum outputs of the Ghibli Hybrid are 243kW and 450Nm, and the car accelerates 0-100km/h in a snappy 5.7 seconds.
The exhaust system has been specially tuned to deliver the brand’s distinctive growl, the company claims.
The Ghibli has been in production since 2013, and the Hybrid benefits from range-wide update of the model’s infotainment system. Blue exterior accents set the electrified model apart from others in the updated range.
Expect the Ghibli Hybrid to arrive in Australia late this year or early in 2021. Prices will be announced closer to the car’s launch date.
While the Ghibli Hybrid is the first electrified Maserati, it won’t be the last. The Modena-based brand is known to be working on both plug-in hybrid and pure electric models as part of its strategy to shift towards a fully electrified range by 2025.
Maserati says the four-cylinder 48V system in the Ghibli Hybrid will also be used in other cars in the range; the Levante SUV seems an obvious choice.
