There was a real fear that Maserati would have ended up making a plain and ordinary car, when they announced that they were planning to sell 25,000 examples of their new Ghibli per year.

However, they did make the car very noticeable through its design (though opinions are split on its true aesthetic merits), and the car looks like a true Maserati both inside and out. Even the diesel was put into context, when they announced that Ferrari had developed the three-liter V6 unit.

Now, after having sampled it via a multitude of official and unofficial videos, we get the verdict from EVO’s Harry Metcalfe, who recently drove the standard V6-powered Ghibli, as well as the V6 diesel – the top spec Ghibli S was not available for testing at the time.

His verdict is a very positive and encouraging one, and the car gets great praise for its sporty setup, well-balanced chassis and the quality of fit and finish for the interior. Furthermore, with the expected pricing for the car hovering around the €50,000 ($65,000) mark in Europe, it may make a dent in the established manufacturers’ profit margins.

Also, while Harry Metcalfe isn’t convinced by the diesel engine, arguing that while it doesn’t sound bad, it dulls the experience, there’s nothing wrong about 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) and 272 hp being sent to the rear wheels through a seamlessly-shifting eight-speed automatic – he even admits it has better response than the base petrol motor, despite being down on power.

Perhaps not all owners will want to thrash their Ghiblis on twisty roads, and for simply cruising and overtaking, the diesel is still a valid choice, I believe. However, since it’s an all-new unit and modern diesels are very complicated, it needs to prove itself reliable first.

By Andrei Nedelea

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