Maserati — a proper name. However, it is a good tradition — to give cars their name. Alfieri Maserati opened the first workshop shortly before the New Year: December 1, 1914 at the door of the studio in Bologna, an inscription APERTO. C this time, and I began to count the history of these beautiful cars.
Initially, its value Maserati, like most of their kin, proven in racing and on the tracks. Already in 1926, they are to set up the first victory: the famous Targa Florio resigned their Maserati Tipo 26, well, Juan Manuel Fangio brings victory in the «Formula 1».
In general, the Maserati is like a little bit apart from other automotive brands. They do not have a racing flair like Ferrari, they are not as assertive as Lamborghini, they did not claim to be a vehicle for fat cats like Bentley. No. They are refined and aristocratic. They — the fact that in Italian is called the right word «raffinato» — without any form of puffed or annoying sound.
Throughout its history, Maserati cars made luxury, except in rare cases, with the classic V8 under the hood. It is clear that such claims of large profits there is no question, therefore, the brand passed from hand to hand, having been on the content and Citroen, and Fiat, and Ferrari, and even De Tomaso. So far in 2005, along with the Alfa Romeo Group had not returned back to FIAT.
A year and a half later, Maserati is already bearing its first profit in recent years. Having gained a foothold in the intention to make the brand even if not loss-making, management decides on the release of new models that would meet the requirements of the market. In 2008, the manufacturer announces the intention to release a car «low-priced», ie Business Class. And the next program number begins work on an SUV Levante. Around the same way going Porsche, when catapulted to market the Cayenne and Panamera, and that is what has allowed them not only to survive, but also to return a profit.
In 2009, there was another event that made the modern Maserati, than they are at the moment. The acquisition of a stake in FIAT Group, Chrysler opened its access to American sites. The platform of the Chrysler C300, based Pentastar engines and much more.
Why am I telling you all this? Maserati has always absorbed the ideas and capabilities of other brands, but remained themselves. Therefore, the appearance of «cheap» Ghibli for each day, set under the hood V6, the creation of the diesel version and all-wheel drive transmission in any case did not lead the brand to the collapse, as claimed by evil tongues, on the contrary made it interesting and varied, and I personally motivated by a desire to ride on the all-wheel drive version with a capacity of 410 hp
Maserati is a purely masculine car. Its brevity and largely even stingy interior is combined with Italian finesse lines. At one point I even thought that I am in the office of a top manager, who skillfully uses modern devices. All exactly everything at your fingertips. A huge screen in the middle, all the latest features and systems, super-modern control.
On the other hand, there is the new Maserati notorious stability which was not felt to such an extent before. If during movement ignore the visual perception, there is a feeling that you control the product «German troika.» Strange, is not it? Not really. The secret is that the Maserati uses advanced mersedesovsky suspension similar to the one that stands in the E-class.
Suspension and really fantastic. Soft, swallows on the bumps and «lezhakopah» pretty tough when driving on a flat road, it can become a symbol of obedience and accurate responses. And most importantly — its engineers tuned Ferrari.
All-wheel drive Q4 is also of great interest. As a lover and connoisseur of the Italian automotive industry, I know very well what the Q4 all-wheel drive on his Alfa Romeo Brera, which saved me in different situations. But there remained only a name. The system installed on the Maserati Ghibli, is quite different.
Under normal circumstances, it is 100% rear wheel drive, but if necessary, the time immediately transmitted to the front wheels — to a ratio of 50–50. Also, the system can track the time of Q4 and traction on each individual wheel. Something like? Well, of course! That is the same principle operates on the all-wheel drive cars Jaguar. It does not deprive potential rear-wheel drive car and playfulness at the same time gives the feel necessary support, corrects errors.
The city Ghibli behaves innocently like a nun. It is as if the masked among other vehicles, without causing attention. On medium speed engine sound also stands out from the crowd — quite an ordinary car. It is if you do not look closely. And this is his charm. It is indeed possible to go every day, without stress, fatigue.
New Riga. 90, 100, 110. 130. Where the speed? I do not feel it! And there is nothing that resembles even remotely the limit — an impression that the V6 can spin forever! Great effort is to keep yourself from having to not push the gas to the floor, the more I approach the need to go. Slightly sparkle, time to throw off the speed up to a hundred, turn, ready to catch the car in a rather narrow appendix, but... nothing happens. Ghibli did not seem to notice this change at all: it there just «sucked!»
Fantastic Q4 behaves less confident on snow and on wet pavement. Frankly, I have not received from driving such a pleasure.
As for the rest... Luxury car with a powerful engine in a measure, with a gorgeous chassis, with a large and comfortable interior. Is everything in it just as you want? But this never happens. Of course there are also fly in the ointment, but it's only two things you get used to that, and that is easy to accept. Button disable ecological function start / stop the engine at idle so hidden in an e-mail menu in the central display that just because it is almost impossible to find. We have a long look in the little book, or that it is easier to call for information to the dealer. The second time, again reminded me of the Mercedes. Ghibli have only one stalk lever, which concentrated all control functions — from the janitor to the lighting. But if the right is the Mercedes gearshift lever, the Maserati is nothing, just empty. I found it uncomfortable.
However, this pitch does not spoil the honey, but rather gives it spice on the palate. After all, when all «perfetto», it is boring and not at all in Italian.
