When I was recently on a series of road trips, one thing that struck me was how few cars turned my head. That was quite a change from when I was a kid, when catching sight of a Jaguar XK-E, a Studebaker Avanti or a Continental Mark II would be an event.
Perhaps this change partly reflects that I am getting old and have developed a “seen it all” mentality, but I would also suggest that automotive styling has become more conformist in recent decades (go here for further discussion).
Thus, it was interesting to come across a Maserati Ghibli. Part of what made it stand out to me was that the traditional sports sedan is an endangered species in a parking lot mainly filled with sport-utility vehicles.
In addition, there’s the “exclusivity” of the Maserati brand, which has never gained much traction in the United States.
I am frankly not sure how to react to the Ghibli’s styling. It has a reasonable degree of individuality without suffering from the sci-fi zaniness of so many higher-priced Asian luxury sedans such as the Lexus LS 500 or Infiniti Q50.
At the same time, at least to my eyes the Ghibli does not exude the timeless styling of an early Jaguar XJ or an Iso Rivolta Fidia.
Even so, I feel like I should give Maserati points for trying. For example, the fascia strikes me as being much more appealing than BMW’s recent toothy beaver look.
Meanwhile, the rear quarter offers a better balance of luxury and sportiness than the Mercedes CLS, with its overly fastback shape. And while the taillights have a fairly generic quality, they don’t look quite as tacked on as they do on a Cadillac CT4 or CT5.
Perhaps the Ghibli is more understated than so many contemporary luxury cars partly because of its age. The car was introduced in 2013 (Wikipedia, 2025). However, the Ghibli’s larger sibling, the Quattroporte, was redesigned at the same time but has a more bloated appearance.
I doubt the Quattroporte would had drawn me to stop and take a few photos. The Ghibli has a cleaner, more purposeful stance that says “Maserati” to me. And while stylistic details such as portholes can be a little busy, the car hints of a time when Italian design took the world by storm. In a small and not fully satisfying way the Ghibli awakens my sense of nostalgia.
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- Wikipedia; 2025. “Maserati Ghibli.” Page last modified June 16.
I see one occasionally in the maintenance employee’s parking lot at a local park. What’s the used car value on them? One problem here in ‘Murica is those three portholes just shout Buick LeSabre.
If you took the portholes off and removed the Maserati trident, you might think this car was the result of an Infiniti mating with a Buick.
Perhaps I’ve lowered my expectations too much. I find that the overall proportions look a bit more sporting than the usual front-wheel-drive sedan. I particularly like the treatment of the C-pillar and the fascia. But, yes, it doesn’t dazzle like an early XJ.
Thanks for posting this piece! You’ve put into words what has gnawed at me since this cohort of Maserati’s were introduced. They are significantly better than the other cars on the market, but just OK when seen in the context of automotive styling since 1960.
The Fisker Karma and Jaguar F-Type roadster are relatively recent designs that have caused similar thoughts….
My favourite sports sedan is the first generation (2007-2015) Jaguar XF, both the “bulging circle headlights” model and the streamlined facelifted version. I find the roofline, C-pillar and rear treatment outstanding, in the context of a car that still has to offer a decent trunk (boot in the UK).
The Ghibli suffers from a somewhat heavy-looking rear end but is certainly a much more tidy and put-together design compared to almost anything between 2013 and 2020-ish. That fuzziness element, especially by Toyota and Honda, has fortunately been dialled down significantly (the new Prius is a looker).
I find this Ghibli not bad but not great either. It is not as good as the 4P but the Ghibli has a tighter package to “dress”. The good news is the design didn’t get wonky with lines and forms that have no relationship to other elements. It is best in the side view with the rear being fairly generic. The front is, at best, sort of OK.