In a sign of fast-changing times, the Maserati Ghibli has joined the mild-hybrid club. But This is no V6 twin-turbo affair, it’s strictly a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine. However, the 48-volt mild-hybrid system delivers a not too disappointing 330bhp and 450 (332 lb-ft). But here’s the issue with small capacity engines trying to do the work of a larger capacity, six-cylinder engine or even eight-cylinder. You lose that accessibility throughout the rev and gear range. Nevertheless, this is the future of Maserati. For now. Eventually, a future Maserati powertrain will become pure electric.

But this announcement is what it is. Maserati’s mild-hybrid system incorporates an e-Booster. Think of the e-Booster as a kind of electric supercharger. Which is good because Maserati’s have always been associated with high performance. the eBooster, says Maserati, boosts performance while improving efficiency. This version weighs about 80 kg less than the Diesel.

The Maserati Ghibli achieves a top speed of 158mph (255 km/h) and accelerates from 0 to 62mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds. Fuel economy comes in at between 27.6 and 24.5 mpg which is not that efficient for a modern 2.0-litre petrol. The Audi A6, for example, achieves 38mpg on a combined cycle. our long term Arteon 2.0-litre TSi, without any mild hybrid system, can do 51mpg.

On the exterior, the blue colour characterizes the three iconic side air ducts, the brake calipers and the thunderbolt in the oval that encloses the Trident on the rear pillar. The same blue colour reappears inside the car, in particular on the embroidered seams of the seats. New styling elements are introduced, from the new front grille, with bars redesigned to represent a tuning fork,

The rear light clusters have been completely restyled, with a boomerang-like profile inspired by the 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car. The Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system (available in 8”4 to 10”1 screen sizes) is latest-generation, based on digital inputs from Android Automotive.