Maserati adds powerful Trofeo motor to Ghibli and Quattroporte

Maserati’s Trofeo brand is set to grow with the addition of two sports sedans – the Ghibli and Quattroporte – to join the current Levante Trofeo.

The Trofeo marks the first time any Ghibli sedan has been fitted with a turbocharged V8, which it now shares with all the vehicles in the Trofeo collection.

In typical Italian fashion, the country’s flag is reflected in the choice of launch colours – a white Levante, red Ghibli and green Quattroporte.

So what about that V8? It’s a compact 3.8-litre unit which is supplemented by two turbochargers, that means outputs of 433kW and 730Nm. The engine is built to Maserati’s specifications but at Ferrari’s plant.

There’s a ZF eight-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels, so the Quattroporte is good for a 0-100km/h of 4.5 seconds, with the lighter Ghibli Trofeo knocking two tenths off that time. It might surprise some, but the Levante’s all-wheel-drive system means a standard sprint as fast as 3.9 seconds. Impressive.

The two sedans are capable of a 326km/h top speed, according to Maserati. Though we can’t recommend trying to reach that number on the Australian public highway.

For those in the market for super saloons like the BMW M5 Competition and RS7 Sportback, the Ghibli Trofeo offers a left-of-field choice as the Giulia Quadrifoglio does in the class below. The powerhouse Quattroporte deals with a size class above – think Porsche Panamera or Mercedes-AMG S63.

Once behind the wheel of the Trofeo models that powerhouse V8 will be a pretty obvious tell-tale. Car-spotters will be able to tell by the dark-chrome in place of glitzy shine, piano black grille, carbon-fibre front splitter and distinctive 21-inch alloy wheels.

There’s some serious work done to the taillights. Maserati has looked into the back-catalogue and adapted the ‘boomerang’ lights of the 3200GT for both of the new sedans. We like it.

Gloss red highlights appear on the C-pillar and around the vents on the front guards, too. Small changes to the exterior of the regular Ghibli and Quattroporte add up to a remarkably more sinister vehicle, the black diffuser at the rear doesn’ hurt, either.

Plenty of carbon-fibre trim will greet those who sit in a Trofeo Maserati – it’s everywhere from the centre console to trim inserts. Maserati has fitted the sedans with 10.1-inch touchscreens to control the infotainment system.

There’s also a Corsa button to be found which will prime throttle and steering responses. A launch control appears for the first time in the Ghibli and Quattroporte, too.

Safety systems include the usual AEB with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist with Maserati claiming improved functionality on highways and in cities.

As for pricing, the Quattroporte Trofeo will undoubtedly command a premium over the current $299,990 ($324,677 driveaway) GTS – so upwards of $300,000 before driveaway costs. The smaller Ghibli Trofeo is likely to eclipse the current most expensive $184,990 ($203,926) V6 powered Ghibli S.