2022 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo

The Maserati Ghibli Trofeo is an Italian car - or is it? In the past, Maserati has received a lot of criticism for sharing parts within the FCA Group, now known as Stellantis. We understand the complaint, as nothing ruins your day quite like finding out that your $100,000 Maserati has the same infotainment system as a $30,000 Chrysler 300. The latter criticism is no longer relevant, though, as the Ghibli received a welcome technology update last year. Some of the cheaper Stellantis switchgear remains, however, which isn't ideal when you're going up against dominant players like the BMW M5. Maserati's Ghibli has been with us since 2014, so it should have bowed out gracefully by now. Instead, the Italian brand is doubling down by bolting a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged Ferrari-sourced V8 under the hood of the Ghibli Trofeo. Is this 580-horsepower V8 enough to save the Ghibli, or should Maserati do what Elsa did, and just let it go?

Italians do everything with a bit of flair, which is most evident when you look at the Ghibli. It doesn't fade into the background like some common German executive express. You get the sense that a group of Italian guys spent months in a smoky room railing expressos to get the curvature of the rear haunches just right. The result is plain to see: Like it or not, you can't deny that the Ghibli is at least the most exciting car to look at in this particular segment. The Trofeo comes standard with 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive full-LED matrix headlights, and a front grille with piano black vertical bars instead of the usual chrome used by the rest of the range. It also has carbon fiber on the front air ducts, a lighting bolt on the famous Trident badge on the C-pillars, and functional air ducts on the hood. Quad exhaust outlets complete the aggressive and distinctive appearance, which even manages to make a statement in white paint. Red brake calipers are standard but can be switched out for black or yellow.

The new Maserati Ghibli Trofeo slots perfectly into the midsize executive express class with a 118-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 195.7 inches. It's 76.6 inches wide (83.8 inches including the mirrors) and stands 57.5 inches tall. Base and all-wheel-drive models in the standard Ghibli range weigh in the 4,000-pound region, but the fitment of a V8 takes the curb weight up to over 4,300 lbs for the Trofeo. The twin-turbo V8 delivers more than enough power to make up for the additional fat, however.

With such a striking exterior, we were expecting an impressive color palette. Unfortunately, the exterior color selection for the Trofeo is more limited than the standard range. Bianco (white) is the only no-cost option. Metallic colors retail for $1,200 and the options include Nero Ribelle, Grigio Maratea, Grigio, and Blu Emozione. The Bianco Alpi option costs $2,700. You can play around with the wheels and brake calipers to make it more interesting. We think the Ghibli looks at its best in Bianco (white) with 21-inch gloss black forged wheels and red brake calipers. All the brake caliper options (black, yellow, and red) come with Maserati script.

The Ghibli Trofeo relies heavily on its Italian heritage to make a case for its existence, so we're happy to report that Maserati turned to the most famous Modena-based brand for an engine. Ferrari gave Maserati permission to use its 3.8L twin-turbo V8, and the result is 580 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the previous Ghibli halo model, the Trofeo sends all of this power to the rear wheels. Maserati claims a 0-60 mph time of four seconds and a top speed of 203 mph.

The front-engine rear-wheel-drive formula is considered old-school these days, especially considering how much horsepower modern family sedans have at their disposal. The BMW M5 has AWD to tame its 600-hp engine. This AWD system also provides more traction off the line, which means the BMW can easily sprint to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds.

The Maserati is the fastest at the top end, however. The Ghibli doesn't have a limiter, which means it can keep going all the way to its actual top speed of 203 mph. We don't doubt for a second that the German rivals are capable of more, but those are the facts. A Ghibli owner can rightfully claim that their car is faster than the M5 and E63, although finding the space to safely prove that point will be just about impossible.

The Maserati's 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 is mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic. This is good news because it's fundamentally the same gearbox used in the M5 and a bunch of other performance cars. When tuned correctly, it works beautifully. We were expecting the Italians to get this bit wrong. While they have a long history of producing beautiful cars with epic engines, they always seem to struggle with the finer details. We're happy to report that we were wrong because the gearbox does its job flawlessly.

The Trofeo is meant to have a split personality, like every other performance sedan in this segment. In the Comfort driving mode, the gear changes are only noticeable via exhaust noise. You can hear the V8 run up to just below loud and shouty, then it shifts up, and the bass drops for a second or so. In the Corsa dynamic mode, the gearbox hangs on for a bit longer, allowing the engine to release its angry cry at the world properly. Unfortunately, you don't get that famous Ferrari soundtrack. The 3.8-liter engine may be Ferrari-sourced, but it has been neutered somewhat. There are numerous differences between this engine and the updated 3.9-liter Ferrari uses in most of its products these days. The biggest of them all is the crankshaft. Maserati uses a cross-plane, while Ferrari sticks with a flat-plane - you can see the results on paper. The Maserati produces 580 hp at 6,750 rpm and 538 lb-ft of torque from 2,250 rpm. The Ferrari engine will happily spin to 8,000 rpm, and that's glorious but not ideal in a luxury car where low-down torque is preferable. We would have liked to experience the full-fat 661-hp Ferrari version of this engine, but we understand why Maserati made the changes.

We know this might sound odd, but the Maserati feels more like a muscle car than a finely-tuned performance sedan. First, there's the launch control. It's your basic left foot on the brake, right foot on the throttle setup, but it's not as advanced as the more modern offerings. While most modern cars will shoot off the line without the tires chirping, the Maserati still allows for some spinning. You can feel the limited-slip differential working before it hurls you at the horizon.

Before we go any further, it's worth remembering that this is not a track car. Both its German rivals would have no trouble decimating it on a track. Their AWD systems allow them to slingshot out of a corner while the Ghibli is still trying its best to find some grip. It's not without its charms, though. The steering is rapid and precise but lacks feel. The chassis is nicely balanced, however. In Corsa mode, it will understeer at the limit, which gives you one of two options. Either back off or give it the boot and get the rear out. The Ghibli is easy to handle in both scenarios.

If anything, this Maserati is even better at going slow. In the ICE driving mode, the entire car is more relaxed. It's a carefree cruiser with no hints that it has 580 somewhat neutered Italian horses underneath the hood. The suspension soaks up the bumps, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the fact that you own a Maserati. The question is, does that still mean something?

With a Ferrari engine comes Ferrari fuel consumption. At least the Ghibli is more or less on par in the segment and only slightly better at destroying gas than the BMW. The EPA-estimated figures for the Ghibli Trofeo are 13/20/16 mpg city/highway/combined. BMW's M5 manages 17 mpg on the combined cycle. Thankfully, the Ghibli has a sizable 21.1-gallon fuel tank, allowing it to cruise for 338 miles between refills.

We hate to keep harping on about this, but Maserati did its cars a massive disservice using switchgear from lesser Stellantis models. Parts sharing is nothing new, and Maserati isn't the only guilty party but there is a way to do it right. The Volkswagen Group is the perfect example. The Audi Q8 and Lamborghini Urus share some switchgear but because the VAG group builds components to a certain standard, it doesn't feel out of place in a Lambo. The Ghibli's interior is hit and miss. We like the steering wheel and the column-mounted paddles. The high-end clock mounted on top of the dashboard is a nice touch, and the seat upholstery is magnificent. Most of the interior surfaces are also covered in high-quality materials.

We get the argument that most Maserati owners likely have no idea that the Dodge Durango exists, but successful people tend to fly around a lot. What happens when said wealthy individual is saddled with a rental-spec Dodge and notices the similarities? The larger 10.1-inch touchscreen with its Maserati-specific graphics is a nice touch. Still, we couldn't help but see that this new UConnect 5 system is slowly being introduced into lesser Stellantis products like the Durango.

Maserati doesn't supply exact figures, but its wheelbase is long enough to accommodate four adults easily. The rear center seat is best used on shorter trips and is only suitable for children. Headroom and legroom are ample both front and rear. The front row boasts a set of sporty bucket seats with decent bolstering going up to the shoulders. Getting in and out is easy enough in front but the small rear doors make it harder to get inside than in an E-Class or 5 Series. Once inside, there's little to complain about.

The Trofeo comes standard with extended leather with contrast stitching or Pieno Fiore natural leather upholstery, available in a small selection of color combinations. The color choices here are Nero/Grigio, Nero/Rosso, and Rosso/Nero. Beyond the main upholstery choices, Maserati offers a lot more customization of the cabin. An Interior Carbon Fiber package is an option and adds racy column-mounted paddle shifters in carbon fiber and door sills in the same material. An Alcantara headliner and pillars can also be equipped for $1,000 more.

The Ghibli has a large 17.7 cubic foot trunk, which is more than the BMW 5 Series (14 cubes) and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (13.1 cubes). When last did you hear an Italian car being praised for being the most practical car in its class? The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split, allowing you to carry whatever Maserati owners carry regularly. Golf bags, most likely.

Interior storage is also excellent. It has deep but slim door pockets, good storage space underneath the center armrest, two cupholders next to the shifter, and another set of cupholders in the rear center fold-down armrest.

The Ghibli costs more than the equivalent BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but Maserati includes a long list of standard features to make up for this. As standard, the Trofeo gets adaptive LED headlamps, keyless entry and push-button start, parking sensors front and rear, a surround-view monitor, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, a cooled storage compartment underneath the center armrest, dual-zone climate control, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 12-way power-adjustable front buckets seats that are both heated and ventilated. The driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist.

The 2022 Ghibli Trofeo is equipped with a new 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high-resolution graphics and the MIA (Maserati Intelligent Assistant) multimedia system. This interface does a lot to elevate the Ghibli's interior. It's a shared part, already available in other Stellantis products like the Dodge Durango. We're more impressed with this unit, as it's more befitting of a car in this price league. The Maserati graphics work well, and the unit is equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, HD Radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. As standard, it's connected to a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, but a more powerful Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system with 1,280 watts of punch and 15 speakers is available.

As you'd expect from an Italian car, the Ghibli had more than its fair share of recalls. The 2022 Ghibli remains recall-free but the 2021 model was recalled for incorrect tire pressures, an automatic locking retractor malfunction that affects child seats, and a fuel line sensor housing that may leak. It's not clear if these issues pertain to the Trofeo model or not.

Should anything go wrong, the 2022 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo is covered by a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and this also applies to the drivetrain for added peace of mind regarding reliability. This warranty period also includes roadside assistance. There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance, however.

The NHTSA has not subjected the Maserati Ghibli Trofeo to review for 2022, nor has it crash-tested any earlier iterations either. The IIHS only did a partial review. The sports sedan received 'Good' ratings for roof strength, head restraints and seats, side impact, and moderate overlap front crash tests. These results should apply to the high-performance Trofeo as well.

Ghibli Trofeo sports car models get the full traditional and driver assistance features as standard. It boasts seven airbags, adaptive traction and stability control, tire pressure monitoring, front and rear park assist, and a surround-view camera system. The driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, and traffic sign recognition.

The standard Ghibli range is a collection of handsome cars that are more expensive yet not quite as good as their direct rivals. Unfortunately, the same is true of the Trofeo model. You do get a 580-hp twin-turbocharged V8 with Ferrari roots, but that's not quite good enough in a world where cars with more than 600 horses are the norm. You can also opt for a less powerful but more engaging Porsche Panamera 4S. And let's not forget about the extremely handsome and mighty Audi RS6 Avant, which, to our eyes, looks even better than the Ghibli. You won't be buying a Ghibli using only logic. Emotion plays a huge role, especially when it comes to Italian cars.

There is another Italian thorn in Maserati's side, however. While Maserati has slowly wasted away over the years, its annoying little brother has been producing a series of magnificent vehicles. We're talking about Alfa Romeo. The Giulia Quadrifoglio blew everyone away in 2017, and even today, it's a better, more rounded car than the Ghibli. It might play in a segment below, but you could almost buy a Guilia QV and a Ti trim Stelvio SUV and end up paying around the same as you would for the Ghibli, give or take a few optional extras. We suppose the Ghibli is a good car in isolation, but the allure of the competition is just too strong. Not even a Ferrari heart transplant is enough to keep it relevant.

The price of the Maserati Ghibli Trofeo for 2022 is $112,700, excluding the $1,495 destination charge in the USA. To put that into context, a BMW M5 retails for $103,700. The BMW M550i xDrive is also faster and delivers a similar driving experience for $76,800.

There is only one Trofeo model, and it sits at the top of the Ghibli range. It's equipped with a Ferrari-sourced 3.8-liter V8 engine packing 580 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. This power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. A limited-slip differential is standard.

The Trofeo comes standard with a leather interior and an all-new 10.1-inch infotainment system, elevating it above previous Ghiblis. This new infotainment system boasts Apple CarPlay and is mated to a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

As the halo model, it comes with most of the available features as standard. On the driver assistance side, this includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and traffic sign recognition. The standard luxury and practicality items include adaptive LED headlamps, keyless entry, push-button start, Inox sport pedals, parking sensors front and rear, a surround-view camera system, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, dual-zone climate control, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 12-way power-adjustable front buckets seats that are both heated and ventilated.

Several standalone options are available. The more powerful Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system costs $2,500, and an Alcantara headliner adds $1,000 to the price. Power-adjustable foot pedals cost $400.

There are two packages available. The Interior Carbon Fiber package adds carbon fiber paddles and door sills for $1,100. The $700 Climate package includes heated windshield washer nozzles, heated rear seats, and a power rear sunblind. Finally, a full carbon fiber kit for the exterior will add $2,500 to the bill.

There's only one model, but we'll explore all the options. We'd go for the Bianco Alpi exterior hue, with 21-inch black forged alloy wheels and red brake calipers. The carbon fiber interior package and the Bowers & Wilkens surround-sound system are other additions we'd add. Configured in this way, the Trofeo will cost $120,100 excluding the destination charge.

The Quattroporte is the Ghibli's bigger brother. It's also available with the 580-hp V8, but in Trofeo guise, it costs $145,900. You can, however, get into a Quattroporte S for a little less than a Ghibli Trofeo. The Quattroporte Modena uses a twin-turbocharged V6 producing 424 hp, which gets it to 60 mph in around five seconds. Since the QP is more of a BMW 7 Series rival, you get more comfort and space than in the Ghibli. The 2022 Quattroporte also has the new 10.1-inch infotainment system.

While the Ghibli Trofeo may not be as sporty as you'd expect, it's the other way around with the QP. It has a firmer, more engaging suspension setup than a 7 Series or an S-Class. Like the Panamera, it's a luxury barge that doesn't mind being chucked into a corner. To us, Maserati's design language also works better on the elongated Quattroporte body. All things considered, we'd have the larger, more prestigious Quattroporte.

This car came out of nowhere and blew everyone away. BMW had to launch an entirely new M3 to upstage it - which it only just did, mind you. The Giulia has everything we love about Italian cars. A beautiful body, a magnificent engine, and the kind of handling that leads to bad behavior. The 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 is one of the best ICE engines on offer today. It produces 505 hp, which is down on power compared to the Ghibli's 580 hp, but the Alfa does a better job of using said power. It gets to 60 mph in a Trofeo-beating 3.8 seconds. The second part of Alfa's fantastic recipe is the handling. It's got razor-sharp steering coupled with excellent damping and the kind of agility that makes BMW engineers jealous. Choosing between these two cars is easy. We'd get the Alfa in a heartbeat.