A gust of greatness

Many modern cars are named in an alphanumeric jumble, which can occasionally confuse even an experienced motoring correspondent such as myself.

For example, the SLS AMG GT3 may be one of the best-looking cars in the word, but the name itself doesn’t stir any real emotion.

Giving beautiful cars befitting names is just one an area in which Maserati excels. The marque became known for naming its luxury cars after exotic winds and the new Ghibli is no exception.

Ghibli is a Mediterranean wind and a fitting name for this model. One minute it can gently whisper, the next, it will rock you like a hurricane and blow over anything in its path.

This Italian Stallion is nothing short of a masterpiece both inside and out. It retains the quintessential style and luxury drivers have come to expect from Maserati, yet somehow comes across as less ostentatious than the Quattroporte.

The finishes are stunning. Obviously it has all the usual gadgets and creature comforts you’d associate with a luxury marque - navigation, MP3, CD player, rear camera and parking sensors etc.

The infotainment features are controlled via the touch-screen nestled majestically in the centre stack.

This is what I like to call a ‘boss car’. When you drive it, you feel in charge and totally in control.

The experience begins when you hit a button on the key fob, which automatically starts the engine and gets the air conditioning going. Slip inside, tap the push-button ignition and you’re off with a roar.

Ghibli is at home in the city and comes alive on the highway, the best of both worlds. While driving this model I got an exhilarating feeling that lingered long after the drive had finished.

The note from the engine is pitch perfect and music to my ears; in fact, I’d attest it sounds more beautiful than the Three Tenors … sorry, Pavarotti.

The reason that the model excels is because of the stunning torque and raw power at its disposal. It takes torque to get a car moving but if you want to go faster it’s all about horsepower, of which this model has plenty.

Under the bonnet is a twin-turbo 326bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine.

Make no mistake about it, this model is a real head-turner. During a leisurely cruise around with GulfWeekly’s Chief Sub Editor Gopal Nambiar, a car pulled up beside us to gleefully ask about the mean machine. After a few envious glances, they gave us the thumbs up and off we went.

The handling in this model is beautiful; it takes corners confidently and with purpose. One of my favourite things about this model is that it’s big without being bulky and, because of this, it has a commanding presence on the road.

Despite its size, it doesn’t ever feel heavy or sluggish and with a tap of the ‘sport mode’ button its inner beast is unleashed.

This is a stunning car and fine addition to the range from the Italian automaker. To quote one of my favourite songs, when it comes to Maserati … ‘Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me’.

Prices start from BD28,995.

For details, call Euro Motors on 17750750.