Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna
Contributed by Shereen Shabnam
Maserati’s latest addition to its model range, the Maserati Ghibli, is a four-door sports executive sedan and first E-segment model by the Italian luxury brand. What is exciting about this model is that my favourite menswear designer, Ermenegildo Zegna has been involved with the Interiors, which are available in three colour variants.
In line with Maserati’s long tradition of naming cars after winds, the name “Ghibli” originates from hot and dry, dust-bearing desert wind descending from the interior highlands of Libya toward the Mediterranean Sea.
With over a hundred years’ experience each; both Maserati and Zegna’s legacies are proof that attention to detail and visionary innovation create beautiful design. Never before has this been truer, with the partnership between the two Italian companies creating bespoke interiors for the Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante models.
As expected, Maserati Ghibli is the most exquisite of all Maserati customisations as the interiors designed by Zegna is an exclusive, one-of-a-kind design that combines the best of automotive engineering with some of the finest Italian influenced interiors in cars. And with exceptional handling qualities and outstanding performance, the Ghibli appeals to the heart, the head and the soul.
Having met Ermenegildo Zegna and his wonderful creative family before in LA, I can vouch for the quality and excellence he and his team seek in everything they conceptualise. Like Maserati, Zegna looks back at over 100 years of Italian heritage and today is one of the leading luxury menswear brands creating the world’s finest textiles. A 100% natural fibre Zegna Mulberry silk was developed in cooperation with Maserati and combined with fine leather to create the Ermenegildo Zegna Interiors.
The specialized Ermenegildo Zegna silk cloth, always in Anthracite colour, can be combined with three different shades of luxurious fine leather, for three individual looks in Black, Natural, and Red. The outsides of the seats are created in extra fine grain leather and combined with central inserts in Anthracite silk with a micro-chevron weave with a vertical roll pattern on the seats and backrests. The mid-section features a special macro-chevron weave with leather applications on either side adding to its three-dimensional feel and technical look.
On the door panels, the central parts are covered with Zegna Silk Jersey and embellished by a diagonal roll pattern, with tone-in-tone ornamental stitching and alternating rib embroideries. The seat covers and door panels receive an added touch of luxury with stitching in a contrasting light grey colour.
With the Ghibli, the Italian marque produces two concurrent four-door sedan models for the first time in its 100-year history. Both versions of the petrol range, Ghibli and Ghibli S, feature a new-generation twin turbo-charged 3.0-litre V6 engine and an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. With its power output of 410 hp the Ghibli S races to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 285 km/h. The Ghibli delivers 330 hp, a top speed of 263 km/h and acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. The Ghibli S Q4 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds up to a top speed of 284 km/h.
Key elements inside include the 8.4″ Maserati Touch Control, the 10-speaker premium Harman Kardon sound system or the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins high end audio system, Blind Spot Alert, Siri integration, WLAN based WiFi and a wide range of customization options that cater for the most demanding individuals.
The Ghibli indeed is a car that places no limits on its driver’s desires and preferences, revolutionising the concept of customisation in the sports sedan segment.
