Sunday, March 9, 2014

Our New Ghibli At Home

 Well we did it.  After following the development of the Maserati Ghibli through design to pre-production testing to unveiling to Concours d'Elegance to production, we finally found the right one for us and bought it.  Here it is when we first pulled it into the driveway.
 This car is wonderful.  345 HP V6 with twin turbos.  0 to 60 in about five and a half seconds.  Very nice ride without being too soft or too harsh.  Very very pleasing to my eye.  And fits in the garage nicely.
 We are still learning all the controls, but it will be a labor of love learning them.  In case you're curious, the exterior color is Grigio Maratea and the interior color is Cuoio.






Buying The Ghibli

 We first went to the dealership in mid February - we were just checking to see if the rear seat was big enough to be acceptable and it was.  We did get to see a few of the available colors including Grigio Maratea on this car.
 My wife liked this color, and pretty much eliminated the colors on the cars around it.
 We had mixed feelings on the Cuoio interior color.  We liked this color when we saw it in Monterey last August,  but were a little reserved when we saw it this time in February.
 We returned to the showroom this weekend for a test drive - and the Grigio Maratea Ghibli was still on the showroom floor, in the same position.

 This time, the Cuoio seat color looked very pleasing to our eyes.
 I had a list of what we wanted as options when we arrived, hoping that as weeks passed they could keep their eye out for that combination.  But as we saw and touched some of those options that we listed in person,  our opinion changed.  The premium Sabbia leather we had originally preferred didn't really hit the spot with me,  and the 19" Poseidone wheels I had selected looked much better on the internet than they did in person.
 So we talked it through and slowly realized that the Grigio Maratea on the showroom floor, with the Cuoio seats and 20" Urano wheels, was very close to perfect.  It didn't have our preferred woodgrain in the interior, and had the Technology Package that we didn't want.  But other than that,  it was good to go.  So after the test drive, we started thinking about if it was the car for us.
 As we thought, we walked around the showroom.  Here are a few of the other cars on the floor.  We particularly liked this one - gorgeous!
 I had thought this Ghibli was silver, but come to find out it is the Champagne color.  I do believe I can see a slight pinkish tint to it now.  Funny how the mind works!
 My wife, walking around thinking it over...
 Look at the red interior on this one!
 The Grigio Maratea Ghibli looking good as always...
 We had also considered the Bronze color shown here, but when we saw it in person we decided it wasn't the color for us.
 Here is a black Ghibli with the 19" Poseidone wheels that look so great in photos.  I wasn't nearly as crazy about them in person.
 Another angle of the same wheels.
 The carbon fiber though was spectacular.
 After we agreed upon a price, they had to figure out a way to get our car off the showroom floor.  They actually had to only move two cars out of the way to do it.
 Getting a better angle on that door...
 Back it up...
 Almost in position...
Now they are ready.  It certainly looks like that car should not fit out that door...
 ...but it does.
 Finally out!
The last photo I took before they moved it around back to pick us up.

And last but not least,  two videos shot while driving it home...

Friday, March 7, 2014