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Ghibli PHEV will launch Maserati's electrification offensive

The hybrid variant of the Maserati Ghibli  announced in 2019 is allegedly scheduled to make its public debut during the 2020 Beijing Motor Show. The yet-unnamed model will launch the Italian brand's electrification offensive. Sources familiar with Maserati's plans told Automotive News Europe the Ghibli hybrid will greet the public for the first time when the Beijing show opens its doors on April 21. Going hybrid in China makes sense on several levels. It's an important market for Maserati, the current-generation Ghibli (pictured above) broke cover at the 2013 Shanghai auto show, yet it's a country it has struggled to gain a secure foothold in. Adding electrified options to its range could give its annual Chinese sales a big boost because officials are promoting cars with a plug to curb pollution. There's no word yet on what kind of hybrid technology the Ghibli will receive, though Automotive News Europe speculated it will be a plug-in setup capable of powering the sedan on electricity alone for short distances. Similarly, it's too early to tell if the Italian firm will drop a hybrid powertrain into the Ghibli as we know it and push it to the market, or if it will also make visual, tech, and other mechanical updates to the seven-year-old model. Maserati hasn't commented on the report, and it hasn't announced when the Ghibli hybrid will make its debut; it only pledged to release the model in 2020. Similarly, we don't know if the sedan will be sold in the United States yet. We've reached out to the company for clarification, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Looking ahead, every model Maserati releases will incorporate a degree of electrification. Some will be hybrids, we expect the existing Quattroporte and Levante models will receive gasoline-electric technology, and we know the replacements for the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio due out in 2021 and 2022, respectively, will be the firm's first battery-electric models. There's a new sports car right around the corner, too, and rumors indicate it will be aimed at the Lamborghini Huracan Evo, but we'll need to be patient to find out what's under the camouflage. Related Video:

2021 Maserati updates: Android Automotive infotainment, enhanced driver assists, design tweaks

A new infotainment system with a larger touchscreen highlights the changes to the 2021 Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte, while the Levante SUV makes do with a minor update to its existing system as well as styling tweaks. The major changes are concentrated on the interior. The Ghibli and Quattroporte ditch their former Uconnect-based infotainment systems for an all-new system using Android Automotive software, and screen size grows from 8.4 inches to 10.1 inches with higher resolution and a frameless design. A Maserati Connect app is available for smartphones and smartwatches and also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Levante retains its 8.4-inch unit but with improved resolution. The interiors of all three models also see an upgrade to the instrument cluster. The cluster's driver-information display gets enhanced resolution, while the gauges are redesigned for a more premium appearance. And the plastic covering over the instruments has been replaced with glass. The sedans and SUV also add a new Advanced Driving Assist. The semi-autonomous lane-centering feature works in conjunction with the adaptive cruise control. It's basically an evolution of the existing Highway Assist, the difference being its ability to work on more secondary roads rather than just major highways. Finally, all three models get new grille designs (available in chrome or black) and new taillights with what Maserati describes as a "boomerang" graphic, inspired by the 3200 GT coupe. Related video:  

Maserati adding two more high-performance Trofeo models to the lineup

Two years ago, Maserati introduced its first high-performance Trofeo trim level to the 2019 Levante crossover. With its 590-horsepower twin-turbo V8, it became the most powerful Maserati in the lineup. It seems it will have company soon, as Maserati teased on Twitter the addition of Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo sedans. Besides announcing the new models, the company released a single teaser image and a reveal date. We can infer some things based on the existing Levante Trofeo, though. The Quattroporte Trofeo will undoubtedly get the same 590-horsepower V8, since it already has a low-output 523-horsepower version of the engine. The Ghibli could possibly get the V8, too, since it shares its basic underpinnings with the other two cars. Having a 590-horsepower compact sports sedan would be quite the feather in Maserati's cap, since it would outgun everything else in the segment. That being said, even lower-output versions of the V8 in the Ghibli would be exciting. These Trofeo models will also let the world know they're the fastest versions of their respective nameplates. The Levante Trofeo features the most aggressive bodywork of any Levante, and that will surely translate to the sedans. Hopefully Maserati will also see fit to provide the Trofeo sedans with upgraded suspension and brakes to handle the extra power. We should have most of the details soon. The reveal date for these high-speed Maseratis is August 10. Related Video: