Maserati Ghibli - Ghibli II

Ghibli II

The Ghibli name was resurrected in 1992 with the release of the Maserati Ghibli II. The Ghibli II appeared with updated Maserati Biturbo engines: a 2.0 litre V6, with the highest output, for the Italian and European markets and a 2.8 litre V6 for other countries, operated via a six-speed manual transmission (early 2.8 cars have a 5 speed manual) or 4 speed automatic. The two-door, four-seater coupé was similar in appearance to Maserati Shamal, as both were an evolution of the previous Biturbo coupe. The Ghibli shows its Biturbo heritage in the doors, interior, and basic bodyshell, which were carried over from the Biturbo.

In 1994, the car was revised. A refreshed interior, new wheels, a fully adjustable electronic suspension and ABS brakes were added. Another round of improvements resulted in the Ghibli GT in 1996. It was fitted with spoked alloy 17" wheels, and had suspension and transmission modifications.

The coupe was built for luxury as well as performance. The car featured a Connolly Leather interior with burl elm trim.

The final year of production for the Ghibli II was 1997. It was replaced in the Maserati lineup by the 3200 GT the following year.

Several special edition models were produced by Maserati. The first was the Ghibli KS (Kit Sportivo), followed by the race version Ghibli Open Cup which featured improved power through roller-bearing turbos, a freer-flowing exhaust, and remapped fuel computers. The Cup also featured a toned-down carbon fiber-trimmed interior with aluminum pedals and a MOMO steering wheel, and the drivetrain included tweaked suspension and Brembo brakes. To celebrate the world speed record on water, Maserati made a further 35 special edition Ghiblis called the Ghibli Primatist, featuring bright blue paintwork and blue / turquoise leather.

At the time the Ghibli Cup had the highest ever per litre power output of any street legal car, surpassing the Bugatti EB110, and Jaguar XJ220.

The racing version Ghibli Open Cup is highly sought after by collectors today. In 1996, the car received a modification upgrade, resulting in similar track times to those of the Ferrari 355 Challenge. After the end of the 1995 racing season, several of the original 23 cars were used in national GT events.