Can Maserati's hybrid be awesome in Manila?
When people who come into some money look for a car, the typical choice is to go German: Mercedes, Audi, or BMW. That's really the mindset in our market, much more so than going for something British car like a Jag or going for a premium American car like a Cadillac, or Italian.
That, of course, isn't a bad thing. What we like about the Ghibli is the curb appeal. It just looks more suave, curvaceous than its German contemporaries, and definitely classy for a rear-wheel-drive Euro saloon car. The Ghibli just makes you want to explore places or drop by the yacht club rather than park at your designated slot at a corporate center and attend a board meeting. That's the appeal.
That's not to say it's underwhelming. Step inside the car and you're met by a supple leather interior with a uniquely Italian approach to aesthetics and details. They're not trying to achieve something edgy or avant-garde here. It just seems cozy, warm, and premium. Even though this car -historically- is nicely suited for long drives on the highway or on scenic mountain roads, the Ghibli Hybrid actually makes for a good drive in town and traffic too. The electric drive of the hybrid system may not be the kind that can totally take over propulsion duties in traffic, but it does give the engine time to rest when stopped at a set of lights. That saves quite a bit of fuel; in my time with the car, I was averaging about 5.