First pictures of the Maserati Ghibli

Maserati has released the first pictures of its new Ghibli, a sporty four door saloon car. It sits below the Quattroporte in Maserati’s range, and is designed to compete with cars like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF. It will go on sale in the UK in September with prices expected to start at around £50,000.

The big news is that it will be available with a diesel engine - a first for a Maserati. The 3.0-litre V6 gets an eight-speed automatic gearbox and with 270PS it promises to offer the performance you'd expect from a Maserati. It's not borrowed from another manufacturer though, it's Maserati's own and will be built at the Ferrari factory.

Alongside the diesel will be two versions of a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol with either 330PS in the lower powered version or 410PS in the top version. The standard set-up is rear-wheel drive but Q4 four-wheel drive will also be available on top spec versions.

The Ghibli is certainly distinctive, with a long bonnet and short rear-end. The aggressive front end features angular headlights similar to those seen on the new Quattroporte and the grille and wing vents echo those of the sporty, V8-powered Gran Turismo. The interior sports carbon-fibre and red leather to complete the Maserati look.

Next year will also see another new Maserati - the Levante - a large SUV designed to compete with the BMW X5.