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Can any new owners comment on getting used to the joystick shifter? My guess is if you just tap tap tap should be easy...............is it a hard transition?
Or don't cut corners and raise the price! Honestly, I will pay the extra $10-20k for bespoke interior fit and finish, better sound system, etc. The S Q4 had almost all I want in a daily, just shake out the Chrysler gunk and please for the love of God just steal the HUD and iDrive from BMW. These changes would also guarantee exclusivity, which IMO Maserati absolutely must maintain.I wish Maserati designed their own bespoke, cool shifter for this car and used that corner to cut elsewhere..
Well I understand your pov, but I disagree with your reasoning. I don't want a QP, regardless of price. It's just too large and doesn't handle like the Ghibli. I want the Ghibli, but more refined like the BMW 650 GC. That is the target market for the S Q4 and Maserati fell a little short. The 650's base is a bit more than the S Q4 too, so I think there's room for Maserati to grow its base price and accommodate 6-series customers who'll be expecting more for more. Purely from a driving perspective Maserati has an excellent contender for the 6 GC, but on the whole there are too many cut corners IMHO. Now I'm not saying I'd rather be driving a 650; I likes my S Q4! But as it stands i don't think the Maserati brand is quite enough to sway the average 650 buyer. (drops mic and walks off stage).if the car was 10K or 20K more it would be out of range of their target market. It would be a QP.
Unless... Maserati is marketing it as a direct competitor to those cars and as a daily driver, which it is!Like a Ferrari, a Maserati is purchased for the feel, performance, engine, mechanical bits, design and emotion…you CAN NOT compare it feature for feature on a spec sheet with a mass produced car like a Audi, BMW or Mercedes;
I never said "weekend" but it IS a boutique car. As a boutique car, you have quality issues. Look at Jaguar who has grown up over the years, but remember them 10 or 20 years ago when they were a tiny brand like Maserati? Yet owners knew the quirkiness of owning one and accepted it in trade off for a wonderful driving experience. Porsche was EXACTLY the same way until the late 90s and arguably even up until the last 5 years.Unless... Maserati is marketing it as a direct competitor to those cars and as a daily driver, which it is!
The Ghibli is not intended to be a weekend boutique car where quirks and quality issues tend to be more or less overlooked. It is competing directly with the high end, four door models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Porche. Trust me, quality counts in this segment. Right now Maserati is leveraging all its brand can muster and it's working -- for now. Alas, the party will be over soon and it will be judged tit for tat against those German models...
You are very wrong and there is no war with the Germans. If anyone, Maserati is going after Jaguar who, up for debate, is still somewhat of a boutique brand. The Ghibli is way more a boutique car then a mass produced car like a A7, 6 series or CLS. Get it out of your mind if you think they compete in the same manner a of a brand who sells literally 100x what Maserati sells based mostly on amenities and price…Maserati is NOT going after soccer moms and older folks…if YOU understand the market, you will understand the positioning Maserati is focused on.I'll say it one more time:
Maserati is marketing the Ghibli as a direct competitor to the German executive lineup.
The Ghibli is no more a boutique car than a 6-series, A7, or the like. This is war with the Germans. Get it out of your mind that the Ghibli is an exotic car, it's not. Once you understand the marketing segment the Ghibli is priced toward, it will all come together regarding where Maserati needs to make adjustments.
Of course, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong.