The first Maserati was made in 1926 because of the suspension of race-car production by an Italian carmaker - Diatto. And ever since, the winds have been blowing strong for Maserati. This exotic Italian automaker is known for slapping Ferrari-made engines into practical packages.

And the Ghibli is currently their entry-level offering, which started as a wedgy grand tourer in the late 1960s. It was just 5 inches higher than the Ford GT40 of the time, and that should give you an idea of how sporty it was. The Ghibli has been around for around 55 years, and it has had a rather rocking yet fruitful history.

It started as a wedgy creation by the great Giorgetto Giugiaro before Marcello Gandini confused us with a squared-out iteration of this exotic Italian. Despite being over 55 years old, the Ghibli has gone through just 3 generation upgrades and the third is destined to be it's last as well! It was always intended to be a sports tourer and along the way, it added 2 more doors. This might be one of the few automobiles that still has a timeless appeal in the modern world.

We take you down the rough and bold history that has made the Maserati Ghibli wiser by 55 years.

1st-Gen Maserati Ghibli: Giorgetto Giugiaro's Wedgy Masterpiece

1966 Maserati Ghibli front third quarter view
via: Maserati

The Ghibli started life as a 2-door grand-tourer with a V8 heart. It was one of the first design marvels done by Giorgetto Giugiaro and its timeless appeal to date showcases the Giugiaro magic. The first-gen Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973) was the only one to come with pop-up headlamps and a wedgy form factor.

1971 Maserati Ghibli engine bay view
ClassiccarsalesUSA

The base engine was a front-mounted 4.7-Liter V8 motor that churned out a wholesome 306 HP (not shabby at all!) and could do 0-60 MPH in 6.8 seconds, with a top speed of 155 MPH. The Ghibli SS was the most powerful iteration in this generation, with a re-stroked version of the same V8 motor that pumped out 330 HP and had a top speed of 174 MPH. This was the fastest Maserati of the time.

1971 Maserati Ghibli top view hd wallpaper
Via: Classiccarsalesusa.com

The Spyder was introduced in 1969 and has a convertible top that folded flush with the body-colored tonneau cover. It was also offered with a detachable hard-top. The low and sharp form factor was a clear selling point for this grand tourer, as the added drama helped in its desirability level. Dynamically this was a well-built sports car with a tubular frame and the low center of gravity greatly helped with its handling.

1971 Maserati Ghibli interior dashboard layout
Via: Classiccarsalesusa.com

Its Grand Tourer tag was highlighted with the plush leather-clad interior layout. It had the time-specific puffy sports seats wrapped in leather. There were 2 rear seats as well, but it was there just for the sake of it. The wooden steering wheel added another layer of luxury and comfort to the sporty interior layout of the first-gen Maserati Ghibli.

Related: A Look Back At The Maserati Khamsin

2nd-Gen Maserati Ghibli: Marcello Gandini Makes A Bold Move

1996 Maserati Ghibli front third quarter view
Via: Classicdriver.com

This was the weirdest-looking generation of Maserati Ghibli and the drastic design change was not so easy to apprehend. The boxy and beefed-up layout was surely bold (thanks to Marcello Gandini) but it didn't go well with fanatics who fell in love with the wedgy low-slung first-gen model. But the 2nd-gen Ghibli (1992 - 1996) was a giant leap in terms of technology.

1996 Maserati Ghibli engine bay view
Via: Classicdriver.com

This squared-out Ghibli packed a 206 HP 2.0-Liter twin-turbo V6 for the domestic market. Outside Europe, Maserati gave it a 2.8-Liter V6 with 288 HP. Both were capped at 155 MPH which was in the big leagues. Transmission options ranged from a 5-Speed Manual, a 6-Speed Manual, and an optional 4-Speed Automatic. There were two faster versions introduced in 1995 - Ghibli Kit Sportivo and the Ghibli Cup.

1996 Maserati Ghibli rear third quarter view
Via: Classicdriver.com

The latter was meaner and faster with a beefed-up 2.0-liter motor and 325 HP. The Ghibli Sport had the highest specific power output of the time at 163 HP/ liter, which put it ahead of the likes of Jaguar XJ220 and Bugatti EB110. This was further refined with the 1996 Ghibli GT that came with cooler functional aesthetic bits.

1996 Maserati Ghibli interior view
Via:Classicdriver.com

The design language was polarizing, to say the least. It was designed by the same man who created the iconic Lamborghini Countach. And was more in line with the boxy German sports cars of the time like the Mercedes-Benz 190 E. But technological advancements were ten-fold with fully adjustable electronic suspension and ABS brakes.

Related: A Look Back At The History Of The Maserati GranTurismo

3rd-Gen Maserati Ghibli: The Charm Returned

2014 Maserati Ghibli hd wallpaper
Maserati

After a gap of 20 years and a lot of owners later, the Ghibli nameplate was revived as a sporty executive sedan with 4-doors. The 3rd-gen Ghibli showed us that saloons can be timeless exotics. The trident was bigger than ever.

3rd-gen Maserati Ghibli Trofeo and hybrid engine options
Via: Netcarshow.com

It started with three 3.0-Liter V6 engine options - 325 HP and 404 HP versions of twin-turbo gasoline; and the first-ever turbo diesel unit with 271 HP. Another first soon joined the list with the 2022 Ghibli packing in the 330 HP first hybrid 2.0-Liter Inline-4 motor in Maserati's history.

2021 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo front
Via: Maserati

Then there is the most-powerful Ghibli Trofeo with a Ferrari-made V8 motor that churns out an insane 580 HP! This was the first instance of a V8 being used after the First-gen Ghibli. The interior still is laden with fine leather and sport seats, but this time it comes with full-sized rear seats for a more practical layout. Related: Looking Back At The Maserati Merak

It's Goodbye For The Maserati Ghibli

2021 Maserati Ghibli Hybrid hd wallpaper
Via: Netcarshow.com

After 55 years, Maserati is pulling the plug on the Ghibli nameplate. This is currently their entry-level offering which will be swapped with the upcoming Maserati Grecale, an SUV. Yes, crossovers are the future, and it is sad to see such an iconic nameplate go away. 2023 will be the last year for Ghibli and we do expect some kick-ass final edition models from Maserati.

Sources: Maserati.com, Wikipedia.org, Netcarshow.com, Moneyinc.com