Dark Style for Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante
Maserati has taken the wraps off the Nerissimo Edition across its core European and North American lineup, bringing an uncompromising dark monochrome treatment to the Ghibli sports sedan, the flagship Quattroporte, and the Levante SUV. First previewed as a North American limited run for the Ghibli at the 2017 New York International Auto Show, the Nerissimo treatment has been thoroughly expanded for the 2018 model year across all three production model lines, showcased internationally at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show. Designed specifically around the sport-focused GranSport trim levels, Nerissimo translates literally as “extremely black,” and the execution pulls no punches. Deep glossy Nero paintwork wraps the exterior surfaces, paired with Black Chrome accents across the upper grille perimeter, the Trident emblem, the front fender side air vents, the rear boot lid trim, and the iconic Maserati script badging on the C-pillars and tailgate.
The dark transformation continues through every exterior detail. The vertical radiator grille bars, exterior door handles, window window frame surrounds, and quad exhaust tailpipes are all treated to an intensely black finish. Rather than stripping away the distinctive design cues that make Modena’s machines recognizable from a distance, the dark accents distill their proportions down to pure silhouette and stance. On the road, the glossy bodywork and reflective dark chrome elements create sharp contrasts under varying light conditions, turning the three vehicles into stealthy interpretations of Italian gran turismo design.
Wheel Packages and Exterior Appointments
For the Ghibli sports sedan and the executive Quattroporte, the Nerissimo package introduces smoked, dark-tinted inner lenses for the front full-LED headlights. The darkened lighting units integrate seamlessly into the front fascia, framing the blacked-out concave grille. Buyers of the sedans have a choice between two substantial wheel options: the 20-inch Urano alloy wheels or the larger 21-inch Titano multi-spoke design, both finished in high-gloss black lacquer. Behind the dark spokes, owners can opt to fit brake calipers painted in either black or contrasting red, accentuating the mechanical hardware while matching the overall sinister theme.
The Levante SUV receives tailored equipment suited to its broader proportions and versatile role. Alongside the darkened headlight housings and blacked-out grille, the Levante Nerissimo incorporates dark metallic finish on the front and rear lower skid plates, ensuring underbody protection blends into the chassis rather than standing out in bright aluminum. Black bezels surround the front fog lights, and the side window trims mirror the deep black theme of the sedans. Wheel selections for the Levante encompass three dark designs: 20-inch Nereo wheels, 20-inch Efesto wheels, or muscular 21-inch Anteo rims, all coated in dark anthracite and gloss black finishes.
Cabin Craftsmanship and Interior Appointments
Inside the cabin, the Nerissimo theme is executed with a focus on driver-centered ergonomics and rich tactile materials. In the Ghibli sports sedan, the driver and passengers are accommodated in heavily bolstered 12-way power front Sport seats equipped with heating and position memory, accompanied by heated rear seating. A heated three-spoke sport steering wheel trimmed in black leather features prominent column-mounted aluminum gearshift paddles. Interior trim comes standard in Dark Mirror finish, while buyers can configure the interior with either Piano Black lacquer or high-gloss Carbon Fiber on the center console and door card inlays. Privacy is reinforced by standard dark-tinted rear sun-protection glass and an electrically deployed rear sunblind.
The flagship Quattroporte Nerissimo takes executive comfort to another level while preserving the focused cockpit feel. The cabin dashboard and transmission tunnel are appointed in either Piano Black wood veneers or lightweight woven Carbon Fiber. In addition to factory-tinted rear privacy glass, the Quattroporte adds convenience hardware including extended Keyless Entry encompassing the rear passenger doors, a motorized hands-free power trunk lid, and an integrated HomeLink universal garage-door transceiver. Driver confidence during tight maneuvers is aided by a high-resolution rear-view parking camera featuring dynamic path guide gridlines.
Inside the Levante SUV, the Nerissimo specification blends grand touring luxury with versatile family utility. Both front and rear seating rows feature heated leather upholstery with prominent Trident stitching on the headrests. A comprehensive four-zone automatic climate control system allows individual temperature zones for every occupant. Practicality is rounded out by power-adjustable foot pedals that adapt to drivers of varying heights, alongside Maserati’s Easy Entry system, which automatically retracts the driver’s seat and elevates the power steering column when the door opens to ease entry and egress.
Lighting Engineering and Magneti Marelli Matrix Technology
The roll-out of the 2018 model year marks significant advances in lighting technology across the Modena model family. The Ghibli sports sedan stands as the highest-selling vehicle in Maserati history, recording more than 84,200 deliveries worldwide since its commercial debut in 2013. For 2018, the Ghibli adopts cutting-edge Adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights engineered in partnership with Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting. The matrix headlights incorporate 15 individual LEDs per headlight cluster, providing a light beam that illuminates 55 meters farther down the road than conventional Bi-Xenon systems while running significantly cooler and consuming less electrical energy.
A central breakthrough of the Magneti Marelli matrix system is its active Glare-Free high-beam functionality. A digital camera mounted behind the windshield rearview mirror constantly monitors oncoming vehicle headlights and the taillights of traffic ahead. When other road users are detected, the system selectively shades individual LEDs in the matrix beam pattern, carving out precise dark zones around other vehicles while bathing the rest of the roadway and verges in daylight-level illumination. The Quattroporte executive sedan also adopts Adaptive Full LED headlights across all variants for 2018, featuring distinctive L-shaped signature daytime running lights and glare-free road illumination with an extended operational lifespan compared to legacy xenon lamps.
Electric Power Steering and Driver Assistance Systems
One of the most consequential engineering updates across the 2018 Maserati range is the introduction of Electric Power Steering (EPS), replacing the hydraulic rack previously utilized in the Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante. Transitioning to EPS was a necessary architectural prerequisite to support active Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS), yet Maserati engineers invested extensive track tuning at the Balocco proving grounds to preserve the brand’s hallmark steering feel, immediate turn-in precision, and natural chassis feedback without artificial numbness.
With EPS in place, the 2018 lineup unlocks comprehensive Level 2 driver assistance capabilities. The newly integrated Highway Assist (HAS) system works in concert with Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) to handle steering guidance, acceleration, and deceleration on controlled-access motorways at speeds up to 145 km/h (90 mph). Active Blind Spot Assist (ABSA) monitors vehicle blind zones and applies corrective steering torque if the driver attempts to merge across an occupied lane. Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) uses the forward optical camera to detect speed limits and overtaking restrictions, projecting live alerts directly into the digital instrument cluster display.
Levante Engineering and Geneva Enhancements
When Maserati launched the Levante in 2016, it broke into the largest and fastest-growing tier of the global luxury automotive space, giving the Trident its very first SUV in a storied century of sports car building. At the Geneva Motor Show, the updated 2018 Levante showcases how the adoption of EPS enriches its dynamic footprint on tarmac while refining off-road capability. Dubbed the “Maserati of SUVs,” the Levante relies on extensive lightweight aluminum components in its doors, bonnet, and tailgate structure to maintain an ideal 50:50 front-to-rear static weight distribution.
The Levante features the lowest center of gravity among luxury mid-size performance SUVs, paired with standard Skyhook adaptive air suspension and intelligent Q4 all-wheel drive. Across low-grip surfaces or broken gravel trails, the system constantly varies torque distribution to deliver confident traction without blunting steering response. To bolster personalization, the Maserati Genuine Accessories catalog debuts a 21-inch Eracle alloy wheel design, available in a refined matte grey paint finish with diamond-cut rim surfaces that add crisp mechanical detail.
Twin-Turbo V6 Powertrains and Bosch IVC Stability Architecture
Under the sculpted aluminum bonnets of the Ghibli and Quattroporte sits a revised 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged 60-degree V6 engine manufactured by Ferrari in Maranello. For the 2018 model year, the upgraded Ghibli S and Quattroporte S engines generate 430 horsepower (316 kW) and 580 Nm of torque, marking a 20-horsepower increase over earlier iterations. Channeling power through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels or the Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system, the sedans deliver effortless acceleration paired with an unmistakable Italian exhaust note modulated by active bypass valves.
Chassis dynamics take a major technical step forward with the introduction of Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC), co-developed between Maserati and Bosch. Unlike conventional Electronic Stability Program (ESP) systems that react only after tire slippage or yaw angle deviation has occurred, IVC employs proactive feed-forward control algorithms. By analyzing steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration, wheel speeds, and yaw rates in real time, IVC predicts impending loss of traction and subtly adjusts engine throttle output and individual wheel brake pressures before instability develops.
Derived in part from aerospace guidance technology, IVC operates with greater speed and finesse than conventional brake-intervention systems. On high-speed circuit curves or damp mountain switchbacks, the car remains composed without the abrupt power cuts or intrusive brake grabs that plague traditional stability control. Furthermore, IVC leverages smart mechanical and brake-based torque vectoring to manage lateral dynamics naturally, maintaining balance and forward drive even when the driver elects to disengage standard electronic stability aids.
Vehicle data
Maserati Ghibli Nerissimo Edition
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Make | Maserati |
| Model | Ghibli Nerissimo Edition (GranSport) |
| Generation / chassis code | M157 |
| Model year(s) covered | 2018 |
| Body style | 4-door sports sedan |
| Powertrain / engine | 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged 60° V6 |
| Power / torque | 430 hp / 580 Nm (Ghibli S) |
| Transmission | 8-speed ZF automatic |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) or Q4 All-Wheel Drive (AWD) |
| Key performance figures | 0-100 km/h in approx. 4.7 s (Q4); top speed 286 km/h |
| Price (as stated) | Not stated in sources |
| On-sale / announcement period | March 2018 (Geneva Motor Show debut) |
| Market | Global (Europe, North America) |
Maserati Quattroporte Nerissimo Edition
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Make | Maserati |
| Model | Quattroporte Nerissimo Edition (GranSport) |
| Generation / chassis code | M156 |
| Model year(s) covered | 2018 |
| Body style | 4-door executive sedan |
| Powertrain / engine | 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged 60° V6 |
| Power / torque | 430 hp / 580 Nm (Quattroporte S) |
| Transmission | 8-speed ZF automatic |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) or Q4 All-Wheel Drive (AWD) |
| Key performance figures | 0-100 km/h in approx. 4.8 s (Q4); top speed 288 km/h |
| Price (as stated) | Not stated in sources |
| On-sale / announcement period | March 2018 (Geneva Motor Show debut) |
| Market | Global (Europe, North America) |
Maserati Levante Nerissimo Edition
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Make | Maserati |
| Model | Levante Nerissimo Edition (GranSport) |
| Generation / chassis code | M161 |
| Model year(s) covered | 2018 |
| Body style | 5-door luxury crossover SUV |
| Powertrain / engine | 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged 60° V6 |
| Power / torque | 430 hp / 580 Nm (Levante S) |
| Transmission | 8-speed ZF automatic |
| Drivetrain | Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) |
| Key performance figures | 0-100 km/h in approx. 5.2 s (Levante S); top speed 264 km/h |
| Price (as stated) | Not stated in sources |
| On-sale / announcement period | March 2018 (Geneva Motor Show debut) |
| Market | Global (Europe, North America) |