Maserati has kicked off its electrification plans with the new Ghibli Hybrid.

The saloon car ditches its old V6 engine in favour of a new, more efficient 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine linked up to a mild hybrid system.

The exterior has been tweaked to showcase the car’s greener credentials, with blue details and a grey colour which is unique to the electrified model. Two trims will be available from launch – sporty GranSport and high-end Gran Lusso.

Blue accents have been used across the Ghibli’s design.

Maserati claims that the new powertrain will match its predecessor’s performance, but with a significant reduction in emissions. As such, the Italian firm claims CO₂ emissions as low as 192g/km and economy figures from 33.2mpg. Despite this, the Ghibli still pushes out 325bhp and should be able to cover the 0-60mph (0-97km/h) sprint in 5.5 seconds. Its top speed stands at a claimed 158mph (254km/h).

Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

The electrification part of the process sees a 48-volt system integrated into the car’s powertrain, with a belt-driven starter/generator fitted to help recover the energy usually lost during braking and deceleration. It then sends this energy to a battery located in the boot. 

The blue accents continue to the interior.

This energy can then be used to fill in gaps in torque prior to the turbocharger spooling, resulting in sharper and more effective acceleration.