Who’d have thought they’d ever see this powerplant behind a trident badge?

THINK Maserati and what type of engine do you imagine?

Traditionally, something thumping, multi-cylindered, in recent times, touched by Ferrari.

And now …?

A 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, placed in the Ghibli sedan to provide what Maserati claims is the performance of a V6 petrol with the economy of a V6 diesel.

Keen on this formula? It’s an unavoidable acknowledgement of the way the world is heading. Emissions, economy, European Union regs for both. Every brand must comply.

So, for Maserati, the double-header of not only its first hybrid but also it’s first ever four-cylinder try-out.

The whole shebang is at least being kept Italian. The engine is basically the same used by Alfa Romeo in the Stelvio sports utility and Giulia sedan, but has been given a small 'eBooster' electric motor, and a compact battery, that brings power up to 246kW and torque up to 450Nm.

The Ghibli Hybrid's top speed is 255kmh and it'll hit 100kmh in 5.7 seconds. 

Speaking of pace, how long before it hits New Zealand? Interestingly, that information has yet to be shared by the marque’s local market distributor, which operates from Australia. However, production for right hand drive will be under way from early next year, so …

As you might have gathered, this is the mildest form of hybrid system the Fiat-owned luxury sports brand could have conceivably chosen. So why not something a little more advanced or stronger?

Maserati is quite upfront about this. It says adding a full hybrid, or plug-in hybrid, would have made the car too heavy. As is, the Ghibli Hybrid weighes around 80kg less than an equivalent model running the diesel engine which has been at the forefront of the brand’s economy run previously but has now been retired.

 The brand reckons this new approach provisions the "perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure." Fans will ultimately decide, of course, but at least it does hit the nail for economy, with a claimed 8.5 litres per 100km from the WLTP test.

Style-wise, you'll pick a Ghibli Hybrid from the little flashes of bright blue scattered around. It's on the brake calipers, in the little 'portholes' on the front wings, in the headrests, and in the seat stitching. The trident badge, mounted on the rear pillar, also gets a little blue flash below the fork. There are new tail-lights too, with a 'boomerang' profile said to be inspired by the 3200 GT model of the early 2000s.

To further enhance the appeal, the Ghibli Hybrid also gets to debut a new infotainment system, with a bigger 10.1-inch screen, and some software input from Google's Android Automotive software arm. It gets the new Maserati Connect online connectivity package, and the screen's menus and layout are fully customisable by the driver.

One of the big treats of an encounter with a petrol Maserati is sensory - the exhaust note is awesome. How doe the four-cylinder match up? Well, they’ve done some work there, as well. It won’t roar and burble like a V8, but does get a specially designed exhaust system to try and capture as much as possible of the traditional Maserati aural experience, the brand says.