A former Formula 1 driver and a legendary figure on Top Gear, Tiff Needell has driven just about every fast and exotic car the automotive industry has to offer. Yet among the cars he champions most passionately is an Italian sedan whose commercial success never really took off: the Maserati Ghibli. In his view, the automotive press has not done him justice.
Guest on the show Cars & Money, in a lengthy interview posted on YouTube in August 2026, Tiff Needell looks back on his career and his years at Top Gear and Fifth Gear, Formula 1, and even the most impressive cars he’s ever driven. As the conversation unfolds, the former driver also mentions a car for which he clearly still has a special fondness: the Maserati Ghibli.
«I love the Maserati Ghibli,» he explains, recounting how he drove the model when he was a brand ambassador. And his assessment of the car’s reception is unequivocal: in his view, it was «one of the most underrated cars and one of the most panned by the press.».
A launch that may have influenced the reviews
Above all, Tiff Needell offers an interesting explanation for this bad reputation. Maserati In particular, the company had chosen to showcase the Ghibli with its diesel engine during press test drives, in the hope of attracting customers accustomed to German sedans, particularly Audi and BMW. An understandable business decision, but one that, in his view, may have contributed to giving a poor first impression of the car.
Tiff Needell is also quite critical of the way auto launches are conducted. He explains how the views of just a few journalists can quickly become the prevailing opinion. According to his account, sometimes all it takes is for a respected colleague to criticize, for example, a car’s suspension quality for that remark to be picked up by other journalists present at the same event (Italpassion confirms this point…). In the case of the Ghibli, Needell believes this dynamic worked particularly against it.
A Maserati that he really enjoyed driving
His personal experience, however, is quite different. The former TV host describes the Ghibli as a particularly elegant four-door sedan, but also as a truly practical car. In particular, he highlights the spacious interior and a trunk large enough to hold luggage and golf clubs. «I loved it,» he says simply.
The Ghibli, however, never achieved the success Maserati had hoped for. For Needell, its reputation doesn’t explain everything. Changes in the market also worked against it: just as SUVs were becoming a must-have, traditional large sedans were gradually losing ground. He even cites Rolls-Royce to illustrate this shift, noting that customers are now happily turning to the Cullinan rather than a classic sedan.
In hindsight, the Maserati Ghibli may have fallen victim to a particularly unfavorable combination of factors: a poorly timed launch, criticism that snowballed, and a market that was already turning away from sedans. Tiff Needell, for his part, has clearly never changed his mind: this Maserati deserved better.
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I love Italian cars
It really is a superb sedan. If I could afford it, this is THE Maserati I'd buy.
So-called journalists in the automotive press or on YouTube simply parrot others’ criticisms without asking any further questions and without having any particular expertise about cars. I won’t name the YouTube channels in question, but it’s often appalling—and it often comes across as an advertisement for certain brands.
The Maserati Ghibli is stunning and has great engines.
He's absolutely right—the Maserati Ghibli is a very beautiful, very elegant car.
I have a Maserati Ghibli tattooed on my forearm. I drove it for work for months when I was part of the Maserati Piedmont and Aosta Valley team at ForzA spa. A superb car. One of a kind.
What a load of nonsense, the whole thing—just a bunch of cucumber drivel…….
I've been driving for 45 years, have experience with many high-end BMWs, and for the past 4 years have been driving a 2007 Quattroporte—and I can tell you that when it comes to driving dynamics, the Maserati is a car that outperforms them all.
That’s an interesting perspective, one I largely share even though I’m not a Maserati customer. Marketing in the broadest sense has taken over just about everywhere, and with social media now dominating the conversation, it’s even easier than it was 20 years ago (when press reviews at launch were often already quite biased) to kill off a product that’s actually good, much to the despair of the engineers behind it. The reverse is also true (some uninteresting products are turned into «stars» for no good reason).
It's a fantastic car! It's beautiful—it turns heads, everyone's heads! It's a joy to drive, and it's very comfortable, too. Admittedly, maintenance isn’t for every budget, and scheduling services in advance for peace of mind doesn’t help matters—but it does let you sleep soundly, and the car will more than make up for it 🤩
The Maserati Ghibli is undoubtedly a beautiful car, and it certainly holds its own when it comes to technology. With the 2L Hybrid (330PS), buyers are making a good choice; the features are appealing, and the car’s Italian design? Without a doubt, a true icon on the road.
Marketing: Italian cars (perhaps with the exception of the Fiat 500) have a hard time in Germany. Models like the Giulia, Stelvio, or even the basic Tipo are rarely seen on our roads. And Maserati? Unfortunately, registrations in 2026 are modest.
People make or break the press; the coach does the same. Anyone with even a little power can make or break someone else in any field. There’s nothing fair in this world. Think—and think logically—and do what’s in your heart, and then you’ll have a future of your own. 👍
There’s nothing like forming your own opinion. It’s our own criteria that determine whether we like the vehicle or not. That said, it’s not easy to have a car for several days to form an opinion; the average person often only has an hour for a test drive…
I agree with much of what this article says—specifically, the tendency of most journalists to simply follow the crowd; since they don’t know much about the subject, they repeat what the first people to weigh in on it say. Regarding the context: diesel, SUVs, and German dominance in the high-end sedan market.
I'm lucky enough to own a Quattroporte from this generation—the long-wheelbase Ghibli. It offers unparalleled interior space and comfort. The build quality and finish are top-notch, and it has a generous 530-liter trunk—just like the Audi Q5.
The 3.0 V6 twin-turbo with 410cv is simply fabulous—it has a mesmerizing sound. I call it the Modena Limousine.
I've had my third Ghibli for a year now, and I'm still happy with my choice. I never found that same driving pleasure on long trips with a Mercedes or BMW. I think it's a shame that the Ghibli is being discontinued, and I wonder what I'll do next.