2014 Maserati Ghibli spotted shooting ads in Rotterdam

Maserati revealed the Ghibli sedan ahead of the Shanghai auto show in April. Now a production version has been caught on the roads -- sans camouflage -- in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in a sweet shade of royal blue.

The license plate reads “301 kw” suggesting that this is the upgraded Ghibli S, which makes 410 hp at 5,500 and 405 lb-ft of torque. The Ghibli was created by the company to take on the midsize luxury sedans such as the Audi A6, BMW 5-series and Jaguar XF.

Two other engines will be offered on launch: another twin-turbo V6 and a common-rail diesel. The company also said there will be a higher-output version to compete with the M5 and its brethren making 550 hp. That version is planned for launch in mid- to late 2014. Two different four-cylinder-equipped Ghiblis are also in the cards.

By Jake Lingeman