Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 Maserati Ghibli VS 2014 BMW 5 Near Scottsdale, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Maserati Ghibli have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Maserati Ghibli are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Ghibli and the 5 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The Ghibli has more powerful engines than the 5 Series Sedan:

As tested in Car and Driver the Ghibli S is faster than the 535i Sedan (automatics tested):

The Ghibli has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the 5 Series Sedan ActiveHybrid’s standard fuel tank (21.1 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Ghibli has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 5 Series Sedan’s standard fuel tank (21.1 vs. 18.5 gallons).

The Ghibli has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Ghibli’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the 5 Series Sedan:

The Ghibli stops much shorter than the 5 Series Sedan:

For better traction, the Ghibli has larger standard tires than the 5 Series Sedan (235/50R18 vs. 225/55R17).

The Ghibli’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 528i Sedan’s standard 55 series tires. The Ghibli’s optional 245/35R21 front and 285/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the 535i/535d/540i’s optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ghibli has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the 528i Sedan. The Ghibli’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the 535i/535d/540i.

The Ghibli has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 5 Series Sedan, it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ghibli’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the 5 Series Sedan (118 inches vs. 116.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Ghibli is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than on the 5 Series Sedan.

The Ghibli S Q4 handles at .91 G’s, while the 528i Sedan pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Ghibli’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 5 Series Sedan’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Ghibli has a much larger trunk than the 5 Series Sedan (17.6 vs. 14 cubic feet).

The Ghibli offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Ghibli’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 5 Series Sedan has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.