It’s tough at the top, especially when you are trying to steal customers away from the likes of BMW, Mercedes and a revitalised Jaguar. Is there a better executive saloon that the BMW 5 Series diesel? As an all-rounder, probably not.

So, with Maserati launching their first diesel executive car, you could forgive them for falling short with the Ghibli. In fact, the 3.0 version is a very good drivers car, loaded with equipment, supremely powerful and eye-catchingly different. The question is, is that enough?

I’d really like to think so, except the Ghibli has some niggly issues which you probably wouldn’t find in the competition. While I love the interior, the roof is low for tall drivers and the black lining makes the cabin feel claustrophobic.

The navigation screen is angled upwards and reflects the sun badly. With sunglasses on, it’s impossible to read. The single stalk that operates the wipers and indicators is located behind the gear paddles and is hard to reach.

Finally, the automatic gearbox is super sensitive to select the correct mode. I’m light of touch but I’m constantly missing the correct mode, then cursing as I have to go back through the options again.

All minor faults but at the top, the competition is tough…