Maserati Ghibli Hybrid Love Audacious, a China-only limited edition with William Chan’s CANOTWAIT_

Who? What? Be patient, cannot wait ah? Maserati has revealed the Ghibli Hybrid Love Audacious, an effort which the Italian carmaker describes as breaking boundaries, driving the brand forward to the extreme customisation of cars.

The Love Audacious is a partnership with Chinese streetwear fashion brand CANOTWAIT_, founded by actor and singer William Chan Wai-Ting. I’m not a student of China fashion, but they say that CANOTWAIT_ has seen burgeoning popularity in recent years among young customers as well as the streetwear industry.

The date chosen for the announcement is not accidental. 520 (May 20) is a set of Chinese love numbers, which hold the hidden meaning of ‘I love you’, and on this day it is custom to ~~make~~ celebrate love. So, as an ode to this special day, Italian audacious performance meets Chinese love inspired style, Maserati says.

Born in the Maserati Fuoriserie customisation programme, the Ghibli Hybrid Love Audacious is characterised by a special exterior coat colour. Digital Aurora is a unique emotional colour “born from the common concept of CANOTWAIT_ and Maserati and to love audacious”. The inspiration is sunrise and “magical Aurora light”, a blend of burned decisive purple with calming and relaxing bluish hints.

The unique paintjob is finished with an experimental pink glass flakes pigment that “creates a digital effect riding the current Phigital trend”. Never have I ever felt so out of touch, or maybe these are just China things.

By the way, purple was chosen for its “feather-light touch of mystery and rarity”. The hue is one of William Chan’s favourite colours. Paint aside, the Ghibli Hybrid Love Audacious rides on 20-inch Teseo wheels in Dark Miron, which are also available in the Maserati Fuoriserie catalogue. The CANOTWAIT_ bits are in the form of badges on the front wings, above the Maser’s side triple vents. The other emblem is inside.

One of the campaign’s most unique aspects was the launch of a pop-up store in Shanghai yesterday (520, remember), where “young customers and streetwear fashion influencers can experience the journey of this new car,” starting from its conception and inspiration to its final production. Only eight units of the Love Audacious will be sold in China.

Launched in July 2020, the Ghibli Hybrid pairs a 2.0L turbo-four with a 48-volt alternator and an “eBooster” electric supercharger. The eBooster draws power from a battery mounted in the boot, and helps to fill in the torque gaps before the turbo spools up, or recover energy during braking and deceleration.

With 330 PS and 450 Nm, the Hybrid is the least powerful Ghibli, but this new one has a WLTP-rated fuel consumption of 8.5 litres per 100 km (11.8 km/l) and CO2 emissions of 192 g/km – not bad for a car that does 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds on its way to a 255 km/h top speed. Drive passes a ZF eight-speed auto and LSD en route to the rear wheels.

Don’t understand this CANOTWAIT_ thing? Don’t worry, the rest of the world gets David Beckham, which should be a bit more universal in appeal.

GALLERY: Maserati Ghibli Hybrid