The Maserati-Ermenegildo Zegna collaboration has already given birth to one special-edition model, the Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition. The success of that model, which was limited to only 100 units, gave Maserati->ke51 and Zegna reason to come back for seconds. So here it is, ladies and gentlemen, round two of the Maserati-Zegna tie-up: the Ghibli S Q4 by Ermenegildo Zegna Concept.

The new Ghibli concept was shown off at the Paris Motor Show in October 2014, an appropriate venue considering Paris’ reputation as one of the world’s premier fashion destinations. Like its Quattroporte counterpart, the Ghibli Zegna Concept->ke169 was treated to a significant amount of exclusive items befitting Zegna’s reputation as one of the most iconic fashion houses in the world.

That’s all well and good, but the more important question is whether Maserati has plans to actually produce the Ghibli Zegna Concept the same way it did the Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition. If past success is any indication, I’m gonna have a lot of trouble finding reasons why the Italian won’t go that route.

Maserati hasn’t made any announcements on that end, but I do expect a limited edition variant to arrive soon, hopefully as early as the start of 2015.

Click past the jump to read more about the Maserati Ghibli S Q4 by Ermenegildo Zegna Concept.

Exterior

I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but is it okay to ask Santa for an early Christmas present? That’s where I stand now after a few minutes with the Ghibli Zegna Concept. To be clear, I’ve been a big fan of the Ghibli since it made its debut at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. But the Ghibli Zegna Concept is really something else. For starters, it boasts of a unique and exclusive Azzurro Astro tricolor paint finish, creating a depth of blue shade that immediately pops out when you first look at it. Look at it from various angles and the iridescence of the color changes from blue to ash grey. Pretty cool, right?

The other significant design detail of the Ghibli Zegna Concept is the addition of a set of 20-inch Urano wheels that are finished in a hue called Liquid Metal. It’s not as ambitious as the Azzurro Astron body color, but it does play a big part in emphasizing the Ghibli’s sporty and luxurious style.

Interior

As far as Zegna is concerned, the Italian fashion house’s imprint on the Ghibli is largely showcased on the sports sedan’s interior. One of the highlights of the cabin’s design is the use of pure silk, a fabric specifically endorsed by Zegna to adorn a majority of the cabin’s surface area. Take the passenger compartment for example; it’s been dressed up in a combination of Poltrona Frau leather and Zegna anthracite silk. Likewise, the seats received natural leather, contrasted by light-grey stitching that matches a central silk insert. These particular inserts were designed with a micro-chevron weave of vertical rolls on the central seat and backrest area.

The door panels also received a matching salt-and-pepper silk covering with matching ton-sue-ton ornamental stitching and alternating rib embroideries. The same silk was also used to cover the Ghibli’s roof lining, top pillars, and sunshades.

To keep it from becoming monotonous, Zegna also added splashes of glossy carbon fiber to the central tunnel and door panels while the black floor mats received leather inserts with leather edges. These sharp floor mats are fixed to the floor with billet-aluminum buttons. The final detail of the cabin is an Ermenegildo Zegna Edition plate fixed to the external central pillar.

Drivetrain

Like the Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition, the Ghibli Zegna Concept is powered by the same 3.0-liter, V-6 engine as the standard Ghibli S. That’s good for 410 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, good enough to cover the 0-to-60-mph sprint in 5 seconds to go with a top speed of 176 mph.

Drivetrain Specifications

Prices

Maserati hasn't released any pricing details because it hasn't specifically announced any plans for a limited run of Ghibli Zegna models. I do expect the Italian automaker to release it in limited quantities with a price of around $80,000 to $85,000.

Competition

Jaguar XF

Jaguar's got a notable competitor to the Ghibli in the form of the XF. That's not to say that one's better than the other, but the XF does have the advantage of being offered with V-6 and V-8 engines. The latter, in particular, is a 5.0-liter unit that produces 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. If that's too powerful for you, the XF is also offered with a 3.0-liter, V-6 engine that produces 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque.

Another distinct advantage of the XF is its relatively cheaper price tag compared to the Ghibli S Q4.

BMW 5 Series

The BMW 5 Series is an entirely different competitor, largely because it's one of the most popular models in its class. Even with the "new car smell" of the Ghibli, it's going to have a tough time supplanting the 5 Series, especially the 550i that boasts a 4.4-liter, V-8 engine that produces 445 ponies.

More importantly, the 550i is priced from just $49,950 in its 528i guise. Moving into the more competitive 550i model, you are looking at a starting price of $64,500 for the rear-wheel-drive model and $67,200 fir the 550i xDrive.

Conclusion

Anytime you can have an esteemed Italian fashion brand like Zegna on your side, it's going to get a lot of attention from Maserati and Zegna fans alike. I love Maserati more than I do Zegna but I'd be a fool to not at least be tempted by the thought of having both brands working together to create a limited run of Ghibli models.

Oh, all that silk in the interior doesn't hurt, either.