The Maserati Ghibli reportedly has an end date and no one should be surprised. The midsize-luxury sedan, once Maserati's great hope of taking on the likes of the BMW 5 Series, is due to be discontinued following the upcoming 2022 model year, according to Automotive News. "Production is expected to continue through 2022 on the sedan, which will not be replaced," the report states.

Maserati has yet to confirm this but it does make sense given that the Italian brand is currently in the process of reinventing itself. Its long-term plan is to be an EV-only automaker. But before that happens it'll introduce its new entry-level crossover, the Grecale.

The Ghibli is the brand's current entry-level model but given that sedan sales have nosedived over the past several years, it's simply no longer needed. A replacement also wouldn't make any sense. But the term "entry-level" in the world of Maserati has a very different meaning compared to other brands.

The 2022 Ghibli carries a starting price tag of $76,200, an increase of over $4,000 over the outgoing model year. Power comes from a 3.0-liter V6 with 345 horsepower for the base GT. Moving up the trim ladder, the Trofeo is the one you'll want thanks to its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 rated at 580 hp and 538 lb-ft. It'll also take you from 0-60 mph in just four seconds.

The current Ghibli, a revived nameplate that dates back to 1967 and last used in 1998, was launched for the 2013 model year. It's changed relatively little ever since. Sales have been lackluster in recent years, too. The sedan never found an audience in any market despite its Italian roots. Maserati is currently refocusing its efforts on electrified powertrains, supercars such as the MC20, and the new Grecale crossover.

With the Ghibli's departure coming soon, attention is now shifted to its big brother, the Quattroporte. The latest generation also didn't meet sales expectations so it'd make sense for Maserati to give it the pink slip as well.