New Ghiblis and QPs are all about spec IMO. I recently owned a very high spec diesel Ghibli for c.2yrs and drove many of the similar models during that time from QPs to Ghibli S to the new Levante.
My first view is that none of these cars can really be conceived as a toy; they're too mass manufactured and generic. I loved my Ghibli as a daily because I have a GS for fun. As I've now sold it I can reveal my Ghibli was tweaked with a tuning box which upped the power to 345bhp and torque to 696nm - Aventador territory! It was quite the weapon on the move, hard to get off the line as it spun the wheels up to 4th gear. I averaged 26mpg over my ownership, a mix of town driving and motorway (70/30)
I was underwhelmed with the Ghibli S I had for a week. Compared to the diseasel it took a lot of revs to have any drama/fun. I had a QP petrol for a few days and enjoyed it (drifting round roundabouts in Newbury with Contigo was memorable) I found the ride much less 'choppy' than my Ghibli on standard suspension - I'd say it offers a better ride. I hated the Ghibli S in Skyhook mode, just seemed so pointless and worse than the standard set up.
I was lucky enough to be given a Levante for an hour or so. Wow! That new air suspension makes for a sublime ride. It was a well-specced demo that impressed me enough to look at some serious man maths that involved getting rid of my Ghibli. Sadly the numbers just didn't work out and I couldn't justify the premium over what I was driving. Maybe I'll revisit the Levante when my RR starts bankrupting me.
As with all cars and all the sage advice on this forum - buy what you like and what you can afford. Experience of these cars is that spec really matters. My only word of warning with a new Maserati is that they will do everything in their power to not honour any warranty claim - penny-pinching retards that they are. If you're planning on any mods forget about any manufacturer's warranty.