If you've always wanted a Maserati, now is a good chance to lease one. 

There once was a time when the cheapest Maserati started at $126,000. (A mere three years ago, when the Italian carmaker sold all of 6,159 vehicles in 2012). Times have certainly changed, as now Maserati wants a slice of that mainstream luxury car pie. The goal? 75,000 vehicles per year by 2018.

The brand's most important entry is the Ghibli, their answer to the ubiquitous Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-series. Starting at $71,850, it's priced higher than the Germans but promises to offer exclusivity, style, and yes, clichéd Italian soul and passion.

Since the majority of luxury cars in the U.S. are leased, offering a mainstream leasing option is crucial. Fortunately, Maserati has partnered up with Ally (formerly known as GMAC) to offer competitive lease rates. With Maserati's move into the mainstream, customers can say goodbye to the ridiculously low residual values and sky-high money factors that used to afflict Maserati leases. 

Here's what you need to know.

1. The Lease Program Is Genuinely Competitive

Ghibli's lease sweet-spot is either the 36-month or 39-month program. Most dealers will advertise the latter, since the payments end up being a little less. Bear in mind, however, that you'll have to pay an additional year's registration ($600 or so) with the 39-month option.

Here is the lease program for November 2015. The numbers are the same for both Ghibli and Ghibli S Q4:

The residuals above are for a 10,000 mile per year lease. The mileage offsets are higher on Maserati than with other brands: subtract 2% from the residual above to get to 12,000 miles per year. Add 1% to get to 7,500 miles per year. Choose carefully: the mileage penalty for going over the allotted mileage is steep: $0.60/mile (most luxury brands charge $0.25/mile).

With an interest rate of 0.1% (Ally uses interest rates instead of a money factor), you'll pay practically nothing in finance charges. The rate requires excellent "S Tier" credit. If you qualify, leasing seems like a no brainer -- especially on a car like this, where it's nice to have someone else taking on the risk of depreciation.

2. Expect To Get Huge Discounts Off MSRP

Dealers on a popular car buying website (it rhymes with BlueBar) are promising selling prices of at least 15% off MSRP. On Maserati forums, recent lessees have reported as much as 20 to 25% off MSRP on 2015 models. It sounds like a lot, but inventories are high in certain regions (e.g., Southern California) and the cars are just sitting there.

Note that manufacturer-to-dealer incentives are much higher on the 2015 models than on the 2016s. Owing to excessive supply, Maserati is poised to cut back on production next year. So if you've always wanted a Maserati, now is a good time to get one. 

3. Putting It Together 

Here's an example of what you might expect on a decently equipped Ghibli with an MSRP of $77,795 and a selling price of $61,500 (21% off MSRP).

After a $795 acquisition fee, the net capitalized cost is $62,295. Ally Bank estimates the car will be worth $38,898 (50% of MSRP) after 36 months of use at 10,000 miles per year. Therefore, the total depreciation expense is $23,397, or $650 per month.

At 0.1% interest, the monthly finance charge will be a mere $4 per month. The total lease payment? $654 per month + tax.

This sample assumes $0 capitalized cost reduction (a.k.a., down payment) with first month's payment and license/registration due at signing.

Leasehackr Score: 9.9 years
Valid through November 30, 2015

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