Maserati MC20 – A Truly Super Sports Car

 

Things have been quiet at Maserati headquarters in Modena, Italy recently.

Or has it?

The Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans and the Levante SUV have soldiered on with little change lately. It turns out that behind the curtain, the Italians have been working on their latest entry into the stratospheric supercar club.

May I introduce the stunning Maserati MC20.

In roughly 24 months of development time, aided by an overhaul of the R&D division and the production facility, the team at Maserati has produced a gem of a car. Part of the design brief was to minimize wings and airflow add-ons and preserve a clean and pure visual presence while maintaining significant downforce. 2,000+ hours of development time in the Dallara racing factory wind tunnel, along with hours of computer modeling yielded a shape at once modern and classic Maserati. Functional beauty, if you will.

Another highlight is the hand-built mid-mounted V-6 powering this super sled. Eschewing the more common V8 configuration used in multiple supercars, this six-cylinder marvel is a true revelation. The Italians were so smitten with their work they named the engine the Nettuno (Neptune). Twelve combustion chambers with accompanying spark plugs, dry-sump lubrication, and double overhead camshafts with variable valve timing are part of the recipe. This twin-turbo 3.0-liter motor produces 621 ponies and 538 lb-ft of twist, propelling the MC20 to 60 in under 3.0 seconds and 124 in 8.8 clicks. 

Don’t blink!

The interior is Maserati’s take on modern minimalism, providing a driver-centric cockpit from which to operate.  Outward visibility is top-notch, complimented by a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and matching infotainment touchscreen. The Italian luxury vibe even bleeds over to the audio system with my friends at Sonus Faber providing an optional 12-speaker powerhouse.

The driving experience might be the best thing since sliced pizza, depending on where you source your pie.  World-class steering, suspension tuning par excellence, and that sweet six powerplant combine to make the latest trident a memorable drive.  An experience to be savored, again and again.

Pricing has not been officially announced, but expect an acquisition fee in the range of 220K.  This is an unexpected treat from Maserati.  They are fully back in the game!

Cheers!