To qualify as a supercar calls for greater than simply pace. Exclusivity is a part of it, and layout arguably as crucial as performance, however a supercar additionally has to make you experience a positive manner. Maserati, for all it’s far no stranger to rapid automobiles, has been out of the supercar sport for almost many years now. The new MC20 goals to alternate that, and withinside the system solid excessive and shiny a refreshed halo atop the brand.
It became lower back in 2005 whilst Maserati referred to as time at the MC12, having constructed simply 50 of the V12 street automobiles over a 12 months period. Part homologation requirement for the automaker’s racing aspirations, component chest-beating proclamation that it became doing greater than simply borrowing from Ferrari’s toy box, the MC12 became a long, wide, and all of sudden lavish imaginative and prescient of what a supercar have to be.
Fast ahead to nowadays, and the enterprise in wellknown is dealing with an remarkable shift. New powertrain technologies, more difficult emissions standards, and a relentlessly-stressful purchaser manner the current supercar ought to be greater than a huge engine in a priapic body. Even greater pressing, it ought to justify its life in a manner its predecessors should possibly avoid.
The halo must be shiny, then, however it additionally must be shining at the proper things.
Aerodynamics reign excellent withinside the MC20’s layout, Maserati crediting the wind tunnel for encouraging or curbing any greater outlandish features. All the vents and ducts are practical; the carbon fiber is real. Your eye instinctively appears for sports activities vehicle norms, like an lively spoiler, however the automaker says its streamlining manner not anything so mundane as pop-up aero is required.
It’s now no longer to mention there’s no visible glitz, mind. Butterfly doorways are certainly interest-grabbing, aleven though Maserati additionally takes complete benefit in their contribution to a long way easier – and greater graceful – access and egress inside and outside of the cabin. The engine venting withinside the rear glass is functional, however additionally paying homage to the Maserati brand itself; similarly, aleven though the brand’s iconic the front wing vents are absent, the MC20 offers a nod to them with detailing at the rear window.
Pricing kicks off at $212,000 (plus $3,995 destination), aleven though by the point you romp via the alternatives listing it’s now no longer tough to be nudging $300k. Maserati gives six popular colours for the MC20, in addition to an prolonged variety of custom finishes, aleven though a fervour to take shipping amongst the ones fortunate sufficient to steady a first-12 months construct manner few took the automaker up on that offer. The Bianco Auduce matte-white release colour has seemingly been the maximum famous, arguably no wonder while you see the faintly blue trace given through its darker below-layer, aleven though I’m virtually keen on the Rosso Vincente pink of my tester.
While its Ferrari-produced engines have remained sweetly effective and complete-throated, Maserati’s over-reliance on Stellantis-organization switchgear and software program has left the cabin revel in in its cutting-edge sedans and SUVs wanting. Sliding into a $146k Quattroporte Trofeo and locating a mildly-reskinned model of the identical infotainment you’d get in a Chrysler minivan simply hasn’t hit the spot. Neither have the shared buttons with Maserati’s greater low-cost stablemates.
It’s a mission the MC20 tackles, and in ways. For a start, there’s a great uptick in cabin excellent typical. Italian leather-based and Alcantara; precise switchgear; and a new, Android Automotive OS-primarily based totally infotainment machine that now no longer handiest appears a lot higher however is quicker and greater intuitive too. Some of the detailing is clearly lovely, just like the knurled metallic power mode dial with its fulsome damping, even as even greater regular buttons like the ones for the cruise manage at the steerage wheel now no longer experience like they should’ve fallen out of a Dodge.
It makes a big distinction to how unique the MC20 feels – and the way it justifies its fee tag – however it’ll actually have a knock-on effect to Maserati’s different fashions as they’re refreshed. Expect a number of those greater precise finishes, in addition to the software program that Maserati has developed, to be carried over, assisting raise the passenger compartment revel in to healthy car performance. Sitting on the pinnacle of the Stellantis tree, Maserati gets to select out and select what it desires to consist of in its coming near near launches: consistent with Bill Peffer, CEO of Maserati Americas, which means doing a higher process of distinguishing itself typical, with out reinventing the wheel alongside the manner.
With Maserati and Ferrari drawing a line below their engine co-improvement pact, the coronary heart of the MC20 became totally designed in-house. Known because the “Nettuno” it’s a 3.0-liter twin-faster V6, which the automaker says is the highest-powered six-cylinder in production. At 621 horsepower and with 538 lb-toes of torque, mixed with the coupe’s sub-3,three hundred pound weight, it leaves the MC20 with the first-rate electricity-to-weight ratio of the supercar set.
Given the abundance of V8 examples some other place in that set – and, indeed, in Maserati’s very own line-up – the choice to go along with a V6 is a borderline-debatable one. Weight is a part of it, as is typical packaging: the Nettuno’s turbos flank its cylinders, preserving the profile low in order that it may match into the MC20’s comfortable engine compartment.
The largest justification for 6 in place of 8 cylinders, aleven though, is one in every of need. 621 hp isn’t simply ok however undoubtedly lavish: 0-60 mph arrives in below 2.nine seconds, and the MC20 has a 202+ mph pinnacle pace. A V8 is probably excellent for bragging rights, however a rapid, greater nimble supercar must be a higher issue typical.
And make no mistake, the MC20 is each bit as poised, lithe, and keen as you’d desire it to be. Thumb the steerage-wheel set up Start button and notch the mode dial to Sport or Corsa modes, and what beguiles is the immediacy that comes in conjunction with that punch of performance.
The steerage is shockingly direct and precise, Maserati crediting its semi-digital double-wishbone the front axle assembly. There’s no play or guesswork; it’s sufficient to position maximum sport-aspirational GTs to shame. It will pay dividends on Willow Springs Raceway, in which tight corners with minimum visibility as to what’s coming subsequent make setting – and holding – the proper line even greater crucial.
An 8-pace twin-snatch transmission with steerage column-set up paddle shifters handles placing the electricity to the rear wheels. With a redline simply shy of 8k, and a excellent soundtrack from the twin exhausts, the MC20 suffers neither lag nor fools.
What stands out, aleven though, is how reachable all of it is. Make no mistake, in adept palms the Maserati can hustle like a monster. Corsa mode dims the traction and balance manage involvement to the naked minimum, and leaves the MC20 an engaged however keen handful. With my very own, greater regular song abilities, aleven though, the auto is addictively encouraging.
Grip, courtesy in a part of custom Bridgestone tires with extensively wider rubber on the rear, is greater than plentiful. The MC20 rewards precision, and it’s surely rapid sufficient to get you into hassle in case you don’t appearance ahead, however even in case you fudge the downshift or leave out that ideal line it’s flawlessly inclined to preserve gambling ball. Some supercars are off-installing their crisp devotion to racing supremacy, however Maserati hasn’t forgotten that Italian playfulness too.
That’s now no longer to mention the MC20’s charms are handiest excellent for the song. Twist the mode selector lower back to GT, and the softer suspension does an all of sudden excellent process of dialing in compliance and, dare I say it, comfort. I say softer now no longer soft, however few song guns this aspect of a McLaren 720S have this form of regular duality, and you’ll spend $100k greater at the British supercar.
For longer distances a Quattroporte have to probable be your first choice, however the MC20 is clean and that direct steerage doesn’t get tiring. Arguably the coupe’s largest trouble is its pace: GT mode has greater tempered increase for the V6, everyday resistance for the pedals, and a shifter experience Maserati describes as “gradual and clean,” however it’s ridiculously smooth to locate your self doing 30, forty mph greater than the criminal restrict with out proceeding to.
Exercise restraint as first-rate you can, and the aggregate of point-and-shoot pace collectively with that steerage directness I can’t prevent considering per week later make each backroad worth of a detour.
Maserati has huge and small plans for the MC20. On the only hand, it’s deliberately preserving deliver low: the automaker won’t say what number of it’ll construct every 12 months, however Peffer is apparent that exclusivity is a part of the supercar allure. The identical, indeed, is going for the CEO’s plans for the relaxation of the line-up, that’s transferring to construct-to-order. Buyers can also additionally should wait 1/2 of a 12 months to get their new vehicle, however Maserati is assured that they’ll workout persistence in go back for bespoke detailing from the more and more more famous Fuoriserie Customization Program.
Meanwhile, even as nowadays the MC20 is a fueloline-powered coupe, it became designed with evolution in mind. Maserati has already showed that a tough-pinnacle convertible is coming, and a fully-electric powered MC20. Importantly, the carbon fiber chassis is same for all 3 iterations, and the automaker has held off from following the enterprise fashion towards committing to a complete EV transition through a selected date.
Demand and purchaser readiness will form that system, Peffer says. Maserati won’t retire the MC20 coupe whilst the convertible arrives, either, and nor will the V6 disappear as quickly because the all-electric powered version is going on sale. Instead, all 3 may be constructed aspect through aspect, granting the automaker a long way greater liberty to embody electrification – or, conversely, maintain it at bay – as supercar customers do.
It all sounds suspiciously like a plan, some thing it has felt like Maserati became missing for some time now. The MC20 is wildly rapid however it’s additionally designed with the destiny in mind, will pay as a lot interest to cabin experience and touchpoints because it does horsepower, and takes a greater measured, brand-suitable mind-set towards the inevitability of fueloline engines’ demise.
Reinvention will take greater than a quarter-million-greenback supercar, of course: all of the identical, a halo now no longer handiest illuminates, it units the tone. The MC20 impresses now no longer handiest through distinctive feature of its dynamics and its drama, however how comprehensively it elevates Maserati as greater than only a sports activities vehicle however a unique one. Now the relaxation of the automaker’s line-up simply desires to comply with suit.