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Maserati MC20: the Trident sharpens up its act

 By Matt Lawrence, Motoring Correspondent A 621BHP super car dispatching 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds; Maserati is finally back in the big time. For a brand as synonymous with racing prowess as Maserati, the 21 st century has been run at a curiously sedate pace. The brand that powered Juan Manuel Fangio, arguably Formula 1’s greatest ever luminary, to two of his world championship titles has for 80 years been considered indisputable motor racing royalty. However, just lately that crown has slipped somewhat. The crux of this mini-crisis of conscience can be put down in no small part to Maserati cosying up to Alfa Romeo in its (relatively) new home under the Fiat Chrysler banner. This in itself was no bad thing, as both famous Italian stables cohabited serenely, sharing some parts and design elements. The real problem was that, in attempting to shift towards a mass-market cli- entele in much the same way as Alfa, Maserati lost its lustre. The brand’s clunky metamorphosis was akin to wearing your best tuxedo to the Hungry Horse; oddly incongruous and running the considerable risk of leav- ing with a gravy stain on your hard-earned reputation. The resulting lurch into the motoring wilderness and inevitable slump in profits seemed to confirm some- thing that die-hard Italian car fans have been screaming from the rooftops for decades; Maserati had to find a way back to the ultra-luxury, thoroughbred sports car arena where it first made its name. Only then could the Trident brand sharpen up its act and finally, stop being Ferrari’s whipping boy. Most crucially of all, Fiat-Chrysler’s move to sell its stake in the Prancing Horse back in 2016 shifted the performance onus back across the paddock, and it finally looks as though Maserati is being allowed to grow a backbone by its FCA paymasters. Desperately in need of a hero, a halo car to rekindle the kudos of old, here comes the knight in carbon fibre armour that they – and sports car fans in general – have long been waiting for: introducing the Maserati MC20. Before even clapping eyes on Maserati’s first super car in over a decade, the name alone will undoubtedly evoke flashbacks to the 2004 MC12. This car’s spiritual predecessor was essentially a limited-run road-go- ing homologation designed chiefly to launch Maserati back in the world of GT motor racing. However, as fire-breathing a leviathan as the MC12 was, it still lacked the true Maserati DNA, being in essence a reworked Ferrari Enzo. In short, the MC12 was always more of a one-off crazy science project; prohibitively expensive and, with only 50 road cars ever built, destined to be a collector’s curio as opposed to a long-term flag bearer for the Trident marque. The MC20, whose moniker stands for Maserati Corse 2020, is that flag bearer – and Maserati desperately wants us to know it. It’ll launch the firm on a crash course with the true super cars of today, with stats and a price point to rival and potentially topple the likes of the Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, Mercedes AMG GT R and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo. And whis- per it, but the sleek new Maserati upstart

Indeed, the stats really don’t lie. Lurking under the smooth exterior and carbon-fibre monocoque chas- sis is a mid-mounted 3.0 litre V6 dubbed ‘Nettuno’ after the Roman god of the sea who famously wielded Maserati’s signature trident. Spewing out 621bhp and 538 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 to 5,500 rpm, it’ll gallop from 0-62mph in under 2.9 seconds – that’s hands- down faster than the Huracan. The MC20’s liberal use of carbon-fibre drops its kerb weight under the 1500kg mark, giving it a claimed best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of more than 414bhp per tonne. This fleet-foot- edness comes to the fore in the sprint from 0-124mph, which Maserati claim will take less than 8.8 seconds. Keep your foot to the floor, and the MC20 will top out at 202mph. Perhaps more significant than all of these dizzying numbers combined is the news that the Nettuno is an engine designed by Maserati, for Maserati. That’s right, for the first time in over two decades, the Italian stable is once again producing its own power units rather than sifting through the Ferrari parts bin. It’s a bold step that very much makes good on Maserati’s promise to usher in a whole new chapter in its history – not to mention a big two fingered salute in the direction of La Scuderia across the piazza in Modena. As is its want in kick starting a new era for the Italian icon, the MC20 is a car that certainly stands apart from the current crop of executive saloons and SUVs that sport the Trident logo. It oozes super car sensibility, of that there can be no doubt. The design is centred around sleek lines and flowing surfaces, quite in con- trast to the bustling shoe box-style frame of the MC12. Almost completely devoid of any protruding append- ages, save for a discreet rear spoiler, the MC20 is the fruit of over 2,000 man-hours of labour in the Formula 1-spec Dallara wind tunnel. A series of clean lines, clearly drawn with one swoop of a pencil, therefore achieve phenomenal levels of downforce without needing to imitate the porcupine aesthetic of, say, a Lamborghini Aventador. In truth, the under-chassis set-up does the heavy lifting as far as aerodynamics are concerned, with the hump-shaped floor directing airflow to the front axle and a largely hidden diffuser loading the rear wheels with downforce. In a similar vein, the gulping air vents present on the likes of the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Huracan are conspicuous by their absence here. The grille is a rela- tively low-key interpretation of the iconic Maserati tri- dent-stamped fascia and is flanked by a pair of rather unobtrusive vents. Almost invisible from the side view, the MC20’s mid-mounted 3.0 litre V6 breathes through two intakes placed above the car’s rear wheel arches. Far more eye-catching, however, are the Maserati’s show-stealing butterfly doors. These pary-pieces give easy access to the two-seater cabin and are more than befitting of the overall super car dynamic. For amid-engine halo car, whose kin are often guilty of providing the ergonomics of an Apollo mission capsule,

there’s a surprising amount of room in the MC20’s cabin. That doesn’t mean, however, that the interior is anything less than 100 per cent driver orientated. Similar to the smooth exterior, the cockpit design sticks to simple forms with minimal distractions. Two 10-inch screens, one for the dashboard and the other for the Maserati’s MIA infotainment system, are stand out fea- tures. Meanwhile the carbon fibre-clad central console houses a wireless smartphone charger, armrest with hidden cubby hole and, most notably, the driving mode selector. Specifically, MC20s come with four pre-tailored drive settings: GT, Wet, Sport and Corsa. Whereas the former is somewhat of a default mode and ‘Wet’ mode bumps up the various driver aids to the max, the latter two dial the adrenaline up a notch or two. ‘Corsa’ mode draws back the comfort blanket of trac- tion- and stability-control, whilst simultaneously tweak- ing suspension and transmission to track settings. Engine boost and throttle response are also maximized while the exhaust valves flap open and launch-control comes online. If you’re feeling brave – or foolhardy – a fifth mode dubbed ‘ESC Off’ can deactivate every control function and assistance system at the flick of a switch. We wager that few will have the guts to try out the MC20 in its most untamed form unless they happen to have access to a disused airfield. That style of driving we feel is best left to the profes- sionals, who may, coincidently, get their racing gloves on the wheel of a race-ready MC20 in the not-too-dis- tant future. Much like the MC12 did a decade and a half ago, the new Maserati super car shows that Maserati is chomping at the bit to get it tyres dirty once more in the world of GT racing. Although no official programme has yet been announced by HQ in Modena, expect to see an MC20 decked out in race livery in time for the start of the 2021 GT3 season. Production of Maserati’s most important new release in decades is scheduled to get underway later this year, with order books already open and first deliveries set for spring 2021. Road-going examples, while by no means abundant, will not be as strictly limited as those of the MC12. This greater accessibility – in relative terms – is reflected in the MC20’s price tag. £187,230 is hardly what you would call pocket money, but in the cloud cuckoo realm of the super car, it’s temptingly close in price to the more established Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R and Lamborghini Huracan. Looking forward, Maserati has made its intentions clear to expand the MC20 family, with genuine scope for a convertible and all-wheel drive version. That’s not to mention talk of an EV, whose stats are set to eclipse even those of the petrol-powered MC20. These models will all count towards the Trident’s aim to add no less than thirteen new models to its roster before 2024, finally putting the slumbering Italian giant back on the pedestal its engineering and sporting herit- age so richly deserves. 

might even fancy its chances of get- ting in a gut punch on the Ferrari F8 Tributo – the audacity!

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