Maserati MC20: A Sensational Return to Form

Maserati’s MC20 is a triumphant comeback, a visceral supercar that proves the Italian automaker still has the magic touch. With its stunning looks, perfectly balanced chassis, and potent twin-turbo V6 engine, the MC20 is a force to be reckoned with in the world of exotic sports cars.

A New Era for Maserati

While the upcoming Grecale SUV will be Maserati’s bread and butter, the MC20 is the exotic flagship that enthusiasts have been waiting for. This car is a statement of intent from a storied brand that had been left to languish. If the MC20 is any indication, Maserati’s future is looking very bright indeed.

A Masterpiece of Engineering

Everything about the MC20 is new and cutting-edge. The single-piece carbon-fiber chassis, developed in collaboration with race car maker Dallara, is a work of art. Combined with lightweight body panels and a polycarbonate engine cover, the MC20 has a curb weight of just 3,306 pounds. That’s incredibly light for a car with so much power.

The heart of the MC20 is Maserati’s new Nettuno 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. This engine is a masterpiece, cranking out 621 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 538 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is perfectly in sync with this dynamite powerplant.

A Thrill to Drive

The MC20 is an absolute firecracker when driven hard. It almost seems to shrink around you, like you forget that this car is as long and wide as it is when you’re just getting into the groove of driving. The most impressive thing is how light this coupe feels at high speeds, almost like the chassis is hollow or like it’s going to lift off the ground.

Never fear, there’s a ton of downforce keeping the MC20 glued to the road at all times, and the 245/35 front and 305/30 rear tires have oodles of grip. Those forged 20-inch wheels are a $5,500 option, by the way.

A Car That Makes You Feel Alive

All of the MC20’s individual performance aspects are great, but it’s the way everything works together that makes this Maserati so special. You feel like you’re part of the car, part of the road, part of the environment. While some supercars can feel clinical to the point of sterility, the MC20 feels alive and emotional. It’s way more than a numbers car designed to look good at Cars & Coffee.

Living with the MC20

Living with the MC20 is exactly what you’d expect. There’s basically no storage space inside the cabin and the overall passenger accommodations are pretty tight. The rear window looks super-cool with the Trident logo cutout, but visibility out the back is utterly hopeless, so I’m glad Maserati fits a digital rearview mirror as standard.

There’s a $4,000 electronic front suspension lift that you will absolutely need to use all of the time, and the combined frunk and trunk space is kind of weak, but I don’t imagine grocery runs are a regular use case for an MC20.

Cabin Tech

Cabin tech includes a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster that is easy to read and packed with information, and there’s a 10.3-inch central touchscreen that runs the finicky Maserati Intelligent Assist software. The icons are small and tough to accurately hit, and responses to inputs are often laggy. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, thankfully. Just use those.

Pricing

The MC20 costs $212,000 to start, but good luck keeping your out-the-door price anywhere close to that. This test car has three-layer Blu Infinito paint ($4,500), a carbon fiber engine cover ($5,000), a black roof ($4,000 — seriously), upgraded leather and Alcantara ($1,000), heated seats ($500), a premium audio system ($4,000) and carbon ceramic brakes ($10,000) with red calipers ($1,200). Plus a few other odds and ends, the as-tested price is $256,050.

But who cares? Every other mid-engine supercar is going to cost just as much, and even more practical sports cars like a Porsche 911 Turbo S start above $200,000. Nobody is buying a Maserati MC20 because it’s a smart value. This is a purchase made out of pure emotion, and that’s what the MC20 is all about.

Tags

Maserati, MC20, supercar, exotic, sports car, performance, engineering, driving experience, emotion, Italian, Dallara, Nettuno V6, carbon fiber, downforce, tires, wheels, cabin tech, pricing, value

Viral Sentences

• Maserati’s MC20 is a triumphant comeback, a visceral supercar that proves the Italian automaker still has the magic touch.
• The MC20 is an absolute firecracker when driven hard.
• While some supercars can feel clinical to the point of sterility, the MC20 feels alive and emotional.
• Nobody is buying a Maserati MC20 because it’s a smart value. This is a purchase made out of pure emotion, and that’s what the MC20 is all about.

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