The Maserati MC20 super sports car made its debut in Modena on 9 September during the “MMXX: Time to be audacious” event. The new MC20 (MC for Maserati Corse and 20 for 2020, the year of its world première and the start of the Brand’s new Era) is a special Maserati for many reasons. What we really love though is the fact that it reminds us of the legendary MC12.
Powering this Maserati is the new Nettuno engine which has been built in-house. It is a 630 horsepower V6 which cranks out 730 Nm and helps the MC20 to sprint from 0-100 km/h in under 2,9 seconds before achieving a top speed of over 325 km an hour.
Nettuno, the first engine in this new chapter of the Trident’s history, is the MC20’s twin-turbo V6 and has already been awarded an international patent, which puts the MTC (Maserati Twin Combustion) technology developed in-house, onto the world’s roads. The new motor is paired with an 8-speed DCT which transfers power to the rear wheels. The rear axle gets a limited-slip self-locking mechanical differential (Electronic differential opt).
The MC20 tips the scale under 1,500 kg (kerb weight), and thanks to its power output of 630 hp, it boasts of a weight/power ratio of 2.33 kg/hp. This record is achieved through the use of choice quality materials and exploiting all the potentials of carbon fibre.
The MC20 was designed in Modena and will be built at the Viale Ciro Menotti plant, where the Trident’s models have been built for more than 80 years. The new production line, created in the spaces where the GranTurismo and GranCabrio models were assembled until November 2019, is now ready for action in the historic plant. Nettuno will also be built in Modena, at the newly established Maserati Engine Lab.
The MC20 design was produced in about 24 months, with the involvement from the outset, in an innovative approach, of a team of Maserati Innovation Lab engineers, technical specialists from the Maserati Engine Lab and designers from the Maserati Style Centre.
The Virtual Vehicle Dynamics Development system, which includes the use of one of the world’s most advanced dynamic simulators, was developed in-house by the Maserati Innovation Lab and is based on a complex mathematical model called Virtual Car. This method allowed the performance of 97% of dynamic tests, optimising development times. The car was then fine-tuned in the best Maserati tradition with exhaustive track and road test-driving sessions in the most widely varying conditions of use.
In terms of form, the MC20 has been fitted with butterfly doors which are not only beautiful but also functional, as they improve the car’s ergonomics and enable optimal access to and from the cabin. The aerodynamics were designed through over two thousand man-hours in the Dallara Wind Tunnel and more than a thousand CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations. The resulting car has a sleek line, with no mobile appendages but just a discreet rear spoiler that improves downforce without detracting from the MC20’s beauty. The CX is more under 0,38. The MC20 is designed to enable coupé and convertible versions and for full-electric power.
Inside the cabin, every component has a purpose and is completely driver-oriented. Simple forms, very few sharp edges and minimal distractions. Two 10 inch screens: one for the cockpit and the other for the Maserati Touch Control Plus (MTC Plus MIA). Simplicity is also the keynote of the carbon fibre-clad central console, with just a few features: a wireless smartphone charger, the driving mode selector (GT, Wet, Sport, Corsa and a fifth, ESC Off, which deactivates the control functions), two speed selection buttons, power window controls, Multimedia System controls, and a handy storage compartment underneath the armrest. All the other controls are on the steering wheel, with the ignition button on the left and the launch control on the right.
The new MC20 will be connected at all times with the Maserati Connect program. The full range of services includes connected navigation, Alexa and Wifi Hotspot and can also be managed through the Maserati Connect smartphone or smartwatch App. For the launch, Maserati has also developed six new colours to characterise MC20: Bianco Audace, Giallo Genio, Rosso Vincente, Blu Infinito, Nero Enigma and Grigio Mistero. Each of them has been conceived, designed and developed exclusively for this car and they all convey important themes: a strong reference to Made in Italy, to Italian identity and to the land, as well as one linked to Maserati tradition.
Both visually and conceptually, there are strong references to the MC12, the car that marked Maserati’s racing comeback in 2004. In the same way as its predecessor, MC20, with its explicitly racing soul clear from its name alone, announces the intention to return to the world of racing. The production launch is scheduled for the end of the current year with orders to be accepted from the 10th September.