Maserati’s heritage in motorsport dates back to the early 20th Century, having taken part and won numerous races their heritage and sportscars, unfortunately, faded away as the years went by. Only to be left with overpriced SUVs, roaring GT and family sedans. The last time they embraced and showed off their heritage engineering knowhow was back in 2004 when they launched the MC12, which in essence was a tad disappointing. It was a reworked Ferrari Enzo, and the MC12 focused on trying to be a race car and road car, and it, unfortunately, didn’t succeed very well in both. However, their latest creation the MC20 shows great promise, great ambition and a car that will drive their flagship range. The MC20 is the car Maserati needed to have released a very long time ago, about time they reminded everyone of their racing pedigree and about time they went back into developing fully-fledged sportscars.
Performance-wise Maserati hit it well straight off the bat, built upon a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing an astonishing 621bhp and 538lb-ft of torque means that Maserati are back in business and they are backing down with the competition. 0-62 mph is achieved in a jaw-dropping 2.9 seconds and will go onto a top speed over 202 mph, then again weighing around 1,500kg definitely makes it light and agile. Performance-wise, Maserati has done an excellent job of this; they may have joined the game a tad late. Still, they sure are elbowing their way through the competition, not to mention there are plans in developing electric variants of the MC20 which showcases the company moving with the times and adapting. Another display of the company moving with the times is their price, the MC20 will start from £187,230 not cheap at all, but then again, being the firm’s flagship model should come at the cost of exclusivity.
The exterior of the MC20 is neither simplistic nor futuristic; it is perfectly elegant and fits perfectly with the current era of car design and engineering. The occupants will be able to get into the MC20 through butterfly doors which add to the aura of the car; size is also pretty average, it’s a car that mostly adapts to the environment around it. It neither blends nor steals the limelight, and that if anything, is a compliment. It is a car that expresses presence, class and showcases Maserati’s history and involvement in motorsport.
The interior is just as refined and updated as the modern smartphone; it presents both a minimalistic design to prevent the driver from being distracted some elegant and luxurious features yet. Such as a 10-inch instrument display and a 10-inch multimedia infotainment system and, of course, carbon fibre galore for the fanatics. It even comes with a wireless smartphone holder to charge your phone, and all of the driving controls and key features are found on the steering wheel which also includes the starter button and the most import launch control button.
To bring it all in, the Maserati MC20 is a car that we didn’t think we needed, but we did. About time Maserati reminded us of their heritage and racing pedigree, and about time they set the benchmark for the sportscars and were up there with the big leagues with Ferrari and Lamborghini. Maserati over the years had fallen into the pages of history, creating cars for bankers, stockbrokers and homemakers on the school run. The MC20 is the car that will finally showcase the true meaning behind Maserati.
Sources:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-maserati-mc20-supercar-leads-italian-brands-revival
https://www.maserati.com/gb/en/news/mc20-new-maserati-super-sports-car-2020
Images:
Autodius
Bleeding Edge Digital 