Maserati is finally in the game with the MC20, their real supercar that will be gracing SA streets.
Maserati is one of the oldest Italian sports and luxury car brands, but for the last several decades the iconic name has been left to live in the shadows as Ferrari and Lamborghini grabbed all the attention.
Thankfully that is set to change, and Maserati is finally giving South Africa’s Italian motoring fans something better than awkwardly shaped GTs, sedans and SUVs, they are giving us a REAL supercar!
This very real supercar is the MC20, Maseratis latest foray into the mid-engine world after their last mid-engine car, the MC12 back in 2005, and this foray has just been released in South Africa.
Now I use the term launch very loosely because you cant actually pop into the dealership and just order an MC20. That’s because each car that has been allocated to a local customer in 2022 has been designed and built exclusively to order for its respected owner. To attain that level of exclusivity, you dont merely order an MC20, you create it by sitting down with the Maserati team in the Maserati Configuration Room where you will design and spec out your car using the companys Fuoriserie customisation programme. It gets even better though because you also have the option to visit the manufacturing plant in Modena to view no, experience your MC20 being built.
So, what arrives on your driveway after youve gone through all of that? Well, for starters you get an achingly beautiful body. Yes, I love the aggressiveness of the Huracan and some of the McLarens, but the Maserati is elegant, and somewhat artistic, something only the Italians can pull off. That body is constructed out of lightweight carbon fibre which endows the MC20 with a weight of only 1500kg depending on the options you choose. My favourite aspect of the MC20 however is the doors because they open vertically, similar to Lamborghinis V12 models and in all honesty, that is priceless!
With only 1500kg to move around, the 3.0 Biturbo V6 Maserati Nettuno engine (which is shared with the equally beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA) doesnt need to work hard, and despite the lack of weight, Masarati still saw it fit to crank 470kW and 750Nm of torque out of the engine. I guess it’s easy to see why the MC20 can sprint from 0-100km/h in 2.88 seconds while topping out at a top speed of 326km/h.
To achieve that blistering acceleration, Maserati has called upon an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission which changes gears faster than any normal automatic, and even quicker than even the best driver when making their way through a manual gearbox.
Moving away from the mechanical bits, the only place where I find the MC20 disappoints is the interior. Yes, its well-built, covered with exotic and/or luxury materials and has all the latest tech, but it doesnt look exciting. It’s very straight, square and somewhat “German” looking. Cmon Maserati, youre Italian for crying out loud, throw some of that flair in there! Mind you, the seats are awesome race style buckets, and you can’t ever fault a car with racing seats.
Apart from the interior, the MC20 is a stonking hot piece of equipment and Ill let you in on a little secret, Maserati hasnt just brought out the MC20 for fun its the car they will be campaigning on the track as they return to motorsport!
So, there you have it, an Italian track-honed mid-engine supercar that isnt a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, how refreshing!
Looking for your own Italian dream car? You’ll find it in the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom.