The last couple decades haven’t been the best ones in Maserati’s history. A long time ago, the Trident-branded Italian carmaker was renowned as a purveyor of sporty, luxurious cars worthy of commemoration in song; its sports cars, gran turismos and sedans were sleek, elegant machines that drew stares and induced drooling. Since the 1980s, though, the brand has seemed a bit meandering. Its purchase by Fiat has left it without an obvious role — sandwiched between Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, never quite clear on whether it should be a purveyor of exotica or a mainstream luxury automaker.
But here’s the thing about life: you never know what comes next. And for Maserati, the next chapter in its story looks to be an exciting one, if its all-new MC20 halo sports car is anything to go by.
Will Sabel CourtneyRevealed Wednesday in a trans-Atlantic dual presentation, the MC20 is Maserati’s return to the world of true super sports cars — a mid-engined, carbon fiber-bodied rival for the likes of the Audi R8, Porsche 911 Turbo S, McLaren 570S, Acura NSX — and perhaps even the Ferrari F8 Tributo. The heart of any sports car is its powerplant, and the MC20 has one that puts race horses to shame: a brand-new, in-house-developed twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 the brand calls “Nettuno” that pumps out 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque, connected to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox.
That said, the MC20 also has an eye on the future. Like all forthcoming Maseratis — and there’ll be plenty, with brand representatives claiming a new vehicle every six months or so for the next four or five years — the new sports car has also been designed to use an all-electric powertrain. The details of that EV version remain TBA, but considering it seems likely to be a dual-motor AWD affair, we’re guessing it’ll be able to beat the gas-powered Mc20’s quoted 2.9-second 0-60 mph blast.
Will Sabel CourtneyMaking these powertrain choices possible: the carbon fiber chassis developed specifically for MC20 use in conjunction with racing constructor Dallara. (In case you were wondering: yes, the MC20 will also be going racing, though details about that remain to be revealed.) The design, however, is pure Maserati, penned in-house and featuring an elegant melange of soft and hard forms. In person, there are hints of the Alfa Romeo 4C around the B-pillars from the side view and a sight resemblance to the Pininfarina Battista from the rear, but overall, it’s an elegant, slippery shape that looks very much like a Maserati above all else.
