The car that enthusiasts have been looking forward to for months has now finally been officially presented: this is the Maserati MC20.
Tonight Maserati presents its sportiest model in years in home base Modena. The newcomer also brings back the name ‘MC’, a letter combination that has had a magical sound since Enzo Ferrari brother MC12. The newcomer is not as fierce as that hypercar, but the Maserati MC20 is a sports car with a mid-engine. This is a configuration that is a permanent part of the range at Ferrari, but was only used sporadically at Maserati. As a relatively compact model with a V6 placed behind the front seats, the comparison with the Merak from the 1970s is easily made.
Nettuno
The V6 in question is an all-new engine designed by Maserati itself. The Maserati MC20 gets a 3.0-liter six-cylinder with two turbos and two spark plugs per cylinder, good for 630 hp and 730 Nm. Maximum torque is released at 3,000 rpm, but the rev limiter does not come into effect until 8,000 rpm. Maserati is proud that the engine of the MC20 is equipped with F1 technology. The most important of these is a technique that Maserati calls ‘Pre-chamber combustion’, in which combustion takes place in a separate room next to the usual combustion room. However, there is more. The Nettuno block is also equipped with a so-called dry sump system. As a result, a traditional oil pan is not required and the V6 can be placed extra low in the car, which results in a lower center of gravity and thus – at least in theory – better handling.
Quiet
Just like the Merak and V8 brother Bora, the Maserati MC20 has a relatively sleek and quietly lined body for a car of this caliber. As it became clear yesterday, the striking air intakes and spoilers that defined the image at Ferrari for a long time are missing. Instead, the necessary additions for aerodynamics and engine cooling have been incorporated into the design as much as possible. The smooth design is made possible by the sophisticated aerodynamics. The necessary spoiler work is housed under the car, so that the top can keep its tidy character.
Partly thanks to a carbon monocoque, the MC20 is quite light for a car of this caliber. Maserati promises a weight of less than 1,500 kg. The sprint from 0 to 100 is therefore over in 2.9 seconds, at a top speed of ‘more than’ 325 km / h.
Butterfly door
What is striking are the wing doors, which make the MC20 immediately suitable for the proverbial poster above the bed. The doors are of the specific type ‘butterfly door’ and therefore open diagonally to the front. This is the first Maserati with such doors, because even the MC12 had to do without. Behind the gull-wing door is a functional, but not spartan interior. Maserati promises that although the MC20 is mainly very sporty, it does not sacrifice all comfort and luxury. These things are also seen as typical Maserati, so it seems that the MC20 will offer some degree of everyday usability.
Procrastination
The corona virus throws a spanner in the works, including that of Maserati. The car you see here should have been unveiled in May during a major event, but that party was canceled. To keep the people sweet (bread and games?), The teaser campaign was postponed considerably. Details about the engine were already known, so a lot has been said and written about the MC20. If you want to read all that, you should definitely take a look here.
Techzle is present at the grand festivities surrounding the unveiling of the MC20. More specific information and interesting background will undoubtedly follow, so keep an eye on the site.