Maserati MC20 ushers in a new era for the high-class Italian brand, a new super sports vehicle that blends performance, athleticism, and elegance in Maserati’s signature flair.
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Nettuno: the brand new heart of the brand new Maserati MC20
The new Maserati MC20 – MC for Maserati Corse and 20 for 2020, the year of its global premiere – is the Maserati everybody has been dreaming about.
It’s a vehicle with exceptional aerodynamic efficiency that hides a sporting personality, thanks to the new Nettuno engine, a 630 horsepower V6 with 730 Nm torque that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 2,9 seconds and has a peak speed of over 325 km/h. After a 20-year absence, Maserati is resuming production of its own power units with this engine.
The MC20 is a very light automobile, weighing under 1,500 kg, and with a power output of 630 hp, it has the best weight/power ratio in the class, weighing just 2.33 kg/hp. This record was set by using high-quality materials and using all of carbon fiber’s capabilities while avoiding any compromises in terms of comfort.
Nettuno, the first engine in this new chapter of the Trident’s history, is the MC20’s twin-turbo V6, a technological marvel that has already been granted an international patent and brings Maserati Twin Combustion (MTC) technology, a ground-breaking combustion system developed in-house, to the world’s roads.
Tradition and innovation meet in Modena
Overall, this ground-breaking effort has produced a vehicle that embodies Italian brilliance. In reality, the MC20 was created in Modena and will be manufactured in the Viale Ciro Menotti facility, which has been producing Trident models for over 80 years.
The new manufacturing line, which was built in the locations where the GranTurismo and GranCabrio cars were built until November 2019, is fully operational in the old facility. There’s also a new paint shop on the property that uses cutting-edge, eco-friendly technology. Nettuno will also be produced in Modena, at the Maserati Engine Lab, which was recently constructed.
The MC20 was designed in around 24 months, with a team of Maserati Innovation Lab engineers, Maserati Engine Lab technical experts, and Maserati Style Centre designers involved from the start, in a unique method.
The Maserati Innovation Lab created the Virtual Vehicle Dynamics Development system, which incorporates one of the world’s most powerful dynamic simulators and is based on a complicated mathematical model called Virtual Car. This solution enabled 97 percent of dynamic tests to be completed, reducing development time.
Performance and elegance are the Maserati heritage
The vehicle was then fine-tuned in the greatest Maserati tradition, with extensive track and road test-driving sessions in a variety of situations.
The MC20’S design was inspired by the brand’s historic identity, with all of the elegance, performance, and comfort that come with it. The emphasis on performance resulted in the creation of a vehicle with a distinct personality and distinct shapes that set it apart.
The butterfly doors are not only attractive, but they’re also practical since they increase the car’s ergonomics and provide easy access to and from the interior.
Over two thousand man-hours in the Dallara wind tunnel and over a thousand CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) calculations went into designing the aerodynamics, resulting in a true piece of art. The result is a streamlined automobile with no mobile extensions and just a small rear spoiler to increase downforce without detracting from the MC20’s attractiveness. The CX is less than 0.38.
The MC20 was created with coupé and convertible variants in mind, as well as full electric power.
Good taste and focus inside and out
Once inside the cabin, the driver is always in command, and nothing should detract from the thrilling sensation of driving. Every component has a specific function and is entirely focused on the driver. Simple shapes, few sharp edges, and few distracting elements. Two 10-inch screens: one for the cockpit, and one for the Maserati Touch Control Plus (MTC Plus MIA).
The carbon fiber-clad central console is similarly minimalist, with only a few features: a wireless smartphone charger, a driving mode selector (GT, Wet, Sport, Corsa, and a fifth, ESC Off, which disables the control functions), two-speed selection buttons, power window controls, Multimedia System controls, and a handy storage compartment beneath the armrest.
The ignition button is on the left, while the launch control is on the right, with all other controls on the steering wheel.
The Maserati Connect program will keep the new MC20 connected at all times. The Maserati Connect smartphone or wristwatch App may also be used to control the complete range of services, which includes linked navigation, Alexa, and Wifi Hotspot.
Maserati has created six new colors to distinguish the MC20 for the launch: Bianco Audace, Giallo Genio, Rosso Vincente, Blu Infinito, Nero Enigma, and Grigio Mistero. Each one was created, built, and developed specifically for this vehicle, and they all carry vital messages: a strong nod to Made in Italy, Italian identity, and the land, as well as a nod to Maserati legacy.
There are obvious aesthetic and conceptual similarities to the MC12, the vehicle that signaled Maserati’s return to racing in 2004. MC20, like its predecessor, signals its ambition to return to the realm of racing with its expressly racing essence obvious from its name alone.