Brian Douglas
For the News-Leader
Today Maserati has a lineup of grand touring coupes, sedans, SUVs and a world-class supercar, the MC20. Although Maserati established its 119-year-old reputation in racing and sportscars, it’s been more than four decades, with one tiny exception, since the legendary trident brand has offered a car competitive with Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin. All that time elapsed because the venerable automaker had various owners before teaming with Ferrari when both brands were part of Fiat. And in my humble opinion, Ferrari didn’t want a trident supercar sharing its showrooms with its prancing horses.
Maserati’s tiny supercar exception mentioned above was the MC12, a racecar in the GT class that under FIA rules the company had to build a handful of street-legal models. It was quite an interesting machine, based on Ferrari’s Enzo supercar mechanicals that included its 6-liter, 621-horsepower V12. My very short experience in the car suggested that although it packed quite a few thrills, its long bodywork and zero rear window visibility made street driving a challenge for many drivers. But although its $810,000 price in 2005 seemed like a whole lot of money, remaining MC12 models from the 50 produced are fetching at least $4-million these days.
Fast forward, I first encountered Maserati’s new MC20 on the “Concept Lawn” in front of The Lodge at Pebble Beach during the 2021 Concours d’Elegance. Bill Peffer, then Maserati’s CEO for the Americas gave me a walkaround along with product detail and I was smitten with this stunning supercar. We both agreed that it was the perfect halo for Maserati and I couldn’t wait to drive it. Then of course, COVID and a cross-country move managed to interrupt my MC20 plans.
When Maserati recently delivered its MC20 into the Florida press fleet for a few review loans, I was invited to Miami to test the supercar. The company likes to keep odometer readings under 300-miles for each review and if they drove the car to me that limit would just reach St Augustine, let alone Fernandina Beach and back, so delivery to my driveway was not in the cards. But this was Maserati’s supercar, flights are reasonable and we hadn’t been to that fashionable city down south in years.
The car was waiting at our hotel and it was just as gorgeous as I recalled from my first encounter. Maserati’s design chief Klaus Busse did a masterful job of incorporating iconic style with the car’s mechanical and wind tunnel demands. The engine air intakes, perched on the rear flanks, helped create the kind of music I love in a supercar. Apparently the car had a high-zoot Sonus Faber sound system, but while I love hi-fi, I honestly spent little time tuning in non-Maserati melodies.
Although I didn’t spend time on a racetrack or twisty mountain roads, I did accomplish a quick performance check on a momentarily empty bridge to Key Biscayne. The 20 MPH to triple digits uphill took just a few seconds and the car was rock solid. And the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes (a $10,000 option) brought the enthusiasm quickly under control.
Although the new MC20 has just half the cylinders and engine size as its MC12 predecessor, it makes the same 621-horsepower at a sonic 7,500 RPM. That magic is all homegrown with Maserati’s Nettuno design, using F-1 based twin combustion technology and twin turbochargers. Just 2.9-seconds is needed to reach 60 and the top speed is 202 MPH.
Not everyone who acquires a supercar wishes to test blinding acceleration and top speed, especially if orange coveralls are not their fashion choice. So for motoring in style, Maserati has delivered plenty of substance. The butterfly doors open to accommodate an easy entrance and when inside the seating is first class. Instrument and infotainment screens are well designed and configurable and since the rear window is limiting, the rearview mirror has a camera display. And the price for all this, a reasonable $304,200 fully equipped. I just need to decide whether Rosso Vincente or Nero Enigma is the best color choice.
AUTOMOTIVE EVENTS CALENDAR
02/17 3 – 5 p.m. Amelia Cruise In
Cold Stone Creamery Eighth Street and Sadler Road
AMELIA CRUIZERS CAR CLUB
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02/18 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Yulee Cars & Coffee
463939 SR 200 A1A, Yulee
Behind Sonic Drive-In
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02/24 10 a.m.-noon Cars & Conversations
CANOPY WAY • 5024 First Coast Hwy FB
AUTO LEGENDS AMELIA
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02/29 - 03/03 THE AMELIA Concours
Ritz Carlton and surrounding locations
HAGERTY EVENTS & other participants
Brian Douglas has driven everything with wheels during his career in automotive technical, marketing and journalism professions. If you have a question or story to share, he can be reached at brian@autoeditor.com