Maserati MC20 Mild-Hybrid Supercar Revealed; First Maserati Supercar In 15 Years
Highlights
- The Maserati MC20 celebrates the brand's return to racing.
- Maserati says that the powertrain draws inspiration from F1 cars' engines
- It will get a 3.0-litre, V6 twin-turbo mild-hybrid powertrain.
Maserati has taken the electrification route and that not only goes for its sedans and SUVs, but also for its new-age supercars. Finally, it has taken the wraps off the Maserati MC20 supercar and we have to say that it looks just stunning, keeping up with the aesthetics Maseratis are known for. The Maserati MC20 has been unveiled at the Italian carmaker's headquarters in Modena, Italy while we had an opportunity to be a part of its global digital premiere. What's even more exciting is that MC20 is actually celebrating the brand's return to racing and on cue, the 'MC' in MC20 stands for Maserati Corse, which is Italian-speak for racing.
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It keeps the classic low stance sports car looks very much intact and gets doors that open upwards. A lot of carbon fibre has gone in its construction keeping a check on its weight, tipping the scales at about 1,500 kg, in a bid to improve its dynamics. The massive grille upfront along with those curtains resonate with its aggressive character while plenty of muscles around its hood and on the wheel arches echo a sense of boldness to its design.
It's not particularly angular or chiselled to look at as the design language is inclined towards giving it a sporty demeanour rather than something like the Lamborghini Sian that exudes sharpness. In fact, it will remind you of the Rimac C Two electric hypercar as well. Be it the curve of the windscreen, tight overhangs, air intakes on its haunches or design of its all-LED headlights, everything looks smooth-edged and proportionate.
Much of the carbon fibre found on the exterior are carried over to the interior as well. The centre column, paddle-shifters, and driver-focused steering wheel are finished in the lightweight weave. The rest of the cabin including the seats, dashboard and door pads sport a mix of Alcantara and stitched leather with blue accents.
On the inside you also get a 10.3-inch touchscreen display that gives access to Maserati's new Intelligent Assistant (MIA). The driver also gets a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The infotainment system can be personalised and features Maserati Connect which alerts the owner of things like service dates and security features, all accessible via a smartphone.
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Under the hood will be a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 motor that's been christened 'Nettuno' which has been developed in-house by Maserati. The Italian brand says that the powertrain draws inspiration from its F1 car's engine and is tuned to churn out 621 bhp and 730 Nm of peak torque. It uses dual spark plugs for each cylinder, and the secondary lateral spark plug is a straight lift from F1 cars, getting out the best possible performance from this powertrain and at the same time optimising the fuel consumption levels. The engine is coupled with an electric motor as well, so yes, it's a mild-hybrid powertrain, as mentioned before.
We are still waiting for details of its electrified part, but regarding the performance we know that the 0-100 kmph run will take just 2.8 seconds and the supercar has a top speed of 310 kmph. The MC20 boasts a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg per bhp. It gets four driving modes – Wet, GT, Sport, and Corsa – that are toggled via the drive mode selector, with a fifth "ESC Off" option that disables traction control completely. Each mode adjusts settings like steering weight and throttle response, as well as the adaptive suspension. The double-wishbone setup with active shock absorbers raises and lowers the car depending on the drive mode.
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The global debut of the Maserati MC20 was originally scheduled for May 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic laid waste to that plan. The car is likely to enter production in 2021, and along with the coupe, a cabriolet variant is in the works as well. The Maserati MC20 will first go on sale in global markets and there is no confirmation on whether it will come to India or not.
Last Updated on September 10, 2020