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Rare-groove V6 supercar goes under the road test microscope

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Few products are as rare or dazzling as an all-new mid-engined Maserati supercar. In the modern era, there have been just two, which makes it all the more unforgivable that we managed to allow the Maserati MC20 to slip between our fingers when it first arrived in this country in 2021, at least from the perspective of an instrumented test.

Of course, we have driven this car, and extensively so, but it has never seen a weighbridge, a tape measure or the vanishing point of MIRA’s mile straight. Here, we correct that oversight and commit to the record a formal verdict for this V6-fired, carbon-tubbed statement, tested here in recently released, open-air Cielo guise.

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DESIGN & STYLING

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 02 side panning

Nowadays, supercars are always striking but rarely are they pretty. The MC20, designed in-house by a team overseen by Klaus Busse, is both.

A bluff tail, adorned with only two blunt pipes and the hint of a lip, plus the pursed, 250F-inspired nose, give the car an elegance next to insectoid rivals from Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini. Maserati says the underbody was pivotal in achieving aero stability with an unfussy body. It seems a job proficiently done.

And, for once, you can in fact judge the book by its cover, because in mechanical terms the Maserati is also a good deal less complicated than its core rivals, all of which are PHEVs. It uses a 3000cc twin-turbo V6 that drives through a Tremec-built eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a limited-slip differential, optionally controlled electronically.

There is no hybrid integration, no four-wheel drive, no rear-wheel steering. There is just a 621bhp driveline hung from extruded aluminium subframes that are attached to a circa-100kg carbonfibre monocoque developed by Dallara, all driven forward by the rear axle alone and damped adaptively. Cast-iron brake discs are standard fit, with carbon-ceramics optional. It’s refreshingly simple.

The wishbone suspension, with its ‘semi-virtual steering’, is quite unusual, however. At both ends, there are two lower links but only one upper link in a design Maserati claims better maintains the contact patch. Rivals using the conventional two links may beg to differ.

The 90deg dry-sump Nettuno V6 is also said to be all-new. This Modenese motor is now offered in the Maserati Grecale and the Maserati Granturismo, but it made its debut in the MC20 and uses Formula-1-derived pre-chamber combustion. The air-fuel mix is fed into the pre-chamber during the piston’s compression stroke. It’s then ignited and via ‘special holes’ propagates into the combustion chamber proper. This improves efficiency but in terms of specific output the narrow Nettuno still trails the 120deg V6 in Ferrari’s 296 GTB, at 207bhp per litre versus 218. The Ricardo-built V6 in the McLaren Artura manages 193bhp per litre.

Maserati says 97% of the MC20’s development took place virtually. With more and more makers using driver-in-loop simulation, perhaps this is no longer a surprising figure. Mind you, physical testing at an earlier stage may have alerted Maserati to the car’s heft. We weighed this Cielo (add 65kg for the folding hard-top) at 1783kg against a claimed 1540kg. It is heavier than its PHEV rivals, which is inexplicable.

INTERIOR

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 11 dash

The MC20’s cabin is architecturally stark but striking. It feels rather noble and gives off faint motorsport vibes.

Paradoxically, then, it’s also easier to enter and exit with dignity than that of perhaps any rival, due to the slim sills, the comparatively flat seat bases and the generous opening left by the spectacular butterfly doors.

Forward visibility through the wide, domed aperture of the tub is also good. Rear visibility is all but non-existent in the coupé but is a little better in the Cielo, which has a flat engine cover and an upright rear screen (droppable via the neat central touchscreen display).

Mind, both models also use a digital rear-view mirror fed by a camera. This only augments the sports car racer feel, as does lashings of expensive carbon trim, copious Alcantara, and sizeable, functional switchgear on both the centre console and thick-rimmed steering wheel.

Storage? In the tradition of Italian supercars, it’s an afterthought. You get one cupholder, a tiny cubby fit only for wallets and keys, and a shallow, 100-litre boot, for which you can nevertheless buy a fitted luggage set by Ermenegildo Zegna.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 28 rear cornering

Now we have a slight complication. We do our best to test supercars in supercar-appropriate weather, but during our time with the MC20 Cielo, a perfectly dry window was not forthcoming.

So, just how quick is a 621bhp, carbon-tubbed, boosty, rear-drive supercar on a damp September day?

Quicker than you might expect, owing in part to (a) the Maserati’s usually pliant suspension, and (b) a road tester’s willingness to keep the throttle as pinned as possible during moments when the line between maximum-ish forward travel and pulse-spiking flashes of straight-line yaw is fag-paper thin.

The car’s launch control system holds the engine at 5000rpm or so before the first clutch engages as you release the brake. There is wheelspin but scant point in feathering – just settle in and let the computers deal with the getaway. Second and third gears are very twitchy indeed, though by the top of third you’re about out of the woods and the MC20 beneath has just posted a 7.8sec 0-100mph. Being only four-tenths slower than the Porsche 911 GT3, itself tested in the dry, is good going in our books. 

As it happens, we have performance tested an MC20 in the dry, though outside the formality of a road test, and in coupé form. For your information, that car fizzed its way to 60mph in 3.1sec and on to 100mph in 6.4sec. Neither figure is at the leading edge of the contemporary supercar performance envelope, but because of the Maserati’s surging, shapely and bombastic delivery, as well as deliciously snappy upshifts, and the way the suspension permits a little squat under hard acceleration, it all feels fast, fun and oh so memorable.

The 2.3sec the coupé needed for 30-70mph in kickdown trails that of the Artura (2.1sec) and 296 GTB (1.9sec). Equally, it is just a tenth shy of the time of the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. The MC20 is on the supercar money, then, despite its lack of hybrid assist. Or epic V12.

In a sense, the weather couldn’t have picked a better supercar road test to hamstring. The appeal of the MC20’s performance is not to be found in the numbers. It is derived from rotating the little digital mode selector one stage to the right, taking you from languid ‘GT’ to ‘Sport’, and feeling the driveline tense up like a coiled spring.

It is derived from the way the engine note evolves from being almost pure bass-driven boom to something more resonant and fizzing as the crank spins fiercely out towards its peak of 8000rpm. It is derived from the act of eliciting a whip-crack upshift via the car’s juicily big paddle (downshifts aren’t nearly as slick, mind). The MC20 may lack the outright speed of sometimes less expensive rivals, but there’s a beauty in the simplicity of the drivetrain, and a sensory richness that appeals to the heart.

Less appealing are the brakes. Due to the front wheel arch, the pedal itself is left of the centre line and this is useful for left-foot use (yet another subtle racing inference) and no bad thing. But the action itself? Overtly soft and a little wooden at times. It can be difficult to modulate braking neatly enough for precise corner entry. The cast-iron rotors are preferable to the ceramics in this respect.

RIDE & HANDLING

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 27 handling

It takes but a single corner on a half-decent road to know that the MC20 does things differently.

Maserati is coy about the specifics, but if this car doesn’t have the slowest steering ratio and the softest spring rates in the class, we’d be surprised. And yet, once you’ve given yourself a moment to adjust to the MC20’s pronounced body movements and its steady helm, you discover that Maserati has built a stellar road car. One that is beautifully balanced and rewards deftness at the controls. One that is sensationally absorptive but is rarely flummoxed by an evil trough or mid-corner ridge.

Our preferred set-up was to put the car into Sport mode, then dial the damping force back from ‘Mid’ to ‘Soft’, and put the gearbox into manual mode. Set as such, you can enjoy the car in two ways: by gearing up, leaning on the torque and feeding that supple chassis through transitions with intuitive ease; or by chasing the revs, and teasing the tail out of line when the opportunity presents, every bit as intuitively.

Really crack on and your best bet is Corsa, which loosens the ESP and traction control, allows the engine maximum turbo boost and has the exhaust valves always open, rather than only beyond 3500rpm. Even here, the MC20 retains a supple edge so suitable for road driving.

You do need to give this car time, however. The steering, almost casual in its character, doesn’t inspire easy confidence like an Artura’s rack does, and it lacks the precision of a 296 GTB. The fluidity and freedom with which the body moves can feel unsettling if you’re not prepared to fully trust the car’s grip and balance. Overlay onto this a less responsive throttle than the PHEV supercars now have and the result can feel a little vague at first.

More prosaically, the MC20 has an uncomplicated drivability that makes it simple even to plod about town, should the need arise. It is also a proficient cruiser, with plenty of compliance and soft seats. The carbon tub is boomy, mind – 76dBA at 70mph is the loudest in the class.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 01 front tracking

The coupé starts at £227k and the Cielo at £252k, though options add up. The carbon exterior trim on this car costs £36k, the e-LSD £2150, the nose lifter £3250. Altogether? £322k.

A 296 GTS costs even more in base trim but it is more advanced and far quicker. Meanwhile, the Artura is a relative bargain, at £221k for the Spider. None of this would matter if residuals were rock solid, but the £150k used MC20 is already a thing.

LONG-TERM REPORTS

How important is it to have the nose-lift system?

The 'suspension lifter' is a £3250 option that allows you to raise the nose of the car at the touch of a button. We'd say it's pretty important, not just for speedbumps but also for awkward entry ramps into car parks or driveways, especially given the cost of a replacement carbonfibre front splitter.

Just how antisocial is the MC20 on a cold-start?

Quite antisocial. With no hybrid functionality, you can't simply ghost off in EV mode, and while the V6 is no screamer, it has a boomy, dense resonance that fills the air. It's not remotely subtle, but it does play into the car's old-school charms: this is a supercar, and there's no pretending otherwise.

How practical is the space and storage for regular use and trips?

The MC20 has a crescent-shaped boot that sits behind the engine bay, in the style of the Alpine A110. It's actually a fairly large space, and you'll get a couple of smaller duffel bags in there, no problem, but it does get very warm, so don't even think about putting food or wine in there. There's also a frunk, which is reasonably deep. Combine both spaces and the MC20 has enough luggage space for a weekend away.

How good is visibility in the car?

Forward visbility is pretty good, and there's not much intimidation factor, as can often be the case with supercars. Rear visibility is okay in the Cielo, but in the coupé you will be using a camera feed shown on the rear-view 'mirror', which takes some getting used to. On balance, both the McLaren Artura and the Ferrari 296 GTB are easier to see out of.

What is the single most irritating thing about an MC20?

Honestly, there's not much. It's remarkably easy to rub along with. Mind, you've got to be careful when parking, because the carbonfibre sills at the base of the door can easily catch the kerb when you swing the doors open. Then when you climb out, be careful about the exposed, jagged edge of the sill just ahead of the rear wheel arch, because if you spear your ankle, it's going to hurt. But you get used to these things. Oh, and the brakes. When cold, they're horribly unresponsive. Just give them a very firm prod!

VERDICT

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Maserati MC20 Celio review 2024 33 static

Developing a carte-blanche supercar to spearhead the revival of a storied brand comes with no small level of expectation. That Maserati has, from a standing start, delivered not only a competitive product but also one quite so individual in its interpretation of ‘supercar-ness’ is an achievement.

And yes, the MC20 has flaws. It is expensive relative to rivals and not light enough. But it’s also joyfully light-hearted in dynamic terms, thunderously characterful and versatile enough to use often. For now, it remains a left-field choice, but Maserati should move the MC20 story forward.

Richard Lane

Richard Lane, Autocar
Title: Deputy road test editor

Richard joined Autocar in 2017 and like all road testers is typically found either behind a keyboard or steering wheel (or, these days, a yoke).

As deputy road test editor he delivers in-depth road tests and performance benchmarking, plus feature-length comparison stories between rival cars. He can also be found presenting on Autocar's YouTube channel.

Mostly interested in how cars feel on the road – the sensations and emotions they can evoke – Richard drives around 150 newly launched makes and models every year. His job is then to put the reader firmly in the driver's seat. 

Maserati MC20 First drives