ANOTHER week of self-indulgence as I review the stunning Maserati MC20 supercar.
Last week I told you all about Maserati’s new fully electric Folgore line-up that I test-drove in England, along with petrol versions of the Grecale, GranTurismo and GranCabrio.
But the star of the show was undoubtedly the Maserati MC20, a supercar I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing before, so I jumped at the chance to drive this incredible machine again.
The MC20 starts from £227,930, but the car I drove with all the optional extras costs a cool £296,155.
If you had that kind of cash lying around and fancied purchasing one, then you’d have to travel to Charles Hurst in Belfast.
It’s such a good-looking vehicle that it doesn’t have a bad angle.
It’s not as in-your-face as some supercars with huge wings and over-the-top aero.
The MC20 is sleek, sculpted, and sensational-looking, and in this Giallo Genio yellow paint, it stops onlookers in their tracks when they see it in the flesh.
But don’t let the MC20’s compact dimensions and sheer beauty fool you into thinking it’s in any way tame or subtle when it comes to performance.
It produces monster amounts of power.
Key Facts:
Maserati MC20
Cost: From £227,930 (UK)
Engine: 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 petrol
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 730Nm
0-100kph: 2.8 seconds
Top Speed: 325kph (202mph)
Gearbox: 8-speed DCT auto
Weight: 1,475kg
Rivals: Ferrari 296 GTB, Audi R8, Lamborghini Huracan
The MC20’s mid-mounted 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 pumps 630bhp and 730Nm of torque, with power sent to the rear wheels only via an eight-speed DCT auto gearbox, providing it with blistering performance.
Use the launch control that’s available in Corsa mode and it will blitz 0-100kph in just 2.8secs with a top speed of 325kph.
The V6 engine is purpose-built and designed by Maserati in Modena, Italy and its pre-chamber combustion system is derived from Formula 1 engine tech.
The MC20 is built around a single-piece carbon-fibre tub and monocoque chassis, so the whole car weighs only 1,475kg.
Mounted just behind you is that glorious V6 engine so you hear it sing and listen to the flutter from the turbo wastegates as you slam through the gears via the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
On normal roads the MC20 is almost too powerful as the acceleration is so savage, but the grip is also immense.
It’s a mystery how Maserati’s engineers built a car that can lay down that amount of power without it ever breaking traction.
Although I’m sure if you got to experience the MC20 on track with the traction control off, it would effortlessly transform into a very expensive drift car.
With the engine nestled behind you there is very little rear visibility so Maserati have fitted a camera that beams a signal to a digital rear-view mirror.
It’s hard to get used to, but you need to keep a regular eye behind, because in a car that has so much power, if you just breathe on the accelerator you could be losing your licence as quickly as it can break the speed limit.
The stopping power is also immense thanks to six-piston monobloc aluminium calipers and Carbon Ceramic discs in the front and rear.
Potent performance aside, you can adjust the suspension setting and put the dampers into a much softer setting so the MC20 becomes more mellow yellow.
But even when sitting stationary, it looks a million dollars and every bit the supercar superstar.
