Maserati Debuts New Supercar
Maserati has revealed its new supercar, the MC20.
The new MC20 (MC for Maserati Corse and 20 for 2020, the year of its world premiere) is a car with incredible aerodynamic efficiency, the company says, which conceals a sporty soul. The new Nettuno engine, a 621-horsepower V6 with 538 lb.-ft. of torque, can launch the MC20 from 0 to 60 mph in under 2.9 seconds and has a top speed over 202 mph. The engine signals Maserati’s return to producing its own power units after a hiatus of more than 20 years.
The MC20 is a lightweight car, Maserati says, weighing in under 3,306 lbs., and thanks to its power output of 621 hp, has a weight/power ratio of 5.3 pounds/hp.
The MC20 was designed in Modena and will be built at the Viale Ciro Menotti plant, where Maserati models have been built for more than 80 years. The new production line was created in the spaces where the GranTurismo and GranCabrio models were assembled until November 2019. The site also features a new paint shop. The Nettuno engine will also be built in Modena at the newly established Maserati Engine Lab.
The MC20 design was produced in about 24 months, Maserati says, by a team of Maserati Innovation Lab engineers, technical specialists from the Maserati Engine Lab and designers from the Maserati Style Center.
The Virtual Vehicle Dynamics Development system, which includes the use of one of advanced dynamic simulators, was developed in-house by the Maserati Innovation Lab and is based on a mathematical model called Virtual Car. This method allowed performance of 97% of dynamic tests, optimizing development times. The car was then fine-tuned with track and road test-driving sessions in the most widely varying conditions of use.
Exterior features include butterfly doors and a discreet rear spoiler that improves the car’s downforce. The aerodynamics were designed over two thousand man-hours in the Dallara Wind Tunnel and more than a thousand CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations.
The MC20 is designed to enable coupé and convertible versions and for full electric power.
Inside the cabin, there are two 10 inch screens: one for the cockpit and the other for the Maserati Multimedia System (MIA). The carbon fiber-clad central console has just a few features: the wireless smartphone charger, the driving mode selector (GT, Wet, Sport, Corsa and a fifth, ESC Off, which deactivates the control functions), two speed selection buttons, the power window controls, the Multimedia System controls and a storage compartment underneath the armrest. All the other controls are on the steering wheel, with the ignition button on the left and the launch control on the right.
The new MC20 will be connected at all times with the Maserati Connect program. The full range of services includes connected navigation, Alexa and Wifi Hotspot and can also be managed through the Maserati Connect smartphone or smartwatch app.
For the launch, Maserati has also developed six new colors for the MC20: Bianco Audace, Giallo Genio, Rosso Vincente, Blu Infinito, Nero Enigma and Grigio Mistero.
The production launch is scheduled for the end of 2020.
