There’s no getting around it - the Maserati MC20 supercar is simply achingly-gorgeous from whichever angle you view it from.
And we should know - because last week Select had the chance to pour over this ‘genuine masterpiece of style’, as Maserati calls it, to see just how pretty it is in the flesh.
This is a mid-engined, two-seat flagship that recently won a ‘Best of the Best’ prize for Product Design at the highly-prestigious, Germany-based Red Dot Awards 2021.
Built around the Italian manufacturer’s first carbon fibre monocoque on a carbon fibre chassis, you can’t help but be bowled-over by the butterfly doors and Trident-adorned front nose of the MC20.
The car supplied to us by H.R. Owen Maserati London also came with the optional Carbon kit, which unlocks a carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser as well as an exposed carbon interior.
The stats tell their own story, too.
Powering the MC20 - which sits on its own unique Bridgestone tyres - is a twin-turbocharged 3.0 litre ‘Nettuno’ V6 engine with power of 630 hp, a 0-62mph sprint time of just 2.9 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 201 mph.
Yet there’s much, much more going on at Maserati than just the MC20.
We also had a good look around the mild-hybrid Levante SUV, a car that combines the performance of the Porsche Cayenne with the off-road prowess of the Range Rover Sport.
In a matter of weeks the more compact Grecale SUV will also start hitting UK roads, a car that not only ‘reaches down to a younger clientele, below 35 years old’ for Maserati but which also goes up against stalwarts like the Porsche Macan and the Audi SQ5.
There are also exciting electrification plans afoot, with a 100 per cent battery-powered ‘Folgore’ range - which includes the Grecale and recently-relaunched GranTurismo - lined-up for 2023.
And then there’s a certain Mr David Beckham - the world-famous former footballer who became a Maserati ambassador last year.
With so much to discuss, we sat down with James Morris, Senior Sales Executive at H.R. Owen Maserati, to get the full low-down:
So, talk to us about the MC20. What do you see as the car’s biggest rivals in the marketplace?
JM:
“While Maserati manufactures the MC20 as a direct rival for the rear-wheel drive Lamborghini Huracan, they also see it as a rival to the McLaren 720S and Artura, and, perhaps unofficially, the Ferrari F8 Tributo. Historically, of course, Maserati has had supercars the equal of anything from Ferrari or Lamborghini. The last real Maserati supercar was the MC12 from 2004, a re-clothed Ferrari Enzo GT racer, a car which is now highly-collectible.
But the MC20 hails a new era for Maserati, one that moves away from Ferrari and which has its own unique engine - hand-built in Modena, Italy - and which boasts new pre-combustion technology that comes from Formula 1. At launch, the MC20 had the highest specific power output per litre of any production engine. It’s quite a feat of engineering, and heralds a new generation of very efficient petrol engines, which will ultimately filter down to the entire Maserati range.
I think another interesting comparison to the MC20 is the Ford GT - as it’s the only other mid-engined supercar with a V6 instead of a V8 or V10 engine. The Ford GT is much more of a track car, and not nearly as rounded as the MC20, but it is, conceptually, close to the Maserati. Ford charges around £450,000 for the GT, a fact that gave us a lot of confidence when talking about the MC20.”
A big selling point for the MC20 is its everyday usability - there’s even an optional hydraulic lift to raise the car's front suspension for when you want to navigate speed bumps. Is that an important element of the MC20 for you?
JM:
“Part of Maserati’s heritage is the ‘gran turismo’ and the concept of grand touring. The MC20 is a car that you can leap into and drive across Europe. Yet it’s also a car with a split personality, taking the concept of ‘driver modes’ and dialling things up. In fully lit ‘Sport’ or ‘Corse’ modes, it’s the equal of many other supercars from Lamborghini and Ferrari around a racetrack. The chassis of the MC20 was co-developed with race car specialist Dallara, Italy’s equivalent of Lotus or Lola, and Dallara has a wealth of expertise developing carbon tub chassis. And it’s this chassis that sets the MC20 apart from both Lamborghini and Ferrari, which both have aluminium based chassis.
So, in normal GT mode, the MC20 is comfortable to use every day, in a similar way the Porsche 911 is. You won’t get backache after 30 minutes behind the wheel. But it’s a different beast altogether when you want to push it.”
For you personally, what’s the ‘wow’ factor with the MC20?
JM:
“The butterfly doors and the perspex engine cover boasting the Maserati Trident both really stand-out. The new engine is also incredible - how compact it is, how low it sits, and how it’s positioned in the middle of the car. It really is a vehicle with genuine race car principles and yet it’s not compromised as a road car. In that respect, it pulls-off a very clever trick.”
What about the way the MC20 sounds?
JM:
“Some road-testers have talked about how the MC20 is relatively quiet for a supercar, something that comes from the fact the V6 engine is heavily turbocharged as opposed to being naturally aspirated. But on the racetrack, the MC20 comes alive. I was lucky enough to drive an MC20 around a track - the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti circuit near Varano, Italy - and I can attest to that fact. And, with a grand tourer like the MC20, we believe customers want the sound to be toned-down in stock form because you want to be able to cover 600 miles in a day in comfort.”
There’s a host of Maserati ‘Folgore’ models on the way - all 100 per cent electric. Can you tell us a little bit more about the planned electric MC20 Folgore model?
(Maserati GranTurismo, above)
JM:
“Maserati is focusing on getting Folgore versions of the Grecale SUV and GranTurismo models to market first. These electric vehicles will arrive early next year, with deliveries to take place in the summer.
The new GranTurismo Folgore will have three electric motors, all-wheel drive, and will have power of around 720 hp. That’s a lot. The Folgore GranTurismo will have a sub-three seconds 0-62mph acceleration time and will potentially be quicker than the V6 MC20.
These are really exciting times for Maserati, and the manufacturer is looking to really take the lead in these new marketplaces, rather than merely following. And by not rushing-in at the first whiff of what Tesla or some of the German brands are doing, Maserati is also able to bring in ultra-rapid charging technology - courtesy of 800-volt battery architecture - which means you can charge the new GranTurismo Folgore to within 80 per cent in under 15 minutes. Maserati customers at the service station will only have to stop for an espresso, rather than for a full meal...”
You’ve also kindly brought along a hybrid Levante today - what’s the target market for that particular Maserati?
JM:
“The plan is that, going forwards, we expect a whole new Levante SUV in around two or three years time, which will be larger, perhaps more in line with the Bentley Bentayga. We also anticipate a Folgore electric version.
And with the current model, the Levante appeals to a much larger demographic than our previous sport saloons, or the GranTurismo, attracted. We term the Levante the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of the Maseratri range in that it fits into everyone’s lifestyle well and reflects a wider market trend, particularly in the UK, where a high proportion of all new cars are SUVs.”
Which brings us to the Grecale…
JM:
“You look at the huge success of the Porsche Macan and you can see why Maserati anticipates great demand for the Grecale. Feedback from European customers shows us that on our smaller, tighter roads and urban environments, a smaller SUV fits people even better than a larger SUV might. The Grecale has the option of mild-hybrid technology, just like the Levante, which gives you great performance but also good fuel economy.
The Grecale is also very cleverly designed in that - besides its trademark Italian style - internally, it offers similar luggage capacity and passenger space to a Levante. It also gets a race-bred carbon fibre propshaft, which is unique for the market.
At launch, there are two mild-hybrid versions - the GT, which starts from £58,500 in the UK, and the Modena, which has slightly more power - and there’s also the flagship Trofeo model, which has a variance of the Nettuno engine with power of 530 hp. That’s considerably more powerful than the Porsche Macan GTS.
When it comes to the electric Grecale Folgore, there’s no detail as yet on power output. And it’s tricky to find direct rivals - as there isn’t yet a fully-electric Porsche Macan, though one is anticipated. You might look at the Jaguar I-PACE, but it’s slightly longer in the tooth, and you can’t really compare the Grecale Folgore to a Tesla. In my view, the Grecale Folgore will be the first premium SUV in the luxury, electric segment.”
How has the Grecale been perceived by Maserati traditionalists, as it represents a slight departure in approach?
JM:
“I think it’s too early to say, as most of our traditional clients haven’t had a chance to see it yet. But there are enough Maserati design and styling cues to link it to other cars of the past and to make it feel special compared to other similarly-sized SUVs in the market. A nice detail is the Maserati clock in the top centre of the dashboard. That has been completely restyled into an Apple watch-style feature piece which can be fully customised. It’s just one example of many neat design touches you get with the Grecale.
“The other important thing to note about the Grecale is that we’re very bullish about availability. At H.R Owen we are all fully behind this car. We’ve already ordered many Grecales and at launch we’ll have a good amount of pipeline supply. Even if someone custom-orders a Grecale now, as a factory special, the lead time is just five months. In the current automotive environment, that’s extremely good.”
Maserati has been working with David Beckham for more than a year now - how has his involvement helped to enhance the brand?
JM:
“I think it’s about reaching people who are not traditionally part of the Maserati client base, endorsing our newer and wider-appealing model range. David recently drove a Grecale to Goodwood and has also been in Milan doing a photoshoot with the new GranTurismo - and I think there’s so much more to come from the relationship. He’s a stylish guy, always smartly dressed, and Maserati, being Italian, is a very good fit in that regard. We’ve previously had tie-ups with fashion house Zegna and we also had the world’s first genuine Italian silk in our cars. It’s great having David on board.”
** H.R. Owen will open a new supercar site in Hatfield, Herts, in the new year.
** With special thanks to Trunkwell House, located in Beech Hill, Reading, for providing the picturesque venue for the Maserati London visit. For more information about Trunkwell House - and how it’s the ‘perfect setting for exclusive and sophisticated weddings and events’ - head to the hotel’s website.
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