Maserati MC20 | Cars to be thankful for

They don't make supercars like they used to - except when they do

It would be reasonable to suggest that Maserati is struggling somewhat right now. Sales are down (and they weren’t that high anyway), replacements for core models like the Ghibli and Levante remain a little way off, and the investment in 800-volt electric architecture now looks overly ambitious. Because have you seen a Folgore of any kind on the road?

And yet. Spend any amount of time in the presence of an MC20 - better yet behind the wheel, hopefully for many miles - and it’s hard to level Maserati’s current plight with the product. This thing is wonderful, a truly charismatic supercar that’s bursting with engineering nous as well. There are flaws, naturally, though the MC20 shines despite them - it doesn’t have to be excused because of them. No company that can build something like this should be facing any difficulty at all, because as a reminder of why we grew up wanting to drive mid-engined cars from Italy with silly doors and loud exhausts, there’s precious little better.

So while we should be thankful that the MC20 remains on sale (remember the Folgore EV was called off, so it’s just V6 Coupe and Cielo), the very fact it ever existed still feels worth an even bigger celebration. Maserati had no real precedent for a car like the ‘20, even though it sometimes likes to make a tenuous connection to the outrageous MC12. That was a reworked Enzo produced in tiny numbers and designed to dominate GT racing, which it did, not a series production model. Maybe it was just the post-Ferrari freedom, but a mid-engined supercar from the other Modena maker seemed like a surprise when it was announced in 2020. A nice one. The same goes today when seeing it on a pricelist alongside the Grecale. Maserati can still be cool.

The sophisticated spec made for surprising reading as well. The carbon tub, the DCT, the pre-ignition for the turbo V6 - it was serious stuff, not just a very pretty body on borrowed hardware. The shocks kept coming, too, because Maserati’s first mid-engined V6 supercar since, what, the Merak, was absolutely superb. Supple and reasonably cosseting when required, wildly exciting when not, it was everything that we hoped that a modern Maserati supercar would be. Perhaps more so.

And the MC20 did this without seeming overly complex. It was authentic, gritty, and a little bit raw in a world of overly synthesised, augmented performance cars. There was no hybridisation for the engine, no rear-wheel steer or four-wheel drive, no promise of redefining the genre or resetting benchmark lap times. It represented traditional, unapologetic, adrenaline-fuelled supercar excess, achieved through modern methods. Given the pitch-perfect design of the coupe - if it looks good on three-spokes, it must be a winner - then a drop-top made total sense. By that point it was no surprise whatsoever to discover that the Cielo was fantastic. Maybe the carbon tub wasn’t quite as impervious to tremors as a similarly specified McLaren, though it didn’t detract from the experience; just like the Coupe, the Cielo could unequivocally compete with the very best.

All of which means it’s a joy to be reacquainted with the MC20. Some of the most Maserati aspects have only become more so with time - the grabhandle trim is worn, the screen seems even more laggy - but that supercar specialness is here too. That might sound trite when dealing with a red Italian supercar - something would be wrong if it didn’t make you all tingly but you couldn’t explain why. That being said, the small details like the gloriously oversized paddles, visible carbon everywhere, and brake pedal best suited to your left foot are great mood-setters. The Maserati means business; it isn’t just here to pose.

Easily the MC20’s most persuasive attribute is the way it drives. This is saying something given how pretty it is. It’s a supercar people point at, wave to, and want to know more about. That doesn’t always happen in Lambos. The Maserati brand still resonates with some folk, even if they’ve never really done cars like this. And seldom made anything so good. Be that as it may, the experience behind the wheel is the memory that’ll linger most fondly, as it should be with all top-tier supercars. A relatively soft, accommodating chassis with a heavily turbocharged, 210hp-per-litre V6 doesn’t sound like ideal bedfellows, yet the MC20’s ability to meld the very distinct appeals of a lithe, limber suspension set up with a firecracker V6 is probably Maserati’s greatest achievement with this car. A car with comfort and flow can be exciting; a mid-engined car with more than 600hp doesn’t have to be intimidating.

There’s configurability to the MC20, albeit only as much as is really needed. It can be treated like a much more ordinary European sports car - it feels as much British or French as Italian sometimes - with the powertrain to Sport and the dampers at their softest, gliding with the surface, cruising on the torque and letting the DCT whirr through gears. It’s a satisfying, engaging car at everyday commitment levels, which isn’t always the case for 200 mph supercars.

The fierce side to its character is only a dial twist away, though. Corsa unleashes the full savagery of the incredible V6, ramps up the gearchange speed further and permits some leeway in the assists. Here is when the MC20 feels its most special, romping through every ratio and carving through each bend like it’s an Elise. Maserati has rightly been criticised for how heavy its carbon-tubbed car is, especially as tested kerb weights have been so far from claims - though if anything it makes the feel of something so athletic even more impressive. Imagine the sensation if it actually weighed 1,500kg…

The engine is exactly what you’d want from a modern turbo unit, with some hesitancy at low revs and an utterly addictive rush to 8,000 rpm. While fun in a GranTurismo, the 3.0-litre Nettuno doesn’t quite suit the package; here the effervescent, tireless V6 is right at home in a lighter, keener supercar. The sound is thrilling, rasping and gasping through the revs, the DCT broadly very good, and the performance immense - though not quite so berserk as to be totally unusable. There may be engines related to this that go well - be in no doubt that this is another league.

It’s an all-encompassing but not overwhelming supercar experience, the MC20, always with something to appreciate without being dominated by one single element. Honestly, it’s everyday usable: simple to get in and out of, easy to see out of and a cinch to drive at low speed. Yet it never feels anything but very special, be that the no-nonsense spartan chic of the interior, ferocious engine or deft suspension. The MC20 doesn’t need flat-out driving to feel exceptional. That’s only required when you want the experience to move from memorable to unforgettable.

There are issues, for sure. The brake travel is too long; even with phenomenal stopping potential, the confidence isn’t quite there. Similarly, the steering could benefit from a touch more feedback. While very comfy at a cruise, the tub does throw quite a bit of road boom. And at the limit, a Ferrari’s damping and assists are even more magical. A car which, let’s not forget, costs the same amount of money.

Unfortunately, it does feel like the price (and some less-than-stellar residuals) has dampened a lot of MC20 demand. A Cielo like this was from £235k a couple of years ago; it’s unlikely to be any cheaper now. And that’s before thinking about any options - this one landed in the UK with an RRP in excess of £300,000. Far from unheard of in the world of planet supercar, if potentially a hard one to stomach for some given Maserati’s relative lack of clout in the segment and the reality of similar cars absolutely plummeting. This one in the classifieds was £301,000 and is now less than £200k - after 400 miles…

Which is pretty sobering. Nevertheless, financial logic aside, it’s hard to be anything but captivated by the MC20. It’s idiosyncratic, a bit odd, and even a bit naff in places (see the steering wheel), yet also brimming with genuine star quality as well. It also transformed our expectations of the brand, so hope must remain for the future. All too often, sub-par Maseratis are let off because the engine is wonderful or they look stunning; while the MC20 is hardly fault-free, it doesn’t require excuses or allowances to be competitive.

Indeed, its uncertain future only plays into its interloper status. And the MC20 is still available brand new, for those who must have Hypergreen or Night Interaction or Digital Mint Matte paint. There’s the GT2 Stradale track variant, too, to really cause a stir at your local track day. Nobody could accuse Maserati of not committing wholeheartedly to its supercar project; the result of those endeavours remains truly fantastic. And now available for the price of a new 911 secondhand. There are reasons to be cheerful in 2025 after all.

SPECIFICATION | 2025 MASERATI MC20 CIELO

Engine: 2992cc V6, twin-turbocharged
Transmission: 8-speed twin-clutch, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 630@7,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 538@3,000rpm
0-62mph: 2.9 sec
Top speed: 199mph
Weight: 1,540kg
MPG: 24.1
CO2: 265g/km
Price: £235,225 (as standard OTR; as tested £305,795 (!) comprised of - deep breath - Sport suspension with front lifter for £3,250, electronic limited-slip differential for £2,150, Sonus Faber 12 speaker sound system for £3,750, Heated front seats for £550, Brand logo stitched on headrest for £850, Extended Alcantara with contrast stitching and laser effect design for £3,000, Power steering column adjust for £840, Interior carbon pack for £6,450, Exterior carbon pack (Dark exhaust tips, front splitter in carbon fibre, Rear diffuser in carbon fibre, Carbon fibre door and wing sills, Fibreglass bonnet) for £36,240, 20-inch MMXX diamond cut alloy wheels for £3,840 and Rosso Vincente paint for £9,650)

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Stark999

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20 months