Unique MCPura Cielo marks Targa Florio milestone
A century ago, the Trident was first seen on a Maserati racer - time for a tribute
In some ways, the Maserati MC20 and MCPura have gone against the supercar grain, with a non-hybridised engine, a pared-back cabin and a softer edge to their dynamics. In others, though, they’ve adhered very closely to the rules of supercardom, with personalisation and options surely right at the very top. From launch, Maserati has offered an extensive, expensive range of extras that would make Ferrari proud: the old MC20 Cielo press car had £80,000 added to its £235k RRP.
In the MCPura era, that side of Maserati’s supercar has been pushed even further with the Fuoriserie customisation programme. Those that want totally bespoke can most certainly have it, rather than just having some additional carbon. This time around the press car had a bit less than £80k spent on it, though included such lavish add-ons as £17,955 of Al Aqua Rainbow paint and a Tridente livery for £9,505. The sky’s the limit, basically, when it comes to speccing a MCPura Cielo (pun intended, sorry.)
To prove what’s possible, Maserati Fuoriserie has created this, the MCPura Cielo Tribute 1926. It shows off the personalisation possibilities by paying homage to the Tipo 26, the first Maserati to wear the Trident on its bonnet in 1926. Alfieri Maserati raced it in that year’s Targa Florio, and this MCPura has debuted as the Mille Miglia passes through Modena. Italians still do motorsport obsession unlike anybody else. ‘One hundred years later, that same symbol [the Trident] and that same car become both inspiration and tribute: inspiration for a unique, personalised car, and a tribute to the centenary of Maserati’s iconic logo and to its first one hundred years as a protagonist on racetracks around the world.’
Plus, well, it’s a pretty cool looking MCPura. Even with red wheels. It’d be hard to spec a bad looking one, really, but Grigio Lamiera Matte - ‘a shade that evokes the raw materiality of competition car bodies from that era’ - with a livery of Bianco Pastello, Blu Infinito and Rosso Capannelle definitely works from here. The Trident is of course prominent, here on the front and the B-pillar; the signatures of Alfieri Maserati and mechanic Guerino Bertocchi are on the door badges. Heaven knows what the Exterior Carbon Package with the colour scheme in visible carbon costs, but this probably won’t be the last time it’s seen.
That Maserati hasn’t released any detailed pics of the interior says quite a lot. It’s a great car despite the cabin, rather than because of it. As well as the usual options that will be ticked (and really should be included) like heated seats, the nose lift and the Sonus Faber sound system, the Tributo 1926 gets the Trident stitched on the headrests. Apparently this reaffirms ‘the narrative coherence of the project within the cabin as well.’ But safe to say the exterior treatment is probably the main appeal.
Quite what’s going to happen to this Cielo isn’t clear; there hasn’t been confirmation of a lucky customer that it’s going to, or a place for it in a museum. Expect more like it in the future, though; as bespoke supercars seem to become a bigger deal, so Fuoriserie is there for ‘unique or extremely limited-series cars built around the specific nature of each client’s requests.’ When everybody (or so it seems) as a Tailor Made Ferrari or Ad Personam Lamborghini, a Fuoriserie Maserati would stand out. Maserati says the personalisation programme is an ‘integral part’ of ‘BOTTEGAFUORISERIE’ (thank goodness for copy and paste), a project that ‘that brings together tradition and innovation in a single expression of excellence, where craftsmanship, technology and meticulous attention to detail find their fullest expression.’ So celebrating old cars by very expensively customising a new car is how we’d read that. Bring on the 250F commission. And while there are no Fuoriserie commissions for sale on PH, there are most certainly some bargains - this MC20 Cielo has at least £80k off after 3,000 miles…
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