For a company awash in motorsport heritage, Maserati isn’t exactly known for track specials. Most of its current lineup comprises SUVs, a GT that can be had in both V6 and EV form, and the mid-engined MC20 that was supposedly developed with GT3 racing in mind - yet here we are four years after its release and the closest thing we’ve got is a GT2 machine for gentleman racers. It’s better than nothing, but you won’t see Maserati competing at Le Mans with the MC20 any time soon. Sigh.
That being said, when the firm does feel the need to rummage around its motorsport nostalgia drawer, it usually comes out with something special. Just think of the MC12 from 20-odd years ago, a car built around the bones of the Ferrari Enzo for the FIA GT1 championship, which it dominated for several years. And while the MC20 doesn’t have that level of world-class racing pedigree under its belt (not yet, anyway), a more extreme version is set to debut at Monterey Car Week on Friday. If it’s anything like Maserati’s last track-honed offering, the GranTurismo MC Stradale like the one we have here, it should be worth the wait.
Transforming a GT into a track car must be incredibly satisfying as an engineer, because there are so many areas where weight can be saved. For the MC Stradale, that meant chucking out the rear seats and fitting lighter, carbon buckets for the two occupants up front. Savings were also made by reducing the amount of sound deadening in the cabin, the fitment of lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and a new titanium exhaust system, all of which contributed to a 120kg reduction over the standard GranTurismo. And it managed to do that without scrapping must-have GT creature comforts such as sat nav, climate control and a hi-fi system.
It didn’t stop there, either. The MC Stradale sits lower by 10mm and 12mm front and rear respectively, with eight per cent stiffer spring rates to keep the platform level. The aerodynamics were given a major overhaul, too, with a revised front bumper, sizeable rear diffuser and a small ducktail bolted to the boot bringing significant improvements in downforce. That, and they made the already stunning GranTurismo look even more pleasing to look at, particularly at the rear where the lightweight exhaust system protrudes above the diffuser like on the Ferrari 430 Scuderia.
On the engine front, the Ferrari-developed 4.7-litre, cross-plane crank V8 was dialled up to 450hp - 10hp more than the standard GranTurismo - with those gains coming from the freer flowing exhaust and the use of a special friction-reducing coating inside the engine. That came paired with a single-clutch paddle-shift gearbox that could shift cogs in as little as 60 milliseconds in the MC Stradale’s raciest mode. It sounds unforgiving, but Dan Trend found in 2013 found the opposite, saying the MC Stradale “can switch seamlessly between raffish GT and proper hooligan as and when the mood takes you, rather than according to some mode button on the dash.”
So yes, Maserati does know how to put a track special together when it puts its mind to it, and you can see for yourself by picking up this box-fresh 2012 example with only 3,945 miles on the clock. The original owner spent a pretty penny on spec, opting for carbon fibre exterior detailing and a distinct red Maserati trident on the roof. These were £110,000 back in the day, but this menacing example could be yours for just £74,990. A good chunk cheaper than a new V6-powered model, but one of the original V8s can be had for just over £20k. Just be sure to take a few brave pills before taking the plunge.
SPECIFICATION | MASERATI GRANTURISMO MC STRADALE
Engine: 4,691cc V8
Transmission: six-speed automated manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 450@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 376@4,750rpm
MPG: 20
CO2: 337g/km
Year registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 3,945
Price new: £110,110
Yours for: £74,990
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