You have to feel for Maserati; the stage was set for its grand return, the sports car reveal we'd been waiting an eternity for, only for Covid-19 to intervene. However, while the wait for the new MC20 will continue until the 'MMXX: The Time To Be Audacious' event in September, we are no longer in the dark about the all-new V6 engine. Because Maserati has confirmed just about everything.
Called 'Nettuno', the 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, 90-degree V6 is said to be a 100 per cent Maserati engine, made in Modena and with features derived from F1 technology. The vital numbers are 630hp at 7,500rpm and 538lb ft from 3,000rpm. It has an 88mm bore, 82mm stroke, an 11:1 compression ratio and 8,000rpm redline; the Nettuno weighs less than 220kg and the firing order is 1-6-3-4-2-5.
The F1 tech? That comes in the form of its "pre-chamber combustion system"; apparently the first time it has featured in a road car installation, the system features a pre-chamber between the central electrode and normal combustion chamber, connected by holes. A lateral spark plug ensures combustion always happens even if the pre-chamber isn't functioning. Expect quite a lot more detail on that as September approaches.
The Nettuno is the first engine produced solely by Maserati in 20 years, one "born from the passion and commitment of a team of highly-qualified technicians and engineers." If the average fan's excitement for a new Maserati engine and sports car are high, it must be off the chart for those actually involved. Because everything points to a debutant which, at last, can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's best - an impression buoyed by those new numbers. September can't come soon enough...
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