Maserati MC20 breaks cover with 621bhp V6

-         Marks a new era for the Italian marque

-         To spawn convertible and electric models soon

After a long wait, Maserati has finally dropped the veil of their all-new MC20. A spiritual successor to the iconic MC12, the newest mid-engine supercar is built from the ground up by Maserati without any external assistance. And unlike its predecessor, the MC20 will also get an electric version down the line.

First up, the design. The MC20 looks fresh, but not out of the ordinary. There’s a low-slung nose with the characteristic Maserati grille upfront. The scooped out hood and the mesh grille lack any drama. In fact, the entire styling of the MC20 is sans any over-the-top design element. 

There are those scissor doors though. Its flowing rear haunch meets a subtle tail with sleek tail lamps, integrated dual exhausts, and diffuser fins at the back. And there are six colours to choose from - Bianco Audace, Giallo Genio, Rosso Vincente, Blu Infinito, Nero Enigma, and Grigio Mistero – which we think should look as good as they sound.

Look inside and subtlety continues as everything is right where it’s supposed to be. Everything is draped either in high-quality leather, Alcantara, or carbon fibre. The touchscreen mounted on the centre dash looks like an afterthought. But what doesn’t look like an afterthought is that big, multifunction steering wheel with no more buttons than you’d find on an average SUV these days. What’s new is the all-digital driver’s display, which as you’d have guessed, is configurable. Interestingly, the window switches are placed lower down the centre console. And keeping up with time, the 10.3-inch centre display comes with all the modern-day connectivity features.

Now, what powers the MC20 is a V6, which makes the same amount of power the V12 in the MC12 made back in the day. Sitting in the monocoque carbon-fibre tub, the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 is christened as ‘Nettuno’ (Italian for Neptune). It’s a V90° motor which is good for 621bhp and a twisting force of 730Nm. Transmitting this power to the rear wheels is an eight-speed automatic transmission. Since the MC20 tips the scale under 1500kg, the 0-100kmph time of 2.9 seconds isn’t surprising. And the top speed is clocked at 325kmph.

Although there are no fancy gimmicks in terms of hardware, the Modena-based supercar does get driving mode along with corresponding adaptive suspensions. What’s more, the MC20 will also be spawned as a pure-electric soon. Details of the EV are scarce at the moment. But the carmaker promises a 0-100kmph time of 2.8 seconds and a range of around 300kilometres. We will also see an MC20 Convertible at a later date.