What is it?
Maserati is a name that is immediately associated with Italian performance. Since its inception more than 100 years ago, this legendary Italian marque has produced some of the most beautiful sports cars and GTs on the road. Now, Maserati has taken things up a notch with its new flagship sports car, the MC20. With breathtaking lines, extreme performance, and an elegant interior, the MC20 is a fitting tribute to the brand’s history – and thanks to Maserati for giving us the opportunity to get behind the wheel, we can say it is an absolute joy to drive.

Important to the Brand
The MC20 is named for Maserati Corse (Maserati Racing) and was introduced in 2020; thus, the 20 is in the name. Designed and engineered in-house, the MC20 is produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena, where the brand has been building cars for 80 years. Not only is the MC20 important to the brand as a reminder of what Maserati stands for, but it is likely the last new gasoline-powered supercar ever to be produced by the Italian marque. The legendary brand has announced that by 2030, the company will only offer electric vehicles. The MC20 was designed with this in mind, and Maserati plans to offer this extreme supercar with a purely electric powertrain. Details of the electric MC20 will be finalized soon, but expect even higher performance with dual-motor all-wheel drive, albeit with less aural experience.

Model Lineup
Maserati offers the MC20 as a coupe or convertible, both boasting head-turning looks and extreme performance. The company provided us with the MC20 coupe, which carried a base price of $212,000. Our test vehicle was painted in the exclusive three-layer Rosso Vincente and had additional options that included the carbon-fiber engine cover, black roof, stitched trident on seat headrests, extended Alcantara interior trim, heated power front seats, Alcantara sport steering wheel, electronic limited-slip differential, carbon ceramic brakes, interior and exterior carbon fiber pack, and yellow brake calipers for a total MSRP of $299,550.

Styling
The MC20 is arguably one of the most beautiful sports cars on the road. Designers took inspiration from the legendary Maseratis that came before it, from the 1926 Tipo to the extreme MC12 limited-edition supercar from 2004, so the MC20 has a distinctly Maserati look. At the same time, the stylish LED headlights and large oval grille with the large Maserati trident in the center are quite similar to the brand’s Grand Turismo. Vents in the hood and large open grille provide airflow to the engine, which resides behind the passenger cabin.

Cool Doors
A car as exotic-looking as the MC20 cannot have just regular doors – entrance to the cabin is via “Butterfly” doors that are nicely balanced and easy to open and close. While the doors looked like they might make entry and exit difficult, they never presented an issue.

Sleek Silhouette
The sleek, elegant lines of the MC20 are most noticeable from the side, where the bodywork flows over the large wheels, and the steeply raked windshield runs smoothly from its base over the roof to the slight rear spoiler at the rear. Additional air vents are sculpted into the front of the rear fenders, and the entire bottom portion of the vehicle is contrasting carbon fiber.

Rear View
The view from the rear shows the greenhouse narrowing as it flows to the back of the car, further emphasizing the rear haunches and massive rubber gripping the road. Slim LED taillights stretch across the rear of the MC20, with Maserati writing in the familiar script between them. Dual large exhaust outlets and additional air vents are integrated into the rear diffuser, which completes the look.

Under the Hood
Residing behind the cabin under a glass cover for all to see is an all-new 3-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder engine that puts out 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox. “This is a Made in Modena product, in the sense that we’re proud to have built the engine, the car, and the customisations at the historic Maserati plant, that’s been here for 80 years or so,” said Stefano Tonietto, Maserati Design Project Leader. “We’ve worked very hard to develop, design, and test the engine, and now it gives us great satisfaction to see it being built. It’s rather like a child to us.”

Performance specs
According to Maserati, the MC20 will sprint to 60 mph in less than 2.9 seconds, 120 mph in around 8.8 seconds, and top speed is listed at more than 202 mph. We didn’t have the opportunity to check that second stat, but we have no reason to disagree with that acceleration figure based on our experience.

Fuel Economy
Fuel efficiency is not typically the reason for purchasing an MC20; however, the EPA estimates are rather reasonable for this high-performance sports car. According to the EPA, the MC 20 gets 15 mpg city / 25 mpg hwy / 18 mpg combined. Most owners won’t be driving the MC 20 with the interest of getting better fuel economy – during our drive, the trip computer indicated a much lower 12.5 mpg.

Brakes and Tires
The Maserati MC20 rides on 20-inch Birdcage Design Alloy wheels fitted with custom Bridgestone Sport tires – 245/35 ZR20 on the front and 305/30 ZR20 on the rear. Maserati worked with Bridgestone to develop these specifically for this exceptional sports car. Brembo monobloc 6-piston brake calipers are up front with 4-piston calipers at the rear. The massive brake discs are carbon ceramic, providing excellent and consistent stopping power.

Inner Space
Opening the butterfly door reveals a cockpit that combines performance with luxury. Most surfaces are trimmed in soft Alcantara leather with contrasting stitching as well as extensive use of carbon fiber throughout. The sport steering wheel is trimmed in carbon fiber and Alcantara and features the start button as well as the launch control button. Large carbon fiber shift paddles are mounted behind the wheel on the steering column.

Seats
Seats are quite stylish with soft leather, and Alcantara trim with the Maserati trident on the headrests. Bolstering provides excellent support for those enthusiastic drives, while seats remain rather comfortable, even after several hours behind the wheel. There is very little storage in the MC20’s cabin, but there is a small center console bin and a wireless phone charger.

High Tech
Many car companies that build vehicles like the MC20 – thinking McLaren or Lamborghini – create amazing cars with infotainment systems that can be difficult to use. This is where the Maserati has a distinct advantage by being part of the Stellantis group. The MC20’s 10.25-inch display screen runs Uconnect 4, one of the better systems on the market. The system features intuitive controls that are easy to navigate, and it also comes standard with wireless Android Auto / Apple CarPlay. We connected to the system quickly, and Android Auto worked great, starting up automatically each time we started up the MC20. The MC20 also has a digital rear-view mirror, which is necessary as the engine blocks any view out the rear window.

Trunk
The MC20 has much to offer the discerning customer, but utility is not the Maserati’s forte. The cargo area below the hatch shares space with the engine, so not only is it small, but it also tends to get warm. We could fit a small backpack in the space, and it might hold an overnight duffel or a few grocery bags, but transporting ice cream would not be recommended.

On the Road
Upon picking up the Maserati MC20, we immediately headed onto the I-94 freeway outside Detroit, MI. Accelerating up the entrance ramp was already a thrill, and by the time I reached the highway, the car was well in excess of the posted speed as the velocity climbed at an alarming rate. Once on the freeway, the MC20 was perfectly happy to cruise at 80 mph, although it felt like it would be perfectly comfortable at twice that speed. In the interest of not losing my driver’s license, we didn’t test that theory.

Drive Modes
On the freeway, we left the MC20 in GT mode, delivering a surprisingly comfortable ride pliant enough to absorb many of the bumps in the road. Power was still readily available when needed, and we took the opportunity to enjoy the 695-watt Sonus faber audio system. But after some time on the freeway, we headed to the twisting back roads that lead to Hell (Michigan), so we changed the mode to Sport. The suspension noticeably firmed up, and shifts occurred much quicker.

Proper Sports Car
Pushing the MC20 on the road to Hell was an awesome experience. Steering is ultra-precise – every input is noticeable, and with the sport suspension and sticky tires, the car’s response is excellent. Brakes are strong and predictable, slowing the big car quickly for the corners, while the seemingly unlimited power quickly pushes the car out the other end. The transmission works very well, shifting on its own, although we preferred the paddle shifters for a bit more engagement. Passing slower cars on the two-lane road was easy and so much fun – although we were well into triple digits by the time we let off the throttle. A thoroughly enjoyable drive throughout.

Rating: 9.0
As one of the most stunning supercars on the road, the Maserati MC20 immediately turns heads wherever it goes, and its got the power and performance to match. But almost as impressive is how easy this Italian supercar is to drive and the comfort level in the cabin. Seats are excellent, and with the latest high-tech features, the MC20 is certainly a car that could work as a daily driver – and those would be some wonderful days.