Overview
Maserati has been teasing us with the new MC20 mid-engine sports car for some time now, and we’ve finally driven this sweet little cannoli and sampled its novel 621-hp twin-turbo V-6. The MC20 is offered as a two-seater coupe with a minimalist cabin that’s focused on the driver; a convertible is expected to join the lineup later and eventually an electric MC20 will reach production too. A collaboration with motorsport engineering company Dallara has resulted in a carbon-fiber structure with aluminum subframes for the suspension and powertrain. This construction minimizes weight, which sets the MC20 up for performance-related success.
What’s New for 2022?
The MC20 is an all-new model for the Maserati lineup, and the “MC” in its name refers to Maserati Corse—a signal that the brand will soon re-enter racing events with a track-only variant of the car.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Maserati hasn’t launched the convertible body style yet, but it will almost certainly command a hefty premium over the coupe. We’d save the money and go with the coupe anyway. Most of the MC20’s most desirable features come standard, but we’d suggest springing for the optional front suspension lifter to help it clear any speed bumps.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Maserati is using the MC20 as an opportunity to launch an all-new twin-turbocharged V-6 engine that pumps out 630 hp. Called Nettuno, the new engine utilizes a unique twin-combustion system borrowed from Formula 1 race cars and is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Maserati claims a zero-to-62-mph time of less than three seconds and a top speed of over 200 mph. In addition to the gasoline-powered model, Maserati also says an all-electric variant of the MC20 with all-wheel drive will hit the market in short order and will be the Italian luxury brand’s first foray into electrification. The company hasn’t released any details about the battery or electric motors yet, but we expect to hear more about the EV model soon. After our brief test drive of the gasoline-powered MC20, we came away impressed with the powertrain’s throttle response and linear power delivery. It’s As expected, the MC20 is blisteringly quick and handling is race-car sharp. Despite the MC20’s otherworldly performance, its ride is refined and with the adaptive suspension in its most comfortable mode it soaks up bumps well enough to consider driving it daily or taking on a road trip.
Maserati
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Fuel economy for high-powered sports cars isn’t usually great. Take Mercedes-AMG’s GT, for instance, which earns a highway fuel-economy rating of 22 mpg in its most efficient arrangement. The EPA hasn’t released a fuel economy estimate for the Mc20 but we hope to put it to the test on our real-world highway fuel-economy test route soon. While details surrounding the all-electric variant are hazy, Maserati has said that a driving range of more than 235 miles is target its engineers are shooting for. For more information about the MC20’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
A two-seat cabin is accessed through upward-opening ‘butterfly’ doors. The MC20’s interior design is clean and minimalist, with only the essential controls dotting the center console. The cabin offers upscale materials with a decidedly sporty bent, including black leather seats with dark blue contrast stitching, aluminum pedals, and carbon fiber trim. To help solve the issue of rearward visibility, the MC20 features a digital rear-view mirror that uses a rear-facing camera to feed an image of what’s behind the car to a frameless inside rear view mirror mounted to the windshield in the traditional location. Several current-production vehicles already offer a similar system.
Maserati
Infotainment and Connectivity
Although Maserati’s current lineup uses a reskinned version of Fiat Chrysler’s Uconnect infotainment system, the MC20 serves as the launchpad for the brand’s next generation system, which uses Google’s Android Automotive operating system. The new interface is projected upon a 10.3-inch horizontally-oriented touchscreen tucked under the air vents in the center of the dashboard; a second 10.3-inch display serves as the gauge cluster.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Few driver-assistance features are available on the MC20 as its focus is more toward performance than day-to-day use. For more information about the MC20’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Available blind-spot monitoring
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The MC20 comes with the same standard warranty package as the other Maserati models, which isn’t really anything special. Rivals such as the Audi R8 and the 911 offer slightly more value here, as both offer the first scheduled maintenance visit free of charge.
- Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
