Maserati’s MC20 Marks A New Era Post The Ferrari Split, Succeeds The Legendary MC12

• Its engine features F1-inspired pre-chamber combustion system with twin spark plugs.

• Paired with an 8-speed DCT, it goes from 0-100kmph in less than 2.9 seconds and tops out at over 325kmph.

• It features a sleek design with highlights like sharp headlights, butterfly doors, horizontal tail lights, dual exhaust tips and a rear diffuser.

• The cabin gets two digital screens, Maserati Connect, wireless charging and carbon fibre inserts.

• It will officially launch by the end of this year.  

After a long period of teasers, Maserati has officially embarked on its new journey post its split with Ferrari with the official debut of the MC20 sports car. A product spanning 24 months of development, and dubbed as a successor to the MC12, not only is the MC20 a looker, it boasts a Maserati-made twin-turbo V6 and some nifty features inside.

 

Under the hood, the MC20 debuts Maserati’s new in-house-developed Nettuno engine: a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 motor that pushes out a meaty 630PS of power and 730Nm of torque. Paired with an 8-speed DCT gearbox, the sportscar is quick off the line, with a 0-100kmph sprint time of less than 2.9 seconds. It's also pretty potent in a straight line with a top speed of over 325kmph. 

 

The main talking point of this new engine is the innovative pre-chamber combustion system featuring twin-spark plugs inspired from Formula 1. Essentially, this system reduces noise low down on the rev range, lowering emissions and improving consumption in the process. 

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Aside from outright grunt, at 1,500kg, the MC20 is a featherweight thanks to a monocoque carbon-fibre frame. This enables a power to weight ratio of just 2.33 kg/hp.

Heading outside, the MC20 is quite poster worthy with a sleek silhouette. Up front you get the traditional trident in the middle of a mesh grille, with a sleek pair of headlights and front splitter. Other highlights include butterfly doors, a sharp set of 20-inch alloy wheels, horizontal tail lights, dual exhaust tips and a diffuser. It's also pretty aerodynamically efficient with a drag coefficient under 0.38. 

Inside, you get treated to carbon fibre accents around the steering wheel, paddle shifters and centre column, with the rest of the cabin shod in a mix of Alcantara and stitched leather. Highlights include a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone charger as well as Maserati Connect with connected navigation, Alexa and wifi hotspot. You also get a drive mode selector with five modes to choose from: GT, Wet, Sport, Corsa and ESC Off, that alters the handling characteristics, throttle sensitivity and suspension settings.

The Maserati MC20 will officially launch by the end of the year, with orders already being accepted. What do you think of the MC20? Is it a worthy successor to the MC12? Let us know in the comments below.