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• The MC20 is Maserati's new sports car.
• The car is powered by a new 463kW V6 engine.
• The MC20 will arrive locally in early 2021.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
After a long teasing campaign, Maserati finally revealed their new MC20 'Super Sports' car during an international live-streamed event at 20:30 local time on 9 September.
The event, which gave more than a passing nod to the Covid-19 pandemic, with everyone bar the current speaker on the stage donning masks, was visually striking: the lit tail lamps of several current and previous Maserati models formed an 'audience' in the foreground of the main stage.
The MC20 - the name stands for 'Maserati Corse (racing) 2020' - marks the start of a new era for the Trident brand, and is produced at the historic plant on Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena. It is powered by Maserati's Nettuno mill with the new MTC (Maserati Twin Combustion) technology.
The 463kW V6 engine is claimed to be capable of propelling the MC20 to a top speed in excess of 325km/h. Weighing in at under 1500kg, the MC20 boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.33kg/hp. Making extensive use of carbon fibre, Maserati says that the weight saving was achieved without sacrificing anything in terms of comfort.
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More than aesthetics
But the MC20's shape is more than just appealing to the eye. Over two thousand working hours in the Dallara Wind Tunnel and more than a thousand computational fluid dynamics simulations have enabled refined aerodynamics. The front air ducts have been optimised to ensure efficient air distribution across the radiators and the car's floor and upper part.
Its front incorporates an elaborate system of vortex generators, rendered even more effective by the distinctive hump shape of the floor, which gradually rises in the centre, in the area level with the wheels before reconnecting to the chassis bed.
READ: Maserati expands Trofeo range with two sedans, each sporting a 432kW V8 engine
Maserati says that 97% of the car's development was performed virtually, using the system known as Virtual Vehicle Dynamics Development, based on a very complex mathematical model called Virtual Car, into which every conceivable parameter is entered. Virtual development reduces delivery times and allows the optimal technical solution to be identified faster and with lower costs.
For example, it is possible to assess three different shock absorber setups and thus choose the most suitable within a short period of time.
Maserati MC20 (MotorPress)
A new era
The car's striking design is achieved by finely balancing a series of opposites, says Maserati: a blend of craftsmanship and engineering, elegance and performance, racing spirit and pleasure at the wheel. It also signals the start of a new era for the Italian brand. After the spark ignited by the Ghibli Hybrid presented in July, and the Trofeo Collection launched in August, the world première of the MC20 indicated that the time for the real journey into Maserati future is here.
Road marks on that journey will include electric-power for the GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which will be the trident brand's first cars to adopt 100% electric solutions.
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These will be engineered in Modena and built at the Turin production hub. There will also be an electric version of the MC20, to be produced at the Maserati plant in Modena.
The MC20 is expected to arrive locally early in 2021, with pricing to be announced closer to the launch date.
Maserati MC20 (MotorPress)
