2023 Maserati MC20

The Maserati MC20 first landed stateside last year and represents a revitalized Maserati. It has a bespoke in-house-developed engine, and its lithe two-door body tips a hat to Maseratis of the past while being thoroughly modern. A convertible and EV were planned from the start, and the twin-spark and pre-chamber technologies used in the twin-turboNettuno engine will be repurposed in future Maserati internal combustion engines. Performance is in keeping with the dramatic styling, and despite 621 horsepower on tap, the car is disarmingly easy to drive fast. It's also comfortable enough to drive on a daily basis, if you really wanted to, despite having a minimalist interior. Some might bemoan the lack of aural excitement from the boosted V6, but this is a responsible, new-wave supercar, so we'll overlook the loss. The high price and lack of driver assists are less easy to forgive. The 2023 Maserati MC20's natural competitors include the Ferrari 296 GTB, McLaren Artura, and Porsche 911 Turbo.

The MC20 Cielo - a convertible MC20 with a two-piece folding hardtop - joins the range for the 2023 model year, but that is the only change. We review the Maserati MC20 Cielo separately. The regular coupe continues unaltered for its second year on the market.

Deliveries of the Maserati MC20 commence as 2022 is its first model year. The MC20 uses the first bespoke Maserati-developed engine not based on a Ferrari unit in more than two decades, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It's also the first mid-engined Maserati since its spiritual predecessor, the MC12. The MC20 coupe is the first salvo in a full-on assault that will include a convertible Cielo MC20 and a fully electric one. It's not only a true Maserati at heart, but one for the modern era.

The exterior styling of the Maserati MC20 is an unqualified success. It looks squat and aggressive, exuding a sense of speed even when it's standing still. It recalls Maserati styling cues from the past, but it's not a retro design and looks fully modern. The butterfly-type dihedral doors add a sense of drama. Enhancements such as the Exterior Carbon Fiber package can be added at extra cost, but it's hideously expensive at $35k. Standard features include 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a front splitter, and a rear diffuser. The upswept tail end is both classy and aggressive, and while the wheels stay 20 inches in diameter, buyers can choose from a number of designs, including diamond-cut finishes and even carbon-fiber wheels.

A carbon fiber roof is optional and will set you back $6,000, while an engine cover in the same materials costs $5,000. Those who want a CF rear spoiler need to pay $5,500 extra.

The Maserati MC20's dimensions are typical of a compact two-door sports car. It has a length of 183.8 inches, a wheelbase of 106.3 inches, a width of 85.75 inches with mirrors, and a height of only 48.19 inches. The total curb weight of the Maserati MC20 reaches a maximum of 3,300 pounds, with a 41:59 % front-to-rear weight distribution. Ground clearance is marginal, but a nose-lift system is optionally available to clear steep driveways.

The exterior colors of the Maserati MC20 number no fewer than 28. The only solid colors are Grigio Incognito (a shade of gray) and Nero Essenza (black). There are six metallic hues that include the more demure Bianco Audace (white), the lively Rosso Vincente (red) and Giallo Genio (yellow), and Blu Infinito (blue). A further 21 "fuoriserie" colors are available, ranging from blue through green and orange, to matte gray options. Some of these paints, such as Giallo Genio and Rosso Vincente, are exclusive three-layer paints and cost $10,000. Blu Infinito is a normal three-layer paint and costs less at $4,500, the same price as Grigio Mistero, a matte-finish two-layer paint: we suggest playing around on the configurator and checking prices.

One of 15 liveries can be applied to the paintwork, made up of various patterns and stripes, such as Birdcage in blue or red, or Double Stripes in red, black, or blue, among others. On top of that, the matte-gray brake calipers can be painted in blue, black, red, Argento, or yellow instead for $1,200. Opting for a contrasting black roof will set you back $4,000.

Thanks to the 621 hp and 538 lb-ft on tap, performance is firmly in hypercar territory, with the Maserati MC20's 0-60 sprint being well under three seconds; a 0-62-mph sprint of 2.88 seconds is claimed, along with a top speed of over 202 mph. It's tricky to launch with just the rear wheels providing traction, but preliminary independent testing has already achieved 0-60 results in the vicinity of three seconds, so it's certainly quick. With AWD it would have launched better, but the MC20 is as much about the plugged-in feel it provides as it is about raw numbers. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission fires through the gears rapidly, and the engine is refined and free-revving, but without the aural excitement a V8 would deliver. It sounds quite fantastic for a V6 though, because it shares its 1-6-3-4-2-5 firing order with the V6 in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The Nettuno 3.0L twin-turbocharged gas V6 engine in the Maserati MC20 has a 90-degree bank angle and unlike many twin-turbocharged engines, this one is made to rev. With an F1-derived pre-chamber combustion chamber, dual injection, and a twin-spark ignition system, it develops 621 hp at 7,500 rpm and 538 lb-ft of torque in a broad swathe between 3,000 and 5,500 rpm. It only calls it quits at a screaming 8,000 rpm. It has a willing partner in the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and drives the rear wheels only. There is extremely potent mid-range power delivery and a searing lunge to the redline, never seeming to run out of breath. A mechanical limited-slip differential is standard, but this can be upgraded to an electronically controlled one.

The way the MC20 marries razor-sharp sports-car responses and staggering grip levels with a compliant ride is reminiscent of what McLaren achieves in its cars and makes the ride and handling experience a dynamic highlight in this car. In fact, so comfortable is the suspension in its GT mode that you'll have no problem using it as a daily driver on pockmarked city streets. Four driving modes help it change character on demand. Besides the aforementioned comfort-oriented GT mode, Wet mode calms things right down to maintain traction in inclement weather. Sport is the handling mode that stiffens up the suspension and sharpens the gearbox responses. It's close to a track setting, but the Corsa setting provides for a true hardcore experience, giving you maximum power and response and minimum gearshift time, permanently opening the exhaust valves, and giving you access to launch control.

For the level of performance on tap, fuel efficiency is rather good, with EPA estimates of 15/25/18 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. It doesn't offer the plug-in hybrid ability of a 296 GTB or Artura, but it beats the 911 Turbo S by a full five mpg on the highway. However, with a fuel capacity of only 15.85 gallons, don't expect a range of more than 285 miles on a tank on the combined cycle.

The Maserati MC20's interior is described as "luxury with a purpose" by the automaker, but it might be a bit too much purpose and a bit too little luxury for some. There's no faulting the tech and the solidity of the construction, but it is more focused on being sporty than sumptuous. The minimalist design will be perfect for people who get the pared-back sportiness and weight-saving ethos of the car, and the materials are certainly of high quality, with plenty of carbon-fiber trim and contrast stitching. It's difficult to see out the high back with its louvered rear window, so a camera-based digital rearview mirror is standard and clears up all the blind spots, along with the backup camera and standard parking sensors. A digital gauge cluster is standard, and the central touchscreen sits quite low on the center stack.

The MC20 has seating for two people in racy bucket seats that hold them securely even when flinging the car around tight corners. There is enough interior space all around the snug cabin for two medium-sized adults, although Maserati does not supply dimensions. Padded knee supports are provided on the sides of the center tunnel.

The seats are trimmed in a combination of leather and synthetic suede and the choice of interior colors number nine in total Nero (black), Cuoio (tan), Blu (blue), and variety of colors paired with black: Nero/Grigio (dark gray), Nero/Rosso (red), Nero/Giallo (yellow), Nero/Cuoio, Nero/Blu, and Nero/Blu Cielo, and Ghiaccio (light gray). Ten fuoriserie interior colors are offered as well, starting with a combination of lime green and white, aquamarine and white, and going as far as various shades of brown and gray.

Imitation suede dash and door inserts are optionally available, as well as a $7,000 Interior Carbon Fiber Package that adds a carbon-fiber instrument hood, paddle shifters, and door sills. Having the Maserati trident embroidered on the headrests will add $900, an Alcantara/carbon-fiber steering wheel costs $500, and carbon-fiber seatbacks will set you back $4,500.

Luggage space is at a premium in the Maserati MC20, and going touring two-up will be a challenge with only 1.77 cu-ft in the frunk and 3.53 cu-ft in the rear storage hold. Total combined luggage capacity is just 5.3 cu-ft. This is not very much, even for a sports car, and a lot less than in its Ferrari or Porsche rivals. The latter provides nearly 15 cu-ft of storage. Anything you put in the MC20's trunk is also quickly heated up by the engine.

Oddments space is almost non-existent too, with nothing beyond a small glovebox to store odds and ends and no storage pockets in the dihedral butterfly doors, lest they jettison their contents when you open them.

As is often the case with expensive supercars, quite a few of the desirable features cost extra, but given its minimalist approach, the MC20 is fairly well-equipped. The seats are six-way electrically adjustable and covered in leather/Alcantara, but heating costs extra. Standard features include dual-zone climate control, a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, keyless ignition, and remote start. Driver assists are seriously lacking and besides parking sensors front and rear and a camera-based digital rearview mirror, very little else is fitted or available. There are, of course, plenty of expensive extras, with special paints and interior and exterior carbon-fiber add-ons potentially adding thousands of dollars to the price.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen doesn't sit high up in the driver's line of sight, but below the center air vents, but it's usable enough. It's a modern Google Automotive-based system and all the expected features are there, such as navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a wireless charging pad, and a seven-speaker audio system. A 12-speaker Sonus Faber premium audio system is an extra-cost option.

We don't know much about the 2023 MC20's potential reliability, as J.D. Power hasn't released any review on it. But, for what it's worth, the 2022 model was recalled only twice - for a brake-light malfunction and a leaking fuel-line sensor housing - which isn't bad going for a brand-new product's first year on the market. At the time of writing, the 2023 MC20 was still recall-free.

The standard limited and powertrain warranties are both valid for four years/50,000 miles, but no complimentary servicing is included.

The Maserati MC20 will never be crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it conforms to all modern crash-safety standards, and its carbon-fiber structure and modern design should ensure safety levels equal to any typical contemporary out there.

Obviously, the basic safety features mandated by legislation are standard, such as ABS, stability control, a backup camera, and tire pressure monitoring. The MC20 has four airbags - two front and two side. Other standard driver assists include automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors front and rear, hill-start assist, and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert ($1,000) are the only other option available.

How long is a piece of string? At this rarified level of the market, there's nary a bad car in sight and a certain level of performance, tech, and passion comes standard with an expensive Italian supercar like the MC20. Some might bemoan the minimalist interior, and it's a bit thin on features - especially driver assists - but it's drop-dead gorgeous and super-exclusive; you're sure to have the only one on your street. The MC20 represents a revitalized Maserati, and it's an exotically engineered carbon-tub supercar with an advanced and surprisingly efficient new engine - and the performance and handling to go with it. It might not sound like a V8, but it revs to the high heavens and will thrill you while doing so, delivering superb track performance while still being comfortable enough to use every day.

The base price of the new 2023 Maserati MC20 is $215,995. This is Maserati MC20's MSRP before any extras or the $1,495 destination fee is added. Get carried away ticking option boxes, and you can add over $100k to the price without trying too hard, so beware.

Many options are available and none of them are cheap. Just adding special paint will set you back anything between $4,500 and $14,000. The Exterior Carbon Fiber Package costs an eye-watering $35,000 and turns the door and fender sills, rear diffuser, and front splitter into carbon fiber, while speccing a fiberglass hood and dark exhaust tips too. This package doesn't even include a carbon-fiber engine cover ($5,000), rear spoiler ($5,500), or roof ($6,000). The $7,000 Interior Carbon Fiber Package changes several interior parts to carbon-fiber items - the paddle shifters, the gauge-cluster hood, and the door sills. This package does not include carbon-fiber seatbacks ($4,500). Many other extras are available, such as carbon-ceramic brakes ($10,000), an electronic limited-slip rear differential ($2,300), lightweight monocoque racing seats ($7,000), a Sonus Faber 12-speaker audio system ($4,000), a front suspension lifter ($4,000), or a choice of different 20-inch alloy-wheel designs ($1,500-$7,000 extra). Carbon-fiber 20-inch wheels cost $20,000 extra.

There is only one MC20 to buy, so it comes down to how you spec it. The standard car is perfect if you want a Maserati as a daily driver or weekend toy, but we'd add the front suspension lifter ($4,000) not to ruin the front spoiler on steep driveways, the heated front seats ($500), and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert ($1,000). This adds the most glaring omissions. If money is no object, you can opt for the carbon-fiber bits and special paints, but if you're going to track it, skip all of that and go for the monocoque racing seats ($7,000), the electronic LS differential ($2,300) and the two additions that will dramatically reduce unsprung mass, sharpen up the handling even further, and improving the ride - the carbon-ceramic brakes ($10,000) and the carbon-fiber wheels ($20,000).