The Maserati MC20 Is Your Do-It-All Supercar

Maserati’s MC20 was conceived with motorsports in mind, but it’s also an absolute pleasure for daily driving

The Maserati MC20 that was first unveiled in 2020 has arrived in Singapore. Conceived as a track-focused supercar, it marks Maserati’s return to racing, beginning with Formula E in 2023. I had the chance to spend some time with the MC20 and, through it, gained some insights into the Italian marque’s ambitions for the road ahead.

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The heart of the MC20 is a brand‑new twin‑turbo V6 engine, Nettuno, which boasts a 3‑litre displacement and 630 horses on tap. Developed and built entirely in‑house, Nettuno is the world’s first production engine to feature the dual‑chamber combustion system used in Formula One engines. This architecture doesn’t just produce greater engine output, but also improves fuel efficiency—at all rev ranges, no less.

To complement the Nettuno engine, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and all‑carbon chassis are used in the MC20. The final piece of the puzzle is the car’s sculpted, aerodynamic form, which was refined through more than 1,000 computer simulations and 2,000 man-hours of tests in the wind tunnel. The overall result is a class‑leading top speed of more than 326 km/h and a brisk 2.9‑second century sprint.

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Despite its supercar pedigree and raison d’etre as Maserati’s motorsports platform, the MC20 surprised me with its suitability for everyday driving. In the default GT mode, ample power was available, but the car never felt like it was champing at the bit. Instead, the overall handling felt smooth and responsive, which made for a confident, comfortable drive. What I found especially impressive was how this extended to every aspect of the drive, from the car’s cornering behaviour at different speeds to its snappy downshifts.

Above Maserati MC20

Maserati MC20

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Of course, excitement was only a twist of the mode selector switch away. The Sport and Corsa modes offered increasingly higher performances by adjusting parameters such as the engine boost, gear shift setting, suspension stiffness and traction control. In these modes, the turbocharger’s responsiveness was also more readily apparent—the turbo lag dreaded by purists has been completely eliminated. It’s yet another testament to the Nettuno engine’s tuning and performance.

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Above Maserati MC20

Maserati MC20

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My brief experience with the MC20 was an exhilarating one, not least because of the car itself. What was equally important, perhaps, was how this feeling of excitement was also tied to the potential that the model represents for Maserati’s future—one with motorsports as a key pillar once again.

More information about the MC20 is available here.