2023 Maserati MC20 supercar makes PH arrival

MANILA: Modena Motorsports, Inc., — the official and local importer and distributor of Maserati in the Philippines — set forth the MC20 for Filipino car enthusiasts. The 2023 Maserati MC20 is “First of its Kind” and Maserati returns to a stage where it has always starred, that of supercars that combine luxury and performance with the Trident brand’s unique style.

The 2023 Maserati MC20 is a Maserati with mind-blowing aerodynamic efficiency. Its superb looks conceal an uncompromising sporty soul, with the new 630 horsepower V6 Nettuno engine that delivers zero-to-100kph acceleration in 2.88 seconds and a top speed over 326kph. A patented, 100% Maserati engine, benefiting from the MTC (Maserati Twin Combustion) technology, the innovative combustion system developed by the Brand, evolved from the pre-chamber technology used on Formula 1 powertrains. Conceived, designed and built entirely in-house.

For the Italian marque, the MC20 is built to stun while storming round the track but also perform superlatively on the road, with excellent driveability, comfort and safety, in an interior where efficiency combines with the luxury and exclusiveness integral to all the Brand's models. The MC20 has been designed in Modena at the Maserati Innovation Lab and is produced at the historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant.

The sports car is particularly light under 1,500 kilograms, and thanks to its power output of 630hp it is best in class in weight/power ratio, at 2.33 kg/hp. This lightweight has been achieved without any skimping on comfort: MC20 has all the contents cars of this type must have to satisfy a sporty yet sophisticated clientele, looking not only for performance but also for comfort and luxury. So a great deal of work was done on the materials. The entire chassis is in carbon fiber and composites, with the benefits of lighter weight, faster tool-go times and greater stylistic freedom in the design of forms. Carbon fiber enables the creation of shapes impossible with press-formed metal. The butterfly doors are a very obvious example.

Over two thousand man-hours in the Dallara Wind Tunnel and more than a thousand CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations have enabled the creation of a car with refined aerodynamics which is also a genuine work of art. Elegant and sporty, efficient and lightweight.

Conceptually, the 2023 Maserati MC20's aerodynamic design divides the car into two parts: an upper part where stylistic considerations predominate and a more technical lower part, color-coded in black and carbon fiber respectively.

In the car's upper section, the forms respond primarily to aesthetic priorities and the aerodynamic features are amalgamated into the lines conceived by the designers, to achieve high efficiency without interfering with the sleek, elegant bodywork. The air vents on the bonnet and those at the side that provide the engine's air intake and cool the intercooler are thus "natural" features, virtually invisible when the car is viewed from some angles. There are no obvious aerodynamic appendages: just a discrete rear spoiler that enhances the up-washing generated by the floor and enhances the downforce with no detriment to the car's great beauty.

To conclude, the rear part of the floor of the car includes a large diffuser, with channels of different depths and optimized vertical spoilers that exploit the pressure differences between the various sections to generate vortices and energize the air flow.

Thanks to the almost obsessive care taken over the development of all these features, and the ceaseless hard work to integrate technical factors with aesthetic demands, the MC20 generates a high aerodynamic load with an excellent drag, enabling it to reach top speeds over 326 km/h and continue to hug the ground in all conditions of use.

The monocoque has been developed from the outset for all three types of car to be produced in the coming years: the coupé, the convertible and the future electric version, to be presented in 2022. The monocoque’s architecture and geometry are the same for all three versions, but differ in the distribution of the carbon fibers and layers, to provide monocoques with different structural characteristics for the three different types of car.

Semi-virtual suspension underpins the 2023 Maserati MC20 allows the tire's contact patch to be kept constant while cornering, ensuring high lateral accelerations and keeping handling natural and instinctive in any situation and at any speed. Eight-speed oil-immersed Dual Clutch design with six power and two overdrive speeds to ensure emissions compliance is matched to the V6.

The driving seat controls of the MC20 are essential, functional and rational. The entire focus is on the driver, and his desire for optimal performances. Everything is designed to help him to get the most out of his Maserati, without distracting him. So shapes are simple, with very few sharp corners. The materials chosen are black and the upholstery is dark, to prevent reflections in the windscreen. Everything is laid out just like the cockpit of a racing car, with functionality and visibility paramount.

The central tunnel is clad with carbon fiber and only carries the switches that are absolutely necessary, to maintain concentration on the driving experience and sustain the approach of elegant minimalism with which the MC20's interior was styled. The most luxurious detail is the driving mode selector: in center stage, it is the distinctive feature that tells the driver and passenger they are on board a Maserati. Inspired by a luxury watch, the driving mode selector is mechanical and precise, it is made from choice quality, exquisite materials and it has a touch of typically Maserati dark blue.

The 2023 Maserati MC20 has five driving modes, selected using the selector in the center of the tunnel: WET, GT, SPORT and CORSA. Each one is identified by its own color: WET green; GT blue; SPORT red; CORSA yellow; ESC OFF orange.

Driving modes are selected by turning the selector for a few seconds. For example, the car starts in the default GT mode. It only takes a movement of half a second in the direction of the mode required to switch from GT to SPORT (on the right) or WET (on the left). The driver can press the selector for two seconds to choose CORSA mode. Pressing for five seconds switches to ESC Off mode. The longer time is to ensure that the driver has chosen this mode intentionally and not by mistake.

As an optional, a system is available to raise the vehicle at low speeds, increasing ground clearance when traversing obstacles such as speed bumps or over-steep ramps. The driver can activate the system by pressing the specific button on the steering wheel. When activated, the hydraulic system raises the front axle by 50 mm. The driver can then deactivate the system by pressing the button again. At this point, the car will return to the standard ground clearance.

The MC20 is complete with the new generation MIA (Maserati Intelligent Assistant) multimedia system. The heart of MIA the powerful Android Automotive operating system, which offers a completely new, innovative, higher-performing User Experience, with full personalisation to the driver's user preferences.

Bonded by their commitment to excellent craftsmanship, Maserati and Sonus faber are connected by common values, a love for Italian culture and a mission to deliver an extraordinary brand experience with luxury, performance and innovation at the forefront. Combining the roar of the Tridente engine and the natural sound of the Sonus faber system, each brand remains rooted in tradition and devoted to maintaining their reputations as leaders in their respective industries of automotive and audio.

The 2023 Maserati MC20 is the only model currently in production outfitted with a Sonus faber Premium audio system, featuring a high performing amplifier with 695 Watts of power and 12 speakers with specific functionalities that deliver Sonus faber’s natural sound through the use of natural materials as, for instance, high quality silk.

As a car symbolizing the Maserati New Era, the 2023 Maserati MC20 also introduces a restyling of the Brand's badges. This is not a revolution but rather a decided evolution, which makes the Trident, Maserati’s symbol throughout its history, more contemporary, with more modern, elegant, stylish graphics, while still conserving its history. A large number of small changes make this badge very different from its predecessor, created by the last restyling in 2005.

Brembo, world leader in the design and production of braking systems, is the supplier of choice for the entire system for the new Maserati MC20. At the front, the new Trident super sports car is stopped by Brembo radial mounted monobloc six-piston brake calipers. The calipers converge on 390 x 36 mm Brembo CCM (carbon ceramic material) brake discs to offer superior stopping power.

At the rear, the Brembo four-piston monobloc brake calipers grab onto 360 x 28 mm Brembo CCM brake discs. Given the high loads generated by the pressure of the pistons on the pads, to ensure maximum rigidity and less deformation, the monobloc calipers are machined from a single block of cast aluminum, a material known for its lightness and strength. Brembo has designed six different caliper colors for the MC20 to allow even more personalization of the car.

Bridgestone has been selected as the exclusive tyre supplier for the MC20, Maserati’s new super sports car. This collaboration between two industry leaders conquers new ground, with Bridgestone enhancing the incredible capabilities of Maserati’s new MC20 through the development of premium, custom-engineered Potenza Sport tires.

The MC20 is also another significant development in Maserati's motorsport plan. It will compete in the Fanatec GT2 European Series Championship starting in 2023, as it was developed from the start with the goal of reviving the Trident brand in closed-wheel contests.

That GT2 race car is the MC20 GT2 which will be available from Maserati to its clients and teams.

The road variant, on which the MC20 GT2 is based, is where it gets its best-in-class features. These include the cutting-edge Maserati Twin Combustion (MTC) Nettuno engine, the double-wishbone suspension with virtual steering axis, and the carbon fiber monocoque.

Powering the MC20 GT2 is a three-liter V6 engine that features two turbos, as well as the Maserati Twin Combustion (MTC) Twin Spark with TJI double combustion control and dry sump. The engine is mated to a six-speed sequential racing gearbox that sports paddle shifters, racing clutch, and limited-slip self-locking mechanical differential for the rear-wheel drive.

Complying with FIA regulations, the Maserati MC20 GT2 is equipped with an FIA-homologated FT3 120-liter fuel tank, and FIA-spec fire extinguisher with safety roll cage. The cage makes the single-seat cabin more safe.

Aside from standard six-point racing harnesses and adjustable anti-roll bars and dampers, the Maserati MC20 GT2 will come with optional extras to enhance its track performance. These include telemetry recording, in-car camera for video recording, dash and data acquisition system, and driving performance optimization display.

The perfect bridge between the brand's new era and the triumphs attained by the regularly successful MC12 in the FIA GT Championships from 2004 to 2010 is Maserati's return to the track in GT contests.

Photos from Modena Motorsports Inc.,

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