Maserati MC20 Notte review: is this the brand’s most stylish car?
David Beckham certainly thinks so. David Green on the new edition
The MC20 burst onto the supercar scene in 2020 and signalled that Maserati was back in the big league, decades after its last supercar. The design was a triumph, undeniably exotic, but with an understated elegance devoid of aggressive spoilers and backed up by a new V6 engine. Created in-house at the Modena headquarters, it was christened the Nettuno.
Now, we have a new limited edition of this car, the MC20 Notte Edition. The colour scheme is the first thing that hits you. The “nero essenza” paintwork has a matt magnetic finish, giving the car a unique appearance. The Neptune trident logos on the Maserati — inspired by the Fountain of Neptune at the centre of Piazza Maggiore in Bologna — are matt white gold instead of silver, in a nod to Maserati’s racing heritage. The matt white gold continues as accents on the 20in matt black birdcage wheels. The overall look is moody, dark and nocturnal, evoking night-time racing in history’s most famous motorsport endurance events.
It is aimed at racing enthusiasts and developed with input from Andrea Bertolini, a former GT1 world champion with Maserati. The brand is keen to remind buyers of its rich racing pedigree from Targa Florio victories almost 100 years ago to a Formula One driver championship with Juan Manuel Fangio behind the wheel. In 2023 Maserati hopes for newfound motorsport success with its new Formula E team. Fittingly, the Notte gets six-way sports seats in black and grey Alcantara with yellow stitching and an Alcantara-clad steering wheel with carbon inserts. We expect the engine to remain the same 621bhp, 90-degree twin-turbocharged V6, as no details have been released regarding changes to the powerplant. This is no bad thing as the engine is a powerful, refined unit with some clever Formula One-derived technology such as pre-chamber ignition, and will give this Notte edition the performance that the bodywork and paintwork allude to, especially in Corsa (Race) drive mode. Performance is sprinting to 62mph in under three seconds on its way to reaching 200mph top speed. David Beckham, Maserati’s global brand ambassador, features in the Notte promo video, adding some star power to the launch.
The limited-edition model is a product of Maserati’s Fuoriserie (“Custom-built”) department. It is the equivalent of the Ferrari Tailor Made programme and will cater to buyers’ dreams and wishes, creating bespoke solutions for customers to make the car unique. “It is the first Fuoriserie limited edition of MC20, and it is dedicated to super sportscar collectors and track enthusiasts,” Klaus Busse, the head of Maserati design, says.
It is the first limited-edition Fuoriserie MC20, and there will doubtless be other variants. Only 50 Notte editions will be produced globally, celebrated with a metal plate inside the cabin with the words “UNA DI 50” (one of 50).
The price is expected to be about £280,000.
maserati.com
