The mid-engined MC20 has put Maserati back in the minds of supercar fans, and now a GT2 variant wants to do the same for the racing community. Called simply Maserati GT2, the MC20-based machine is designed to go toe-to-toe with other GT2 racing machines from the likes of Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini. The GT2 will contest the final rounds of the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series ahead of a full assault on the title the following season.
As you’ve probably guessed, that remit
means the GT2 is not legal for road use, and it incorporates some key
mechanical upgrades to make it competitive on the track, including a new
six-speed sequential transmission that takes the place of the eight-speed
twin-clutch unit used in the street version of the MC20. Other mechanical mods
include a race-spec limited-slip diff, forged 18-inch center-lock wheels with
slick (or wet) tires, and manually adjustable two-way dampers.
There’s also a new exhaust for Maserati‘s
3.0-liter V6 that exits further north of where the road car dumps its gases.
The twin-turbo Nettuno motor is rated at the same 621 hp as it is in
road tune, though there’s a good chance it might be forced to run with less
power depending on the conclusions of the people in charge of the mysterious
balance-of-performance regulations that handicap cars deemed too quick in order
to create closer races.
But no GT2 car is going to get anywhere
near the front of the pack without a ton of aero help, no matter how much
downforce the donor road car generates. So the GT2 gains canards, a splitter,
and saw-tooth front fender cutouts on the nose, plus a huge wing and diffuser
at the rear, and a totally flat underbody. Improving cooling at sustained
racing speeds was also a priority, resulting in the addition of larger rear
fender air intakes and a massive roof snorkel. And since a cool driver is also
a quick driver, there’s air conditioning inside the smart, but non-nonsense
cockpit.
