The Maserati MC20 super sports car has
shed the Alfa Romeo 4C-sourced mule body for a very sensual production
bodywork. Seen here in the first official (and rather blurry) photos released
by Maserati, the MC20 test prototype promises to be a stunner. This should come
as no surprise for anyone given that the mid-engine sports car is rumored to be
the canned Alfa Romeo 8C project FCA decided to give to Maserati.
So what’s with the middle finger statue in
the background and why does the MC20 pose next to it? Well, it’s because
Maserati wants to make a statement. The luxury car manufacturer has identified
and selected a series of iconic locations in Italy that effectively convey the
“Masters of Italian Audacity” global statement. Since the new MC20 “is the
first and ultimate expression” of that, Maserati has decided to associate its
super sports car with these locations.
The “L.O.V.E.” sculpture authored by
Maurizio Cattelan and placed in Milan’s Piazza degli Affari is the first of
these locations. Described as “a symbol of Italian audacity in international
contemporary art”, the sculpture could easily pass off as a message from
Maserati to its competitors, unless we’re reading too much into it. During the
next few days, the MC20 prototype will visit other locations symbolic of
Italian audacity, before returning to the Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena.
This marks the start of a period of road and track tests in various conditions
of use, which should help the automaker calibrate the car’s final setup.
The Maserati MC20, set to debut in May
this year, will reportedly be built on a carbon tub similar to that of the Alfa
Romeo 4C, though it will be a longer and wider car, with a stretched wheelbase
as well. This will ensure the MC20 will feature a bigger cabin and enough room
for a bigger engine, rumored to be a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 mounted in the
middle. The powertrain is expected to deliver around 600 horsepower, likely in
electrified form. Meanwhile, the only transmission choice will be a Getrag
eight-speed dual-clutch automatic driving the rear wheels.
