‘I drove Maserati’s 200mph supercar – it was | Tech News

When you actually take into consideration it, shopping for a supercar is a actually silly factor to do. Some people actually do spend lots of of hundreds of kilos (plus practically £5,500 for one 12 months’s highway tax) to drive in a cramped, ultra-low-slung two-seater with a fuel-guzzling engine.

Sure, they go fast. It’s commonplace to listen to about a new supercar that can speed up from 0-62mph in effectively beneath three seconds and attain a prime velocity above and past 200mph. But what’s the purpose of all that energy in case you’ll wrestle to achieve the 70mph most velocity restrict on the UK’s motorways?

Alright, I’ll admit to being a little biased over this. My two automobiles each function engines of much less than 1.0-litre and produce a mixed energy output of beneath 130bhp – it’s protected to say that my life is mostly spent within the gradual lane!

However, that’s not to say that I’m in opposition to making an attempt one thing a little more flash. When Maserati invited me to check drive their MC20 supercar, I was more than blissful to get behind the wheel.

Introduced in 2020, the MC20 is the non secular successor to the MC12 of the early 2000s and shuns the standard V8 in favour of the model’s legendary 3.0-litre V6. But what’s it like to really drive a supercar on the public roads?

Exterior:

To take a look at, the Maserati MC20 is undoubtedly an engaging car that ticks all the suitable containers. At simply 1,224mm tall, the Italian supercar is round 20cm decrease than a commonplace household hatchback, however considerably longer and wider.

Whilst the long, oval-formed grille, modern entrance headlights that span up the sides of the bonnet, and sweeping strains are all distinctively Maserati, the MC20’s look nonetheless has a contact of thriller to it. I observed a truthful quantity of different highway customers making an attempt to work out what it was. It seems like a dangerous factor, however it actually helps to attract consideration to the car – you actually really feel observed inside it.

That mentioned, there are fairly a few touches that establish the Moderna model. At the rear, the engine cowl options slats that are formed just like the Maserati brand from a sure angle, while additionally displaying its all-highly effective engine.

As is predicted from a Maserati, patrons can even select from a staggering quantity of customisation choices. In addition to the vary of seven totally different commonplace colors, those that go for the Fuoriserie vary of paintwork get a alternative of 23 totally different shades – and that’s to not point out all of the wheel, livery, and brake calliper selections!

Interior:

Inside, the Maserati actually mirrors the basic supercar image. Compared to a grand tourer, some would possibly discover it a little bit easy however splendidly intuitive. The conventional three-spoke racing steering wheel controls most capabilities, together with the starter, leaving the remaining of the inside to be coated in a lot of premium supplies like Alcantara and carbon fibre.

As for consolation and comfort, no one on the lookout for a sensible household model will buy a Maserati MC20 however drivers will possible be shocked at how comfy the seats are. Whilst getting in is considerably of a problem, I had a lot of leg and headroom and felt correctly hugged in place after I was taking corners at velocity.

Owners even get a pair of boots, which offer a most capability of 150 litres. Alright, they hardly make the Maserati a rival to any property car, however the baggage space is simply about 35 litres much less than the Fiat 500.

Features:

Like different automobiles within the Maserati vary, the MC20 comes geared up with a notably broad 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, which replaces the overwhelming majority of bodily controls for options just like the air-con and radio.

Whilst I’m typically in opposition to this concept (I discover that turning a dial is far simpler than navigating menus at high velocity, Maserati’s infotainment is fairly intuitive and connects to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Other commonplace options embody twin-zone air-con and a six-speaker sound system; nevertheless, drivers seeking to full the MC20 expertise can enhance that to a Sonus Faber 12-speaker setup for an extra charge.

Performance:

Whilst Maserati have been planning to introduce a fully-electric model of the MC20, referred to as the Folgore, plans have been cancelled in March 2025 in a bid to avoid wasting the company money. As a end result, all MC20s at the moment come geared up with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

Tuned to make a staggering 621bhp, the Maserati MC20 is succesful of sprinting from 0-62mph in simply 2.9 seconds and can proceed gaining velocity till reaching 203mph.

Mind you, the MC20 is hardly going to win any financial system runs. Whilst a claimed financial system determine of 24.4mpg sounds very reasonable for such a highly effective car, I achieved about 17mpg with a bit of spirited driving. What’s more, the 60-litre fuel tank implies that drivers protecting long distances within the Maserati will possible make a truthful quantity of pit stops.

Driving:

Getting behind the wheel of a £227,570 supercar that isn’t yours may be a slightly intimidating expertise. You anticipate to be met with a fighter jet cockpit with each floor coated in buttons that might choose the driving modes or operate the ejector seat. Fortunately, similar to the Gran Cabrio Folgore I drove on the identical day, the Maserati MC20 is a fairly simple beast to tame.

As is mostly the case as of late, the MC20 options an computerized gearbox and a very good one at that. Unlike most autos in household automobiles, the Maserati’s gearbox is responsive enough to deal with all of the V6’s energy with out wildly overrevving.

The pretty firm sports activities suspension and effectively-weighted steering helped to offer the Maserati predictable handling traits at high-speed regardless of not being the lightest supercar round. And, while we’ve established that the MC20 is fast, it’s value noting that the Maserati outpaced its own speedometer after I put my foot down!

That mentioned, driving the Maserati MC20 (or any supercar like it, for that matter) in a city or village highlights one drawback: the suspension. The MC20 is so low that, in an effort to recover from a velocity bump with out beaching your self, the driving force has to push a button to raise the entrance finish. This is okay, however from expertise, it can solely be executed at speeds of beneath 15mph. As a end result, I had Fiestas overtaking me round any bump within the highway!

Conclusion:

Supercars just like the Maserati MC20 are actually good for ego. In the 75-odd automobiles I’ve pushed since passing my check, I’ve by no means seen so many pedestrians and different drivers who wished to know what the car was and who was behind the wheel.

And it’s great to know that drivers can get the total potential of the MC20 with out a lot more know-how than what is predicted from a commonplace household car. It’s even fairly a bit simpler to reside with than anticipated, offering a first rate quantity of passenger space.

Did I take pleasure in driving it? You wager. Would I buy one if I had the money? I’m not so sure. Don’t get me improper, I believe the MC20 is an unbelievable car and, even on this planet of supercars, will help you stand out from the group. But there’ll come a day whenever you’re driving down a high avenue, soaking in all of the admiring glances from these round you, solely to search out your self beached on a speedbump since you forgot to raise the suspension.