Why the MC20 is the most underwhelming supercar The Maserati MC20 was Maserati’s first official mid-engine dream machine since the last Merak rolled off the production line in 1981. And in truth, back in the day, it seemed rather exciting. Not only does it still look exceptionally beautiful, but it was constructed using a carbon fibre tub, similar to most McLarens. And powering was a similar 3.0l Twin-Turbo V6 found in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. But the reality was, it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. It only produced 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque, making it by far the least powerful supercar on sale. To make matters worse, despite the relatively small engine and carbon fibre tub, this thing weighs a pulverising 1.7 tonnes. That’s more than the hybrid-powered Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura, both of which are far more powerful. Read More The Bespoke MC20 Maserati per Maserati – The Heirloom to the Maserati Family Sure it’s no slouch, 0-62mph takes 3.3 seconds and the top speed is 202mph, but those figures ultimately make it the slowest supercar on sale. It’s a similar case with the handling, there’s nothing wrong with it, but you just know its rivals from Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren would run rings around it. And its soundtrack it must be said is fairly muted, for what is a fairly decent engine. It’s all together not a complete car, which is not what one would expect when spending $290,000 on a car. Maserati has launched several variants ,including the convertible Cielo variant and the hardcore track-focused GT2 Stradale. But neither of these has been able to save the MC20 from its rock of averageness. Plus the $400,000 which you’ve spent on a GT2 Stradale. It’s no surprise that after four years of production, Maserati has only managed to shift around 3000 MC20s worldwide, and even less of a surprise that you barely see any on the road. Clearly, this car needed a big change, more power, and much less weight. Or a new model, unless Maserati decided that they simply weren’t cut out for the supercar business. Well at Goodwood 2025, we received an answer. And their answer was, absolutely nothing. I know this new car says MCPURA and supposedly was developed by Maserati’s Fuoriseri program but, let’s be honest. You put this next to a regular MC20 and they look essentially the same. Maserati says it has an all-new nose inspired by the GT2 Stradale and MCXtrema race-car, they say they’ve tweaked the front splitter, side vents, and rear diffuser, but they say quite a lot. The only difference between the MCPURA and MC20 visually is the fact that you get three new colours, Devil Orange, Verde Royale, and Night Interacti, laser-etched trident logos and dual tone diamond cut-finish wheels but really these are all scams. It’s the same story with the Interior. Sure there’s a laser-etched Alcantara and GT2-inspired LED shift-lighting steering wheel, but really, who’s going to notice that? But look at this way, with the new GT2 Stradale steering wheel, maybe they’ve done what McLaren did with the 750S and Ferrari did with the F8. Fit the ordinary, softer road-going car, with the track-monster's engine of the previous model. The same 3.0l twin-turbo V6 but with 631 horsepower, resulting in a 2.8 seconds 0-62mph. Ok, it isn’t much but at least it’s something. No they didn’t even bother to do that. It’s the same exact engine as the MC20, the same 621 horsepower, the same 538 lb-ft of torque, the same 0-62mph of 3.3 seconds. Only small change is that they’ve updated the software for sharper throttle response of the 8-speed Tremac dual clutch gearbox. Which has resulted in a 1mph increase in top speed 203mph to 202mph in the MC20. So far the only noticeable change is that the MCPURA Cielo was launched in conjunction with the Hardtop. Apparently, Maserati has modified this variant with what they call a PDLC glass roof, which offers three distinct modes: full cover, sky view, and open-top. Oh, and Maserati have fitted new 10.25-inch screens that house which "performance pages" app that displays turbo boost, torque, and even brake temperatures. But really that doesn’t justify this car’s price, which frankly is a scam. This is a whopping $310,000 and I’m just sitting here, thinking who’s going to buy this. The answer is no one, a McLaren Artura is faster and more efficient, a Lamborghini Temerario and Ferrari 296 are more complete and really if you want the last pure petrol-powered supercar, the McLaren 750S, flawed as it is, is just better at everything. The Big Problem with Maserati The MCPURA is ultimately a waste of time, an expensive, scam, nonsense to a car no one wanted. Sure Maserati will tempt you with their Fuoriserie program, which gives you over 30 exterior colours (solid, matte, multi-layer) and tailored interior materials to their tastes. This is to ensure one idiot’s MCPURA is noticeably different from the other but really to fall for this just exposes the problem with Maserati. Read More Maserati’s Disastrous Year: Yet More Struggles for the Trident Luxury Car Maker Last year Maserati sales dropped by 50% with only 11,300 cars sold worldwide, most of which were second hand. They’ve suffered many quality control issues, the MC20 itself suffered from weak windshield frame bonding. Their new CEO Santo Ficilli has promised change is on the horizon but in truth, he’s simply covering up the fact that Maserati’s relaunch has failed. Personally, I think the biggest issue with the Trident Brand is their lack of identity and as a result lack of desirability. Maserati really doesn’t know what kind of brand they want to be. Frankly, if you’re after a mass-produced mid-engine dream machine, you’re better off with a Ferrari, McLaren or Lamborghini. Both their newer cars and especially their older models are faster, more desirable and more well-rounded than an MC20. Similarly, in the Grand Touring market, anything from Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and even Mercedes trashes a Gran-Turismo. The Grecale will never have the same level of desirability of many other high-performance SUVs and overall in their sector of a mid-level high-performance brand, Porsche out-do them tenfold. They don’t have an F1 team to carry value and Stellantis, the conglomerate that owns them are struggling themselves. Maserati is easily the least desirable of the luxury car brands and this lack of identity is what’s killing them. Sure to the 70-year-old chaps, Fangio’s F1 victory and cars like the incredible 3500GT mean the company has some value. But frankly, there’s only so much weight heritage can carry. Ultimately a company has to sell cars to survive and if it isn’t selling cars, it’s on the chopping block. The MCPURA simply exposes the flaws with Maserati, marketing itself as a new car but literally being an MC20. A literal name change and nothing more. There are many manufacturers right now that have troubled futures, Jaguar to name one and Jeep as another. But Maserati is easily the one which is most in trouble. Don’t be too surprised if, in the next five years, the Trident Brand that our grandfathers loved is no more. F1rstMotors Facts and FiguresManufacturerMaserati S.p.AModelMCPURAYear of Release2026Engine3.0L Twin-Turbo V6Horsepower621hpTorque538 lb–ft0–62mph (100km/h)3.3 secondsTop Speed203mph (326 km/h)Weight1,620kg (1.6 tonnes)Power to Weight383 hp per tonneGearbox8–speed Dual ClutchDriven WheelsRear Wheel DrivePrice$310,000 Source: Maserati
