The two-seater maserati MC20 recently made its debut in Hong Kong - the first model to be introduced by Blackbird Tridente, the brand's new importer and distributor in the two SARs, Hong Kong and Macau.
If the name sounds vaguely familiar to sportscar enthusiasts, it's because in the first decade of the millennium, Maserati had limited production of MC12. The racing version of that would go on to conquer the now-defunct international GT Championship.
Incidentally, MC is the short form of Maserati Corse, which means racing in Italian. While the 12 in MC12 signifies the use of a 12-cylinder engine, the 20 in MC20 refers to the year 2020, the year which marked the start of a new phase in Maserati's history.
Blackbird Tridente was officially appointed the distributorship last year. One significant announcement made by the company soon afterward was a five-year warranty for its new Maserati models, starting from the MC20.
Maserati has always been a premium brand, but the new flag-bearing MC20 has managed to raise the brand's profile by a notch.
At HK$3.498 million, the MC20 is more expensive than previous production models. The Ghibli, for example, starts from HK$1.178 million, the Levante HK$1.278 million and the Quattroporte HK$1.578 million.
And the price, it must be added, is before options, noted Sing Tao Daily car reviewer Daniel Pang, who was invited to the car's preview at the brand's Repulse Bay showroom. Some rather pricey items include particular paint colors, like the white in the pictured vehicle, carbon-fiber interior package, a contrast black roof and front lift system.
In return for the base price, future customers of MC20 will get a super sportscar - built with an architecture shared by no other models bearing the Trident badge - at least for the moment.
The carbon-fiber architecture was developed in collaboration with racing car manufacturer Dallara, a renowned Italian firm in the trade. Similar to architectures used in other sportscars, it features very high torsional rigidity, which is to say its body does not easily twist compared to, say, steel architecture.
It is lightweight as well - the MC20 tips the scale at below 1,500 kilograms.
In parts of the car, notably the door panel and part of the dash, the carbon-fiber tub lays bare for all to see. Arguably, few upholstery materials are more contemporary and stylish in the world of super sportscars than bare carbon fiber.
The car's sleek and aerodynamically sound body was tested and shaped in Dallara's wind tunnel after more than 1,000 simulation solutions and 2,000 man-hours, according to the distributor. All these contribute to body part designs that result in directional airflow to cool down the engine and intercooler while also adding increased downforce so that the car is more likely to stick to the road at high speeds.
The MC20 employs the new 3.0-liter twin-turbo Nettuno V6 engine capable of producing 630PS. Nettuno is the name of the new engine series of the brand. Coupled with an 8-speed double-clutch automatic transmission, the mid-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car hits 100kph at a standstill in a mere 2.9 seconds.
It has the kind of credentials that will ensure its rightful place in the market's fast lane.
staff.reporter@singtaonewscorp.com
