YOU CAN’T TOUCH THIS

• Published date: 24 June 2022
• Publication title: Hawkes Bay Today

The theme across vehicles like this is that they provide impressive performance, but also have a role to fill in everyday life, so have to make some large compromises

At the other end of the performance scale are the track-focused road cars, that make no compromise and offer some of the best thrills short of a Movie World roller coaster.

Maserati’s all-new MC20 is a perfect example of an uncompromised performance car – and we’ve just given it a bash around the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia.

Things are changing at Maserati, and the days of the Ferrari-sourced twin-turbo V8 engine found in the Ghibli Trofeo are numbered, but that doesn’t mean internal combustion is dead. This is where the MC20 comes into the picture, with its all-new twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine dubbed Nettuno. This is the engine that we can expect to see in Maserati’s petrol-powered performance cars going forward, and it’s certainly worthy.

Though this 463kW/730Nm engine doesn’t quite possess the same note as a Ferrari V8, it’s a masterpiece. In place of the eight-cylinder roar, the addictive sound of the turbos spooling comes from behind the cabin, and makes for a far more “race-car” experience as far as I’m concerned. Torque is strong throughout the rev range, and it works in perfect unison with the eight-speed automatic transmission, which violently slams through gears like Italian supercars of old.

It’s obvious the MC20 is a performance car, but when weight is considered, it’s an even better story. Tipping the scales at less than 1500kg, Maserati claims it has the best power-to-weight ratio in its segment (an impressive bragging right considering Porsche’s new 911 GT3 falls into the same category). This has been achieved through the use of a carbon tub, and a plethora of carbon fibre throughout the car.

It hits 100km/h from a standing start in just 2.88 seconds, topping out at over 326km/h. Hitting 100km/h in less than three seconds is something usually reserved for hypercars and high-performance EVs alike, so doing it in a small performance car is a phenomenal experience.

In a track environment, the MC20 thrives with oodles of power on tap, and race car-like stopping power. The carbon ceramic braking package fitted to our test car is an option...