Maserati MC20 2022 Review

It’s difficult to know what to expect from the 2022 Maserati MC20 as supercars from the iconic Italian brand have been few and far between.

The Merak and Bora predate this writer by a decade or more and weren’t exactly thick on the ground, though they were positively commonplace compared to the Ferrari Enzo-twinned MC12, of which just 50 road versions were produced.

There are no such restrictions on the MC20. Maserati will sell as many as customers demand and the factory can produce. Nevertheless, with a starting price of $438,000 plus on-road costs, they will remain a rare sight.

As is often typical at this end of the market, the base price is very much a starting point, with most customers ending up paying between $550,000 and $650,000.

The yellow – sorry, Giallo Genio – car you see in the pictures here is listed at $640,562 plus ORCs as tested, courtesy of plenty of carbon accoutrements, that fancy paint, forged alloy wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes, premium interior with heated seats, the list goes on…

It’s a handsome car. Bereft of wings and flicks, it’s subtle by supercar standards but beautifully proportioned and the pearl in the paint, the clear lacquered carbon and those butterfly doors still means it has plenty of presence.

Inside the 2022 Maserati MC20 it’s minimalist but not sparse. Materials include leather, carbon and swathes of Alcantara, and a pair of high-definition digital screens handle the infotainment and instrument duties.

The latter is customisable via the four drive modes – GT, Sport, Corsa and Wet – while the former incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and charging, digital radio and the option of a 12-speaker Sonus sound system.

None of this is particularly ground-breaking, but it is at least up to date, which isn’t always the case with supercars.

Unsurprisingly, the MC20 has not been crash-tested and its main safety feature is its lightweight and super-strong carbon-fibre tub, developed with racing car specialist Dallara.

There is cruise control, however, and blind spot and rear cross traffic alert can be optioned for $2797. It’s a box worth ticking as rearward visibility is at a severe premium, though an electronic rear-view mirror that takes a feed from the rear camera does help.

One of the biggest issues when coming to a halt is selecting Park. We were told to simply put the car in neutral by pulling both paddles back, then open the door, but whether that’s the only method is unclear.

The driving position is very good with plenty of adjustment and is able to facilitate either left- or right-foot brakers.

At the heart of the 2022 Maserati MC20 is an all-new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 called ‘Nettuno’ that is both extremely important and extremely clever.

It’s important because for many years Maserati has relied on Ferrari engines for its high-performance models, whereas the Nettuno V6 gives it an in-house solution moving forward. The MC20 is the first application, the Maserati Grecale Trofeo the second; expect other models to follow in due course.

It’s clever because it uses pre-chamber ignition to meet the latest emissions regulations, which prevent manufacturers from using excess fuel to produce power and cool the engine.

The process is expensive and slightly complicated, but you can’t argue with 463kW at 7500rpm and 730Nm of torque from 3000-5500rpm, enough to launch the MC20 to 100km/h in 2.9sec, 200km/h in 8.8sec and on to a top speed of more than 325km/h.

Rivals from Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche are even quicker but, to be frank, it just doesn’t matter. The latest supercars are now all at such a level that the fractions of a second that separate them are just for bragging rights. All will make your head spin and your stomach light.

The MC20 is certainly no exception. Punch the throttle at basically any speed and it leaps forward rabidly, with simply incredible response for a turbocharged engine.

This thrust continues unabated all the way to the 8000rpm cut-out and selecting a higher gear does little to quell the rate of acceleration, the speedo showing north of 260km/h when it comes to apply the brakes into the Phillip Island circuit’s turn one.

If the MC20 is deficient anywhere it’s in the audio department. Turbocharged V6s are historically extremely difficult to extract a tuneful noise from, and the Nettuno is little different.

Externally it’s a muted roar, though on the inside it sounds sharper and more aggressive. It’s not bad in any way, but compared to the likes of the Lamborghini Huracan V10 it struggles for theatre.

Where the 2022 Maserati MC20 differs from most of its exotic brethren is its ability to lower the heart rates of its occupants as well as send them soaring.

The default GT mode is aptly named, as it’s a car in which you could cover large distances or subject to the daily grind with few issues.

Light steering helps, but of most benefit is the genuinely compliant suspension that means bumps are generally absorbed rather than transmitted to the occupants.

Occasional low-speed jerks from the dual-clutch transmission are really the only shortcoming from a useability perspective.

Realistically, though, MC20 buyers will have a Range Rover or Bentley Bentayga or, possibly, a Maserati Levante for the daily grind and will therefore be buying Maserati’s new supercar for its handling, not its comfort.

Thankfully, the MC20 is just as impressive in corners as it is in a straight line. That steering might be light but the weighting feels spot on and feeds a beautiful stream of information back to your hands.

Care is needed as it’s extremely quick and so accurate that the car will go exactly where you point it, good or bad, but acclimatisation doesn’t take too long.

In comparison to some of its rivals, the MC20 is quite soft on track with a degree of pitch and roll – relatively speaking, of course – that requires management. Too much throttle too early in a corner, for instance, will lift the nose and provoke understeer.

If you really push the car you’ll find extraordinary grip, even on Bridgestone Potenza tyres that are far more road-focused than the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s or similar that often populate these cars.

Stiffening the 2022 Maserati MC20 and putting more aggressive tyres on it would make it more capable on a circuit but it’s pleasing that Maserati has resisted.

Instead, the Italian marque has created a car that’s still phenomenally capable and enjoyable on track, yet works at least as well, if not better, on road than many of its rivals.

In many ways the MC20 ignores the supercar norms; it doesn’t look particularly outrageous, inside or out, doesn’t make an obnoxious noise and can be driven with little fuss.

For some, this will be a criticism – who wants a sensible supercar? – but it adds something different to what is a fairly crowded segment. And if you want outlandish, buy a Lamborghini.

Whether the MC20 is flat-out better than a Ferrari 296 GTB or McLaren Artura or even a Porsche 911 Turbo S is too tough to call without a comparison and largely irrelevant – these aren’t rational purchases and most buyers have the means to make it an ‘and’ decision rather than an ‘or’.

Maserati has delivered a cutting-edge supercar that still stays true to its brand values and as such it’s a very welcome arrival.

Hopefully, it’s a positive sign of things to come.

How much does the 2022 Maserati MC20 cost?
Price: $438,000 (plus on-road costs)/$640,562 (plus ORCs) as tested
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 463kW/730Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 11.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 262g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested