We tested the Maserati MC20 Coupé Fuoriserie, a fascinating supercar as exclusive as its price (the paint alone costs 14,000 euros).

Technical sheet Maserati MC20

Engine: V6. Gasoline Displacement: 2,992 ccMaximum power: 630 hp Transmission: Aut. 8 speed.Traction: RearAcceleration 0-100 km/h: 2.9 secondsMaximum speed: 325 km/hCombined consumption: 11.5 liters (WLTP)CO2 emissions: 261 g/km (WLTP)DGT label: CLength/width/height: 467/196/122 cmBoot: 100 + 50 litersTank: 60 litersWeight: 1,475 kgWarranty: 4 yearsPrice: 352,000 euros maserati.com

Maserati, a brand steeped in sporting tradition, has been doing very well for a few years now. It sells more cars than ever and has regained its prestige in the form of exclusive and passionate automobiles. In this new phase, a kind of second youth, in which it has also opted for electrification, there is one car that stands out for its beauty and has earned a prominent place among the most elegant, fastest, and lightest supercars on the market: the MC20, a car designed to compete with Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Porsche.

Indeed, the MC20 inaugurated a new era for Maserati in 2020, a new industrial and commercial phase for the trident manufacturer, guided by passion, innovation, and uniqueness, without forgetting the century-old history of the company founded by Alfieri Maserati.

Thus, the MC20 is a supercar designed and built in Modena, born to deliver its best on the track, but it's also a car that allows you to enjoy the pleasure of traveling. The aerodynamic shapes of the body, which dispense with bulky spoilers, have been sculpted following the dictates of the wind tunnel.

Another special feature is the Ferrari-sourced engine (though tuned by Maserati), a twin-turbo V6 with 630 hp and 730 Nm of torque, capable of launching it to 325 km/h and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. And with a carbon fiber chassis and body, it's extremely lightweight.

A unique and personalized specimen

But the MC20 test car provided by Maserati is different, as it's a special unit created by Maserati's customization department, Maserati Fuoriserie. Colors, textures, wheels, and designs are all custom-made, with the idea that the car created by the customer will be practically unique in the world.

For example, the exclusive body color on our model is called Liquid Metal Matte and costs over €14,000—almost the same as the most basic Seat Ibiza (€14,990 for the 80-hp version with the Reference Salta trim!). Or the black and orange interior (€8,350), also a special design by the Fuoriserie department. And it matches the brake calipers. The brakes, in particular, deserve a separate mention. They are carbon-ceramic, with orange calipers, and cost €12,100.

The color, the combination of tones, the interior materials... Everything has been customized to make it a unique unit.

The carbon fiber interior package, featured on the center console and a cover above the instrument panel, costs €7,865. Also special is the Alcantara and carbon fiber steering wheel, with magnificent, large, and easily accessible carbon paddle shifters.

The 20-inch wheels, with 245/35 (front) and 305/30 (rear) tires, complete the equipment of a truly special car.

The MC20 is a really low car, one that makes you feel right at ground level. Access to the cabin is via two scissor-style (dihedral) or gull-wing doors, a bit cumbersome if you're short on parking. They're very striking and offer a good amount of space to squeeze into. Well, actually, you lower yourself to get into the car.

And it's so low that you have to be careful not to hit the front end on ramps or speed bumps. To achieve this, we have a suspension lift that raises the front of the car by 50 mm, which is highly recommended, so the front end doesn't touch the ground when accessing parking ramps, for example.

It's a two-seater with a mid-rear engine. The rear trunk has only 100 liters of capacity, but there's also a small 50-liter space in the front. All in all, the cabin is spacious and doesn't feel cramped.

True supercar

Made entirely of carbon fiber by Dallara, a specialist in the design and construction of motorsport chassis, in Modena, the MC20 Fuoriserie is a true road-going race car. This means that the car feels very rigid at all times.

In any case, a lot depends on the driving mode we choose. For example, GT mode allows you to travel with relative comfort. The engine consumes little fuel, even at low revs. And it's not at all annoying. For city driving or journeys where we don't want to see a spike in fuel consumption, GT mode is the best option, along with the automatic transmission mode.

Sport mode changes things considerably: stiffer, more precise, and with more engine sound reaching the cabin. It's the ideal mode for enjoying a twisty stretch or a clear, traffic-free road with good asphalt. The driver also has WET and Corse driving modes at their disposal. The latter, the most radical, dispenses with the basic control electronics and is only recommended for track use. In Corse, the MC20 behaves like a true racing car: very rigid, direct steering, and instantaneous power transmission to the rear axle. You have to be alert because it's quite demanding. We imagine, on the other hand, that's what the customer of a Maserati with this philosophy is looking for.

With Sport mode and electronics ensuring our safety, it's an easy and exciting car to drive. Shifting gears, via the carbon-fiber steering wheel paddles, is very quick and efficient. It's a fun game to link gears between turns and downshift as many gears as we want. It handles everything.

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The brakes on this very special version are incredible. Once they reach operating temperature, they're inexhaustible. Rather than braking, they absorb the car radically, shoving it to the road. However, they feel hard and require some adjustment. And when cold, you just have to be careful.

Obviously, it's not a practical car for everyday use. But it does allow for traveling in relative comfort, as long as we pack light. And while we're at it, the V6 engine could sound a little more strident in Sport and Corse modes. We dare say it's in keeping with the car's philosophy and also with the price, which is estimated at €352,000.