'I drove Maserati's 200mph supercar - it was perfect apart from 1 feature'

When you really think about it, buying a supercar is a really stupid thing to do. Some people really do spend hundreds of thousands of pounds (plus nearly £5,500 for one year’s road tax) to drive in a cramped, ultra-low-slung two-seater with a gas-guzzling engine.

Sure, they go fast. It’s not unusual to hear about a new supercar that will accelerate from 0-62mph in well under three seconds and reach a top speed above and beyond 200mph. But what’s the point of all that power if you’ll struggle to reach the 70mph maximum speed limit on the UK’s motorways?

Alright, I’ll admit to being a little biased over this. My two cars both feature engines of less than 1.0-litre and produce a combined power output of under 130bhp – it’s safe to say that my life is generally spent in the slow lane!

However, that is not to say that I’m against trying something a little more flash. When Maserati invited me to test drive their MC20 supercar, I was more than happy to get behind the wheel.

Introduced in 2020, the MC20 is the spiritual successor to the MC12 of the early 2000s and shuns the conventional V8 in favour of the brand’s legendary 3.0-litre V6. But what is it like to actually drive a supercar on the public roads?

To look at, the Maserati MC20 is undoubtedly an attractive car that ticks all the right boxes. At just 1,224mm tall, the Italian supercar is around 20cm lower than a standard family hatchback, but significantly longer and wider.

Whilst the long, oval-shaped grille, sleek front headlights that span up the edges of the bonnet, and sweeping lines are all distinctively Maserati, the MC20’s appearance still has a touch of mystery to it. I noticed a fair amount of other road users trying to work out what it was. It sounds like a bad thing, but it really helps to draw attention to the car – you really feel noticed inside it.

That said, there are quite a few touches that identify the Moderna brand. At the rear, the engine cover features slats which are shaped like the Maserati logo from a certain angle, whilst also displaying its all-powerful engine.

As is expected from a Maserati, buyers can also choose from a staggering amount of customisation options. In addition to the range of seven different standard colours, those who opt for the Fuoriserie range of paintwork get a choice of 23 different shades – and that’s not to mention all the wheel, livery, and brake calliper choices!

Inside, the Maserati really mirrors the classic supercar image. Compared to a grand tourer, some might find it a little bit simple but wonderfully intuitive. The traditional three-spoke racing steering wheel controls most functions, including the starter, leaving the rest of the interior to be covered in plenty of premium materials like Alcantara and carbon fibre.

As for comfort and convenience, nobody looking for a practical family model will buy a Maserati MC20 but drivers will likely be surprised at how comfortable the seats are. Whilst getting in is somewhat of a challenge, I had plenty of leg and headroom and felt properly hugged in place when I was taking corners at speed.

Owners even get a pair of boots, which offer a maximum capacity of 150 litres. Alright, they hardly make the Maserati a rival to any estate car, but the luggage space is only about 35 litres less than the Fiat 500.

Like other cars in the Maserati range, the MC20 comes equipped with a particularly wide 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, which replaces the vast majority of physical controls for features like the air conditioning and radio.

Whilst I’m generally against this idea (I find that turning a dial is much easier than navigating menus at high speed, Maserati’s infotainment is pretty intuitive and connects to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Other standard features include dual-zone air conditioning and a six-speaker sound system; however, drivers looking to complete the MC20 experience can boost that to a Sonus Faber 12-speaker setup for an additional fee.

Whilst Maserati were planning to introduce a fully-electric version of the MC20, called the Folgore, plans were cancelled in March 2025 in a bid to save the company money. As a result, all MC20s currently come equipped with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

Tuned to make a staggering 621bhp, the Maserati MC20 is capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds and will continue gaining speed until reaching 203mph.

Mind you, the MC20 is hardly going to win any economy runs. Whilst a claimed economy figure of 24.4mpg sounds very fair for such a powerful car, I achieved about 17mpg with a bit of spirited driving. What’s more, the 60-litre fuel tank means that drivers covering long distances in the Maserati will likely make a fair amount of pit stops.

Getting behind the wheel of a £227,570 supercar that isn’t yours can be a rather intimidating experience. You expect to be met with a fighter jet cockpit with every surface covered in buttons that could select the driving modes or operate the ejector seat. Fortunately, just like the Gran Cabrio Folgore I drove on the same day, the Maserati MC20 is a pretty easy beast to tame.

As is generally the case these days, the MC20 features an automatic gearbox and a very nice one at that. Unlike most autos in family cars, the Maserati’s gearbox is responsive enough to handle all of the V6’s power without wildly overrevving.

The fairly firm sports suspension and well-weighted steering helped to give the Maserati predictable handling characteristics at high-speed despite not being the lightest supercar around. And, whilst we’ve established that the MC20 is fast, it’s worth noting that the Maserati outpaced its own speedometer when I put my foot down!

That said, driving the Maserati MC20 (or any supercar like it, for that matter) in a town or village highlights one problem: the suspension. The MC20 is so low that, in order to get over a speed bump without beaching yourself, the driver has to push a button to raise the front end. This is fine, but from experience, it can only be done at speeds of under 15mph. As a result, I had Fiestas overtaking me around any bump in the road!

Supercars like the Maserati MC20 are certainly good for ego. In the 75-odd cars I’ve driven since passing my test, I have never seen so many pedestrians and other drivers who wanted to know what the car was and who was behind the wheel.

And it’s great to know that drivers can get the full potential of the MC20 without much more know-how than what is expected from a standard family car. It’s even quite a bit easier to live with than expected, offering a decent amount of passenger space.

Did I enjoy driving it? You bet. Would I buy one if I had the money? I’m not so sure. Don’t get me wrong, I think the MC20 is an incredible car and, even in the world of supercars, will help you stand out from the crowd. But there will come a day when you’re driving down a high street, soaking in all the admiring glances from those around you, only to find yourself beached on a speedbump because you forgot to raise the suspension.