A New Maserati Supercar Is Set to Debut Soon

The Italian supercar maker is being tight-lipped about this “evolution of the MC20.”

Maserati’s headline debut at this year’s Monterey Car Week is a mysterious supercar based on the MC20. That means we’ll need to wait until the 2024 edition of The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, that takes place during Monterey Car Week, for a firm idea of what Maserati’s up to here; the Italian brand isn’t giving much away but promises the unnamed machine will be a “new super sports car.” We dug into the press release to come up with just what it’s up to and why we should be excited for this new Maserati.

The first thing we know is that it will be based on the mid-engine MC20, the current halo car for Maserati. In the same paragraph, the Trident-logo’d brand states that the new model will inherit “the racing spirit of the Maserati GT2.” For those outside of the world of FIA GT racing, GT2 is a specification that is more hardcore racecar than the GT3 that the Mustang GT3, Corvette C8 GT3, and others that race within IMSA’s GTD category. It’s not quite full silhouette like NASCAR, but it’s further removed from the road car than GT3 and GT4 specifications are. Expect something with a racecar-like design and aerodynamics, possibly even including the roof scoop from the GT2 racecar.

Further, it sounds like the Super Sports Car will gain an adjustable suspension that can change from roadgoing comfort (or at least tolerance) to racetrack ready. Maserati says it will have details “typical of a racing car” without the sacrifice that comes with a pure racecar. For GT2, that includes an FIA-required air conditioning system, so that strongly indicates it’s something related to the suspension more than interior comfort. That also includes the use of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Nettuno V-6, which we expect to gain additional horsepower. In the GT2 car, it makes 621 hp with a six-speed sequential gearbox with a paddle shift system and a third pedal. Not a huge difference from the DCT the MC20 uses but expect that the “Super Sports Car” will retain the dual-clutch gearbox.

If you’re thinking that this sounds a lot like the MCXtrema but made for the road, that’s not quite what we’re thinking here. It won’t be far off, but it will look more like the MC20 than the MCXtrema does. We don’t expect the shark-like nose nor the air-intakes of the rear clamshell like the Xtrema. Think of the body of the MC20 with the additions of aerodynamic bits to match the looks of the GT2. You should also expect to see a lot more carbon fiber than you would on a “normal” MC20. We also expect the “Super Sports Car” to offer a real interior for two occupants over the single seat and roll cage of the GT2 car and the MCXtrema. This will, no doubt, be part of the “wide range” of customization options offered for this MC20 evolution. We expect the seats and steering wheel to take an even more racecar-like design but retain much of the MC20’s dash, door cards, and center console.

We’ll know more on Friday, August 16, when the Super Sports Car will be unveiled during The Quail with Giovanni Perosino—Maserati chief marketing and communications officer—and Klaus Busse—Maserati’s head of design—presenting the ultimate version of the MC20. We’ll also see the official unveiling of the MC20 Icona and the first deliveries of the 62 MCXtrema at Laguna Seca.