RE: Maserati MC20 is dead, long live the MCPURA

RE: Maserati MC20 is dead, long live the MCPURA

Yesterday

Maserati MC20 is dead, long live the MCPURA

It may sound like a water filter, but it's very definitely a mid-engined 630hp supercar


Bad news, folks. The Maserati MC20 is dead, but don’t panic. It seems to have faked its own death but turned up at the funeral, stunning the congregation, and claiming it is not the same car because it has a new name. And that name is MCPURA. Maserati kind of described it as a new model but I can’t remember the last time I listened to a press conference where the speaker said with such pride: ‘The MCPURA innovation is focused on the exterior, on aerodynamics, on interior materials and finishes, while the heart of the car remains untouched.’ 

See, it really is the case that not much has changed, which, you could argue, is disappointing. Even talk of the exterior changes is arguably hyperbolic. It still looks like an MC20 to me. At best, you might say it’s an MC20 after an hour or two at a Modenese stylist and a new Instagram filter. There’s a revised front bumper and splitter that takes inspiration from the GT2, a more aggressive rear diffuser, and you can now opt for a wing at the rear. 

Overall, it’s still as pretty as ever, though, enhanced by the new 20-inch alloys that, supposedly, hark back to the wire wheels fitted to the achingly good-looking Maserati A6GCS from the mid-‘50s. There are some new colours for the MCPURA range, too, including Devil Orange, which featured on the FTributo special. The launch colour, AI Aqua Rainbow, is a little less ostentatious but no less striking with its light blue-green hue. For the presentation, this was shown in matt finish on the coupé and gloss finish on the MCPURA Cielo – so yes, you can still go for the spider version if open-top motoring is more your bag. 

And why not, indeed. The Cielo remains a deeply cool thing, especially with its fancy electrochromic glass roof that can go opaque quicker than an Italian footballer taking a dive. The MCPURA retains the previous car’s carbon-fibre tub, which was built with the spider version in mind, meaning the Cielo shouldn’t be too compromised handling-wise, either.  

Inside the MCPURA, Alcantara has replaced all the cow skin you used to find in the MC20. That’s to add a bit more of a sporty focus, reduce glare – very sensible – and, Maserati says, has the added advantage of saving some weight. The Alcantara comes in a two-tone finish, with laser-etching in places like the seat centres to add some intricate detailing and claimed luxury, but it’s still a pleasingly simple supercar cabin inside. Alcantara also covers the reshaped (flat-topped and flat-bottomed) steering wheel, or you can upgrade to a carbon-fibre-topped version with LED shift lights from the GT2 Stradale. 

The only other noteworthy element is the addition of the ‘performance pages’ on the otherwise-unchanged infotainment system. This comes from the GT2 Stradale and is a tool to monitor the car’s performance engine data (turbo, torque, oil pressure), how the engine’s distributing its torque to the back wheels, and the temperatures of the engine, transmission and carbon-ceramic brakes.

Mechanically, it really is identical to the MC20, bar the usual incremental tinkering that happens as models move from one model year to the next. That’s almost unheard of with a rebirth such as this, but you could see it as a plus. Because Maserati hasn’t fiddled with the fundamentals, you still get to savour that glorious 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 Nettuno engine, which remains unsullied by electric add-ons. 

The market seems largely disinterested in hybrid supercars like the Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura, so sticking with old-school, petrol-only propulsion would seem a canny move by the Massa mob. And let’s face it, did the outgoing MC20 need more horsepower? Not really. 630hp and 538lb ft of torque seems plenty when it equates to a 0–62mph of sub-2.9 seconds and a top speed that breaches 200mph. It should all be delivered with the same driveability and effervescent soundtrack that had the grin-factor whacked up to max in the outgoing car. 

If you still feel this was a missed opportunity to up the ante and move the MC20 on in its new MCPURA form, that’s a perfectly valid criticism. But at least rejoice that Maserati is still making a proper supercar, and a good one at that, because the accountants could’ve easily closed this happy chapter in the company’s recent history. 

I’ll finish with another hyperbolic phrase from the press conference, for no other reason than its exquisite Italianness meant I  had to write it down when I heard it. Sadly, you’ll have to imagine the technicolour tunefulness of it being said in the strongest of Italian accents, which is how I heard it, but the phrase was this: ‘The MCPURA is a butterfly with a tiiiiiiger under the hood.’ Amen to that.

Fancy seeing the MCPURA in the flesh? Well, if you’re attending Festival of Speed this weekend you certainly will, or, for those over the pond, it’ll be at Pebble Beach in August. Fancy owning an MCPURA? Then you’ll be pleased to hear production starts in September and you could have one sitting on your drive by late October. No word on UK pricing yet, though.


Author
Discussion

Galsia

Original Poster:

2,226 posts

205 months

Yesterday (11:21)
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Sounds like something off the McDonalds menu.

HoneyBadgerUK

27 posts

19 months

Yesterday (11:26)
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That cringey marketing b*llocks actually makes me want one less. I'll keep calling it an MC20 and thinking it's ace.

BlackPorker

390 posts

190 months

Yesterday (11:52)
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Literally what have they been doing the last 5 years apart from thinking up a daft name!

CountyLines

2,952 posts

18 months

Yesterday (11:56)
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Nice colour. st wheels (as always).

Master Bean

4,441 posts

135 months

Yesterday (11:59)
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McTasty.

ChocolateFrog

31,825 posts

188 months

Yesterday (12:01)
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Looks good, particularly from the side profile but didn't these weigh about 1.8 tons?

Sion111R

385 posts

107 months

Yesterday (12:01)
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Master Bean said:
McTasty.
biglaugh

WCZ

11,082 posts

209 months

Yesterday (12:05)
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crazy that they havent made any dynamic changes

BigChiefmuffinAgain

1,375 posts

113 months

Yesterday (13:29)
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Smacks of desperation. Maserati really are in a bad place at the moment with their range.

Venisonpie

4,079 posts

97 months

Yesterday (13:31)
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Happy meal.

Geoff-Griff500

61 posts

44 months

Yesterday (13:45)
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Hard top looks like a M600

Steve12NG

294 posts

167 months

Yesterday (13:59)
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CountyLines said:
Nice colour. st wheels (as always).
Any wheels that aren’t black are fine by me.

stuart100

889 posts

72 months

Yesterday (14:40)
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Totally pointless changing the name. Whats wrong with MC20? MCPURA is just st.

Frimley111R

17,073 posts

249 months

Yesterday (15:04)
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I can't unsee 'CUPRA' from that name.

ChocolateFrog

31,825 posts

188 months

Yesterday (15:07)
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McPura sounds like a cat food.

GTRene

19,059 posts

239 months

Yesterday (15:27)
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why not name it MC 21

British Beef

2,512 posts

180 months

Yesterday (16:21)
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Is the Jaguar marketing team also doing work on the side for Maserati these days?


Bill

55,744 posts

270 months

Yesterday (16:26)
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Did they ask the public to name it??

Pura McPuraface

theicemario

1,202 posts

90 months

Yesterday (16:45)
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Stunning car. Fabulous colour combo.

Wouldn't mind an MC PURE on the drive biggrin

mrmotorhome

123 posts

157 months

Yesterday (16:49)
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Who cares what it's called? It's the best looking supercar on sale and doesn't have any battery nonsense to add weight and complication.
I'll take the Cielo version in that aqua colour please....