Maserati is preparing for a major reboot as the iconic Italian luxury brand aims to revive its stagnant sales to help it weather the storm generated by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The flagship of these efforts will be the upcoming MC20 sports car. The MC20 was supposed to be unveiled back in May, but the pandemic and its particularly hard effects on Italy forced Maserati to push the debut all the way to September. But while the world awaits the unveiling of this key model, a new report suggests that the MC20 will charge out of the gate with a massive amount of horsepower to shock and awe brand loyalists.
This is according to a report published by Car and Driver which reveals that the MC20’s twin-turbocharged V6 could pack as much as 600 horsepower. Of course, with Maserati not commenting on this rumor, this should be taken with a grain of salt. What is known however is that Maserati is not going to Ferrari for this particular engine, with the company rumored to be building it completly in-house. The rumor goes on further to suggest that the engine will be mated to a eight speed DCT transmission, while a hybrid entry is also slated to be in the pipeline. The green portion of things is consistent with Maserati’s recent confirmation that a battery electric model will arrive on the scene eventually. That is some serious performance if it all pans out, and it would allow the MC20 to be in a very elite club when it comes to both performance and fuel economy.
As mentioned earlier, Maserati is viewing this car as a reboot, and in addition to using it as the figurative juice to pump up its sales operations, Maserati claims that the MC20 is the spiritual successor to the MC12 which was itself a heavily reworked Ferrari Enzo. That particular model is still very rare today, and examples have fetched big money out on the auction scene the scant few times that they have appeared. Unlike the MC12, though, look for the Maserati to vividly broadcast its pure Maserati roots, especially in regards to the MC20’s engine technology.
Along with the big implications for the company, the reboot can also be seen as one for Maserati’s home country as well. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Italy hard, with over 20,000 lives lost in the country as of April 12th according to a report published by the World Health Organization. The Maserati MC20’s debut could serve as a potent light of hope for Italy, and would be a good opportunity to bring the country together. As for the event itself, the MC20 is slated to make its debut at a grand event dubbed MMXX: The Way Forward. That event is slated to take place in Modena, Italy in September though the exact date has not been released as of yet.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.