Maserati MC20 - First of its Kind

MC20 is “First of its Kind” and Maserati returns to a stage where it has always starred, that of Supercars that combine luxury and performance with the Brand’s unique style.

The MC20 is a Maserati with mind-blowing aerodynamic efficiency. Its superb looks conceal an uncompromisingly sporty soul, with the new 630 horsepower V6 Nettuno engine that delivers 0-100 km/h acceleration in 2,88’’ and a top speed over 326 km an hour. A patented, 100% Maserati engine, benefiting from the MTC (Maserati Twin Combustion) technology, the innovative combustion system developed by the Brand, evolved from the pre-chamber technology used on Formula 1 powertrains. Conceived, designed and built entirely in-house.

MC20 is a Maserati built to stun, a Maserati that can storm round the track but also perform superlatively on the road, with excellent driveability, comfort and safety, in an interior where efficiency combines with the luxury and exclusiveness integral to all the Brand’s models. MC20 has been designed in Modena at the Maserati Innovation Lab and is produced at the historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant.

The MC20 is particularly light under 1,500 kg, and thanks to its power output of 630 hp it is best in class in weight/power ratio, at 2.33 kg/hp. This light weight has been achieved without any skimping on comfort: MC20 has all the contents cars of this type must have to satisfy a sporty yet sophisticated clientele, looking not only for performance but also for comfort and luxury. So a great deal of work was done on the materials. The entire chassis is in carbon fibre and composites, with the benefits of lighter weight, faster tool-go times and greater stylistic freedom in the design of forms. Carbon fibre enables the creation of shapes impossible with press-formed metal. The butterfly doors are a very obvious example.

Over two thousand man-hours in the Dallara Wind Tunnel and more than a thousand CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations have enabled the creation of a car with refined aerodynamics which is also a genuine work of art.  Elegant and sporty, efficient and lightweight. Unmistakable. Conceptually, the MC20’s aerodynamic design divides the car into two parts: an upper part where stylistic considerations predominate and a more technical lower part, colour-coded in black and carbon fibre respectively. In the car’s upper section, the forms respond primarily to aesthetic priorities and the aerodynamic features are amalgamated into the lines conceived by the designers, to achieve high efficiency without interfering with the sleek, elegant bodywork. The air vents on the bonnet and those at the side that provide the engine’s air intake and cool the intercooler are thus “natural” features, virtually invisible when the car is viewed from some angles. What’s more, there are no obvious aerodynamic appendages: just a discreet rear spoiler that enhances the up-washing generated by the floor and enhances the downforce with no detriment to the car’s great beauty.

In the lower part of the MC20, on the other hand, the technical component takes control. The front air ducts have been optimised to ensure efficient air distribution across the radiators and the car’s floor and upper part. Special attention was also taken over the correct management of heat flows.

The floor is completely encased and was the subject of complex design analyses to maximise the car’s aerodynamic efficiency. Its front incorporates an elaborate system of vortex generators, rendered even more effective by the distinctive hump shape of the floor, which gradually rises in the centre, in the area level with the wheels, to increase the air flow to these devices, before reconnecting to the chassis bed.

The venting channel in the area behind the front wheel starts near the point where the hump reaches its greatest extent and continues right along the side, generating a considerable vertical load in line with the front axle due to the expulsion of the air flowing from the bottom and the wheel arch.

The incorporation of this highly racing-derived feature implied a special conformation for the carbon fibre monocoque, the wheel arch and the doors, as was also the previously case on the MC12. The door sill air ducts, located immediately in front of the rear wheels in a zone with natural overpressure, enable the necessary air flow through the engine compartment without impacting resistance. 

To conclude, the rear part of the floor of the car includes a large diffuser, with channels of different depths and optimised vertical spoilers that exploit the pressure differences between the various sections to generate vortices and energise the air flow.

Thanks to the almost obsessive care taken over the development of all these features, and the ceaseless hard work to integrate technical factors with aesthetic demands, the MC20 generates a high aerodynamic load with an excellent drag, enabling it to reach top speeds over 326 km/h and continue to hug the ground in all conditions of use.