A customer of mine had his first Maserati GranTurismo and drove it for 124k km. He still has his second car, now with almost 130k km. Both cars were completely trouble free...and this -also- on the German Autobahn with (still) a lot of high speed sections where you need good brakes.
I meant in design. I see too much of the i8 in the lines of the Mc20. Mostly agree on your other points.
The design of the i8 was not bad and that you see too much of that car in the MC20 shows how advanced and influential the BMW design was. The i8 would have been a great car with a propper V8 (or 6-cyl.) engine and bigger wheels.
I don't mind the design of the MC20 (i8 redux). What kills it for me is the power train. I will get excited over the electric or hybrid version. Actually, I am quite disappointed Mas didn't come out with an 8 cyl. Let's stop pandering to the emissions Nazis. The WW volume will be moderate enough that in totality it won't even come close to Al Gore's $10,000/ mo utility bill in terms of emissions. My message to Mas is just put out an 8 Cyl or go electric. Or hybrid -8
I think an electric or hybrid are part of the plan. I don't get the huge opposition to a V6. Do you object to the one in the Alfa as well? I suspect that the packaging of the V6 is of great benefit.
Ford seemed to make it work OK with the EcoBoost V6 in the GT. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
I think Maserati has done the 100% right thing by choosing an ultra-modern biturbo V6 as the ICE motorization for the new MC20, and offering an electric alternative as well. Excellent opportunity for covering a large market footprint, both in terms of customer preferences and compliance with regulations in various markets. The alternatives - for example, a NA V8 - seem very backward looking in comparison.
Agreed, the V6 is the right ICE choice, as in the current F1's. As well as putting it central engine, carbon tub and other goodies, and ...planning a Trofeo series! Will revive the competition/sporty heritage and benefit other GT and luxury vehicles of the brand (even though my personal taste would have been for a V8 NA Alfieri )
I think this car falls between two stools, it pretends to be a hard core sprotscar but is actualy just another too big too heavy Gt car. . On one hand its a CF tub built by Dallara and a TTv6 so it could be light and tight. On the other hand its a wired Gt car with lots of luxury and weights 3400lbs, its also quite big and long compared to say even a hurrucan, which means CF tub/Dallara is marketing hype because its too heavy and big. Plus who wants a car totaly wired tot he mothership at all times. I guess its kinda like a bora sucessor without the standout styling or classic motor. Maybe theyll make a speciale version at 3000lbs. But if you're masser making what is essentialy a low production halo car, why not start there. The car looks genricaly Italian stylish nice, which is good, the rest sets no new ground. Its not lightest in class, or shortest or anything, its just a middle of the road nice car, whats the point. Why is this car more appealing than a R8, or any number of porche, styling, badge? Thye could have done so much more with a Cf tubbed dallara car, the second coming of the 288, not a gt car, but comfortable enough for the road and hard charger. Maybe they're right, all the buyers are old, or new money checkbook enthusiasts, and they want paper spec and comfort. Ferrari thought that way for a long time and their prodcts became moribund in the 70s. Then they built the 288 and were surprised by the noise/demand for such a raw car which they thought theyr would have trouble selling at all, 1500 even more raw F40s followed and were sold out. The consensus then "Ferrari is back", only to use that restablished rep to once again dissapear below the Gt sands chasing Gt buyer volume again. if you're going to have a halo car, make it standout, not just another Gt supercar. CF TUb Check Small TT V6 Check. So why the longish wheelbase and all the weight. Why waste $$$ on pointelss electronics crap for a sportscar.
I follow your thoughts largely all the way. However, I think Maserati has - and I believe, correctly - assessed that the large majority of potential customers of the regular road car version will be interested in a competent, but fairly comfy and tractable sports car, with all the allure of a top marque (at least certainly historically speaking). The question is then when the Speciale/Supersports/Trofeo (or whatever it will be named) version will come out, and how much more hardcore it will be. It would be great if Maserati dares to get a bit wild on that version, perhaps providing a true link to the promised racing version.
You point out only Ferrari`s of the past. Yes, they were great cars - but nobody wants to drive a Ferrari today with lousy a/c (288GTO) and bad brakes (F40) and very (!) tricky handling (F40). Look to the modern V8 Ferraris: they are very big and they are heavy. Its interesting to see that everything is ok and accepted when it comes to Ferrari - but with Maserati everybody is veeeery picky! I am quite sure that the MC20 is a little shorter than the Ferrari F8, simply because it has the longer engine (V8 vs V6 in the MC20).
Im pointing to the raw driving machine characteristics that made the ferrari brand what it is, what gave it cred as a drivers car. The cred that allows ferrai to now sell big heavy Gt cars cause its an "authetic" brand. Ferrai has that cred, maseratriu has to build it. We see the true drivers car charateristics in a 250swb and a 288, both of which were well suited to backroad driving track or town driving(in period). A modern car does not have to have the drawbacks of an older car but can still have the positives. The maclren f1 is a case in point, a lotus elise another, the new alpine a110 and Ill bet the T50. There's a reason why singer porche are so desired, its related to how they drive, how they fill the senses and all the time at all speeds, yet they work as moderns. The 4c was an attempt, but in the end a damp squib. the strut suspension negated the benefits of the Cf tub, and the motor was not there. Many of us were hoping for something like 4c tub(light and smallish) with wishbone suspension and a ttv6, an under 2800lbs wet car, thats a USP. Being modern it could still be relatively comfy and acomplished but also an alive beast like a 288. What we got was a slightly too big, and too heavy Gt car with racy car pretensions. On one hand Gt car comfort is where many existing customers are, but that mid engined Gt market is already served by a plethora of models and makes. Maserati is wanting to lay some sort of gauntlet down to establish its cred off which the rest of the brand can hang its hat on. While they may sell some Mc 20s I dont see how this car does that, its an italian take on a R8, nice but. Its never going to be a volume car so why not state out some unique territory and cred especialy when your going CF Dallara tub and a short v6. Maybe the trofeo version will break some new ground, or maybe it will still be too big and heavy. Looks nice.
OK, future will tell. But, please, do the spelling of the names of the brands you mentioned correct.....
how much exactly is 'comfort' adding to weight though? air conditioning @15kg , seats another 20kg possibly, a bit of sound deadening etc. I don't think it'd add up to a huge difference with the mc20
How much less does a gt3 weight than a regular 911 Usually there 100-200lbs to be lost. What baffles me is the car already starts with a cf tub so where is all the weight coming from. It’s
(CNN) Maserati unveiled its first supercar in 15 years Wednesday. With a body made largely from lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum, the new MC20 can hit a top speed of 202 miles an hour and go from 0 to 60 in under three seconds.
OK, the monocoque is made from carbon - so I read from the CNN comment, the coachwork is from aloy then.
I see it can be ordered with a carbon fiber roof. Wonder if they’d build one with a Stainless Steel roof? Yea a lot of weight but would look so good.
