First days with the MC Stradale

Yes that's right, it’s the 599 box. The changes are super smooth and super fast. I think back to the 'box on the first 3200 GT I drove and there is just no comparison. This is a properly fast F1 box at last, I think making sub 60 millisecond changes in "Race" mode. It also has the 599 GTO feature whereby whilst braking you can hold the "down" paddle toward you and it will make multiple sequential downshifts until it is in the right gear. All good fun.
So I collected the car as planned at the weekend and did a couple of hundred miles. Genuinely I love this car. I sold a 2011 GT3 which I'd had from new (March!) in order to buy it. I admit a lot of that decision was based around brand loyalty and "feelgood" (I'd rather drive a Maserati than a Porsche).
This car is ideal for me in that its specfication and set up straddles track driving with every day driving in a way the GT3 does not. The Porsche is a little more hard edged and the ride proves it every time - a real boneshaker - the MC is far more compliant especially around the lanes where I live. I'm not sure about the USA but in the UK most magazines have tested the MC recently against the 4 litre GT3 or the standard GT3 and in general (as always) preferred the Porsche. But for the first time I can remember, the Maserati was definitely at the party. Additionally the conclusions were all the same - both are great and you should make the decision based on where and how you drive because they both do a great job. OK the MC is longer, heavier and so on, but that doesn't mean that objectively it doesn't work - it works brilliantly. It just doesn’t do some stuff as well as the GT3 in certain environments. That was the key for me, I guess I am basically done with track days and the like. I want a high quality, fast, sporty mile eater that sounds great, steers well and you can use some sensible percentage of its performance envelope.
I think couple that with the quality of the finish (carbon bucket seats which I am convinced are identical to the Enzo, carbon brakes as standard etc) and you actually have a very good value proposition also. This car is half the retail of a 599 - and I can tell you from first hand experience its more fun - and a third (!!) of the price of the FF I was persuaded to sit in last week. More to follow.

 

G.,
you bought a great car.

But I have some dfferent views reg. the Porsche GT2 and the MC.
The GT2 is more a race- than a GT-car - and for that its fantastic! You said you wanted a
"... high quality, fast, sporty mile eater that sounds great, steers well and you can use some sensible percentage of its performance envelope."
But for this the GranTurismo S is perfect! You don`t need the MC for that specially when you are with track days, etc.! The MC is more a "track-day"-car and you also mentioned that some things the GT2 coud do better.

I am pretty sure, that the GT2 outclasses the MC on every grounds both were designed designed for.

Ciao!
Walter

 

Before I reply W, you mean GT2? Or GT3?
Thx

 

oops - I meant GT3..:)

Ciao!
Walter

 

Thought so!
I agree as a pure mile eater the standard GTS is a great car. But for not much more money I feel you get all of that ability plus some great design, execution and performance touches that tick the box if you want something harder edged and sporty without going all the way to GT3 or GT3RS.

I will withold judgement of whether the GT3 beats the MC at every level. I'm not convinced. In a month or two I will have a good sense of what they are both like to live with. I'm not sure I will agree with you though! As I mentioned, I know for a start I vastly prefer the "ownership experience" of a Maserati over a Porsche. I know that’s a somewhat trivial, non-technical statement, but when I see a dozen or more 911's driving to the City of London every morning a big part of me is glad I'm not one of them!!!

 

G.,
I agree with you totally on one point:

the Porsche (like all 911-derivates) is a great car: effective, well-build, almost unbreakable - but it lacks the drama of an Italian car!

But it also has a big plus over the MC: the weight! And on a circuit thats everything!

Ciao!
Walter

 

Awesome review. I absolutely adore the MC Stradale! The noise alone...wow what a car!

Any chance of some pictures?

 

Sure. I will get some more when I take it out again but it will probably be the weekend now - its dark when I drive to and from my office these days!!

W - you are right, no doubt. When I consider my own experience, I have been lucky to have various 911's over the years - 993, 996, 997, Coupes, Cabs, Turbo, GT2 and even a 2.7 RS Touring. Not one of them ever let me down, ever.

 

G.,
however - I am 100% sure that you will have lots of fun with the "yellow bird"...:)

Ciao!
Walter

 

It is really strange how Mas put the 599 Super fast in with no fan fare Here you have this great tranny and it does not tell you anywhere - at least not on my wife's 2009 - the only way to tell is that there is no shifter knob - just like yours - says nothing on the window sticker or anywhere else I could find. I knew about it and got that car just for that reason. A long time Ferrari Dealer and concours judge told me that Maserati was not doing a very good job of marketing the 2009 MCS and decided to add some punch with the tranny - but they never really told anyone - it is a whole different car from the Mas trnsmission

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Thank you for posting pictures. When you have time, please send a few shots of the area behind the front seat and maybe a few more : )

I admire your car and wish you many happy miles.

Unfortunately, here in the U.S., Maserati is under the impression this hi-performance car will be driven to haul kids to and from school, so they installed a back seat. They also assumed that every driver would burn out the clutch in 5k miles, so they installed a full auto trans like all the other manufaturers...and did not think to offer a special edition for the enthusiasts.

I wish I could buy the proper version here in the U.S. but I cant so I keep my 2004 coupe.

 

You can buy the 599 version in the US as far as i know - i did in 2009

 

Thanks Greg - we are going to get some sunshine in London this weekend so my son and I will take some photos of the car and I'll post asap.

 

I have asked the dealer some technical questions about the transmission software and the like - will let you know what I find out. Love the garage!!

 

The transmission question is interesting.
No one will definitively say "it’s the 599 software" or anything like that.
But a friendly dealer has sent me a page from the 599 GTO technical spec which confirms the shift times "reduced as indicated….to 60ms and the multiple down-shifting function introduction are steps towards the top level performance the car guarantees".
Which roughly translated means it’s the same software in the MC.

 

...which clearly confirms how the Ferrari-bunch is teating Maserati!

Ciao!
Walter

 

Great thread and thanks for sharing.

I have to say this thread has got me thinking about getting one of these...but, I saw someone said earlier that the US version is watered down from the Euro version???

Can anyone tell me what the differences are?

Also, anyone know if they have any plans to do a similar treatment to the spider?

 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.. Oh God..!!

+1000

Best

 

US version comes with automatic and back seats...

 

You probably can get the f1 on a US version - it will not have the shifter knob - you need to talk to a dealer - on my wife's 2009 MCS we got it - it was rare in the US - I believe (could be wrong) that there were only 380 made world wide. If you look at the dealer ads for the Stradale in the US you will see shifter knobs so obviously there are two version now.
As for the back seat - thats what this car is

 

I spent some time on the maserati.com website and it seems there is no " MS Stradale" for the US market? There is a "MC" but not labeled as "Stradale" nor as "MCS" (what is an "MCS" that you refer to having a 2009?)

The US "MC" does come with the automatic and also says 444HP not 450HP as the MC Stradale says and it sounds like a whole different model. I bet there are plenty of differences? I'll call the dealer and see if they can give me some insight into what all is on that list. The automatic vs. F1 is a deal-breaker for me to start. Not having the wickedest engine would be too (especially given how heavy these cars are). I'm really hoping they do an "MC Stradale" spider...ala Ferrari 16M. That would be pefect for replacing my Gransport Spider. I've been wanting to upgrade that car, but the Ferrari Cali doesn't excite me and value on that upgrade is not worth the 5x price increase from my GS spider. 3-4x for a Maser would be better.

 

OK as promised, some more photos. I must admit I took them in the garage rather than outside my apartment building, fearful of looking a bit like a t**l taking photos of my own car. But you get the idea.......
As you can see the back seats don't exist, just a lot of carpet and a kind of cushion thing in the middle, so lots of extra luggage space!! I've tried to show the roll cage finish and fitting, harnesses, front and rear brakes etc.
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My 2009 is a Maserati Grand Tourisimo S - whatever that means. It has a 599 super fast F1 in it. I am pretty sure that is what is in the Stradale that is discussed here - mine looks absolutely identical in the interior except for the left hand drive. You can go to the Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale site and thy have several Stradales but I don't see any wihtout the shifter knob - I don't know for a fact but I am sure you can get one in the US if they are available overseas - it might take some searching but i am sure any Ferrari dealer can help you - if you want, I can check for you

As far as 2 seaters go, I don't know if Maserati has any plans for a new one - I have seen or heard nothing about one. I got the Mas because of the 4 seats - you can actually fit 4 people - it works for me because I have a Scud and a Lotus Excige which is totally tracked out - can not drive it on the road.

My wife had a 2005 Mas spider and although she enjoyed it, the GT is a far superior car tech wise - I am not putting your spider down but the GT is a new generartion -below is a pic of the interior and also my wife with the Lotus at Sering

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Thanks for sharing! That has to be the uber-maserati!

Question: Is the roll cage/bar standard from the factory, or installed after the fact? Same for the harnesses (and are they 4 or 5 point)?

Congrats, super car.

Signed,
Jealous

 

Thanks. That makes more sense, yes the "S" is the sports version with 444HP and I'm sure a few other tweaks comapred to the base car.

Not to pick a nit, but these are not "stradales". They are "MC". The "MC stradale" is a much more tweaked car and is the one that the OP has. It does not appear that the "stradale" is available in the US. Oddly the US gets a base "MC" while rest of world gets a "MC Stradale" that seems to have a better motor, comes with the F1 automated manual gearbox and it seems other sporting tweaks. So, now I understand another posters comments about the "watered down" US version. Its actually got a different name. Again, to be clear, the US car is called "MC" while the ROW car is called "MC Stradale". I sure hope they bring the MC Stradale to the US...especially as a 16M-like spider. That would be my next car for sure!

Did she have a regular spider or a Gransport Spider? No question the newer GT should be a far more advanced car than the old base coupe/spider or Gransport coupe/spider! The original 4200 was designed in the late 90s IIRC. I'm pretty sure I'll get one at some point, but am interested in what "tech" do you find improved over the old gransport (or regular car)? The motor is up from 400HP to 433HP/444HP (Regular/Sport) but then the car weighs a lot more and thus performance is not improved. The interior is far superior/more luxurious. The older F1 in my car is pretty sucky at shifts. No doubt (if you can get one) the superfast F1 would be far better (but then all of the GT's I've ever seen are either automatic or older cambio/really sucky gearbox). What else do you find it better/different?