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Maserati dedicates MC20 prototype to Stirling Moss

Maserati is paying tribute to Stirling Moss, the British race car driver who died on April 12, by wrapping one of its MC20 test mules in commemorative camouflage. The mid-engined sports car is due out in September 2020. It's a fitting homage, because Moss logged thousands of miles behind the wheel of Maserati race cars like the 250F (which he called one of his favorites), the 300S, and the famous Tipo 61 Birdcage. It's difficult to add retro-inspired styling cues to the camouflage applied to a prototype, but Maserati pulled it off well. It added simple, eye-catching red graphics of the racer's name to the MC20's rear end and over its wheel arches. The rest of the car is plastered in a Maserati-branded black and white wrap, though there's a red trident emblem on the roof. On a secondary and more lasting level, the images published by Maserati give us a better look at the MC20 — a name that likely won't be retained for production — than previous spy shots. The four round taillights fitted to earlier prototypes have been replaced by a pair of seemingly production-bound horizontal units. We can see the outline of its rear window, and the vents that let hot air escape the engine compartment. The rear panel is held down by four pins. Its front end remains relatively well hidden, though we spot a grille that's low and wide. "Sir Stirling Moss would certainly have liked the new MC20," Maserati summed up. It also reaffirmed its commitment to returning to "a leading role" on the racing circuits, meaning we'll likely see the MC20 driving flat-out on some of the world's greatest tracks shortly after it makes its debut. It was scheduled to break cover in May, but its unveiling was pushed back until September due to the coronavirus lockdown measures. When it arrives, the MC20 will inaugurate a twin-turbocharged V6 engine developed in-house and allegedly tuned to deliver over 600 horsepower. Unverified rumors indicate a hybrid model will join the lineup a little later in the production run with at least 700 horsepower on tap. It will be the first in a long line of new Maserati models, including the next-generation GranTurismo (which will again spawn a convertible) that will be available with an electric powertrain. The coupe will arrive in 2021, while the roadster should appear by the end of 2022. Related Video:     Featured Gallery Maserati MC20 Stirling Moss Spy Photos Maserati Luxury Performance stirling moss

2024 Maserati GranTurismo revealed, twin-turbo V6 or 750-hp EV: 'We're going to let buyers decide'

Maserati is in the midst of a renaissance; it's branching out into new segments with cars like the MC20 and the Grecale. While it's counting on these models to widen its target audience, it's not forgetting about its existing customers and the cars that brought them to the brand. The new, second-generation GranTurismo is a blank-sheet redesign that's evolutionary where it counts and revolutionary where it needs to be. First, the elephant in the room: this is a big, luxurious coupe launched in an era when big, luxurious coupes are disappearing at an alarming rate. What's the point? Min Byung Yoon, Maserati's lead exterior designer, explained the grand tourer (a fast, upscale car designed to quickly and effortlessly drive across a country) is one of the pillars that the company's image is built on, and keeping this tradition alive is important. Customers care more about image and usability than tradition, however, so the new GranTurismo receives several important updates. Maserati will offer the GranTurismo in three different flavors: Modena, Trofeo and Folgore. The first two use a version of the excellent 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 inaugurated by the MC20 and also found in the Grecale. Known as the Nettuno engine internally, it develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque in the Modena, figures that increase to 550 and 479, respectively, in the Trofeo. It's bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission in both applications, and it spins the four wheels — the original GranTurismo was rear-wheel-drive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Andrea Baccino, the chief engineer for the Italian firm's electric powertrains, told me that making all-wheel drive standard across the range is a way to expand the GranTurismo's usability. It's now a viable year-round driver, even if you live somewhere in rural Vermont. The system is rear-biased but variable: it can send up to 100% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels or split it 50/50 between the front and rear axles. The V6 is front-mid-mounted to achieve a 52/48 front-rear weight distribution, and the GranTurismo weighs around 3,957 pounds, which is surprisingly low considering it's not exactly nimble: it measures about 195 inches long, 77 inches wide and 53 inches tall. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 3.9 seconds in the Modena and 3.5 seconds in the Trofeo, and top speed checks in at 187 mph and 198 mph, respectively.

Maserati MC20 spy photos show supercar in broad daylight

The upcoming Maserati MC20 mid-engine supercar has been teased a number of times, but thanks to new spy photos, we finally get a clear look at the prototype. Our spy photographer caught the MC20 in broad daylight from nearly every angle, and it was wearing relatively thin camouflage. The nose of the MC20 seems to take a lot of inspiration from past and present Maseratis. It has a slightly more aggressive oval grille that will house a big trident square in the middle. Two smaller grilles flank the center one. The headlights and hood design look slightly reminiscent of the MC12 supercar, which was based on the Ferrari Enzo. The lights have a similar shape that looks like it might wrap down around the sides of the fender. The little vents in the hood also call to mind the MC12. The sides of the MC20 aren't too over-the-top. It has two relatively small intakes in the rear fender, one upper and one lower. There's a small vent in the front fender. The body's lines are smooth and curvy. The rear pillar is fairly thick and the side skirts are rather deep. The wheels have quite a bit of vinyl covering, but they seem to have some sort of three-spoke or split three-spoke design. At the rear of the car, there are few wings, spoilers or other aerodynamic paraphernalia besides the simple rear lip to distract from the clean curves. What we can see of the taillights suggests thin, wide units with arrow-like points in the lighting elements. There appear to be plenty of vents for cooling and aerodynamics, and the twin tailpipes exit roughly in the middle and a bit inset to the edges of the car. While we don't know all the details about the car, we know a fair bit about what will power it. It will use a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 making 630 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. It's also an in-house engine, not one built by Ferrari. There have been reports that the engine could see a hybrid version with multiple electric motors appear with over 700 horsepower, but it's also possible that those reports of an electrified engine could simply be referring to a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist that could be a part of the standard V6. We're expecting the regular V6 MC20 will be rear-wheel-drive with some kind of dual-clutch or conventional automatic transmission. If the high-output hybrid rumors are true, that version would likely be all-wheel-drive. We should know more when the car makes its debut this September. Related Video: