2008 Maserati Quattroporte Gts on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Maserati MC20 GT2 returns the Trident to GT racing in 2023

Seems we got ahead of Maserati, but now we're on the same page with the Italian carmaker. We wrote about the Maserati Project24 earlier this week, a limited-edition track car not built to race a specific series, instead chasing Maserati's own performance targets. We wondered whether the Project24 was a pivot from the rumored GT3 program planned for the MC20 years ago. Turns out the Project24 is an offshoot of the GT2 program for the MC20, the Italians in Modena announcing they've developed an MC20 GT2 to compete in the Fanatec GT2 European Series Championship next year. The base tech specs listed so far for the MC20 GT2 are the same as the Project24. The twin-turbo Nettuno V6 shifts through a six-speed sequential auto with paddle shifters, sending power to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited slip differential. Brembo CCMR racing brakes hang off a double wishbone suspension with anti-roll bars front and rear and adjustable dampers, just behind custom, forged 18-spoke center lock wheels on racing slicks that can be changed easily thanks to on-board air jacks. A single seat in the cabin is accessorized with an adjustable, multifunction carbon fiber steering wheel, an adjustable pedal box, and air conditioning. Safety features include an FIA fuel tank, rain light, roll cage, six-point harness, and fire extinguisher.  The differences that we know of include output, curb weight, and the aero package. Series organizer SRO says GT2 is "formulated to bring gentlemen drivers back to the front of the stage ... whilst being fast and spectacular enough to secure the values of SRO-promoted championships, should the current GT3 category become too expensive for too many of our teams and drivers." GT2 regulations cap output at around 630 hp, just nine more than the standard MC20 throws down — and 110 hp less than the Project24. The series' Balance of Performance rules will ultimately determine race weight and output. The regulations also draw limits around aero devices that Maserati Stile didn't need to heed on the Project24. The aero bit is especially important here because GT2 cars are more powerful than GT3 entries but designed to be less reliant on aerodynamics than GT3 cars, making GT2 versions easier for amateurs to drive at the limit.  This is Maserati's first dip back into GT racing above the GT4 class since the MC12 GT1 that snagged close to 100 wins between 2004 and 2010. The race division will sell cars to individuals and race teams.

Bid on the very first Maserati Ghibli Spyder [w/video]

In reviving the Ghibli nameplate, Maserati may have applied it to a sedan this time around. But the original Maserati Ghibli was a coupe – and as anyone who knows their history of exotic Italian automobiles will tell you, it also bred a convertible. What you see here is the first example, and now it's going up for auction during Monterey Car Week. Maserati only built 128 examples of the Ghibli Spyder, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ghia, making it a highly sought-after roadster and an icon of its time. This Ghibli – bearing chassis number AM115/S 1001 – wasn't merely one of them. It was the factory prototype, the one which the Modenese automaker displayed at both the Turin Motor Show in 1968 and the Geneva Motor Show in '69. The production models that followed featured some subtle changes, particularly to the trunk, filler caps, and door handles. But rather than hold on to the prototype, Maserati sold this yellow show car when it was done with it. The roadster was bought by one Ruggiero Capuano in 1969, who had it for six years before selling it to Libero Girardi, an Italian-American and Ferrari mechanic in Rhode Island, who in turn transferred ownership to John Ferro, his son-in-law. Ferro drove it for over a decade before putting it in storage for the better part of 30 years. Its current owner bought it from Ferro, took it out of storage, and put it on the concours circuit, picking up numerous trophies along the way. Having been properly stored, the Ghibli Spyder never required much restoration, and remains in highly original condition. That ought to make it a hot item even among the other notable lots that RM Sotheby's has lined up for Monterey this year. Though the auction house isn't saying how much it expects the prototype to sell for, Sports Car Market records that a Ghibli Spyder (also in yellow) was sold by Artcurial in Paris last year for over $1 million. Considering the provenance and condition of this prototype, we'd expect it to sell for even more. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 1968 Maserati Ghibli Spyder Prototype - AM115/S 1001 View 41 Photos News Source: RM Sotheby'sImage Credit: Darin Schnabel/RM Maserati Auctions Convertible Concept Cars Classics Pebble Beach RM Sotheby's maserati ghibli

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