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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.

Maserati Ghibli GranLusso gets semi-autonomous tech and updated styling

Maserati's littlest sedan is getting a little bit of a makeover in the form a new GranLusso trim for the Ghibli. It will make its official debut at the Chengdu auto show in China, and it mostly consists of aesthetic updates. Up front, the GranLusso gets a grille that has chrome vertical bars in addition to the surround. They also appear thicker and more aggressive. The lower grille has been reshaped, with the outboard openings sweeping up and out, creating more of a smile shape. The headlights are less busy, with a very narrow LED accent strip, and square-shaped projectors. Along the side, the GranLusso gets some badges to tell everyone you got the newest fanciest Ghibli. At the back, the rear bumper has been ever so slightly reshaped at the base. Maserati claims the changes make the car more aerodynamically efficient, but don't give specifics, and frankly we can't imagine the improvement nearly enough to make any real difference to the way the car drives or performs. Styling tweaks aren't the only addition to the GranLusso though. The car will feature some type of semi-autonomous or autonomous driving technology. Again, no specific details were given. We reached out to Maserati for an explanation, and they wouldn't elaborate, saying that there should be more info when it makes its debut at the Chengdu show. No release window or pricing were given either. Related Video:

Maserati GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello is a wine-themed drop-top

Maserati is celebrating two of Italy's best-known exports, cars and wine, with a one-off version of the electric GranCabrio Folgore named Tignanello. The convertible was created by the brand's Fuoriserie department to celebrate 50 years of a type of wine called Tignanello. The one-of-a-kind GranCabrio was built for an Italian wine company called Marchesi Antinori, and Maserati explains that its designers were inspired by vineyards. It starts with the paint: the convertible is finished in a wine-esque shade of red called Terra di Tignanello that was created specifically for it. Flat-black 20-inch wheels, gloss-black brake calipers, and a black soft top add a touch of contrast to the look. More vineyard-inspired details are found inside. The seats are upholstered with a blend of beige leather and burgundy Vegea, which is a biomaterial made from the stalks, skins, and pips of grapes — in a way, you're sitting on wine. The stripes on the seats echo the rows of vines in a vineyard, while the dark briar wood trim is inspired by the printing burned into the oak barrels used to age Tignanello wine. You can also learn a thing or two about the wine's history: historical details are lasered into some of the trim pieces, though they're written in Italian. Power comes from three electric motors that draw electricity from a T-shaped, 92.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery to zap the four wheels with 750 horsepower and 995 pound-feet of torque. Maserati pegs the 5,200-pound GranCabrio's zero-to-60-mph time at 2.8 seconds. If you like wine as much as you like Italian cars, it's not too late to put the GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello in your garage. It will be auctioned off on July 14 at the Festival Napa Valley Arts for All Gala taking place on July 14 in California. The proceeds will be donated to charity. Pricing for the regular-production GranCabrio Folgore starts at about $205,000, but the one-off should sell for considerably more.