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Maserati GT2 turns the MC20 into a real race car

Maserati previewed a racing version of the MC20 super car last year, and now it's finally showing the real thing. The car has dropped the MC20 name altogether, becoming just the Maserati GT2. That's a bit odd, considering it's still an MC20 at its core, but regardless, the race car is still pretty sweet. Significant exterior changes have been made to become a GT2 race car. Vents, louvres and intakes are all over and much larger. It's all in service of increased downforce, as well as increased cooling. And besides adding more holes, the GT2 features a flat undercarriage, bigger diffuser and a giant adjustable rear wing. The carbon fiber chassis is the same as the MC20, and it continues to use double-wishbone suspension front and rear. But geometry has been updated, and it uses unique shocks, springs and anti-roll bars. And of course, they're all adjustable. Stopping power is provided by six-piston front calipers, four-piston rears, and ventilated steel rotors. The engine is also pretty much what you would expect in a regular MC20, and Maserati even quotes the same 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. But the output of the twin-turbo Nettuno V6 can be adjusted based on balance of performance needs for races. It also is capable of greater overall boost pressure and reduced back pressure in the opened-up exhaust. It does ditch the eight-speed automatic in favor of a six-speed sequential manual transmission, plus a competition-ready limited-slip differential. The interior is expectedly gutted. In place of the more luxurious MC20 cockpit, the GT2 gets race-spec seats, a multifunction steering wheel and control stack and a screen for instruments. It also has a roll cage and six-point racing harness. While many niceties are gone, the GT2 does still have air conditioning. Maserati will be offering the GT2 to professional racing teams for regular competition and private owners for track and occasional racing use. The company expects the car to start appearing in the Fanatec GT2 European Series this year, with full-year competition starting next year. Related Video:

Maserati confirms limited edition Quattroporte Zegna for production

Last year two of the biggest names in Italian style – one from the automotive industry and one from fashion – announced a partnership. Together Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna revealed a "concept" version of the Quattroporte at the Frankfurt Motor Show, only given how production-ready the show car already looked, nobody really believed it would remain just a concept. And now, having revealed the final version in Geneva, Maserati has confirmed it for production. Limited production, that is, because Maserati will only build 100 examples of the Quattroporte Zegna edition for consumption around the world. That's about one-thirtieth of the number of cars Maserati produces each month at this point, and while the Modenese automaker doesn't break down its sales figures by model, the QP accounts for a large proportion of those numbers. Maserati also hasn't said just how much it will charge for the Zegna edition, but you can bet it'll be a handsome premium – more than some of those designer-edition hatchbacks get at any rate – yet it'll undoubtedly offload the entire run in short order. "ONE OF 100" THE MASERATI QUATTROPORTE ZEGNA LIMITED EDITION Wednesday, July 16, 2014 – After making its world debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati has revealed an exclusive limited edition Maserati Quattroporte in collaboration with luxury Italian fashion house, Ermenegildo Zegna. Just 100 examples of the limited series will be built which feature colour schemes, materials and exclusive trims which link the histories of the two brands. To celebrate the launch of the Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition, Maserati and Zegna are embarking on a tour of four international events starting in Shanghai in July 2014 before stopping in New York (Sept 2014), Dubai (Feb 2015) and Milan (Spring 2015). The events are designed to present the Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition to an exclusive audience and to celebrate the partnership between the two Italian brands; both of whom are masters in Italian excellence. The exclusive event locations have been carefully selected to enhance the uniqueness of the alliance and represent the pinnacle of Italian elegance. Guests will be able to discover the car's premium finishes in detail and see the extraordinary result of the partnership. World famous Italian photographer, Fabrizio Ferri, will be in attendance at each of the four events capturing 100 unique images – 25 from each occasion.

Ferrari-Maserati dealer folds in Las Vegas casino

The ten-year-old Penske Ferrari Maserati dealership located inside the Wynn resort in Las Vegas, where non-Ferrari owners had to pay $10 to walk among the cars, is closed. Word is that the Ferrari franchise is moving to Towbin Motorcars, which you'll know for being the home of the former "King of Cars," and more recently where Floyd "Money" Mayweather has bought 100 cars, including three Bugatti Veyrons. According to Ferrari Chat almost the entire Penske-Wynn staff will make the move, including the highly regarded service department. This being Las Vegas there are, naturally, various theories about why the only Ferrari franchise in the state of Nevada is leaving one of the state's marquee locations. We got a tip a month ago from reader Johnny Autos that Ferrari pulled the franchise, and if there is any truth to that, rumors at Ferrari Chat suggest it part of the reason could have been Steve Wynn flipping his LaFerrari before the 18-month no-sale period had elapsed. Wynn supposedly sold his $1.5 million supercar to Naples Motorsports in Florida for $3.5 million, Naples is asking $5 million for it and using it for the elementary school run in the meantime. On the other hand, Vegas Tripping says Wynn is letting the dealership go in order to get ready for the Alon – another casino – to open across the street in three years. That story believes Wynn will build a pedestrian bridge and rearrange shops on the Wynn side so that customers enjoy the kind of grand entry he would want. And then there's the theory that Penske is getting out of the Ferrari dealership business to focus on commercial trucks. No matter where the truth is in all of this, what matters to you is that you won't be able to spend $10 to check out Ferraris on the strip anymore. Which means more money for the penny slots.