Those wanting some kind of supercar sun-trap to show off in this summer have never had it so good. Ferrari now offers a Roma Spider, F8 Spider and 296 GTS, just for starters. Then there’s the Huracan and R8, the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster and the new AMG SL - plus a McLaren 750S Spider for good measure. With the days of huge engines in exotic roadsters already numbered - the 5.2-litre V10 in the Audi and Lamborghini will be very sorely missed - this feels like the end of a special time as the last chance saloon looms. Arguably more than any other car, the electric version of a multi-cylinder supercar with silly doors will be a tough sell.
Into that milieu, a new Maserati is very welcome indeed. It’s great for a new Trident-wearer to enter the fray at any moment, but with the brand committed to being all-electric as soon as 2030 (and with a Folgore EV variant of this car due very soon), an MC20 roadster with the Nettuno V6 didn’t feel a dead cert even when the Coupe was launched. With the response to the hardtop being what it was, confirmation of a Cielo was even better news than the already very promising prospect of any 630hp supercar spider. With a carbon tub promising the compromise-free convertible experience that McLaren has perfected, there’s every possibility that the Cielo could not only be the best of the MC20s, but also one of the finest drop-top supercars available. In a sector brimming with talent, that’s obviously something to be excited about.
The Cielo stands out, that’s for sure, arguably with some of the theatre that’s perhaps ever so slightly lacking in the coupe. The test car’s case may have been helped by £10k of Rosso Vincente optional paint (as well as lashings of extra carbon) but, as it often the case with these cars, taking away the roof - even if it is ultimately more of a targa section - does compel you to look. The roof stows neatly, without an awkwardly proportioned rear deck, and its coupe silhouette is convincing as well. The buttresses are interesting, the Tridents have always looked their best on a mid-engined Maserati, and each time you come back to the MC20 there’s something new to appreciate.
Without direct personal experience of the coupe to draw upon, the Cielo interior is something of a surprise given the standards of its class. Compared to something like a Huracan, it’s pretty pared back and raw; here sportiness is conveyed with those racy Sabelt seats, chunky sills to show off the carbon construction, perfectly placed pedals (for left foot braking, at least) and little else. Oh sure, buyers can have the upholstery and the stitching any colour they wish, but those wooed by displays for their passengers and the very smartest screens will need to look elsewhere. This feels unashamedly driver-focused, and most closely resembles a McLaren Spider inside, even down to a main infotainment that sometimes requires the assistance of a willing passenger.
On the road, Woking’s recent output continues to supply the benchmark. The Cielo can’t quite compete with the uncorrupted driving experience that something like a 720S Spider offers its owner. There are a few tremors and a little bit of flex felt through your hands and the seat (and seen in the rearview mirror) that memory suggests wouldn’t have been there in a McLaren. Broadly speaking it’s very impressive nonetheless, and it certainly feels more rigid than open-top Ferraris tend to be.
Frankly, it’s the kind of shortfall that can mostly be assigned to a back pocket. Because there is much to marvel at here, not least the extent to which the Cielo feels so wholly unlike anything else. Great though each McLaren has tended to be, they do feel broadly similar - as inevitably do the Audi and Lamborghini. The MC20, though, is unique - there’s never been another Maserati like this, and given the time limit on the engine, there surely won’t be another. That’s a rare thing, and worth celebrating. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a celebration if the car wasn’t up to snuff - so it’s handy that it’s really bloody good.
The overriding sensation is of a lightweight, limber, supple and impressively poised mid-engined open sports car, powered by a supremely exciting (and hugely powerful) turbocharged V6. And if that weren’t enough, it’s agreeably compact, too. Accordingly, on a B road, the result is intoxicating. This is a supercar that manages to be just as likeable merely gliding along as it is to light the blue touch paper and ride a phenomenal wave of boost.
Bold claim alert: the way it flows with the surface, and the compromise it strikes between taut handling and genuine pliancy is reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Lotus. At maximum attack the dampers can’t quite reconcile British roads with the strain of a roofless structure, but otherwise there’s composure and driver engagement to spare. The steering isn’t Ferrari-light, but nor is it unnecessarily weighty, and its responsiveness is underwritten by plenty of front end bite. A brake pedal that needs a shove eventually delivers lots of power and decent feel. Point is there’s a lot to appreciate about merely coaxing a Cielo along, taking in the surroundings, looking cool, and hearing gravel flick out of the arches. It’s not even crazy blustery with the roof down.
But you’ll want to drive an MC20 fast to get the best from it. And this is where is qualifies as one of the most exciting supercars currently on sale. The V6 is incredible, and surely even more intriguing in this installation, making a virtue of its lag with all manner of gurgles, gasps, sneezes and snorts. Once on boost it absolutely flies as well, furiously rampant from 3,500rpm or all the way around to the limiter. Perhaps the noise isn’t as classically charming as a big V10, but it’s hugely endearing, with something new to appreciate every time you accelerate. No buyer will want for speed, even if the big guns now boast more than 700hp.
The eight-speed Tremec DCT (as found in the Corvette C8) is a smart match, perhaps not as lightning fast as a Ferrari transmission, but as willing as the rest of the car to both mooch along and slur gears as it is to play the road racer with the whip-crack shifts. Again, the engine and gearbox ensure the Cielo stands out for all the right reasons, while its chassis again proves that suppleness needn’t be at the expense of control.
The duality of the Cielo is what feels like its most impressive attribute from this brief first go. Even with its minimalist interior, the MC20 a joy to cruise around in because of how well it rides and how special it feels, which is a wonderful entree when it proves it's no less thrilling than any of the established players once the opportunity presents itself. Too often these days, it can seem like you’ve figured a car out in half an hour - but like all really good performance cars, the Cielo implores you to spend more time getting to know it.
There is still much to learn: whether GT or Sport mode is best for a B-road not clogged with traffic; how wild that engine will feel when it’s fully dry; what Corsa can really deliver beyond an initial exploration; how a day behind the wheel in every situation possible might just make your week. What can be unequivocally reported at this point is the star-making quality: this is not merely a firecracker powertrain welded to an attractive sun lounger. As others have suggested in the wake of driving the coupe - and even in the rain - the feral V6 and dextrous chassis are a match made in heaven. Another drive can’t come soon enough, against any conceivable rival. It really is that good.
SPECIFICATION | 2023 MASERATI MC20 CIELO
Engine: 2992cc V6, twin-turbocharged
Transmission: 8-speed twin-clutch, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 630@7,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 538@3,000rpm
0-62mph: 2.9 sec
Top speed: 199mph
Weight: 1,540kg
MPG: 24.1
CO2: 265g/km
Price: £235,225 (as standard OTR; as tested £305,795 (!) comprised of - deep breath - Sport suspension with front lifter for £3,250, electronic limited-slip differential for £2,150, Sonus Faber 12 speaker sound system for £3,750, Heated front seats for £550, Brand logo stitched on headrest for £850, Extended Alcantara with contrast stitching and laser effect design for £3,000, Power steering column adjust for £840, Interior carbon pack for £6,450, Exterior carbon pack (Dark exhaust tips, front splitter in carbon fibre, Rear diffuser in carbon fibre, Carbon fibre door and wing sills, Fibreglass bonnet) for £36,240, 20-inch MMXX diamond cut alloy wheels for £3,840 and Rosso Vincente paint for £9,650)
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