After having made a remarkable foray into the super sports car segment with its MC20, Maserati is doubling the bet by offering a new convertible variant called Cielo. This has an electrochromatic glass roof and almost identical performance to the coupé.
For Maserati, as for most of its competitors, commercial success now depends above all on SUVs, which represent the majority of sales. The firm with the trident has nevertheless decided to take advantage of the impetus launched by the creation of Stellantis, to put passion back at the heart of its brand image. A desire confirmed at the end of last year by the arrival of the MC20 in the range.
The ambition of this berlinetta was then to restore a somewhat tarnished image since the 80s and to place Maserati at a level of sportiness almost equivalent to that of Ferrari or McLaren. And it would seem that customers have been sensitive to this renewed exclusivity, since the MC20 order book is now full until mid-2023.
closer to the sky
In order to ride this wave of success and allow its customers to better enjoy the suggestive sound of the exhaust, the Italian brand is now offering the MC20 in a new convertible variant, called Cielo. This spider has a retractable glass roof, formed in one piece to take up as little space as possible. Opening and closing takes only 12 seconds, while the roof is lodged just above the engine. The kinematics then recalls that of a Porsche 911 Targa.
Not to spoil anything, this roof is made of electrochromatic glass and therefore offers the particularity of being able to opacify up to 97%. Thus, even closed, the Cielo will be able to offer quite different experiences, depending on whether the roof lets in outside light or completely hides it. Too bad, however, to be forced to go through the central touch screen to operate the opening or closing of the roof. For this type of operation, a physical control always seems easier to use, especially since it does not necessarily require you to take your eyes off the road.
Even better than the coupe?
Aesthetically, the MC20 Cielo carries gimmicks known to many mid-engine spiders, with two arches surrounding the engine cover, the latter being flattened compared to that of the coupé rising to the roof. Thus, when the roof is closed, the Cielo has a profile almost identical to that of the coupé. And to ensure the show, but also to facilitate entry on board, it retains the doors with opening in elytron. Even uncapped, the MC20 is therefore still as attractive and sharp, the operation having made it lose nothing in aggressiveness.
Among the few aesthetic details that distinguish the Cielo from the coupe (apart from the roof), we note the new scoops that have been cut on the rear fenders as well as on the back of the bonnet. These are used to compensate for the lack of ventilation above the engine, due to the adoption of the new solid bonnet. Recall that the MC20 coupe had a glazed bonnet pierced with several openings, which formed a trident by their design. Maserati also tells us that this engine cover was designed and designed to accommodate the batteries of the future electric version, which will take up more space than the twin-turbo V6. The MC20 will indeed be the third model in the Maserati range to be available in all-electric, after the new Gran Turismo and the Grecale.
Intact sportsmanship
In the engine compartment in the rear central position, the Cielo takes over the famous V6 3.0 biturbo Nettuno with dry sump, equipped with its system of precombustion chambers. As a reminder, this process comes from competition and was used for the first time on a production car with the MC20. Power and torque still peak at 630 hp and 730 Nm, as on the coupé, while transmission to the rear wheels remains managed by the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The level of acceleration would be almost identical, since the 0 to 100 km / h is announced in “about 3 s” and the 0 to 200 km / h in 9.2 s (2.9 s and 8.8 s on the cut), while the maximum speed loses only 5 small km / h, with all the same 320 km / h claimed.
These performances, almost unchanged from the coupé, were obtained by limiting the weight gain of this convertible version as much as possible. The Cielo is only 65 kg heavier than the MC20, an announced weight of 1540 kg, while the rigidity remains optimal thanks to the carbon fiber shell. Finally, the weight distribution is the same as on the coupé, with 60% of the weight at the rear and 40% at the front.
A new digital wheel
The passenger compartment retains an identical layout to that of the coupé. Even if we may regret too much sobriety in the presentation for such an exclusive car, the quality of finish is irreproachable, mixing Alcantara, leather and carbon, all assembled with particular care. We also notice the new upholstery, which combines Alcantara and “Clear Ice” leather, with the most beautiful effect.
Small change in terms of ergonomics: the round wheel used to select the driving mode becomes digital and tactile. Thus, the small screen displays the chosen driving mode as well as certain information such as the calibration of the suspensions and the adjustment of the ESC. Five driving modes are available (Wet, GT, Sport, Corsa and ESC off) and each is associated with a distinct color found on the display. This same rotary selector also makes it possible to change the setting of the suspensions, with several possible choices depending on the driving mode.
Finally, the very compact roof which is placed above the mechanics offers a final significant advantage: the load volume remains identical to that of the coupé, with still a capacity of 100 liters in the rear boot, in addition to the 50 liters in the rear. ‘before.
A new exclusive shade
The MC20 Cielo inaugurates a brand new body color, called Acquamarina, which will be found on the 65 copies of the PrimaSerie launch edition. This three-layer paint based on a pastel gray reveals reflections that tend towards blue, but appear very different depending on the light. This color will subsequently be available on all MC20s via the Maserati Fuoriserie personalization program.
We can also notice that the Cielo sports rims that are also new, which recall the name MC20 by the design of their branches, forming a double XX (20 in Roman numerals). Again, these rims will be offered as an option on the MC20 coupé and spider.
Rates and availability
The MC20 Cielo is already available to order, at a price of €265,400. The spider therefore claims € 30,200 more than the coupe (from €235,200), which is quite a stretch. The first deliveries will take place by the end of 2022.
TO READ. The future Maserati until 2024
