Stretching the Performance Envelope
If you were one of the unlucky customers to be scoffed by Ferrari's limited run of 349 Enzos, you just might get a second chance to buy something very similar. The only drawback will be the lack of a prancing horse on the hood, but maybe a trident will suffice?
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| To coincide with its return to the FIA GT racing series, Maserati has introduced the MC12 supercar. (Photo: Maserati) |
To jump-start Maserati's re-entry into the FIA GT racing series, the automaker will introduce the MC12 supercar. While the Maserati brand can boast about its own impressive racing heritage it is now owned by once-rival Ferrari, which is the only brand that can honestly attest to still building road cars for the sole purpose of funding its motorsport aspirations.
Ferrari can also attest to the demanding requirements needed to build such a machine, and its ability to provide a viable solution to bolster the Maserati nameplate is the obvious result of its prowess.
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| In order to boost the prestige of the Maserati nameplate, the MC12 is based off of parent company Ferrari's new Enzo. (Photo: Maserati) |
To that end the MC12 seems little more than a reworked version of the Ferrari Enzo. Wearing the trident badge and a few additional external and internal modifications, it has been tuned and prepared especially for racing. If there could be a car worthy of rekindling Maserati's international racing spirit from a 37 year lapse, this is it.
From looks alone, the MC12 can be linked to the Enzo, however, I find it closer to yesteryear's ultimate prancing horse, the F50. Inset xenon headlamps with clear lens covers and a grille familiar to all other Maserati products has been fitted to the front end, while the rest of the body has been showered with intake and exhaust vents. Regular front hinged doors allow relatively easy ingress and egress while a targa-top roof that transforms it into a partial convertible when removed. A fixed rear spoiler adds to high-speed downforce while complimenting the overall design.