Back in 2020, Maserati revealed the MC20 supercar, a quite beautiful sports car powered by a new Maserati-built engine called the Nettuno – the first in-house engine from the company in 20 years. A 470kW (630hp) V6 twin-turbocharged unit, the Nettuno delivers on performance with the MC20 tickling the 0-100 km/h time at 2.9 seconds and reaching a top speed over 325km/h.
Now, the Italian manufacturer has unleashed the MCXtrema – a single-seater (a passenger seat is optional), track-only racing car that uses a Nettuno-derived engine that pumps out 540kW (730hp).
That power is paired with a racing set-up that includes motorsport double-wishbone suspension, a carbon racing braking system, 18-inch forged aluminium wheels with centre lock fixing, a six-speed sequential racing gearbox with a racing clutch and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and rear-wheel drive with a limited-slip mechanical self-locking differential.
As a track-only sports car, there is plenty of aerodynamic bling on the MCXtrema, all aimed at delivering plenty of downforce and making the car as slippery as an eel. There are air scoops, vents, splitters, channels, a central fin, and a whopping adjustable wing at the rear – all designed to deliver on grip, cooling, and speed. The monocoque chassis is made of ultralight carbon fibre and everything is aimed to keep the car as close to the track as possible.
Inside, the racing ambitions of the MCXtrema are just as apparent.
The MCXtrema’s cockpit includes a racing seat with 6-point belts and roll cage (both FIA-homologated). There are also additional safety nets, a fire extinguisher and integrated safety roof hatch.
There’s an adjustable pedal box and steering column, a field-of-view and rear-view camera display that have also been designed according to a track-only approach, and access to different settings – from steering calibration to traction control levels, from brake balance to engine strategies – are, Maserati says, immediately accessible for the driver.
Only 62 of the MCXtrema are to be produced and at a reported $AU1.9 million per unit, only well-heeled Maserati enthusiasts need apply. Actually, they already have – Maserati says that all 62 have already been snapped up.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (September 2023)
4 October 2023