TWO YEARS AFTER MASERATI LIFTED THE CURTAIN ON ITS NEW MIDENGINE FLAGSHIP, THE ITALIAN MARQUE UPS THE ANTE ONCE AGAIN WITH A STUNNING, SLICED TOP ITERATION OF THE RAVISHING MC20 AND IT’S DROP TOP GORGEOUS

BY EVAN MONROE

At the 2020 unveiling of Maserati’s new flagship super coupe, the legendary Italian marque put on a cinematic experience worthy of such a pivotal moment in the brand’s 106 year history. A temporary 7,000 square foot LED screen was erected in the center of the Modena Circuit track, and a parade of 44 iconic machines from throughout the century provided plenty of visual candy before the main course: the crowning of the MC20, a sleek, sylphlike stunner powered by Maserati’s first new in house engine in two decades. A rapacious audience went wild the Nettuno engine’s use of a twin spark plug pre chamber combustion system was revolutionary for a street legal vehicle but the Modena maker wasn’t done. Maserati announced there would be a drop top variant in the pipeline, and auto dom has since waited with bated breath…until now.

On May 25, as the Northern Hemisphere celebrated the dawn of top down weather, Maserati finally satiated hunger pains for the MC20 convertible, dubbed the Cielo, or “sky” in Italian. Enthusiast circles didn’t erupt over the ejection of the fixed roof alone, but for how Maserati sliced the top. The Cielo is equipped with an innovative 35 inch electro chromic roof that opens and closes in a mere 12 seconds at. When up, the roof can switch from opaque to clear with the touch of a button. This smart glass not only lets in light and aids in temperature control, but also reduces road noise, per the maker.

Mechanically, the Cielo is a carbon fiber copy of its fixed top brethren, powered by the same twin turbocharged 3.0L V 6 Nettuno engine with F1 similarities. Though the drop top clocks an additional 143 pounds, its performance numbers are nearly identical: 621 ponies at 7,500 rpm, 538 lb. ft. of torque, 0-60 in a neck warping 2.9 seconds. A retractable roof didn’t eliminate those beloved butter y doors, as is common with open top variants. As a further homage to the sky, the Cielo debuted a new iridescent colorway Acquamarina, a triple layer, powder blue gray paint that shimmers and dances in the sun.

Maserati of Monmouth
807 NJ 35, Ocean Township
732.884.0511 / maseratiofmonmouth.com