Sky’s the limit: Maserati MC20 Cielo

The Italian marque unveils a drop-top iteration of its spyder

Motoring 1 Jun 2022

Maserati's new MC20 Cielo supercar in Aquamarina colour scheme

The MC20 Cielo with its roof retracted

The lingering threat of rain is a constant source of frustration for convertible owners in Great Britain – no sooner have you set out on a summer’s day drive than the clouds roll in and a downpour is upon you, requiring hasty replacement of the roof. Thankfully, Maserati has just unveiled the antidote in its one-of-a-kind MC20 Cielo car.

The latest in the marque’s pursuit of rejuvenation, the Cielo comes with a retractable electrochromic glass roof and is a variant of the MC20 super sports car, which debuted in 2020 and was Maserati’s first supercar for 18 years. In simpler terms, the drop-top roof is designed with groundbreaking technology that changes from opaque to clear in a matter of seconds, meaning that even if it is raining, you can still enjoy the sight of the skies above and remain dry. It’s even more magical in darkness when the stars can be admired from the comfortable cabin, which is decked out in smooth Alcantara detailing. What’s more, when the weather is fine enough to have the top down, the glass panel retracts in just 12 seconds. Not your average sunroof, indeed.

And there is no shortage of slick design elsewhere. Note the butterfly doors and fluid curves of the body, which were developed through thousands of hours of wind tunnel testing and are beautifully highlighted by the pearlescent, three-layer Acquamarina paint job – a special colour for this launch – which combines racing-inspired grey with iridescent mica pigments to a pleasing lustrous result.

Inside the MC20 Cielo, with its electrochromic glass roof

On to the numbers, then, and as in the original MC20, the Cielo is equipped with a proprietary Nettuno V6 engine – the name a nod to the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, which inspired the marque’s trident logo. It uses spark plug technology derived from Formula 1 power units and, as you might expect from a twin-turbo, 3000cc machine, offers performance in abundance. The 630-horsepower output and 0-62mph acceleration in under three seconds will certainly get you off the line at the traffic lights before anyone else has even thought about it.

In the MC20 Cielo (and its coupé sibling), Maserati demonstrates that, while it’s no longer making Grand Prix headlines, that famed racing spirit and penchant for serious style have gone nowhere.

 

maserati.com