When it comes to the topic of driving nirvana, there aren’t many that top the idea of driving an Italian supercar in the Italian countryside. So when an invite came from Maserati to test drive the new MC20 Cielo in Sicily, there was no way it could have been turned down, not only because of what we’d be doing, but the car we’d be doing it with.
The MC20 Cielo is of course the convertible version of the brand’s flagship supercar, the MC20 Coupe. ‘Cielo’ means sky in Italian and in the words of Maserati, the lucky few of us were going to experience plenty of that with this car, roof up or down.
Before that, a little back story. The MC20 in general is not just significant because it’s the first mid-engined Maserati in two decades, but it’s also the first model you can’t say ‘”Oh, it’s just a Ferrari with a different engine.” It heralds a new era of independence – built from the ground up as a Maserati, with an engine of its own, but more on this later.
What lay ahead in our drive around the Southwest section of Sicily was not something we could have expected or imagined. Ahead of the three-hour journey that would see us travelling over 200 km from the Masseria Della Volpe villa, the first thing Maserati designers and engineers present at the flag off were eager to show was how quick and easily the roof retracted.
All in a matter of 12 seconds. Not only was it quick, but the two-piece glass folded in near silence. As the Maserati folk pointed out, this was due to the fact that electric motors (and not hydraulics) were used for a quieter operation.
It may have been a slow drive out of the villa’s yard and onto the main road, but the Cielo was quick to exemplify the grand tourer qualities Maserati had intended for it to posses. Sure, it took a good few kilometres to familiarise with the car but before I knew it, the Cielo turned into a friend, an ally for what would be a long drive.
Whether it was intentional or not, the first few legs of the drive – when navigating through the narrow small town roads of Noto and Buccheri – actually offered a chance to observe what the large Cielo would be like when it’s not being driven quickly. Sure, a better view of the curbs and road edges would’ve been welcomed, but generally speaking, it’s just not a common trait in such vehicle types.
With that being the only exception, the Cielo was as relaxing to drive as a BMW 5 Series on those roads. When I dared, the Cielo was pushed a little harder, but when I couldn’t (or didn’t dare), it was docile and accommodating.
The steering was light and fluid, with just the right amount of precision to point and shoot, although it wasn’t overly engaging. The suspension soaked up the bumps really well and some of them weren’t even on the tarmac. This is Italy, and the Cielo saw its fair share of cobblestone roads too.
When the roads finally opened up, so did the throttle. Going from GT mode to Sport mode, there was a more noticeable sense of urgency. Everything from the damping, the steering, the throttle, the gear changes, the noise even, became a little firmer and sharper – a little more alive. Of course, I accepted the ‘invitation’ to dance.
It wasn’t frightening. The Cielo was fast when you wanted it to be, yet still easy to coast along when you wanted it on ‘standby’ mode for open roads. Gaining more familiarity with the car and its playfulness, it was easy to forget our surroundings and what we were doing.
The roof was folded back, the sky was clear and blue, the views at every turn were to die for and the roads ahead were winding, smooth and clear. What an occasion; and what a car to have along for the ride. This was a core memory moment.
It didn’t stop there. Just before our mid-way break in Dirupo Rosso, the roads opened even wider, with not just curvy roads but plenty of straight stretches as well, these as far as the eye could see. If the engine felt alive in Sport mode, the Cielo was truly awakened in Corsa (Race) mode, with the ‘Race mode’ in us very much switched on as well.
Suffice to say, we were thrown to the edge of our seats. In this case, the other end of it. The sheer intensity from the way the Cielo charged forward was breathtaking, with the right foot firmly planted for mere seconds before the lack of courage took over. Those limited but precious seconds showed plenty of what the car can do, when it’s not required to be gracious.
So this is what it feels like to misbehave in a car that can do 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds, I thought. Still with the roof down, the aural delight when Maserati’s new Nettuno engine opened up its lungs at 8,000 rpm was like having heavy metal music playing behind you as you witness an intense action movie scene.
It’s an engine that’s happy to rev. The 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 was designed completely in-house and is the first powerplant to come out of the new Maserati Engine Lab in Modena. With 630 PS and 730 Nm of torque, there’s plenty of punch. That power is readily available across eight gears in a dual-clutch transmission that is intuitive in the way it shifts, whether on its own accord or when demanded by the driver.
Arriving at the location for our coffee break finally offered a moment to appreciate the MC20 Cielo’s proportions. Its smooth clean lines exude grace, but with bulges in all the right places for an element of seduction. It didn’t look like it was trying too hard to stand out either – a common (classy) trait of grand tourers.
The Trident on display on the engine cover is what the kids today would call a ‘low-key flex’. It’s a statement, of course. After all, if you’re going to shout about the brand, why not shout it out loud? This is after all a supercar; it’s supposed to have some flair.
En route to the final stop, which Maserati named the ‘Cielo Hub’, were many more kilometres but this time on the highway. With the roof back up and the music on, it felt like we were in a performance saloon with bucket seats. Notably, there was plenty of room for two adults, excess headroom for a 180 cm tall individual and a cabin space that allows for conversation without the need to shout.
This also allowed us to take note of the modern gimmicks; some practical, some just plain cool. The electrochromic sunroof can be frosted, for more natural light in the cabin without the glare while a digital display on the centre knob gives access to the different drive modes.
The beautiful coastal highways eventually led us to our final stop, which was by far the biggest spectacle of the drive. With one last swing at the concept of openness, an MC20 Cielo was displayed close to the ledge of what is supposedly a villa used for events, with an unhindered 180-degree open view of the sea as the backdrop.
What a way to celebrate a car, a new era for Maserati, and what a way to end a grand tour.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with myTukar.
