730-hp MC20-based two-seater was previously known as Project24
https://www.carscoops.com/author/chris-chilton-cc/
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by Chris Chilton
2 hours ago
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Maserati’s Project24 track weapon has a new name – and it’s much worse. The Modenese company revealed today that the MC20-based supercar will be called MCXtrema which sounds like the handle of a nightclub DJ who comes home from the club to beam his League of Legends exploits over the internet. It certainly doesn’t sound very Maserati.
And maybe that’s the point, because even in the wake of the critically acclaimed MC20 most people aren’t really sure what Maserati is or does. It is a brand with a rich motorsport history though, and maybe the MCXtrema will help convince rich car nuts that it can still do the hardcore stuff, and not just luxo SUVs. Maserati says the car will be made entirely in Italy and marks the beginning of the brand’s new era, while also paying homage to the exploits of the Maserati Corse racing operation.
We’ll have to wait until August 18 to find out exactly what the MCXtrema looks like in the carbon because that’s the date the car makes its global debut at The Quail, during Monterey Car Week 2023. But the company has teased various sketches and renderings over the past year or so we know that it’s a far more radical machine than the MC20 that donates its composite tub.
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Related: Maserati Shows Us More Of The Track-Only Project24 Hypercar
The freedom Maserati’s designers have enjoyed is a result of Maserati’s decision to make the MCXtrema a track-only machine, which means it hasn’t had to meet all of the pesky regulations that seem to ensure concept cars have lost their edge (in every sense) by the time they’ve made it to the showroom. It also hasn’t had to conform to racing regulations either, so owners will have to restrict their exploits to private test sessions.
Though Maserati hasn’t released any renderings of the interior it says the cabin is suitably motorsport-themed and features a roll cage, carbon steering wheel with integral display, six-point harness, and arcing bucket seat. A passenger seat and additional telemetry screens cost extra.
The MC20’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine has been tuned to produce 730 hp (544 kW / 740 PS) and transmits that power to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox and a mechanical limited-slip differential. A sub-1,250 kg (2,756 pounds) dry weight means those horses can all be put to good use and the chassis has been specifically tuned for the track with a new adjustable suspension setup and stronger Brembo CCMR brakes.
Maserati is staying tight-lipped about prices for the MCXtrema, but it’s academic anyway. Every one of the 62 cars the automaker has promised to build has been pre-sold. But how many of them will get used and how many are destined to live out their days as trailer queens and investments?
