Giovanni Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse, lights up when he talks about his “MCXtrema”. Because this car, approved for use only on the track, is the quintessence of the trident brand, it is exactly what the Modena brand has been for years, when customers bought Maseratis to go on the circuits.
But the new MCXtrema is also much more because it manages to explain to the whole world how the racing attitude is part of the DNA of the Modena brand.
“MCXtrema – Sgro explained – is the flagship of Maserati Corse, much more than a simple car conceived and designed for the track. We have built an entire universe around this racing car, synonymous with impeccable power, exclusivity at the highest levels and unprecedented quality, dedicated to 62 lovers of the Brand and the most attractive driving, that between the curbs”.
The universe that the head of Maserati Corse is talking about revolves around the 740 HP twin-turbo V6 Nettuno engine that gives the feather-like machine of about 1300 kg a staggering weight/power ratio of about 1.8 kg/HP. Objective achieved with a very light central monocoque in carbon fiber. Plus other refinements such as the new geometry and kinematics of the double wishbone suspension and the racing shock absorbers, the springs and the fully adjustable anti-roll bar and racing brakes with cast iron discs, preferred to the classic (for cars of this type) carbon in order to make the car easier to drive.
But what universe are we talking about? “The customer journey does not end with the delivery of their car,” explains Sgro. This is why with the car you take home participation in a track assistance program for exclusive track days and the “MCXlusiva” project that offers customers the possibility of choosing between one of the liveries designed by the Maserati Style Center directed by Klaus Busse: a ‘Tech’Beast’, one inspired by Racing and another ‘Speed Beast’. “The fourth,” explains Sgro, “is a personalized livery: if the three options offered do not satisfy you, you can design whatever you want. This is also an opportunity to engage and be more involved with our customers, to understand their creativity and what they want.”
Obviously, it is impossible to take a car like this on the street, but the fact that the MCXtrema is approved for track use only is the key to the project to create a truly uncompromising supercar.
This is where the idea of entrusting its genesis directly to Andrea Bertolini, Maserati chief test driver and one of the most successful drivers in the GT categories with four world titles aboard the glorious MC12, was born. He was the one who followed its development from the early stages on the virtual simulator – about 1200 hours – and then the endless test sessions on the track.
This explains what we were talking about before, the concept of the quintessence of Maserati DNA packed into a single car. But there’s more. And here we must give credit to the Trident brand for being particularly clever: the reference is to the fact that through design in Modena they have managed to “explain” all these almost philosophical concepts to the general public.
The shape of the MCXtrema is made with three style elements that intersect, outlining its racing car silhouette: the front hood is shaped like a Trident and the spoiler has a gigantic central fin. Even a monkey would understand that we are talking about a pure racer. The most refined, however, will grasp the historical references of “aerodynamic aesthetics” of the iconic Birdcage. The same goes for the cockpit where the racing seat with 6-point belt, roll cage, ergonomic pads positioned in the driver’s contact areas (very Le Mans-like) and then a carbon and aluminum steering wheel with a 5-inch central display, buttons, rotary selectors and ergonomic grip stand out. In short, 62 cars do not move anything from an industrial and turnover point of view (they cost 1 million each).
But if they are made like this they have an immense value from the point of view of the image. And since in this world we live on image, it is really not a small thing.
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