Maserati MC20 Review

Maserati developed its own engine for the first time in decades and it is the best thing about the car. The 3.0 litre Nettuno V6 uses a pre-chamber ignition system taken from Formula One practice, with a twin spark arrangement that lets it run high boost cleanly, and it makes 621 horsepower from a surprisingly compact package. The tub is carbon fibre, the doors open upward, and the chassis has been praised consistently for a ride and steering balance that several better-known rivals cannot match.

The interior is the letdown, sparse and using switchgear from cheaper cars, and the infotainment feels borrowed. Reliability is the bigger worry, with early cars reporting electrical and software problems and a dealer network that is not equipped for this. Depreciation has been savage. Cars have lost close to half their value inside three years, which makes a used one one of the great bargains here and a new one an act of faith. Drive it before you dismiss it.