Back in July 2022, the House of the Trident confirmed that it was working on a track-only car based on the MC20. Then referred to as Project24, the midship thriller was baptized MCXtrema on August 1, 2023. Fast forward three weeks, and Maserati has finally revealed the no-nonsense racecar at The Quail.
Not approved for any kind of sanctioned racing, the MCXtrema is best described as the heir apparent of the MC12 Versione Corse. In other words, a track toy for well-to-do peeps with a passion for all things Maserati.
62 units will ever be produced. Not surprising in the least, every single one of them has been spoken for prior to the official unveiling at The Quail. Closely related to the GT2, an MC20-based racecar that competes in the Fanatec GT2 European Series, the MCXtrema was penned by the designers at Maserati Centro Stile without the constraints of a road car of a sanctioned racing car.
Built around a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque, the MCXtrema features a massive rear wing, a roof-mounted intake with two ducts, a front hood with aerodynamic channels resembling the Italian brand's trident logo, and a central fin running along the entirety of the rear deck.
Equipped with two exhaust outlets where you'd expect to see the license plate of the MC20, the MCXtrema further sweetens the deal with LED taillights that embody Neptune's weapon. If you're into mythology, the Greek equivalent to Neptune is the Olympian god Poseidon.
Photo: Maserati
Gifted with a completely flat underfloor and a humongous diffuser, the Mazza boasts motorsport-spec adjustable dampers, carbon-ceramic brakes, and an electric power steering system calibrated for track driving. The single-seater bruiser also rocks adjustable anti-lock brakes, a remote adjuster for the brake bias, center-lock forged aluminum wheels, Pirelli rubber, polycarbonate windows, and a six-point harness.
Goodies further include an adjustable steering column and pedal box, a fixed bucket seat, air conditioning, a display integrated within the carbon-fiber steering wheel, a mechanical rear differential, and a racing clutch for the six-speed sequential transaxle. By comparison, the MC20 is equipped with a Tremec-designed transaxle of the dual-clutch variety. Believe it or not, said transmission is shared with the Corvette.
As opposed to the V8-powered C8, the MCXtrema offers a grand total of six cylinders arranged in a vee. Its twin-turbocharged sixer is nearly 110 horsepower punchier than the road-going engine of the MC20. The Modenese automaker quotes 730 horsepower, whereas the MC20 belts out 621 from merely 3.0 liters.
The MCXtrema carries over the pre-chamber combustion system of the MC20. The easiest way to explain what the Formula 1-derived setup is meant for is more power and better efficiency. In order to pass emission regulations, pre-chamber ignition was used by Honda in the United States in the 1970s to the detriment of the rather archaic catalytic converters of that era.
On an ending note, Maserati claims the MCXtrema is their "most powerful track car" yet. That's not exactly correct, though. Remember the MC12 Versione Corse? That fellow cranks out 745 horsepower from a naturally-aspirated V12 with a displacement of 6.0 liters.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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