Downsizing isn’t a new trend. Our first taste of it came in the 1970s as a result of the oil crisis, then pretty much every government out there decided to hamper down on gas-guzzling engines with ever-stringent emissions standards. Of course, the supercar segment had to comply with this state of affairs.
Instead of the more common V8 architecture, a howling V10, or a glorious V12, Maserati decided on a six-cylinder powerplant for the MC20 supercar. You already know why from the previous paragraph, but the biggest challenge of downsizing is making the engine sound as good as possible despite the twin-turbocharged layout and all of the emissions systems that affect the aural qualities.
Thankfully, though, the 3.0-liter engine does sound as you would expect an Italian supercar to do. Filmed by Italiansupercarvideo on the streets of Modena in great detail, the pre-production prototype with white decals over blue paintwork is definitely pleasant at idle and when you give it a bit of throttle as well.
Maserati quotes 7,500 rpm for the maximum output (630 PS) and 8,000 revs for the redline, which is more than adequate for a 90-degree V6 with forced induction. Also gifted with direct and port injection, dry-sump lubrication, twin spark plugs per cylinder, and “turbulent jet ignition” technology, the powerplant of the MC20 is marketed as a Maserati design but it actually shares a lot with the Ferrari F154 engine and the Alfa Romeo 690T engine of the Quadrifoglio.
The House of the Trident calls the Nettuno powerplant of the MC20 “a technical revolution, one protected by international patents.” Manufactured in Modena together with the all-new supercar, this engine also happens to be very compact at 1,000 millimeters in width, 650 in height, and 600 millimeters in terms of length.
Care to guess how “clean” the 3.0-liter lump is? According to the WLTC figures offered by Maserati at the unveiling of the MC20, fuel consumption is rated at 11.6 liters per 100 kilometers on the combined driving cycle, translating to 262 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. For reference, the Ghibli in Hybrid and Trofeo flavors is rated at 192 and 280 grams of CO2, respectively.
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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