Maserati MC12 Designed for high level road use, it can exceed 330 kmh/205 mph at full throttle, sprinting from 0 to 100 kmh in just 3.8 seconds. Although easy and pleasant to drive on the road, the MC12 is also a brilliantly dynamic car. It handles very sweetly and fluidly yet the driver can still feel all the power of a genuinely sporty thoroughbred under the surface. The new model adds the definitive flourish to Maserati’s return to the racing circuits after the recent and highly successful debut in the Daytona 24 Hour Race, of the Trofeo Light. Under the guidance of engineer Giorgio Ascanelli, Maserati’s Racing Division is currently developing the new car to meet the rules of the major international championships.
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| Maserati MC12 |
The
Maserati MC12 is a two seater sports car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced (five of which were not for sale). A further 25 were produced in 2005 making a total of 50 cars available for customers, each of which were pre-sold for €600 000. Maserati designed and built the car on the chassis of the Enzo Ferrari but the final car has much larger size and a lower drag coefficient. The
Maserati MC12 is longer, wider and taller and has a sharper nose and smoother curves than the Enzo Ferrari, which has faster acceleration, better braking performance (shorter braking distance) and a higher top speed.
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| Maserati MC12 |
The top speed of the
Maserati MC12 is 330 kilometres per hour (205 mph) whereas the top speed of the Enzo Ferrari is 350 kilometres per hour (217.5 mph) The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati's return to racing after 37 years. The road version was produced to homologate the race version. One requirement for participation in the FIA GT is the production of at least 25 road cars. Three GT1 race cars were entered into the FIA GT with great success. Maserati began racing the MC12 in the FIA GT toward the end of the 2004 season, winning the race held at the Zhuhai International Circuit. The racing MC12s were entered into the American Le Mans Series races in 2005 but exceeded the size restrictions and consequently paid weight penalties due to excess range.
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| Maserati MC12 |
In line with the
Maserati MC12’s performance-oriented design, it is supplied exclusively with the six-speed Maserati Cambiocorsa transmission offering computerised gear selection. The driver doesn’t need to touch the clutch with this electro-hydraulic gearbox and instead selects the gears using the paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. The transmission’s two modes are selected at the touch of a button. The Sport mode will be the driver’s most frequent choice and includes a good dose of traction control, while the Race setting enhances the kind of sporty behaviour typically seen on the track. In Race mode in fact, the system delivers much faster gear-changing and also activates the ASR.
Maserati MC12 Development of the
Maserati MC12 began while Maserati was owned by Ferrari in order to create a race car for Maserati that would be eligible to compete in the FIA GT. Its initial name was the MCC, meaning Maserati Corse Competizione, and development under the direction of Giorgio Ascanelli was planned to be simultaneous with that of the MCS, the road going version. The body shape was developed from an idea by Giorgetto Giugiaro during wind tunnel testing, though the majority of styling was by Frank Stephenson.
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| Maserati MC12 Interior |
The MCC had a very similar body shape to the
Maserati MC12 but there were several key differences, most notably the rear spoiler. Andrea Bertolini was the chief
test driver throughout the development (although some testing was done by Michael Schumacher), frequently testing the MCC at the Fiorano Circuit. As the MCC was developed further, word of the MCS ceased and eventually the final name,
Maserati MC12, was announced.
The
Maserati MC12 car is based heavily on the Enzo Ferrari, sharing the same Ferrari Dino V12 engine with slight modifications, the same gearbox (but renaming it Maserati Cambiocorsa) and the same chassis and track (length of axle between the wheels). The Maserati MC12 has its own bodywork which is wider, longer and slightly taller leaving the windshield as the only externally visible component shared with the Enzo. This extra size allows for greater downforce across the whole body, adding to that of the two metre spoiler.
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| Engine of Maserati MC12 (630 bhp @ 7500 rpm) |
The
Maserati MC12 cabin boasts an easily removable top, which instantly converts the MC12 from a coupe to a spider. The cabin itself is the epitome of elegance and sportiness. It is simple and understated, typical of an extreme car yet also displaying the meticulous care and finish that has become a classic Trident signature. There is exceptional harmony between the high tech-effect carbon features, the perforated leather trim and the stunning yet high-grip tough technical fabric.
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