When Daddy’s Money Is Too Good for a Lambo

Life must be tough for the uber-rich. You take your private jet to Maranello, custom-spec your perfect mid-engine Ferrari, and wait the several weeks it takes to build your dream car, only to see the social media influencer down the street get the same car. It’s a brutal, unforgiving existence. How does one spend their inheritance without looking like the other nouveau-riche punks with million-follower Instagram accounts? How do you show the world you’re not just a nepo baby but a nepo baby with taste? You buy a 2024 Maserati MC20 Cielo.

Maserati is a weird brand because everyone knows its name but so few actually put their money down for one, especially over its other Italian rivals. However, that doesn’t mean the brand is unworthy of your precious trust fund, er, funds. In fact, driving the MC20 Cielo proves that Maserati can make an incredibly compelling supercar. 

The entire point of a supercar is to be an event. It’s supposed to make the driver feel special for being in it and bystanders feel special for seeing it. And the MC20 Cielo does just that but in a more interesting way than anything from Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren. It’s the supercar for enthusiasts who want something different, something that stands out. 

The Basics

Before the MC20, Maserati hadn’t made a proper mid-engine supercar since the rebodied Ferrari Enzo that is the MC12. There’s been some debate over how much of the MC20’s “100% Maserati” Nettuno V6 is truly exclusive to Maserati, but its carbon fiber chassis is unique, as is its styling. 

And what style it is, because in my eyes, it’s among the prettiest cars to ever wear the Trident. In either coupe or convertible guise, the MC20 is a stunner, but this drop-top Cielo (Italian for “sky”), is the best-looking version. There’s something about the roof being down that accentuates the rear haunches and gives it a more exotic look. Its low-slung hood, muscular front fenders, and double-bubble-style roof humps make the MC20 Cielo look every bit as super as its more popular supercar rivals. It also isn’t too much, as some supercars can be overly assaulting on the eyes. The only downside of the Cielo version is the fact that the coupe’s cool glass engine cover is gone, replaced with a folding roof mechanism. However, there is a big trident logo where the glass used to be, which is neat I guess.

Unfortunately, the MC20 Cielo isn’t quite as pretty on the inside. It’s cool and it’s sporty but it doesn’t really look like a $270,000 car inside. The steering wheel is great but it’s plucked directly from a four-cylinder Alfa Romeo Giulia. As delightful as the aluminum column-mounted paddle shifters are to use, they’re also sourced from Alfa’s parts bin. And some of the buttons and switches show their Stellantis roots. And regardless of whichever Stellantis parts bin the wiper and turn signal stalks come from, they feel about as expensive as a Bic lighter. At least the Maserati-specific touchscreen is pretty good: its graphics are crisp and it works quickly enough. 

Driving the Maserati MC20 Cielo

Behind you, the engine is the star of the show, for better or worse. Maserati’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine is what separates it most from the Lamborghinis and McLarens of the world. It’s the same engine used in the Gran Turismo and Grecalo Trofeo models, but it’s at its best in the MC20 Cielo. With 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque, the small-displacement six-cylinder launches the MC20 to 60 mph in under three seconds, but that’s not what makes it interesting. With the roof down, you can hear all of its mechanical goodness—induction noise and turbo whooshes. It sounds alive, like an engine that’s actually working, rather than just a sexy exhaust note. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from the prettiest-sounding supercar engine but there’s something delightful about its mechanical honesty. It has character and that matters. 

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is a bit jerky, though. In comfort mode, it’s appropriately chill, swapping cogs quickly enough but not so quickly that it feels rough. If you want more of an edge, you’re going to get more than you asked for because Sport mode makes your vertebrae feel like it’s become a part of the transmission. It’s quick but violent and, unless you’re on track, it gets old pretty quickly. There’s no Goldilocks setting for the transmission. It’s either just a tick too slow or so fast that it hurts. However, I kind of like that. Supercars are too easy nowadays. Where’s the pain? Where’s the sacrifice? Well, here it is.

I was cursing the car gods during my few days with the MC20 Cielo. Of course, it had to rain all day, every day for the entirety of my time with the convertible supercar. Fortunately, the rain during a couple of those days was reduced to a light mist, so I was able to put the top down and brave the chilly autumn weather. And boy did the Maserati reward my bravery.

There are faster, more thrilling supercars, surely. But the MC20 Cielo is brimming with character. From the way its engine whooshes to its delicate but accurate steering and rifle-shot upshifts, the MC20 feels like an event every time you drive it. It doesn’t care how many cylinders it has, or how many Johnny Ferrari has down the street. It’s showing up to the party in style and with a bang. 

I don’t doubt Maserati’s claim that the MC20 Cielo will hit 60 mph from a standstill in less than three seconds. However, the weather prevented me from confirming, or even really getting close. Any aggressive use of the go-pedal resulted in the rear tires breaking traction. And while the MC20 is effortlessly controllable, I wasn’t trying to test the limits of either the Maserati’s or my wet-weather handling limits. Still, the few chances I had to really open the taps left me giggling like a little kid, which is exactly what supercars are about. 

If I had a complaint, it’s the ride quality. It’s just too stiff, even in its softest setting. I get supercars are supposed to be compromised in the name of performance but most modern supercars at least have a button that smoothes things out when you want to calm down a bit. The MC20’s suspension always felt like it was in max attack mode. Although, I guess Maserati would argue that if you want a comfortable two-door, you should get a Gran Turismo instead.

The Highs and Lows

For me, the MC20’s high point is its engine. But more specifically, its engine with the roof down. It’s a symphony of mechanical music that just isn’t heard anymore. Modern engines and exhausts are tuned so finely to sound pretty that they lose the noises of their oily bits moving around. The Nettuno engine sounds like a machine that’s kicking ass and that makes it feel alive, raw, unfiltered. It’s exciting and fun. And it’s accompanied by great, lively steering, and Hulk-like brakes that feature great pedal feel. I wish I had the chance to thread the MC20 Cielo through some twisty canyon roads, top-down, to experience those attributes to the fullest. But it even made rainy days fun, which is exactly what a supercar should be able to do.

Like any Maserati, there are some compromises. The ride is too busy, some of its interior bits feel really cheap, and, in typical Italian fashion, the front nose lift only decided to work when it felt like it. Some of the interior controls are annoyingly placed in the touchscreen, too. For example, to put the roof up or down, you need to access a submenu, slide a bar on the touchscreen, and then hold it in position until the roof is done. Admittedly, it does its thing in about 12 seconds, so you don’t have to hold it long. But it should just be a physical button.

Maserati MC20 Cielo Features, Options, and Competition

Buying a Maserati isn’t like buying a normal car. Generational wealth types generally aren’t concerned with pesky trim levels. Instead, the MC20 Cielo comes with some basic features like sumptuous leather Sabelt seats, LED headlights, and really cool “Birdcage” 20-inch wheels. 

Instead, speccing out a Maserati is more à la carte. You pick the specific options you want to suit your needs. You can get a few exterior parts like the spoiler and hood finished in carbon fiber, a Sonus Faber 12-speaker sound system (which is good but nothing overly special), and heated front seats. There are also tons of great color options to choose from and my test car’s Verde Royale was cool but a little too mature for a boisterous supercar. 

With the Audi R8 out of the picture and a drop-top Lamborghini Temerario still to-be-unveiled, the MC20 Cielo counts the Ferrari 296 GTS and McLaren’s Artura Spider as its most direct rivals. Those two use hybrid motors in addition to their V6s. The 690-hp Artura is fantastic, too, and starting at the same price as this Maserati, it’s likely better value on account of it having more sheer performance and tech. The Ferrari, however, goes for quite a bit more money, but that’s the price you pay for to drive a Prancing Horse around, I guess.

Value and Verdict

At $281,000 to start, the 2024 Maserati MC20 Cielo can be considered good value in precisely no universes. But Lambos, Ferraris, and McLarens aren’t any less expensive. The Maserati is an alternative that stands out from the crowd while delivering similar performance.

The MC20 may not be top of mind when one thinks of supercars but it’s not any less special than what Ferrari and Lamborghini offer. It feels every bit as deserving of the supercar title as they do, with stunning good looks and a thrilling drive. However, it’s also more interesting, as its soulful engine tickles the head as much as the heart. Anyone looking to spend three-bedroom house money on a supercar has great choices wherever they look. However, if you want to stand out from your rich neighbors, the MC20 Cielo will show them you have better, less predictable taste. 

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