Maserati GT2 Stradale debuts at The Quail as more extreme MC20 for the road

Maserati just took the wraps off a serious new supercar called the GT2 Stradale at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. In short, it’s an MC20 that’s been thoroughly gone through to increase performance and look rad as hell doing it.

The first thing you’ll notice different from the MC20 is its extreme aero and far more aggressive design. Maserati says the road car team and GT2 racing program team worked alongside each other in developing this supercar, and it shows. A new “shark nose” front bumper with a large chin, bigger intakes for cooling and a front hood designed to expel hot air give you an idea of its extreme intentions quickly. The front fenders are new with vents in the arches to expel hot air and cool the brakes. Its rear intakes are redesigned to increase the flow of cold air to the intake and radiators by 16%. Of course, the giant rear wing is present (inspired by the GT2) and can be adjusted depending on your use case. Large sections of the bumper are left open to allow a view of the wide rear rubber, and a big diffuser helps the aero package, too. In total, Maserati says this new GT2 Stradale produces 1,102 pounds of downforce at 174 mph compared to the MC20’s 320 pounds at the same speed.

The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 behind the passenger compartment is slightly revised from the MC20, now making 640 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Its 0-62 mph time dips to just 2.8 seconds, and top speed sits at a mighty 201 mph. Maserati says it modified both the turbochargers, exhaust manifolds and exhaust to extract the extra 10 horsepower for the GT2 Stradale. Its eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox shifts quicker than the MC20, and the E-LSD is revised to more effectively lay the power down.

The same basic carbon fiber monocoque is used for the chassis, but Maserati uses the GT2-spec suspension that is claimed to enhance handling beyond the MC20. It has a new steering system designed for track duty, and the brakes – developed with Brembo – are a step above even the carbon ceramic brakes available on the MC20 to keep them happy under extreme track driving conditions. All of the drive modes, stability control, traction control and ABS systems are revised for the GT2 Stradale, and there’s even an drive mode called “Corsa EVO” that allows for greater control over said safety systems on the track.

That extra drive mode only comes into the picture if you opt for one of the two optional Performance Packs. The first one adds Michelin “semi-slick” tires, the E-LSD, the aforementioned carbon ceramic brakes and the unique Corsa EVO drive mode. The second pack adds four-point racing belts with the corresponding bracket and a fire extinguisher for the true track nuts.

The GT2 Stradale’s interior tries to match the exterior by being its own version of extreme. A new center console design reduces the buttons and switches to just the bare minimum and adds yellow accents for easy finding of said items. New carbon fiber bucket seats can be specified in “small” or “large” and should hold you in snug for those track excursions, but Maserati notes the MC20’s regular seats can also be optioned for comfort. The steering wheel is redesigned with a thicker rim and adds shift lights going across the top. And thankfully, the MC20’s quite useful UConnect infotainment system, digital cluster and premium Sonus Faber sound system remain, alongside a number of driver assistance systems that should make longer journeys nicer.

There’s no price, but it’s sure to be more than the MC20’s starting price of $242,995. There are four standard colors, but the one you see in these launch photos in Monterey is finished in Digital Aurora Matte, just one of many available through Maserati’s Fuoriserie customization program.