Maserati Takes the Traditional Sunday Drive to New Limits
There are a lot of ways you can spend your Sundays. Some relax by the kitchen table filling in crosswords sipping a cup of organic decaf before heading out to the garden, while others pack up the kids and head out to lay siege on rows and rows of suburbia box stores to cash in on all the “savings”. Hey, some even go to church! Others, however, find solace in the church of sport. Whether taking part or watching on the tube, ball and stick games are always on the schedule and motorsport is more popular than ever. But be honest, when it comes to the latter, wouldn’t you rather drive the car than just watch them go round and round? Maserati has the answer: race car of your own!
The storied Italian marque, best known in motorsport circles for its glorious Typo 151s and Birdcages, some piloted by the man many consider the greatest driver of all time, Juan Manuel Fangio, is preparing an even more enticing version of its sensational MC12, in the spirit of ex-parent Ferrari’s FXX variant of the Enzo, introduced last year.
This ultra-exotic track-only car features a 755-horsepower version of the MC12’s Ferrari-derived V12, integrated into a 1,150 kilogram (2,535 lb) carbon-composite chassis.
Dubbed the MC12 Corsa, the car will be built-to-order for what Maserati calls (and say it with an Italian accent to get the full flavour) “a very selected number of Maserati clients who will enjoy the possibility to test their driving capability in the most exclusive gentlemen drivers’ environment.”
What does that mean? Simple. You don’t have to be a professional race driver to drive one on the track, but rather have the desire to develop their talents in a very upscale environment.
But don’t mistake this message to mean that the MC12 Corsa is anything but a pureblooded racer. It was developed off of the back of the MC12 GT1 series car that won the 2005 FIA GT Manufacturers’ Cup. Not available for any series of its own, the MC12 Corsa will be run only in private sessions on the track, in what Maserati calls “exhibition activities”, organized by the sport-luxury marque.
And the price of entry? A mere ($1,254,530 USD; $1,409,123 CAD) plus applicable taxes would have bought you a seat if the cars weren’t sold out before the news even got out. The cars will be available to their new owners this fall.
All cars will be coated in official Maserati livery, not the traditional white with blue stripes of Fangio’s day, but rather the reverse, with Maserati “Blue Victory” being the dominant hue. Cars can be personalized too, with options including unique paintwork.
If exclusivity is important to you and you happen to be one of the new owners, you can take solace in the knowledge that only 12 MC Corsas will be produced, worldwide, although unlike a new GranSport or Quattroporte, cars that might only get spotted once or twice a month in a large North American city, the only time you’ll get to enjoy your MC12 Corsa is while being surrounded amongst its siblings. Nevertheless, it’ll be one rarified car club.
Technical details:
Chassis: carbon-fibre monocoque
Gearbox: Cambiocorsa (sequential-manual)
Brakes: Brembo steel and carbon (no ABS)
Front Rim: 18-inch race version
Rear Rim: 18-inch race version
Front/Rear Tires: 14×18
Interior: 2 seats (full-harness race version)
Roll-bar: yes
Engine Configuration: V12
Capacity: 6.0L
Power output: 755 at 8,000 rpm
Dry Weight: 1,150 kg
Weight/Power Ratio (kg/hp): 1.52
Units: 12+3
Price: $1,000,000 euro + tax
Road Homologation: no