Maserati wasn’t kidding when it announced it would return to racing. Aside from its involvement in Formula E and recent statements showcasing its long-term commitment to the sport, the Italian carmaker also announced it would make a race car out of its MC20 supercar to compete in the GT2 European Series. Following multiple rounds of teaser images, Maserati finally pulled the covers off, and it’s aptly named the GT2.
One thing that’s immediately clear about this latest racer is that Maserati is very proud that it was developed entirely in-house. From the Netuno V6 that powers it to its carbon-fiber structure and styling penned by the brand’s design house, the GT2 is still a Maserati through and through.
One of the carmaker’s goals when developing the GT2 was to add all the necessary cooling ad aero elements to be competitive while still retaining the MC20’s good looks. These changes include a new front hood which helps channel air through and over the car before it reaches a massive rear intake.
Like its road-going sibling, the GT2 houses multiple easter eggs, such as hidden tridents in its nine-spoke wheels, three vents in its hood, and three louvers out back. Its wheel track is now wider, while its rear glass panel has been replaced by the aforementioned intake. At the very back, it gains an adjustable swan neck rear wing.
The GT2 benefits from its MC20 origins thanks to its lightweight architecture combining the composite chassis with aluminum front and rear subframes. However, the GT2 gains unique springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars. The brakes have also been swapped with upgraded rotors, calipers, and pads.
Power comes from the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 as its road-going counterpart, producing 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. However, its turbochargers and exhaust manifolds have been modified to handle higher boost pressure while retaining greater efficiency when running at peak power. Power goes to its rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission.
Its interior has been stripped and modified to meet racing regulations but retains the MC20’s butterfly doors. According to Maserati, these work to the GT2’s benefit, making ingress and egress easy despite adding a roll cage.
Along with its required structural changes, the GT2 gets a racing steering wheel, updated instrument cluster, and cooling/heating vents which point only at the driver. Maserati offers a rear-view camera as an optional extra with a separate display mounted on the dashboard.
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The MC20 GT2 is expected to take to the track towards the end of this year’s Fanatec GT2 European Series before participating officially next year. Maserati has yet to announce publically how much the GT2 will cost.
