The Maserati MC20’s 2020 debut shifted Maserati’s trajectory as a luxury automaker. For the first time since the one-of-62 MC12 went out of production, the Trident again had a proper mid-engined supercar to offer enthusiasts. However, the Italian carmaker unveiled the MC20’s third evolution during Monterey Car Week. What began as a coupe, then grew into an open-top two-seater, now has its sights set on the world’s race tracks.
Known simply as the Maserati GT2 Stradale, where “stradale” its name translates to “STREET LEGAL,” giving us a glimpse of its driving philosophy. While it incorporates significant aerodynamic improvements, allowing it to generate up to 1,102 pounds of downforce at 174 mph, the GT2 STRADALE is intended to be track-capable and road-usable. Power from its twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6 swells to 631 hp, while focused weight reductions allow it to hit 62 mph in under 2.8 seconds. Flat out, it’ll break the 200-mph barrier.
Building a vehicle as ambitious as the Maserati GT2 Stradale is no easy feat, especially for such a design-focused brand as Maserati. Function over form simply won’t do. The Trident asks that form and function move in unison. To understand how this relationship between design and engineering creates a car like the GT2 Stradale, we sat down with Klaus Busse, Maserati’s Head of Design, to chat about his special car’s development and driving spirit.
Some responses have been edited for clarity.
dR: Let’s start with the MC20. How did it first evolve into the GT2 race car and now the GT2 Stradale?
KB: We knew it was a very capable car, so going racing was logical. What was beautiful to see was what a fantastic job our engineers and the race team did with that car. We just completed our first full season, and we won the championship. That is not something that happens every day…So we said, “Okay, we’ve got to give as much of that as possible to our customers.”
You cannot put a race car directly on the road, but we can create a package that brings the spirit and technology of this super successful GT2 car to the road. Sometimes, you deliberate about new projects, looking at all kinds of angles asking, “Is this the right product?” In this case, it was a no-brainer.
dR: Once you’ve decided to proceed, how does that relationship between the design and engineering teams work to create such a purposeful car?
KB: By performance. Our brand stands on two two legs. One leg is performance, and one leg is design and style. And just as some of us are right-handers and some of us are left-handers, the dominant leg is performance because, at the end of the day, a beautiful car that doesn’t perform is more art than a Maserati.
I very much respect our engineering team, and thankfully, they also appreciate what we do, but it’s very clear. When we come to a point where there’s no solution to fix it on their side, we always go with their proposal when it comes to performance. It’s not a spoken rule, but the good thing is, in return, they’re so collaborative with us that they give us incredibly innovative ideas on how to translate our design.
dR: When it came time to turn the race car into a road car, how did the various teams decide which elements to borrow from the GT2 racer?
KB: If we start with the three objectives that you have with any race car, they are to create downforce, reduce weight, and increase stopping power. How do we create downforce? We worked on the front splitter; it’s much more aggressive, and we added a wing on the back of the car.
The MC20 itself, the car is a wing. We were able to avoid an additional wing. Instead, the car was perfected for its role. We are a brand that avoids using cliche elements as much as possible, like air intakes, wings, and exhaust pipes that no one needs. For the GT2 Stradale, we thought, “Well, that wing really better deliver.” It’s not for aesthetics. Everything is designed to deliver on one of these three areas.
One of the design team’s greatest contributions was the interior. We removed a couple of kilos from the central console by putting in a carbon fiber plate with all the controls. It’s not only lighter, but it looks super cool. Then there are the seats. Those carbon fiber shells contributed quite a bit to this car’s weight savings and performance when sitting in them.
dR: Were there any design elements that didn’t make it onto the final production car?
KB: For example, when we design the wheels, even if you want to save on weight, you usually sneak in a few grams here and there for a particular style or our signature Trident shape. However, in this case, we decided there was no room for that. We needed to take every gram possible. It was all about getting the weight reduced.
dR: Now that you’ve unveiled it on the world stage, what has the reception been, and was it what you expected?
KB: The feedback we’ve been getting about the car has been 100 percent positive, which is super rare, especially with social media, where everyone has an opinion. And it’s because of this beautiful mix of having this sculptural canvas of a car. You carefully add elements that aren’t there to serve a cliche instinct, but are there to serve a performance aspect.
The Maserati GT2 race car, of which the GT2 Stradale is derived, is Maserati’s pride on the track and is an evolution of the most competitive performance of the Maserati Nettuno engine.
The GT2 participated in the Fanatec GT2 European Series by Pirelli in 2024, winning the drivers’ title in the Am class with Philippe Prette. This season saw the brand achieve 16 pole positions, 12 victories, and loads of adrenaline, impressing enthusiasts, fans, and insiders.
Although we expect to learn finer details about the Maserati GT2 Stradale and its performance over the coming months, the Trident already offers a configurator on its site, with the opportunity to inquire with local dealers. Pricing or availability for the US has yet to be announced.
