Tested! Maserati’s MC20 Cielo Is a Gorgeous Supercar With an Identity Crisis

Purely based on looks, the 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo knocks it out of the park. With the sun warming your head and envious looks from passersby warming your heart, it’s hard to feel cooler driving anything else. And that’s saying something.

While certainly not the most dedicated track star, the MC20 Cielo will thrill the majority of those who get the chance to drive one hard. But prying deeper, we must wonder: What is this car trying to be?

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Alien and Iridescent

With standout lines that hark back to the Spyker C8, the MC20 Cielo is dazzling both inside and out. There’s an almost alien elegance to it, from the shape of its fascia to its streamlined flanks, and through its multi-faceted rear. With the top up or down, it’s eye-catching. Cabin materials are both varied and fascinating to behold even if the car’s two screens do detract somewhat from the overall aesthetic.

Visually, our test convertible’s most striking feature is the Acquamarina exterior paint. Sparkly and iridescent, its shimmer changes depending on the light (and made me wish for it as a nail polish).

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Facts and Figures

Courtesy of its 621-hp 3.0-liter Nettuno twin-turbo V-6, the MC20 Cielo puts down a 0–60-mph sprint of 3.5 seconds and does the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at 124.7 mph. It did our figure-eight racetrack-in-a-bottle test in 23.2 seconds at an average of 0.88 g. By comparison, the lighter and more powerful Lamborghini Huracán LP640-2 Tecnica goes from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, covers a quarter mile in 10.6 at 134.5, and completed the figure eight in 22.6 seconds at an average of 0.94 g. And so the MC20 Cielo isn’t the last word in ripping your face off. It’s just fairly good at face ripping.

Indeed, the car is fast but not explosively so. The upshifts are quick if a little harsh and turn-in is quite crisp. Calm hands are rewarded with neutral handling bordering on mild understeer; there’s no threat of spinning thanks to its mid-engine layout. Although we wondered if the car really makes 600 hp because it weirdly feels like there isn’t quite enough to drift or kick the tail out—we suspect that might have to do with a limited-slip differential that’s excellent at ensuring power meets the pavement. This was all in Corsa mode with ESC off, by the way.

The brakes take a little getting used to. There’s no denying their effectiveness, but you really need to stomp on the pedal for them to bite. They dip into the ABS by the end of a hard stop, and there’s some rocking back and forth once the car halts. We measured a 60–0-mph braking distance of 99 feet.

Overall, our testing indicated a car that’s very light on its feet and similar to a Porsche in terms of capability and approachability. This is not to say it’s a car anyone can drive with their eyes closed; there is a method to getting it right.

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To Tour

Despite our reservations about the power on the figure eight, the MC20 feels like a rocketship on the highway when other cars are your points of reference. The convertible top always begs to be put down, but it’s worth keeping up if you want to listen to the howly V-6. And if you flex your right foot, there’s tremendous low-end power that thunders forth after a snappy downshift.

Indeed, this Maserati feels more like a grand tourer than a dedicated track car. The MC20 tends to roll and flow a little more, making it more enjoyable at all speeds, not just triple-digit ones. There’s a playfulness to it that was made evident during laps around Chuckwalla Valley Raceway; it felt like it wasn’t out to prove anything; it was there to offer an exhilarating open-top experience.

However, the MC20 Cielo just didn’t light our hearts on fire owing to a lack of overall harmony in feel and response from the throttle, brakes, transmission, suspension, and steering. Some responses and behaviors are soft and linear, and others are more on-off and aggressive—it would be better off picking a lane, and the MC20 is priced in the same neighborhood as more cohesive Ferraris and McLarens. More important, though, when you’re talking cars costing this much, you’re mostly looking for a vibe, and the MC20 Cielo lacks a Ferrari’s performance and a McLaren’s whimsy.

We just need the MC20 Cielo to decide whether it’s a GT car or a track car. Because although it has the specs and stats to be a star athlete, it doesn’t fully thrill like one. Perhaps Maserati just needs more time to get back into the groove of building halo supercars.

Still, as an object of desire, the Maserati MC20 Cielo is certainly a gorgeous one.