Maserati's Striking MC20 Cielo Makes American Debut At The Quail

Aug. 22, 2022 6:15 AM ET byJarryd Neves Sports Cars /5 Comments

Modena's drop-top beauty is rather arresting in the metal.

The stunningMaserati MC20 Cielomade its official North American debut at The Quail, an automotive gathering that forms part of Monterey Car Week.CarBuzzgot up close and personal with the elegant Italian, seen here in afetching shade of Acquamarinafrom the brand's PrimaSerie limited edition range.

Like the MC20 hardtop on which it's based, the roofless variant is a dramatically styled motorcar that provides a sublime mix of sportiness and luxury. A rather unique feature of theCielo comes from its glass roof. Thanks to Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) technology, the driver can elect to transform the glass from opaque to clear. Of course, should the weather be ideal, the roof can be retracted entirely.

CarBuzz/Mitchell Weitzman

Maserati

Despite sharing a stage with the equally gorgeous MC20 and the newly-introduced Grecale SUV, the Cielo stole the show. Crowds gathered around the Audi R8 rival to take in the gorgeous looks and sample the sumptuous interior. We don't blame them; look at the finer points, and you'll come to appreciate the attention to detail.

Those 20-inch MMXX Design wheels are stunning, especially in the Glossy Black diamond cut finish worn here. Behind the spokes, the subtle Gloss Blue brake calipers compliment the paintwork. Interestingly, this light blue shade isn't offered as standard - customers will need to go throughthe automaker's Fuoriserie programto specify the distinctive hue.

Maserati

CarBuzz/Mitchell Weitzman

The Ghiaccio color scheme seen inside may not be to everyone's taste, but it pairs beautifully with the exterior color. If you want something racier to suit the car's personality, Maserati will gladly upholster the cabin in up to eight other interior colors. With the butterfly doors open, you'll note this display Cielo has carbon fiber door sills.

This forms part of the Interior Carbon Fiber Package, which also includes shift paddles and a cluster cap finished in the lightweight material. There's plenty of pressure on the Cielo's shoulders. Together with the hardtop sibling and the Grecale, Maserati is hoping to stir up plenty of business and be taken seriously by the American luxury car segment.

Maserati

Plenty of changes are in the cards for the Italian brand. Aside fromthe advent of electric models汽车制造商将很快discontinue the underwhelming Ghibliand reposition the Quattroporte as its 5 Series rival. Elsewhere, Maserati is hoping to regain customers' trust by offering an impressive ten-year warranty on its vehicles.

As a reminder, the MC20 Cielo gains motivation from the same Nettuno V6 that powers the hardtop model. With the assistance of twin turbocharging, the 3.0-liter V6 engine produces a sizeable 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. This is a Maserati special from the ground up; this engine has no relation to Ferrari engines. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed DCT gearbox.