To mark the 20th anniversary of the ultra-limited Ferrari Enzo-based Maserati MC12 – a car that thrust the Italian brand back into the motorsport spotlight – the company has introduced a pair of new Special Series versions of the MC20 supercar: the MC20 Icona and MC20 Leggenda.
Limited to 20 example of each, these feature special liveries and a number of exclusive options inspired by the MC12 Stradale and MC12 GT1 ‘Vitaphone’. The Icona takes its Bianco Audace Matte and Blu Stradale colour scheme of the Stradale – which was in-turn a colour scheme originally inspired by the Maserati Birdcage Type 61.
Not only was the MC12 Stradale a legendary road car – albeit one with a rather large footprint – but the GT1 racing car represented a return to top-level GT racing for the company. The MC20 Leggenda’s Nero Essenza and Digital Mint Matte livery is taken from the MC12 GT1 Vitaphone racing car, which brought home the record of three victories and two runner-up positions in the 24 Hours of Spa.
As you would expect, both versions are filled to the brim with options, including a few from the Fuoriserie personalisation programme. These include lightweight four-way monocoque racing seats – either black and blue for the Icona, or just black for Leggenda. The Trident wheels are uniquely finished in Nero Lucido with Nero Opaco and Trident Digital Mint hubcaps. Finally the Maserati badge is painted yellow on the grille, doors and C-pillar, with a set of black brake callipers to finish it off. Other standard options include a Sonus faber sound system, carbon fibre interior package and E-diff.
20 years on from the MC12, it’s interesting to see how the two cars stack up. Mechanically, these two Special Series cars remain identical to the standard MC20, boasting 621bhp from its mid-mounted 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 ‘Nettuno’ engine – an identical figure to the MC12’s Enzo-derived 6.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12. Although the new car’s top speed is 2mph lower shy of the MC12’s 205mph, the MC20 will sprint to 62mph in 2.9sec – almost a second quicker than the MC12’s 3.8sec time.
