Car Reviews > Maserati > GranTurismo MC Stradale > Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale Car Review
The ultimate race-inspired version of the Coupe has arrived – but what is it like to actually get behind the wheel?
The GranTurismo MC Stradale is many things – the fastest Maserati you can buy, the lightest Maserati you can buy, and by far the most powerful Maserati you can buy, and as a result, it is perhaps among the most desirable super cars that have ever been made. The 4.7-litre V8 Coupe is the company’s attempt to transfer their knowledge of racing to the ordinary road, carrying with it a bhp rating of no less than 162.
The GranTurismo MC Stradale is the nearest rival to the Porsche 911 GT3, when tested in roads in Europe it had ballistic pace, a surprisingly comfortable ride, and razor sharp reactions, and was hard not to love, so how does the flagship cut it when driven on roads in the United Kingdom?
On a purely aesthetic level, the vehicle is almost jaw dropping in terms of its attractiveness. The GranTurismo already has a gorgeous shape, but the MC Stradale has added to it with twin bonnet vents, as well as a brand new front bumper plus spoiler with deeper side skirts. The car also has a diffuser-style rear bumper complete with fresh twin exhausts, which are now much closer together, as well as a boot spoiler.
If all that was not attractive enough already, there is also the option of being able to specify matt paint (albeit for another £15,000) plus bright red Trident decals, which cost another £512.
The interior of the vehicle offers a luxurious dashboard that comes with beautiful dials and a truly exquisite clock situated on the console. Aside from that however, the feel of the cabin overall is closer to that of a racing car. The rear seats have been dispensed with – an optional roll cage being their replacement – while in the front sit carbon fibre seats that have been trimmed in Alcantara. The firm has also taken out both the GPS and the air conditioning, cut down on the soundproofing, and installed some ceramic brakes and lightweight alloys. Because of this, the MC Stradale weighs as much as 110kg less than the standard GranTurismo.
Knowledge from both the Maserati GT4 and racecars from Trofeo has been taken in order to allow the suspension to be able to achieve a much faster response from the steering. The ride height has also been dropped by as much as ten millimetres, the springs have been stiffened, and new additions have been introduced such as sticky Pirelli P Zero tyres and much thicker anti-roll bars.
The real star of the show however remains undeniably the V8, which provides a bhp rating of 442 bhp, which is actually as much as eight bhp more than the engine of the GranTurismo S, thanks to an ECU remap. The Audi R8 V10 GT is more potent, with a bhp rating of 552, but the MC Stradale remains an incredibly fast vehicle, capable of going from 0-62 miles per hour in as little as 4.6 seconds (which is faster than the S by about three tenths) and top speed of as much as 187 miles per hour.
Undeniably expensive, but fans of the range are sure to find this hard to resist.
by Autoweb
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