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2024 Maserati MC20 Cielo: A power coupe with looks that thrill

The retractable-hardtop version of Maserati’s signature MC20 has impeccable driving credentials. But what really turns heads is the Cielo’s trippy colour

Designed by Maserati Centro Stile in Turin, the MC20 and its Cielo variant encode what the company calls 'visual longevity'
Designed by Maserati Centro Stile in Turin, the MC20 and its Cielo variant encode what the company calls 'visual longevity' Photo: Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

I went to a garden party in Los Angeles last month, to celebrate with my rich friends — many of whom have switched to electric cars or e-bikes. That didn’t keep them from drooling over the Maserati MC20 Cielo parked out front. Guests filtered out of the house and gathered around the gorgeous two-seater, wary but excited, like Kubrick’s hominids taking selfies with the obelisk.

I observed the scene with professional interest. The Cielo — the retractable-hardtop version of the company’s signature coupe, powered by the Maserati-designed Nettuno V6 engine — has impeccable credentials. Hand-built in Modena, Italy, the car’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter puts out an outrageous 630hp (210 hp/litre) and soars to a thrilling, trilling 8,000-rpm redline.

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