Maserati has confirmed that it will launch a track-only supercar at The Quail on 18 August, during Monterey Car Week. Thus far, all that Maserati has confirmed is that the new model will be called the MCXtrema, and the company says it will be a reminiscence of the Maserati MC20.
The car has been developed under the internal 'Project24' name. With no need for it to comply with any type of approval for road use, we're likely to see a car that not only looks very extreme but should have phenomenal performance. Only 62 examples of the Maserati MCXtrema will be built, and the company says that each one is already accounted for, so you won't be able to buy one.
Using the Maserati MC20 as a base is already a strong start. The carbon-tubbed, mid-engined supercar weighs less than 1,500kg and uses a 3.0-litre 90-degree V6 'Nettuno' engine that produces 630hp and 730Nm. Drive goes to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. That power output is likely to climb as the MCXtrema won't have to comply with any emissions or noise regulations, and being a track-only car means it will probably have a stripped-out interior that further reduces weight.
Like Ferrari's FXX programme, Maserati intends for owners of the MCXtrema to visit various race tracks around the world and participate in private test sessions where they can explore the car's full potential.
The company recently revealed the racing version of the MC20 that it calls the Maserati GT2. It will complete in the 2024 Fanatec GT European Series, marking the band's return to full-time GT racing, which it had previously done with the MC12.
Davide Grasso, Maserati CEO, commented: "Our DNA and our spirit have always lain in racing. Our story began and developed from the track to the road. The decision to return to track racing forms part of a thorough strategic framework, inaugurated this year with the debut in Formula E, to which we have now added our return to the world of GT competitions. Now more than ever we want to rekindle and nourish that competitive passion that has always characterised and motivated us to achieve major milestones"