Yahoo Autos Maserati GT2 Stradale Brings Track Performance to the Road
Maserati announced the GT2 Stradale, a road-legal version of the GT2 race car based on the MC20 supercar.
It shares the same Nettuno twin-turbocharged V-6 as the MC20, though the power output is dialed up to 631 horsepower in the GT2 Stradale.
Extra power and a lower curb weight help the GT2 Stradale hit 62 mph in a claimed 2.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of just over 200 mph.
We got our hopes up for a road-legal version before we even slipped into the driver's seat of the Maserati GT2 race car. That desire only got stronger after we started setting lap times. Now, Maserati has answered our prayers in the shape of the new GT2 Stradale.
A Race Car for the Road
The GT2 Stradale straddles the line between the absurdly quick GT2 race car and the standard MC20 supercar. The race car and the new GT2 Stradale start their lives on the same production line as the standard supercar before the engineers steal them away for increased performance.
And increased performance there will be. The GT2 Stradale's speed promises to be tremendous thanks to Maserati churning out 10 additional horsepower from the Nettuno twin-turbocharged V-6. According to Maserati, the Stradale scratches and claws from zero to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds. That speed is impressive with any configuration, but doubly so considering the Stradale's rear-wheel-drive setup. In Car and Driver testing, the standard MC20 needed 3.2 seconds to hit 60 mph, so nearly a half-second longer.
There's more than just power at play, though. Maserati's engineers took 132 pounds of weight out of the Stradale compared with the standard MC20. Plenty of aero work has also been done, including a massive rear carbon-fiber spoiler that offers three positions. A redesigned diffuser juts out below the wing, aiding in downforce and sucking air through the underbody channels. In its most aggressive setup, the Stradale is said to generate more than 1100 pounds of downforce at 173 mph. The redesigned carbon bumper and front splitter now produce nearly as much downforce on the front of the car (287 pounds) as the standard MC20 does total (320 pounds).
The Stradale uses the same carbon-fiber monocoque as the race car and supercar. According to Maserati, no changes were made for aesthetics alone, but that doesn't mean looks played no factor. The front end, which engineers dubbed the "shark nose," is wider to allow more airflow. The vents on the hood and front fenders each feature three strakes, which Maserati says is a nod to the brand's iconic trident logo. The vents on the rear fenders take on a new shape that reportedly increases engine cooling by 16 percent.
Like the rest of the car, the interior of the GT2 Stradale is meant to fall somewhere between the MC20 and the GT2. The cabin surfaces are dark to minimize glare and keep the focus on driving. There's a volume knob, a drive-mode knob, a button for reverse, and a button for drive. That's it. Everything else is deemed anathema and locked behind the screen.
There are two available performance packages that make things even spicier and unlock a special drive mode. The Corsa Evo mode is derived from the race car and comes with four levels that allow you to progressively get rowdier. The regular Performance Package adds semi-slick Michelin tires, an electronic limited-slip differential with unique calibrations, carbon-ceramic brakes, and specific ESC, MSP, and ABS calibrations. The Performance Pack Plus gets everything listed above as well as four-point harnesses and a fire extinguisher.
Maserati hasn't yet revealed the price for the new car, but it's sure to land somewhere between the MC20's $242,995 starting price and the $522,000 required for a track-day version of the GT2.
You Might Also Like
