This is the Maserati MC20 Cielo, the convertible version of the Italian marque's current flagship coupe. It is the second of three planned variants based on the MC20. The hardtop in itself was a big deal for Maserati, as it was the first mid-engined supercar for the brand in nearly 15 years. The Cielo, which translates to 'Sky' in Italian, aims to further build on the MC20's already outstanding performance credentials.

Now, it might seem that the Cielo is just a convertible MC20 supercar, but it is significant in that it is a spiritual successor to the Maserati MC12, which had a manual removable Targa top roof. With the Cielo, '12 seconds', is all it takes to get the wind in your hair and listen to the howl of the MC20's beating heart at full chat. Also, it's the first Maserati convertible since the old GranCabrio. was discontinued in 2019.

2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo Performance and Capability

The Cielo strives to offer the same thrilling experience to its occupants as the coupe. But when you chop the roof off on any car, it dramatically alters the driving characteristics of a vehicle. But thankfully, in the case of the MC20, Maserati had designed the carbon-fiber monocoque to facilitate an open-top design from the outset as well as an all-electric powertrain, a.k.a, the MC20 Folgore.

which means you can expect the convertible to be just as capable as the hardtop and should live up to the MC name, which stands for Maserati Corse (Racing)>

Hence, the level of structural reinforcements carried out on the Cielo was fairly minimal. You get multi-link suspension at both ends. The optional electronic limited-slip differential and carbon-ceramic brakes should ensure that the Cielo takes corners with more composure. As for brakes, six-piston front, and four-piston rear brakes courtesy of Brembo get the job done.

Coming to the engine, the Cielo borrows the same mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 from the coupe. It produces 630 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The brilliant Nettuno engine that even has some F1-tech like the pre-combustion system, which sends power to the rear wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 0-60 mph comes up in under 2.9 seconds and the top speed is in excess of 202 mph.

Driving Modes

You can toggle between the various drive modes using the rotary controller

- GT

- Wet

- Sport

- Corsa

- ESC Off

Specifications

Exterior Design

For over a century, the folks from Modena in northern Italy, a hotbed for Italian style and fashion, have birthed some stunning roadsters, and the Cielo certainly has a lot to live up to. Designed by Centro Stile Maserati in Turin Italy, the roadster follows the same approach as the coupe, where the upper part of the body is all about a timeless design, while the lower part puts emphasis on performance.

If you weren't that thrilled with the MC20 coupe's looks, getting rid of the roof, sure does add to the visual drama. What further adds to this are the butterfly doors, the ultimate trait of an Italian supercar. trait of an Italian supercar. Apart from this, you have the same grille that houses the latest version of the revered trident badge, which you'll also find on the roll-over hoops. Now if you're the kind of person who likes looking at the engine through a transparent cover, you can't do that on the Cielo.

This is because Maserati had to make room for the folding glass roof and the hatch that covers it. But in case you want to make a statement, as an optional extra, Maserati will paint a giant Trident on the Tonneau cover, to leave no one in doubt about what exactly they're looking at.

You can further personalize your MC20 Cielo from a range of colors. There are enough permutations and combinations on offer to truly make it your own. you can choose from seven different exterior colors, and six different designs of 20-inch rims, with an optional carbon fiber wheel that saves 60 pounds.

Contrast these wheels with some equally racy-colored brake calipers. They come wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza Sport Tires - F: 245/35ZR-20 (95Y) MGT, R: 305/30ZR-20 (103Y) MGT).

Do note that the Aquamarina shade, which is a new three-layer metallic color is only available on 60 examples of the launch edition 'PrimaSerie' Cielo. This spec also adds' matte black wheels and 'PrimaSerie' script. It is available as part of the Maserati Fuoriserie customization program.

Exterior Colors

- Giorgio Incognito

- Bianco Audace

- Rosso Vincente

- Giallo Genio

- Blu Infinito

- Giorgio Mistero

- Aquamarina (PrimaSerie Only)

If you want to spruce things up further, you can also go for the Full Exterior Carbon Package which adds

- Front splitter in carbon fiber

- Rear diffuser in carbon fiber

- Under door and fender sill inserts in carbon fiber

- Carbon fiber hood

- Dark exhaust tips

Now overall, the design of the MC20 is nowhere as extreme as the MC-12. Having said that, there are enough design elements to keep things interesting on the Cielo. The MC12 was after all a homologation special, but with the MC20, Maserati decided to tame things down a bit.

The production numbers for the MC20 are much higher, which is why they had to play it safe in order to have a wider appeal. Also, the MC12 cannot be daily driven, while the MC20 can. It can also be a GT. The result is a form factor that is a blend of elegance and dynamism.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior Quality and Technology

Step inside the high-quality cabin of the MC20 Cielo and the most obvious change as compared to the coupe is the inclusion of the glass top roof. This is an electro-chromatic glass roof (the largest in the segment), which means that it can go from opaque to transparent in an instant.

The old Maybach 57 and 62 had a similar feature nearly 15 years ago. It allows more natural light into the Cielo's cabin giving you an illusion of space, but for infinite headroom, at the flick of a button, you can retract the glass roof in just 12 seconds to go take its place under the tonneau cover.

Now, because the MC20 Cielo employs a retractable glass top in place of a more traditional soft top, you can expect this roadster to offer a far more civilized experience. As a result, cabin insulation and wind noise should be just as good as the coupe, which is definitely a luxury in any convertible.

A sporty Alcantara steering wheel comes as standard and you can choose between nine different colors for the leather buckets seats, which includes an optional insert design. Also optional are the trident logo stitched on the headrests, heated seats, and carbon fiber seat backs, and the interior Carbon fiber package that adds

- Carbon Fiber cluster cap

- Carbon fiber color mounted paddle shifters

- Carbon fiber door sills

On the technology front, you have a pair of 10.3-inch screens. One is for the digital driver display, while the other is for the center-mounted infotainment screen. You can pair it to an optional 12-speaker High Premium Sonus Faber sound system. This sound system automatically adjusts the sound dynamics based on the roof being on or off.

As for practicality, the MC20 Cielo is surprisingly good with front and rear storage compartments, with a cargo room of up to 5 cubic feet. Not something that you really expect from a mid-engined supercar.

2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo Price and Availability

While the configurator is up and running, Maserati is yet to announce pricing and availability for the MC20 Cielo, but it will most likely carry a $30,000 price premium over the coupe. For reference, the MC20 coupe retails for a base price of $210,000. According to AutoNews, the Cielo will be Stellantis' most expensive model in the U.S. Expect the Cielo to make it to a Maserati dealer near you, sometime later this year.

Safety

The Maserati MC20 convertible also brings a series of convenience and active safety systems. It features a new 360-degree camera system, autonomous emergency braking, parking sensors, rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, and traffic sign information to name a few.

Main Competition

The MC20 Cielo's primary rivals come from Italy as well. The Ferrari F8 Tributo Spider and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder come to mind. You can also include the Mclaren GT and the recently launched Mclaren Artura to this mix in the $250,000 price range, but both these cars are only currently offered as a coupe and a McLaren spider starts at a much higher price point. Here's how the cars compare based on performance.

While the Ferrari is more powerful, it does come in at a fairly steep price in the $300,000 range. The Huracan Evo Spyder will be fairly competitive in price, coming in at $233,961. So Maserati has the potential to capture a slice of this market if they price the MC20 Cielo aggressively.