What is Maserati up to?

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by Marcel ten Caat

We all remember the last factory-supported GT3 effort ;-)

https://www.racecar-engineering.com/...new-gt3-racer/

If I remember correctly, the Gran Turismo GT3 was developed by the private Swiss Team, with some support from the Maserati factory.

It achieved some success in GT3 competition, including a race win at the GT Sprint in Vallelunga in 2012 against an array of Ferrari 458s, Porsche GT3 RSR, Corvette Z06s, and a podium (3P) in the same series in 2013 in Monza against similar opposition.

Quite clearly, the effort was seriously underfunded, and did unfortunately not last long, but despite of that it achieved credible success.

[canaglia]

infact maserati gt gt3 was mainly a private effort of swiss team with really poor support from maserati. Basically almost same story of emil frey "jaguar"

[Marcel ten Caat]

Originally Posted by canaglia

infact maserati gt gt3 was mainly a private effort of swiss team with really poor support from maserati. Basically almost same story of emil frey "jaguar"

I know, hence I posted factory-supported rather than factory-backed. The Jaguar XK was completely without factory support.

[helgi]

Just another mono cup - "effective" managers are afraid of competition.

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by helgi

Just another mono cup - "effective" managers are afraid of competition.

It would be surprising if that is the case. The company has been signalling a return to high level racing; not a mono-marque series.

[merak1974]

Any further news on racing the MC20?

[tux]

Originally Posted by merak1974

Any further news on racing the MC20?

Last update i could find was this from Dailysportscar late last year. http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...n-of-mc20.html

Shame as it would have been nice to see a new GT3 manufacturer. Not sure where they will come from in the future.

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by tux

Last update i could find was this from Dailysportscar late last year. http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/1...n-of-mc20.html

Shame as it would have been nice to see a new GT3 manufacturer. Not sure where they will come from in the future.

Thanks. Yes, the article mentions that "an initial plan to produce a GT3 homologated version of the twin-turbo V6 engined car has been shelved for the time being". I hope Maserati is just temporarily suspending it. Shelving a serious racing effort altogether will not look good. All main competitors to the MC20 are out there racing...

[Mike E]

There are a few references to motorsport in this article but nothing specific.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review...ampaign=Review

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by Mike E

There are a few references to motorsport in this article but nothing specific.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review...ampaign=Review

Thanks. That car seems to be way too good to pass on the opportunity to develop an all-time great in GT racing.

[merak1974]

I attended an online event yesterday organized by Maserati, where the MC20 engine engineers talked about the development of the Nettuno engine and some of its key features. In the Q&A that followed someone asked about a racing version of the engine, which was promptly answered in the affirmative, although the focus for now was on production engines. The Modena plant is seemingly very busy currently with the production of the MC20, with the first cars now being delivered to their buyers.

[merak1974]

First MC20 I have seen in real. Sounded good too
Looks perfect as the basis for a racer

[hondafan37]

Maserati formalizes its arrival in GT2 with the MC20 GT2.

https://www.endurance-info.com/auto/...ec-la-mc20-gt2

[Sodemo]

Hmm, puzzling choice?

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Hmm, puzzling choice?

Well, I think Maserati as a brand is probably more worried about appealing to gentleman drivers, than appealing to the wider public.

So given GT2 is the category that puts the emphasis on gentleman drivers, it kinda makes sense. And the natural transfer between GT2 and track focused cars, like what Porsche have done, is probably appealing.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Hmm, puzzling choice?

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Well, I think Maserati as a brand is probably more worried about appealing to gentleman drivers, than appealing to the wider public.

So given GT2 is the category that puts the emphasis on gentleman drivers, it kinda makes sense. And the natural transfer between GT2 and track focused cars, like what Porsche have done, is probably appealing.

It does make you wonder if they are really interested in selling a lot of these. GT2 hasn't exactly blown up as a market, and GT3 would have allowed for more potential sales. But hey, I'm not complaining seeing another new car on the grid.

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by joeb

It does make you wonder if they are really interested in selling a lot of these. GT2 hasn't exactly blown up as a market, and GT3 would have allowed for more potential sales. But hey, I'm not complaining seeing another new car on the grid.

Maserati probably wants to tip its toes in a less crowded field, and the European GT2 Series is sufficiently prestigious and competitive to have value.

Hopefully, a GT3 version will evolve from the venture.

[tux]

Probably see it as a cheaper way to get on track while selling a "limited edition investment" to wealthy customers.

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by merak1974

Maserati probably wants to tip its toes in a less crowded field, and the European GT2 Series is sufficiently prestigious and competitive to have value.

Hopefully, a GT3 version will evolve from the venture.

...and this comes in addition to the just announced racetrack only project 24, which is also based on the Maserati MC20: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/masera...-only-hypercar

[tux]

Lovely, hope to see it come to Le Mans one day.

[merak1974]

A bit more information about the GT2 project:
https://sportscar365.com/industry/ma...t-for-gt2-car/

[merak1974]

Finally some track time: https://www.motor1.com/news/656031/m...process-debut/ and https://www.topgear.com/car-news/mot...mc20-based-gt2

Should be on time for the official test day in Dijon on March 14: https://www.gt2europeanseries.com/ev...icial-test-day

[tux]

Looks fantastic, turn it into a GT3 please...

[FIRE]

Great looking car but being a GT2 it's a bit useless.

Originally Posted by tux

Looks fantastic, turn it into a GT3 please...

Hear, hear

[GT3_Fan]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Great looking car but being a GT2 it's a bit useless.


Hear, hear

I might start buying into GT2 more this year. We'll see. Porsche I think needs a new GT2 car bad though. Current GT2 looks like a Cup car from the 2000s.