The Maserati MC12 is a limited production two-seater Super Car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 25 cars produced. A further 25 were produced in 2005 making a total of 50 cars available for customers, each of which was pre-sold for €600,000.
Maserati designed and built the car on the chassis of the Enzo Ferrari but the final car is much larger and has a lower drag coefficient. The MC12 is longer, wider and taller and has a sharper nose and smoother curves than the Enzo Ferrari, which has faster acceleration, better braking performance (shorter braking distance) and a higher top speed. The top speed of the Maserati MC12 is 330 km/h (205 mph) whereas the top speed of the Enzo Ferrari is 350 km/h (217.5 mph).
The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati's return to racing after 37 years. The road version was produced to homologate the race version. One requirement for participation in the FIA GT is the production of at least 25 road cars. Three GT1 race cars were entered into the FIA GT with great success. Maserati began racing the MC12 in the FIA GT toward the end of the 2004 season, winning the race held at the Zhuhai International Circuit. The racing MC12's were entered into the American Le Mans Series races in 2005 but exceeded the size restrictions and consequently paid weight penalties due to excess range.
The MC12 is a two-door coupe with a Targa top roof, although the detached roof cannot be stored in the car. The mid-rear layout (engine between the axles but behind the cabin) keeps the center of gravity in the middle of the car, which increases stability and improves the car's cornering ability. The standing weight distribution is 41% front and 59% rear; at speed however, the down force provided by the rear spoiler affects this such that at 200 km/h (125 mph), the effective weight distribution is 34% front and 66% rear.
INTERIOR
Even though the car is designed as a homologation vehicle and is a modification of a racing car, the interior is intended to be luxurious. The interior is a mix of gel-coated carbon fiber, blue leather and silver "Brightex", a synthetic material which was found to be, "too expensive for the fashion industry." The center console features the characteristic Maserati oval analogue clock and a blue ignition button, but it has been criticized for lacking a radio, car stereo or a place to install an aftermarket sound system.
EXTERIOR
The body of the car, made entirely of carbon fiber, underwent extensive wind tunnel testing to achieve maximum down force across all surfaces. As a result, the rear spoiler is two meters (79 in) wide but only 30 mm (1.2 in) thick, the underside of the car is smooth, and the rear bumper has diffusers to take advantage of ground effect. Air is sucked into the engine compartment through the air scoop; its positioning on top of the cabin makes the car taller than the Enzo. The exterior is available only in the white and blue color scheme, a tribute to the America Camoradi racing team that drove the Maserati Tipo Birdcages in the early 1960's. The car is noted for the awkwardness that results from its size; very long and wider than a Hummer H2. This, combined with the lack of a rear window, can make parking the MC12 challenging.
ENGINE
The MC12 sports a 232 kilogram (511 lb), six-litre (5,998 cc/366 cu in) Enzo Ferrari-derived V12 engine, mounted at 65°. Each cylinder has four valves, lubricated via a dry sump system, and a compression ratio of 11.2:1. These combine to provide a maximum torque of 652 newton meters (481 lbf ft) at 5500 rpm and a maximum power of 630 PS (460 kW; 620 hp) at 7,500 rpm. The redline rpm is indicated at 7500—despite being safe up to 7700, whereas the Enzo has its redline at 8,200 rpm.
The Maserati MC12 can accelerate from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds (though Motor Trend Magazine managed 3.7 seconds) and on to 200 km/h (125 mph) in 9.9 seconds. It can complete a standing (from stationary) quarter mile in 11.3 seconds with a terminal speed of 200 km/h (125 mph) or a standing Km in 20.1 seconds. The maximum speed of the Maserati MC12 is 330 km/h (205 mph). The power is fed to the wheels through a rear-mounted, six-speed semi-automatic transmission. The gearbox is the same as the Enzo's transmission (tuned to different gear ratios) but renamed "Maserati Cambiocorsa". It provides a shift time of just 150 milliseconds, and is mechanical with a 215 mm (8.5 in) twin plate dry clutch.
The MC12's chassis is a monocoque made of carbon and nomex, with an aluminium sub-chassis at the front and rear. It has a roll bar to provide additional strength, comfort and safety. Double wishbone suspension with push-rod-operated coil springs provide stability and dampers smooth the ride for the passengers. The front of the car can be raised for speed bumps and hills by pressing a button that extends the front suspension. There are two modes for the chassis' tuning which can also be changed with a button in the cabin: "sport", the standard setting, and "race", which features less of the "Bosch ASR" (anti-slip regulation) traction control, faster shifts and stiffer suspension.
WHEELS
The MC12 has 480 mm (19 in) wheels with a width of 230 mm (9 in) at the front and 330 mm (13 in) at the rear. The tires are "Pirelli P Zero Corsas" with codes of 245/35 ZR 19 for the front tires and 345/35 ZR 19 for the rear. The brakes are Brembo disc brakes with a Bosch anti-lock braking system (ABS). The front brakes have a diameter of 380 mm (15 in) with six-piston calipers and the rear brakes have a diameter of 335 mm (13.2 in) with four-piston calipers. The center-lock wheel nuts that hold the wheels to the chassis are color-coded; red on the left of the car, blue on the right.
MEDIA REACTIONS
The car has generally received mixed reviews, with critics saying it is hard to drive, overpriced and too large. Other criticisms include the lack of a trunk, rear window, spare tire and radio, and the way the car's engine was limited or "drugged". Current driver for Vitaphone Racing Team, Andrea Bertolini, the chief test driver throughout the development, said the car, "reacts well and is very reliable in its reactions."
The Top Gear television series acquired an MC12, and test driver The Stig achieved a lap time of 1:18.9 around the Top Gear track—0.1 seconds faster than his lap in the Enzo Ferrari. Host Jeremy Clarkson also drove it, comparing it to the Maserati Biturbo, a car he disliked. Clarkson criticized the car greatly, pointing out that, like the Enzo, it lacks a rear window. He also commented that it is "difficult" due to its size, and, "one of the twitchiest cars", he has ever driven, meaning a small action by the driver results in an exaggerated reaction from the car. For these reasons, he promptly renamed the car "The MC Hammer" Regarding the design of a racing car and modification to road standards he said, "is it a racer? Is it a GT car? Is it a de-tuned Enzo in a fat suit? You can't really tell." Despite his criticisms he did compliment the smooth ride:
This car glides over bumps, the suspension absorbing the road worker Johnnies' laziness without transferring a single ripple to the cool blue interior with its Milanese fashion house upholstery.
Motor Trend Magazine reviewer Frank Markus had a more positive opinion. Despite initial skepticism he said, "It turns out that the Enzo makes a more comfortable and attractive road car when made over as a butch Maserati racer in street couture". Markus complimented the stability of braking and the handling ability of the MC12, especially the drifting allowed by the traction control when cornering, commenting that "There's none of the knife-edged limit handling we criticized in the more extreme Enzo. It's even more forgiving at the limit than an Acura NSX."
Preston Lerner of Automobile Magazine called it "user-friendly", praising the responsiveness and simplicity of driving. Lerner approved of Frank Stephenson's work with the styling of both the car's exterior and interior, calling the trim "Speed-Racer-ish" but "without looking as though it belongs in a Nitrous-ized Civic". He also complimented the ASR's level of intervention, commenting that it "lets the fun factor get reasonably high before kicking in". In 2008 Evo Magazine ran the MC12 at Nordschleife and obtained a 7:24.29 second lap time. This was also the second time an MC12 recorded a faster lap time than its Ferrari counterpart, with the Enzo lapping the track 1 second slower. (Text Adapted From: Wikipedia)