Hotter Maserati GT2 Stradale ready to hit the streets

Maserati has premiered the new GT2 Stradale, the hotter derivative of its halo MC20 model the company first revealed at California’s Monterey Car Week in August.

It is based on the MC20 sports car for homologation into the Fanatec GT world challenge series, in the GT2 category to race against rivals including the Mercedes-AMG GT, KTM X-Bow, and Brabham BT63.

The new GT2 Stradale (street in Italian) is ready for new homes, with only 914 numbered units earmarked for production at the Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena. The one you really want is unit “1 of 914”, which tips a hat to 1914, the year Maserati was founded.

The road-legal version of the GT2 race car was launched in Italy this week at the privately owned Ascari circuit that’s named after late Italian racer Alberto Ascari, who won two Formula One world drivers’ championship titles with Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, and won the Mille Miglia in 1954 with Lancia, though his racing career began earlier in 1948 racing the Maserati 4CLT.

The new Maserati GT2 Stradale combines track-honed expertise for the road and is powered by the V6 3.0l Nettuno engine with upgraded power of 471kW. Regular MC20s and their open-top Cielo cousins use a similar engine but with a lesser 457kW. Maserati says its new and rear-wheel driven halo sports car can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds, and achieve a top speed of 324km/h.

Maserati went on a similar journey in 2004, launching the MC12 in limited numbers to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT. That car has become highly collectable, and it shared many parts with the Ferrari Enzo of similar vintage.

“From the road to the track and back again: moving from the racing GT2 to its road version was a natural step, to epitomise our brand’s performance. GT2 Stradale is 100% made in Modena. It is the upshot of the passion, dedication and pride of all the women and men at the House of the Trident,” said Santo Ficili, Maserati CEO.