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• The Maserati MC20 will be powered by a new 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine.
• Called Nettuno, the engine will produce 463kW and 730Nm of torque.
• First SA customers will take delivery of their MC20s in Q4 of 2021.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
Maserati has released information regarding the first new engine built entirely by it in 20 years. The automaker's upcoming MC20 sports car will sport a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that will produce 463kW and 730Nm of torque. In a rear-wheel drive sports car that weighs 1500kg, the engine, called Nettuno, is said to help shoot the car from 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds, 0-200km/h in 8.8sec, and onto a top speed of 325km/h.
And yes, the car is destined for the South African market.
But what exactly makes Nettuno so unique?
Back in the game
For years, Maserati has had a relationship with their Italian neighbours, Ferrari. The companies would share expertise, technologies, and skills among each other, with Maserati being on the receiving end more than what they'd be giving out. With Nettuno, Maserati opted to design and build the engine in-house - the first Maserati-built engine in over 20 years.
The MC20 is Maserati's reentry into the sports car game. Though they've been around and took the fight to their newer rivals with outdated technologies, the MC20 is a fresh assault with all the latest and newest tech you'd find in any sports car in its segment. As such, each of Nettuno's six cylinders is positioned at a 90-degree angle, with each one featuring an additional pre-chamber that houses a second spark plug with a dual-direct injection system. While this sounds complicated, Maserati claims that this will improve the engine's response to throttle inputs and improve emissions and fuel economy.
READ: The Trident is coming - Maserati reveals its highly-anticipated SA-bound MC20
The Nettuno has been developed exclusively for the MC20, but some of the engine's technologies will be used in future engines built by the Italian automaker.
Matteo Valentini, Maserati's chief engineer for high-performance petrol engines, said: "The Nettuno is built only for the MC20. But the plan is that the technologies from it, particularly the twin-combustion system, will be used on many other engines in the future."
Nettuno production
Speaking to the global media, Maserati said that the automaker is by means to produce four to five, maximum six, Nettuno engines per day. Going through all the engine production stations would take around 24 hours, excluding the various conducted post-production tests. An important aspect about the engine was that the automaker wanted it to run at optimal condition without detuning anything.
According to Maserati, they've managed to achieve 'stable combustion' on the Nettuno, even with a compression ratio of 11:1.
The MC20 will not see any form of hybridization added to its powertrain and will Nettuno remain the automaker's halo engine. However, future models - like the all-new Grecale SUV and new GranTurismo and GranCabrio - will see hybrid technology added to their powertrains.
The first South African Maserati MC20 owners will take delivery of their new acquisitions in 2021's fourth quarter. And though pricing for this Italian thoroughbred is not yet announced, it will rival the likes of the Ferrari F8 Tributo.
