Maserati MCPURA and MCPURA Cielo

Unveiled to the world half a decade ago, the MC20 marked the new beginning for Maserati, and as the world is struggling with the new normal, where crossovers are superheroes, this is the antithesis every car enthusiast needs. With its strikingly great styling, driver-focused interior, and quintessentially Italian performance, the MC20 has become every car enthusiast's newest favorite Italian supercar for the time being. Sadly, the MC20 range is gone and in its place lies its all-familiar successor, the MCPURA.

2026 Maserati MCPURA Cielo

2026 Maserati MCPURA

Available in both the hardtop coupe and the open-top Cielo roadster, the Maserati MCPURA picks up where the MC20 left off, with its familiar looks and performance more than enough to drive customers crazy, wishing they could get their hands on either this and the Cielo, both cost under 300 grand.

Like the MC20 it replaces, the MCPURA's styling draws inspiration from the ancient MC12, the comfortable side of the Ferrari Enzo from two decades ago. With looks that can softly kill, its aerodynamics are beyond expectations. Yes, that's a familiar story when the MC20 came a few years ago, except now, the front face has been slightly revised. That's it.

Step inside the interior and you are greeted with its driver-focused cockpit that gives drivers an impression of driving a racing car on the track. Although track-focused in spirit, it's a well-tailored accessory every gentleman should have, especially when it packs a premium sound system and a Maserati Connect feature for their daily driving comforts. That sounds flashy and cheesy, but this is all in the experience of being a high-value Italian sports car that separates the men from the boys.

The Cielo features a two-piece folding glass roof that takes 12 seconds to open or close, and it can turn opaque at the touch of a button. Sounds like a party piece, but the roof-folding mechanism adds 65kg of weight.

The MCPURA range still packs the 3.0L 6-cylinder twin-turbo Nettuno engine bolted to the middle at 90 degrees. It produces 630PS of power and 730Nm of torque, and while mated to an 8-speed DCT, the MCPURA can sprint from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and can go all the way to 325kph. This is a supercar performance the Italians can take pride in.

Aside from its supercar performance, the MCPURA's dynamics are worth driving for because underneath, it features a double-wishbone suspension system with active shock absorbers. They can really behave depending on which driving mode you're on, be it on WET, SPORT, CORSA, or ESC OFF Mode.

Driving in CORSA Mode, the MCPURA's almost behaving like a true racing car on the track, but when the driver engaged ESC OFF Mode, this is where you'll need your adult diapers because, in this mode, the MCPURA's going all-out dynamic and it's going to be as crazy as trying to beat your favorite song on the EXPERT difficulty setting. It's struggling at first, but when you are familiarized with it, the MCPURA is a supercar you can't stop until you are fully satisfied with its result.

Also on the dynamics side, the MCPURA really is a lightweight supercar from the start because underneath, it features a composite material monocoque soaked in carbon fiber, and combined with its lightweight materials assembled specifically for this car, it weighs one and a half tons.

The MCPURA may be a reissued MC20 with a revamped front face and nothing else, but like the MC20 it replaced, both the coupe and the Cielo are still every speedo boy's newest favorite Italian supercar for the time being. Add them to your wish list when you're ready.

Photo: Maserati