Last year we presented you a beautiful Rolls Royce Phantom that was our car highlight during Baselworld 2013. This year at Baselworld 2014, we were greeted by a special Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale that was parked right outside the media center. This particular Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale’s refined design is the ideal synthesis of aerodynamics and style: the marque’s distinctive radiator grille between the two front light units, is topped by a carbon fiber engine hood with its aggressive central air intake and two side air vents, derived from those used on the race-track GranTurismo MC Trofeo. Although conceived as a road car, the GranTurismo MC Stradale is as exciting and powerful as a racing car, all thanks to its powerful flat 4.7 liter V8 engine with 460hp at 7,000 rpm.
While the GranTurismo offers five electronic handling modes, the MC Stradale has three: Auto, Sport and the exclusive “MC Race”. This setup is unique to this model, and is activated by pressing the “Race” button on the dashboard. This is all it takes to make the car even more aggressive and sporty, and the six-speed gearbox allows lightning-fast gear shifts in just 60 milliseconds. The setting of the MC Stradale’s suspensions is 10 mm lower and they have been conceived and developed with the aid of racetrack technology. The springs and dampers have been stiffened to restrict lateral load transfers, while the stabilizer bar diameter has been increased from 24 to 25 mm at the front and from 21 to 23 mm at the rear to reduce the roll angle and gradient and optimize handling. Subjected to the most severe testing on the most famous circuits, the Brembo braking system with carbon-ceramic discs weighs around 60% less than the traditional system with steel discs. The front is equipped with 380 x 34 mm ventilated discs, operated by a powerful six-piston caliper. The rear disks measure 360 x 32 mm, with a four-piston caliper. The stopping distance is just 33 meters at 100 km/h, with an average deceleration of 1.2 g.
The unmistakable roar that emerges from the exhaust tailpipes makes this engine’s thrust and elasticity felt at once, while its throaty baritone is underlined by the permanent opening of the by-pass valves in Race mode. On the rear the tailpipes and the carbon fiber trunk spoiler are the perfect combination for a super car and a racing machine like this.
While retaining all the characteristics of a fast, powerful, lightweight “street legal” racing car in its genes, the new GranTurismo MC Stradale delivers the same levels of comfort and spaciousness as the other models in the GranTurismo range: for the first time, a restyled four-seater interior is combined with the racing-derived exquisite aerodynamic lines and high-tech solutions. The new racing-style seats with integral headrest are designed to offer the best driving position and a high level of lateral restraint, together with unbeatable comfort. Soft Poltrona Frau leather is combined with a central section with a special Alcantara finish, designed to set the pulses racing. Fine stitching around the edges of the backrest highlights the exquisite craftsmanship of the seats. To convey the unmistakable “feel” of a racing-car interior, lavish use of Alcantara is extended to a wide variety of zones, from the central console to the doors and the instrument panel brow, all with exquisite ornamental stitching. The racing connotations are also emphasized by the Nero Soft finish used on the trims, including the special bezel underneath the front seat headrests.
Sticker Price $153,000 USD. For more info on Maserati click here.
