- New MC20 Cielo is a new hardtop convertible variant of the MC20 coupe
- Most of the parts are shared between the convertible and the coupe, including the carbon tub
- The glass in the roof panel can go from clear to opaque with the touch of a button
- Part of the first MC20 generation introduced in 2022
Sky's the Limit for 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo
The MC20 Cielo is the Italian supercar that lost its head
What is the MC20?
The 2022 Maserati MC20 is the automaker's flagship supercar, and our test drive revealed that this flashy coupe delivers the performance and refinement expected at this price point. It's quick, communicative, and a blast to drive on the road or on track. But Maserati knows that not all buyers like to be stuck in the bunker-like confines of a track superstar. Sometimes you just want to relax and feel the wind in your hair, man.
To that end, the 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo joins the lineup next year. "Cielo" means "sky" in Italian, so if you guessed this was a convertible version of the mid-engine, carbon-tubbed two-seat supercar, you'd be right on the money.
Much of the MC20 Cielo is shared with the coupe, but the folding hardtop roof is all-new. Maserati says the folding roof mechanism adds just 143 pounds to the MC20's already quite svelte sub-3,300-pound curb weight. A convertible as special as this should usually be driven with the top down, but in the event that rain starts to pelt your perm, the roof can be raised in just 12 seconds. The glass housed within the folding roof is also an electrochromic panel, and it can be turned clear or opaque with a simple button press.
What's under the MC20 Cielo's hood?
Resting behind the driver is the same engine as found in the coupe — a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels alone. Maserati says the featherweight construction and ample power reserves can rocket the MC 20 Cielo from zero to 62 mph in roughly 3.0 seconds flat — only about a tenth of a second slower than the coupe.
How's the MC20's interior?
The MC20 Cielo's cabin is identical to the coupe's interior, minus, of course, the roof that can be stowed away at any moment. But Maserati is also upping the MC20's tech game with the Cielo. There is a new automatic emergency braking system, traffic sign recognition, and a 360-degree view parking camera. A new Sonus Faber audio system manages to fit 12 speakers in the Cielo's relatively tight cabin.
Edmunds says
The MC20 is already a crazy cool supercar, and the option to lower the roof in the new MC20 Cielo only adds to its appeal.