{"id":869820,"date":"2024-11-04T14:33:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T22:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscardigest.com\/?p=524095"},"modified":"2024-12-04T02:54:56","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T02:54:56","slug":"2024-maserati-gt2-stradale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/2024-maserati-gt2-stradale\/","title":{"rendered":"SCD Exclusive Interview: The Maserati GT2 Stradale Up Close"},"content":{"rendered":"

The result of a technical and stylistic partnership between the Maserati GT2, a masterpiece of performance, and the Maserati MC20<\/a>, an iconic Trident car imbued with an unmistakable style, the new Maserati GT2 Stradale<\/a> is an ode to the most extraordinary and exclusive sportiness from Italy. Introduced during Monterey Car Week in August, the GT2 Stradale became an overnight success, turning heads of sports car aficionados worldwide.<\/p>\n

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The essence of Gran Turismo<\/h2>\n

The Maserati GT2 Stradale combines in-depth technology transfer of the purest performance, typical of a racing car, combined with the intrinsic qualities of the MC20. The new super sports car thus evokes style and racing performance\u00a0while ensuring an ideal feeling and comfort in all conditions of use without sacrificing the best driving experience on the road, typical of Maserati’s offering.<\/p>\n

With a top speed of over 320 km\/h, maximum output increased to 640 hp (10 hp more than the MC20), weight decreased by 60 kg and acceleration from 0 to 100 km\/h in just 2.8 seconds, Maserati GT2 Stradale promises unparalleled sensations and superior performance, partly thanks to its sophisticated aerodynamics and attractive design inherited from its racing sibling. At the wheel, the feeling will be one of driving one of the most incredible track cars there is, with the opportunity to make the best of it on roads worldwide.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Interview with Giovanni Perosino<\/h2>\n

Before we delve into the mind-numbing details of the modern sports car, Sports Car Digest was on the ground at Car Week<\/a> in Monterey and spoke with Maserati\u2019s Chief Marketing Officer, Giovanni Perosino, regarding the true essence of the GT2 Stradale.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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SCD<\/strong>: Maserati continues to advance its cars both technically and performance-wise, but I\u2019m wondering how you approached the emotional side of customers\u2019 expectations with the new GT2 Stradale?<\/p>\n

GP<\/strong>: Thank you so much for being here\u2026.we are sincerely grateful for the excitement this car is producing here in Monterey. The enthusiasm is really amazing. Yes, we have done our homework from a technical point of view, but what we also consider essential is injecting the Grand Turismo essence into each vehicle. The Grand Turismo \u201cconcept\u201d is traveling with pleasure, comfort and confidence.<\/p>\n

For example, for those that have driven the Maserati MC20, their first reaction was often \u201cWow\u2026it\u2019s very easy to drive.\u201d So we want to always have some of that in every car that we build to stay in line with the Gran Turismo character. With the GT2 Stradale, many of its enthusiasts have a little more \u201cRacing is life\u201d attitude. However, with the incredible performance of this car comes the ease which it\u00a0is required to drive it.<\/p>\n

SCD<\/strong>: Given the level of performance this car provides, I would think it\u2019s even harder to build it to enable this higher level of comfort and ease of driving, compared to other cars of the same performance.<\/p>\n

GP<\/strong>: Exactly. It is very challenging and more complex to build a car that is this fast but easier to drive than its competitors. When you look it at now, it appears to be a beautiful and emotional car, which is what we wanted to build. And yet, it\u2019s very capable on the track too.<\/p>\n

SCD<\/strong>: Could you share some feedback you get in conversations with customers who have just driven a Maserati on track?<\/p>\n

GP<\/strong>: Because we are Italian, we always want a little audacity and \u201cwow\u201d in our vehicles. But with Maserati, we execute this in the Gran Turismo style. I like to refer to this as \u201cEffortless Elegance.\u201d During our design process, we always question ourselves, \u201cIs this idea long-lasting, or is it\u00a0just a trend?\u201d\u00a0 We always want a long-term ownership experience, so our cars must reflect lasting design.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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A New Era<\/h2>\n

When Maserati started work on the MC20 project, the halo car that marked the beginning of a new era for the House of the Trident, it had already decided to return to the track. After the launch of the MC20, the upshot was the Maserati GT2, which took the Modena-based manufacturer back to racing victory in the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series Championship.<\/a> Even so, leaving so much power and beauty only on the track would have been a waste. Here then is the Maserati GT2 Stradale, another legitimate daughter of the MC20 \u2013 sister of the GT2 only type-approved for the street \u2013 the state-of-the-art Maserati performance.<\/p>\n

GT2 Stradale is definitely a high-tech model that can provide extreme performance on the track, but it is also a welcoming car that can be used on an everyday basis, courtesy of the level of comfort and specifications such as ADAS. It can therefore even be driven in the city, with aids such as cameras and parking sensors, now essential for a certain category of cars.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Engine<\/h2>\n

The GT2 Stradale’s Nettuno, an engine designed and constructed in-house by Maserati, is a true \u201cMade in Modena\u201d gem: it maintains the 90\u00b0 V-shaped 6-cylinder twin-turbo layout, with 3.0 litres of displacement and dry sump, capable of delivering 640 hp (471 kW) at 7500 rpm and an outstanding 720 Nm of torque starting from 3000 rpm. The weight-to-power ratio is 210\u00a0hp\/L. The compression ratio is 11:1; the stroke is 82 mm and the bore 88 mm.<\/p>\n

The soul of this engine remains the innovative pre-chamber combustion system with twin spark plugs, a technology developed for Formula 1<\/a> and now also available on the Maserati GT2 Stradale. The system is based on three main components: the pre-chamber placed between the central spark and the traditional combustion chamber; the side spark plug, which acts as a support to ensure regular engine combustion when the latter is working in operating points where the use of the pre-chamber is not necessary; and the dual indirect and direct injection system to ensure the perfect mix of fuel and air.<\/p>\n

Turbochargers and exhaust manifolds are modified for higher boost pressure and efficiency at peak power and lower back pressure due to the different exhaust system, to guarantee the same level of performance on all tracks all around the world.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Drive modes<\/h3>\n

From a technical point of view, the configuration of the chassis has been revised, making it more rigid. E-LSD, electronic controls and specific drive mode setups have been optimized for greater grip, related to the semi-slick tires and aerodynamic downforce to make track use even more thrilling. The various drive modes, which can be selected using the control on the center console, adjust gear change performance, electronic calibration of the shock absorbers, EDIFF electronic differential, steering, ABS for racing tires and ESC with specific thresholds.<\/p>\n

The drive mode selector takes center stage on the tunnel, as the distinctive feature that reminds the driver and passenger they are aboard a Maserati. And a Maserati with exceptional performance. In the latest digital version, already admired in the MC20, the drive mode selector is inspired by luxury watches: mechanical, precise, using prestigious, top-quality materials, with a touch of Maserati’s typical blue. It recalls the luxury that envelops anyone who gets into a car from the House of the Trident. The decision for the drive mode selector to resemble a luxury watch was a symbolic one, especially considering the lack of the usual Maserati analogue clock on the MC20 dashboard.<\/p>\n

The GT2 Stradale has four specific drive modes: WET, GT (the default setting on engine start-up), SPORT and CORSA, also available in four further variants that progressively reduce the electronic controls when opting for the Performance Pack.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Suspension<\/h2>\n

The same suspension geometry as developed for the track version has been used for the GT2 Stradale. The new geometry enhances the MC20’s already excellent handling in the most severe conditions, with no compromises on performance whatsoever. The double triangle arrangement is confirmed, with UNIBAL\u00ae joints for maximum rigidity.<\/p>\n

The steering system benefits from dedicated racing calibration, and the brake system is adapted to severe track usage with specific ventilated discs, calipers and pads, and an optimized cooling system. The specific carbon-fiber ducts have been designed to flow fresh air directly to the wheel hub area. The ABS system is also specific and is calibrated to different settings.<\/p>\n

In the center of the driving mode selector, there is a button to adjust the suspension to make it softer or more rigid. It is useful in SPORT or CORSA modes when the suspension is extremely stiff. Pressing the \u201csuspension\u201d button makes the suspension more comfortable and less rigid. This is particularly useful on uneven ground, as it gives the driver a sporty yet simultaneously comfortable driving experience.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Gearbox<\/h2>\n

The automatic transmission is an 8-speed oil-immersed dual clutch design with two overdrive speeds to ensure emissions compliance. To further emphasize the car\u2019s sportiness, the time it takes to change gears has been reduced.<\/p>\n

Braking system<\/h2>\n

The braking system is new, developed with Brembo specifically for the GT2 Stradale as a step forward from the first-generation carbon-ceramic brakes. The diameter and thickness of the discs have been increased, to improve driving performance. This geometry requires more cold air to lower the system temperature, achieved by adding a new cooling brake at the front and rear, where the air entering from the sill has been partialized.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Exterior<\/h2>\n

Once again, the Maserati GT2 Stradale was created at the Maserati Centro Stile. The work of the men and women at the Centro Stile focused on attention to the design of all areas of the car, where changes have been made for the type approval of the GT2, maintaining an extraordinary level of performance without neglecting the sporty spirit successfully brought to the road by the Maserati MC20.<\/p>\n

The front features a new design, maintaining the typical Maserati architecture and adapting to requirements in terms of cooling and aerodynamics; the forms are functional to the vehicle dynamics. The front \u2018mouth\u2019 (known in development as the \u201cshark nose\u201d) has been broadened, ensuring greater airflow and introducing an aesthetic concept that will be seen again in future Maserati models.<\/p>\n

Maserati designers have worked on the redesign of the front to maintain the assertiveness of the GT2, as well as the sporty spirit and functionality, with intakes to bring in fresh air for cooling purposes. The front bonnet was also developed and previously introduced in the racing version (GT2); the GT2 Stradale takes it up in full, with adaptation for the specific aerodynamic requirements of load balancing and expelling hot air.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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The number three and the revisited Trident are again a constant in the style of the Maserati GT2: there are three air vents in the bonnet, another three in the front wheel arches, three more near the rear window, and nine-spoke wheel rims, forming a Trident in threes. The area around the front fender has been revamped with the introduction of air outtakes in the upper part of the fenders (from the GT2), to let out hot air to cool the brakes and reduce the pressure inside the wheel arches.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the air intakes in the rear fenders have been completely redesigned and enlarged, producing a new carbon-fiber cupola to improve the flow of cold air (+16%), supply the engine, and cool the radiators. The carbon-fiber spoiler has been revised compared to the MC20 design, increasing its surface area, and the wing with a boomerang design and built-in endplates has been added. The all-new rear wing, inspired by the GT2\u2019s, is connected to the car with pylons as structural poles in solid aluminum. The fastening system offers three different adjustments with the same number of levels of aerodynamic downforce. To support the load, the bonnet area has been reinforced.<\/p>\n

In the rear, the large extractor stands out, completely redesigned to facilitate the extraction of air from the underbody, to generate downforce, and to make the car more assertive. The exclusive design of the lower area was created based on input from aerodynamics to push performance to the max; revisions have also been made to the racing version. Seen from behind, the GT2 Stradale has even more grit from the large rear wheels being left visible, as \u201cinterrupting bodywork.\u201d<\/p>\n

Exterior Features<\/h2>\n