Until recently comparing a Maserati and a McLaren many would have read as sheer lunacy. Maserati's offerings over the past decades have largely sold poorly and were reviewed as mediocre. More expensive, Italian versions of models that the German marques produce more reliably. The Gran Turismo a stylish two-door coupe, and the Quattroporte a luxury saloon has sold for the longest. Then came the Ghibli a smaller executive saloon with more character than a BMW 3 or 5 Series. The newest regular Maserati came in the form of the Levante, the brand's first SUV.

Maserati just like Ferrari built road cars to fund their more important racing ventures. Although for the longest time Maserati has lacked that road-going track car. This changed with the MC20. Built from the same platform as the Ferrari 296 GTB this V6 super car rolled onto the roads in 2020. Classically beautiful it shares much of its aesthetic with the Enzo-based forebear the MC12. The past two years of the MC20 have flown by as now the brand prepares a new model.

You should keep your eye on this new open-top supercar from Maserati, and here's why.

What Is The MC20 Cielo?

Maserati MC20 Cielo
Via: Maserati

The convertible version of the regular MC20 this Cielo showcases everything that Maserati as a company are capable of building. Unveiled on the 25th of May 2022 the MC20 Cielo celebrates the international day of light. According to Maserati, this model can go "beyond the sky". The Italian for the convertible is "decappottabile", Cielo actually means sky. According to the marque the MC20 Cielo emulates this feeling. The price drivers pay for this open-top driving experience is apparently only 143 lbs. While this won't change the dynamics of the car entirely losing the rigidity of the rough may turn the MC20 into a poor experience in twisty corners.

Importantly the convertible MC20 retains much of the coupe's important features. The MC20 has the butterfly doors and the same MC12 emulating front end. In the cabin, the Cielo looks like nearly any modern super car. Sat on the steering wheel is the drive select mode switch which offers Wet, Sport, Corsa, and ESC OFF. This switch acts like the Manettino switch on a Ferrari. Some might even say it is the Manettino switch from the Ferrari 296 GTB, which after all this car uses as a base.

How Does The MC20 Cielo Compare To The McLaren 720S Spider?

McLaren720SSpider
via McLaren

At first glance, the Maserati does not have the Formula 1 derived technology of Mclaren. However, Maserati shares a close relationship with Ferrari. This means that the mid-mounted V6 in the Cielo shares much of its design with the Ferrari Formula 1 car that of course uses the turbo-hybrid V6 under current regulations. With a carbon-fiber monocoque just like its coupe sibling, the Cielo has no excess weight.

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Significantly the MC20 loses in terms of power in comparison to the 720S Spider. Down two cylinders on the McLaren's V8, the MC20 Cielo only produces 630 horsepower in comparison to the McLaren's 720 horsepower. The 720S achieves 62mph in an impressive 2.9 seconds and the MC20 Cielo in 3 seconds exactly.

Both models use similar interior design principles. Neither model will protect you from the harsh realities of the open road on a long road trip. Instead, they have as little in them as possible. McLaren's design is simpler and older. Although it shares the same dual-screen setup as the Maserati. Importantly the Cielo treats the customer to bold contrasting stitching which lifts the cabin to a more premium feel but also breaks up the monotony of the black materials. It's clear that McLaren falls behind in cabin design focusing all its efforts on the engineering. The MC20 also receives carbon fiber and Alcantara on the steering wheel, which offers more of a quality feel due to the car's Ferrari-based origins.

Should You Buy The McLaren Or The Maserati?

McLaren 720S Spider
via McLaren

Hopefully to some, reading this article this is a genuine question of some urgency and not purely hypothetical. Deciding between the two couldn't be harder. Neither of the cars are the traditional choice for super car buyers. The MC20 in its coupe guise sells for around $200,000 the Cielo will sell for more. The Mclaren retails for north of $300,000. According to Classic, an aggregator of used car prices the 720S Spider sells second-hand for $281,306. After a few options, the initial gulf between the two disappears entirely.

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With little separating the two in regard to performance and equally little in price then the question comes down to what type of car you want. The Maserati harks back to the past, clearly seen in the beautiful color Acquamarina that the Cielo launched in. Although in the various reds, grays, yellows, and whites this car looks incredible. Beneath this classic-looking exterior comes a futuristic drivetrain. Downsized yet equally capable the Maserati appeals more so to the heart than the brain.

Owning a Mclaren is not the same. British, brutish, and often in quite obnoxious colors, McLaren has no reservation about moving into the future. The 720S Spider lives in the brand's Supercar category. Harder than their GT line but not as insane as the Ultimate models such as the Senna and P1. The McLaren balances performance and insanity just as well as the Maserati, only with a more forward-looking company building it.