The Five Hottest Features Of The 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo

A retractable roof, F1-inspired engine, luxurious digital interior, elegant racing spyder configuration, and butterfly doors — what's not to like about the new Maserati MC20 Cielo? As we noted in our first-look writeup, the new Maserati is expected to sell for around $30,000 more than its predecessor, the MC20 coupe, which has a price tag of $212,000. The MC20 Cielo is built on the MC20 coupe and its high-level performance. To give drivers a more "holistic experience" and a boost in adrenaline, the Cielo's roof can automatically retract in less than 12 seconds, even when driving at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour.

Maserati says the new spyder is a meeting point between the car's audacity and the infinite sky, but under the hood, throughout its body, and in its unique interior, its incredible built-in features make it more than just an expensive convertible. The model's electrochromic smart glass, lightweight carbon fiber and wind tunnel-built aerodynamic body, its Netunno engine, and its tech innovations make the MC20 Cielo stand out with extraordinary character.

Maserati's Nettuno engine and smart windows

Maserati says the MC20 Cielo is built for experiencing the driving pleasures in the great outdoors, but the design is not what gives this vehicle its power. The sportscar has a revolutionary V6 Nettuno engine packing that Maserati calls Twin Combustion technology. In describing this engine innovation, Maserati says on its website, "It preempts the traditional firing of the spark plug, creating not only fuel efficiency but also delivering around 207hp per liter." The engine can do 0 to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, hit top speeds of 202 mph, has a 3000cc displacement, and a max power of 630 horsepower.

The second most noticeable feature of the car is the state-of-the-art electrochromic smart glass window technology. With a simple touch of a button on the central screen, the roof window can go from light to dark in just one second. Sided with butterfly doors and a retractable rooftop, the spyder has a sleek, elegant, and original personality, but nothing says sportscar performance like a big engine on a lightweight body — and the body of the MC20 Cielo is outstanding.

The MC20 Cielo's body and the technology

Weighing just 143 pounds more than the coupe, Maserati kept a close eye on the weight-to-power ratio for its MC20 Cielo. Using the same carbon fiber chassis the coupe MC20 and the upcoming all-electric version will use, Maserati pushes the limits of the new Cielo. The body and structure of the car are wind-tunnel built, rigid but flexible, and agile. The Cielo went through exhaustive aerodynamic testing to make sure that when the roof was retracted, it lost no speed or power.

The highly digitalized luxurious interior of the Cielo gives drivers the option to choose from GT, Sports, Corsa, or Wet modes, going through different configurations that include boost levels of the Nettuno engine and suspension sensibility. The MC20 Cielo also comes with some impressive autonomous driving and safety technology. 

Blind-spot monitoring, rear-view camera, Automatic Emergency Braking, pedestrian/cyclist recognition (AEB), Traffic Sign Information (TSI), and a new 360-degree surround-view camera come with the car. As an added plus, Maserati can include a High Premium Sonus Faber audio system with 12 cabin speakers. The in-car experience is managed from the Maserati Intelligent Assistant Multimedia system and Maserati Connect.