[Video] Stunning Maserati MC12 GT1 hurled up Goodwood hill | GRR
Platform sharing is commonplace in the car industry but it’s hard to imagine the wranglings behind the scenes which led to Ferrari providing the chassis and powertrain from the car named after its founder to fellow Fiat Group marque Maserati.
Larger in all dimensions than the Ferrari Enzo, the Maserati MC12 had a lower drag coefficient but was 12mph shy of the Maranello machine’s 217mph top speed. Intended to signal Maserati’s return to racing glory, the MC12 was created to contest the FIA GT and GT1 championships which meant, gloriously, that roadgoing versions had to be built for homologation purposes.
The result is, unarguably, far prettier than the Enzo and rarer, just 50 road cars were made along with a dozen track-only specials. In the MC12 the Enzo’s 6.0-litre V12 had its rev limit reduced and was slightly down on power – Ferrari wasn’t going to give away everything – but still made 630PS (621bhp) and 652Nm (481lb ft).
By all accounts not just impractical but terrifying to drive on the road the MC 12 excelled at the track. Maserati’s first Constructors’ Championship in 2005 actually came at the expense of Ferrari in second place (and with less than half the point, which must have led to some tense moments in the Fiat Group boardroom. A second Constructors’ Championship came in 2007 and between 2005 and 2010 the car scooped up six Team and Driver Championships.
One of the latter prizes went to Michael Bartels who here flings the car up the Goodwood Hill.