2000s Italian Supercars Archives

Maserati MC12

The Maserati MC12 cost £515K. 50 were sold – twice as many as were needed to let the competition version race in the FIA GT World Championship. For your half a million quid, you got a Ferrari Enzo, into the bargain. Well, sort of! Much of the MC12 was based on the Enzo – as a by-product of the Ferrari Maserati Group partnership. Replication ran to the carbon monocoque, V12 engine, steering wheel and windscreen. The MC12’s 6-litre motor was detuned a tad from that of the Enzo – but still managed to provide a cool 622bhp, at 7,500rpm. Top speed was 205mph. 0-60 took 3.8s.

Remarkably, the MC12 took a mere twelve months to make. Maserati’s engineers were, of course, aided by the Ferrari Enzo factor. Even so, to take a top-grade supercar from drawing board to production line in a year was impressive, to say the least. Design duties fell to Frank Stephenson. He had previously masterminded the Mini Cooper. In terms of the MC12’s aerodynamic package, a quick glance told you all you needed to know. Seriously slippery was understatement!

The MC12’s white and blue paint mirrored Maserati’s ‘Birdcage’ racers. The Tipo 60/61 machines had competed in sports car events in the early Sixties. The racing theme continued inside. Lightweight carbon-fibre was used for the MC12’s cabin – including the fully-harnessed seats. Practical problems arose from the rear window – or lack of it! A quick removal of the targa top, though, soon sorted the shortcoming. Other than that rear visibility ‘glitch’, the MC12 was reasonably user-friendly. Sequential gear-changing was straightforward, steering nimble and the ride smooth. The sole issue, then, for owners, was sourcing spare parts. Best way around it was buying a Ferrari Enzo as back-up. Or, indeed, two MC12s. Maserati recommended the latter option!

B Engineering Edonis

B Engineering began as an offshoot of Bugatti – when the latter went bust, in ’95. A small group of ex-Bugatti staffers banded together to create their own take on a supercar. Not just any old supercar, mind – a one-of-a-kind supercar. Enter the Edonis! Arguably, the best tagline a car could have would be ‘Made in Modena!’ Certainly, the Italian city is now synonymous with automotive excellence. B Engineering never used that slogan. But – while ‘B Engineering’ may not have quite the same cachet as ‘Ferrari’ – it can still hold its own in high-calibre company.

The word ‘edonis’ is Greek for pleasure. As in hedonist. In supercar terms, the hedonism 720bhp brings on. It came courtesy of a twin-turbocharged V12 engine. The Edonis’ top speed was 223mph. No surprise, then, that it broke the lap record at the Nardo racetrack. When it came to the car’s colossal power output, every other component was clearly supremely in sync with it. Edonis project director Nicola Materazzi led a crack team of engineers. Between them, they had worked for all of the top supercar marques. Jut 21 Edonis units were built. The figure referenced the 21st century.

B Engineering’s links with Bugatti stayed strong. Its owner – Jean-Marc Borel – had been Bugatti’s vice chairman. 21 carbon-fibre tubs – originally earmarked for the Bugatti EB110 – were duly used for the Edonis. The latter’s 3.7-litre engine was developed from that of the EB110. It was hooked up to a 6-speed gearbox. The Edonis cost a cool £450,000 – from a manufacturer without a proven pedigree. Those in the know, though, did not baulk at the price. After all, the crème de la crème of the car industry had contributed. For the B Engineering Edonis, quality was a gimme!

Lamborghini Murciélago

The Lamborghini Murciélago was styled by Belgian Luc Donckerwolke. He had been chief designer at Audi – which, in ’98, was taken over by Lamborghini. Traditionally, the latter had recruited Italian design houses. On that basis, Bertone were briefed to create the new car. And indeed, their work was ready to go into production. At the last, though, the Bertone project was canned. The design reins were duly passed to Donckerwolke.

When the Murciélago was launched, it was with no lack of fanfare. Sicily’s Mount Etna provided the backdrop. The accompanying son et lumière show was equally spectacular – including, as it did, a volcanic eruption. Well, a virtual one, at any rate!

Designer Donckerwolke decked the car out in razor-sharp lines. Bodywork was carbon-fibre and steel. The chassis was fashioned from high-tensile tubing. Given the supercar’s shape, a low drag coefficient was a gimme. As a result, top speed for the Murciélago was a searing 205mph. 0-60 appeared in 3.85s. Notwithstanding, steady torque delivery – and electronic engine management – rendered the car relatively tractable. Suspension and brakes were, naturally, state of the art. Late in the day though it had been, Lamborghini’s decision to give the design gig to Luc Donckerwolke paid off. The Murciélago exhibited plenty of Italian flair … as well as a dash of Belgian panache!

Ferrari California

The Ferrari 250 California – released in ’57 – was one of the most iconic cars ever created. A tad over half a century later, came another California. Designed by Pininfarina, seamless aerodynamics were key to the new car’s styling. And the 2008 California was light. Both chassis and body were aluminium.

The F1-style steering-wheel featured Manettino dials. They modulated the gearbox, suspension and traction-control settings. The latter came in the form of the F1-Trac set-up. Should those systems’ limits still be exceeded, an automatic roll bar was deployed. As well as front and side airbags. The California could be set to Comfort or Sport mode, too. At track-days, however – or, indeed, at any other time – the safety controls could be switched off. Apart from ABS braking, that is.

Ferrari’s 4,300cc V8 engine made 460bhp. That catapulted the California to 193mph. Torque was on tap from way down low. The 7-speed semi-automatic transmission saw to that. Unlike some supercars, the California’s cabin was roomy and comfortable. There was a retractable top. And plenty of luggage-space was provided. So, the Ferrari California was built for speed. To that extent, it echoed its fabled 250 predecessor. But – in common with that design classic – it was kitted out for cruising, too, if required.