Remember the Maserati MC20 revealed almost two years back? Well, the Italian company has now released a spyder version, complete with a retractable glass roof. Meet the new MC20 Cielo…

When Maserati unwrapped its MC20 “super sports car” back in September 2020, there were already murmurings of a spyder model (as well as a fully electric version) being in development. Now, the spyder has finally arrived, and it’s called the MC20 Cielo.

What’s in a name? Well, the Italian word “Cielo” translates to “sky”, which Maserati says highlights the fact this is a model “devoted to driving pleasure in the great outdoors”.

The MC20 Cielo employs the same mid-mounted, twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 Nettuno petrol engine as its coupé sibling, producing a heady 463 kW and 730 Nm (delivered to the rear axle courtesy of an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission). Expect a 0-100 kph time of around 3.0 seconds.

However, the MC20 Cielo is set apart by what the Modena-based firm describes as a “specification unique to the segment”: a retractable glass roof featuring Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal technology that allows it to be transformed from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Nifty stuff.

The butterfly doors familiar from the coupé carry over to the MC20 Cielo.

Maserati claims the roof is “best in class” in terms of its thermal insulation, while its opening and closing speeds comein at a handy 12 seconds each. According to the automaker, the fancy roof gubbins add just 65 kg to the spyder’s overall mass, while the carbon-fibre chassis “guarantees uncompromising torsional rigidity”.

Interestingly, the butterfly doors remain, while the launch version features a new three-layer metallic paint colour known as “Acquamarina” (and shown in the accompanying images). In addition to various safety systems already employed by the coupé, the MC20 Cielo adds items such as autonomous emergency braking, traffic-sign information and a new 360° camera (which will surely be rolled out to the coupé soon enough).

The MC20 Cielo furthermore gains a version of the optional High Premium Sonus Faber audio system “specifically optimised” to fit the unique acoustic and positioning needs of the spyder’s cabin.

No word yet on whether the MC20 Cielo is destined for South Africa, but considering a few units of the coupé were set aside for our market, we wouldn’t be surprised if the same applied to the spyder.