Cielo means sky in Italian. The copywriter did their research when it came to naming Maserati's new Spyder. As your eye connects with the Maserati MC20 Cielo for the first time with those distinctive butterfly doors open to the heavens, you instantly get a sense that this is a vehicle that pays homage to the expanse above our heads. From the Acquamarina launch color to the retractable glass roof, there are references to the sky in every detail.
The mix of pastel sports car grey and a more convertible feeling aquamarine is significant, as the MC20 Cielo is just that. A blend of performance and comfort, taking the brand's racing and Gran Turismo heritage to the core of the design. You could say it's born from racing and made for me. Me being the passenger. Usually, a speck in the mind of a designer of such a sports car, but in the mind of Maserati Head Designer Klaus Busse and his team, I, the passenger, am of paramount importance. Besides, who wants to drive a beautiful car alone? You want your passenger to feel the feels, right? And with the Cielo, you feel all the feels.
To test the MC20 Cielo, Maserati invited us to the beautiful Southeast coast of Sicily, Italy. Nice, but not random. We were there to fully immerse in the joy of the journey, the expanse of the blue skies, and the smell of the ocean. I know a sexy car when I see one but was still surprised as we drove through the streets of Noto how the residents ran along the side of the car exclaiming, “Bella Macchina”. It's obviously a machine that demands attention. The queue for photos alongside the car out measured that of the nearby Cafe Sicilia of Chef's Table fame, and the smiles on their faces as they walked away certainly equaled those of the diners tucking into a granita and brioche.
Sitting passenger side in a Maserati was new for me, and I knew it would be a vibe, but the all-out adrenaline rush I was expecting was outweighed by a feeling of calm. The Cielo's Gran Turismo spirit is peppered with an ongoing theme of zen-ness. Everything is smooth. Each drive felt like a self-care retreat on four wheels.
An important aspect for designer Busse when working on the Cielo was that the drive should give you a sense of inspiration, purity, and mental cleansing. Far from the PR fluff, though, I was starting to get the picture he was onto something. Seems the artist Sergio Florentino did too, who, after driving the Cielo for the first time, went back to his impressive Noto studio and painted "Blue Dreamer," an ode to the car, but more than that, a tribute to the feeling it gives you, roof down, blue skies, loved one beside you, 0-100 km/h in 3 seconds.
As we drove from Noto to Modica, the horns of passersby continued to ring as if they were being greeted by royalty. Maserati appears to be making amends for some years in the shadows and, by all accounts, could still reign as king once again.
Whilst I have lots of tech specs I could throw at you now, I will leave that to the experts here. Regardless of what the car can do, it looks f*%king beautiful, and just sitting in the passenger seat for a day gave me the mental boost that even two weeks at a 5* meditation retreat couldn't match. Namaste.
