Maserati Chases Both Past and Future in Monterey

On the grand stage of Monterey Car Week, Maserati sought to prove it could be both a forward-looking supercar maker and a custodian of classic luxury. The spotlight fell on the new MCPURA, essentially an evolution of the MC20 with lighter materials, a more polished cabin, and the same 621-horsepower Nettuno V6 already familiar to fans. In other words, not a revolution but a cosmetic refresh. It debuted first at The Quail and later rolled onto Pebble Beach’s manicured lawns, its paintwork christened “Ai Aqua Rainbow”—a name designed to stir emotion more than convey engineering substance.

Alongside it, Maserati displayed its performance lineup—GT2 Stradale, GranTurismo Trofeo, and Grecale Trofeo—each powered by that same Nettuno engine, now the brand’s sole true anchor. But while the new models provided marketing sparkle, the real attention of collectors turned to the past. A 1956 200SI Fantuzzi racer and an A6G 2000 Allemano Coupé drew plaudits from the judges, bringing Maserati the kind of prestige no concept car can hope to replicate.

The most tangible record, however, came at auction: a 2005 MC12 Stradale sold for 5.2 million dollars, making it the most expensive modern Maserati ever to change hands. Its exclusivity—just 50 built, with a Ferrari-derived V12 at its heart—is precisely what the Monterey crowd values.

So while the MCPURA carries slogans of “power, elegance, emotion,” the week underscored a sharper truth: Maserati’s standing rests less on lightly revised MC20s and more on the victories and rarities of its past.