These two supercars from America and Italy share a wedge shape, unreal performance, but little else
- The Corvette Z06 and Maserati MC20 Cielo just squared off in an intense U-Drag Race.
- The results are surprising given the massive price gap between these two supercars.
- They also prove that automotive performance is more accessible than ever before.
Two of the world’s best-looking supercars just went head to head in a U-Drag Race. The Maserati MC20 Cielo and the Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 boast some serious power, exotic styling, and the ability to go over 200 mph (320 km/h). In this competition, they drag race before having to turn around as fast as possible and get back to the original start line. The winner is decisive in both races held here.
The Maserati MC 20 Cielo enters the fight with 621 horsepower (463 kW) and 538 lb-ft (728 Nm) of torque at its disposal from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. Those figures are interesting because the Corvette bookends them. It has more horsepower, 670 hp (499 kW), but less torque, 460 lb-ft (622 Nm). Each leverages an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and rear-wheel drive.
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The big differences come in the form of weight and pricing. The Maserati tips the scales at just over 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg) , whereas the Chevrolet weighs just 3,715 pounds (1,685 kg). In addition, you pay more, actually a lot more for the Maserati than you will for the Corvette. The Italian in this fight costs $371,450. The Corvette is a modest (really stretching the meaning of that word here) $147,800.
In both races, the MC20 struggles to match the launch of the Corvette. That gap makes a huge difference throughout the race as the Corvette enters the braking zone faster, makes it through the turn quicker, and then wins each race without much struggle. The Z06 even lengthens the gap on the back straight of the race. Keep in mind too that the drivers of each car switch between races.
That’s right, the American supercar that costs less than half of the Italian just smoked it—not once, but twice—at the hands of different drivers. Notably, the Maserati did have a couple of things that could’ve held it back. First, it’s running on Bridgestone tires, which aren’t as well regarded as the Michelins on the Corvette. Second, don’t forget about the considerable weight penalty.
Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see this same race but with the fixed-top MC20 which weighs almost exactly the same as the Z06. Could the results be different in that case? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!