Maserati MC20 Cielo 2023 UK first drive

The Maserati MC20 supercar lends itself to top-down, al fresco motoring - which it's now tackling in the form of this, the Maserati MC20 Cielo - really rather well.

So it should, when you think about it. It has the carbon chassis tub to deliver the necessary body rigidity without any punitive body-strengthening measures. It has that unusually laid-back, easy-striding dynamic character, too, with which to moderate the appetite for speed that you might normally associate with a mid-engined supercar, and instead to encourage you just to enjoy the ride a little more (and also perhaps a little more often).

And finally, it has that catwalk model styling. This really is a car made to be admired, compared with some rivals, which are either that bit more savage on the senses or otherwise just slightly more anonymous and derivative. You really do feel the need to apologise for not being better-looking and better-dressed yourself when parking an MC20 Cielo and getting out - which, conveniently, is a position familiar enough to be recognised very quickly by a motoring journalist.

There’s already a year-long order bank for the Cielo (pronounced like the string instrument, it’s Italian for sky), which has a compact folding metal roof with an electrochromic glass panel within it, and is priced a little over 10% more than the equivalent Maserati MC20 coupé. It's only 65kg heavier than the coupé (in a Lamborghini Huracán, the convertible weight penalty is almost double that). And while it’s a little less powerful than some of its competitors, it’s got uncompromised performance stats on paper relative to the MC20 coupé and drives in similar fashion.

Dihedral 'butterfly' doors, cutaway sills, and that convertible roof when it’s stowed all make your entry into the car’s low-slung driver’s seat that little bit easier than it might otherwise be. The secondary control layout is quite sparse – the particular material specification of our test car augmented by Maserati’s extended carbonfibre and Alcantara trim options, which add nearly £10,000 to the price of the car between them. It's quite a sleek and appealing driving environment, although there are one or two areas where you can see some cheaper-looking Alfa Romeo parts bin switchgear cropping up - the steering wheel particularly.

The driving position is good, the seats supportive but far from aggressive on your internal organs, and there’s plenty of room at the controls, even for taller occupants, with no shortage of head room with the roof in place. A smallish but useful boot behind the engine bay makes room for a smaller overnight case. An even smaller one in the front is only really useful for handbags and odds and ends.