28.05.2004 The stunningly aggressive MC12 GT-sportscar that Maserati will use to write a new chapter of their racing history has hit the Motor Show Live this week

The MC12 is the no holds barred racer that Maserati plan to use to move the goalposts of sportscar racing, and write a new chapter in the fabulous history of the legendary marque.

This week Maserati have brought the MC12 to the Motor Show Live at the Birmingham NEC, for its first appearance in the UK, a brief breather in an intensive test program that kicked off in January, and which has seen racing greats, including Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Rubens Barrichello, all get behind the wheel of the fearsome machine.

The MC12 is a real aggressive looking racer, with its flowing, contour hugging bodywork cut with huge air intakes, wild wind-tunnel inspired sweeps, a massive racing rear wing and a large rear splitter. The twin big-bore exhausts have recently been repositioned on either side of the aerodynamic, body-length carbon fibre undertray.

This racer has spawned an extreme road sister, built purely to achieve FIA homologation for the MC12's forthcoming international racing career. Maserati announced a production run of just 25 MC12 'Stradale' versions earlier this year. When these instantly sold out, a second batch of 25 cars was quickly added to meet the demand.

Under the guidance of engineer Giorgio Ascanelli, Maserati's Racing Division is currently flat out in developing the new car to meet the rules of the major international championships including the FIA GT series, the American Le Mans Series and the ultimate sportscar challenge, the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Maserati MC12 is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 engine that punches out 465 kW at 7500 rpm. The MC12's bodywork is entirely carbon fibre, while its stress-bearing chassis is made from a carbon fibre and Nomex honeycomb sandwich. Two aluminium sub-chassis's support the ancillaries, help absorb bumps, and guarantee an excellent standard of safety.

Intensive wind tunnel testing and advanced mathematical computations, combined with work on the track and road, have resulted in an extraordinarily efficient form. The air intakes, vents and other aerodynamic components have been designed to optimise the car's internal fluid dynamics and air flows to ensure optimal downforce and aerodynamic efficiency values.