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It is considered the most extreme Maserati of all time –
with 755 horsepower under the bonnet and a maximum speed
of 202 mph – and it is designed exclusively for the
racetrack. Now, Hubert Haupt, entrepreneur and former driver in
Germany’s Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing series,
has become the first driver to put a Maserati MC 12
Versione Corse through its paces on a regular street.
Haupt drove the MC 12 on a series of test laps on
Italy’s Adria Raceway, and later secured the first-ever
approval to drive the car on public roads. Taking charge
of this level of power and race technology out amongst
other drivers is no small responsibility, so Haupt
selected tyres he was confident would handle his MC 12
well – the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT, in dimensions of
315/30 ZR 19 on the front axle and 325/35ZR19 (106Y) XL
on the rear.
As for his decision to buy the first of the only 12 of
the 1.2-million-euro supercars that will ever be made,
car aficionado Haupt explains: "Having the ‘number one’
is something very special. You can hardly refuse an
offer like this. The MC12 is absolutely a super sports
car." Haupt is no stranger to Dunlop products either –
the tyremaker is exclusive tyre supplier to the DTM
series.
Dieter Seibert, who is responsible for marketing, motor
sports, and tuning at Dunlop Germany, commented "this
vehicle represents pure fascination. With the utmost in
driving enjoyment and extravagant driving performance in
the field of motor sports, we are naturally on the scene
with the brand Dunlop and our products. Our current
motto, ‘In Touch with the Road,’ could hardly be
depicted more concretely, because what is required here
is the highest level and greatest possible sportiness in
connection with safety."
This year the MC12 has brought Maserati the
brand and driver world championship titles in the FIA GT
long-distance series. The racing version used in the
series, boasting 630 HP, had to undergo drastic power
restrictions due to the racing regulations. The current Versione Corse, with its 755 HP, accelerates to 200
kilometres per hour in 6.4 seconds. The driver has a
six-gear Cambiocorsa gearshift similar to those used in
racing at his fingertips, and most of the aerodynamic
parts also come from the racing version.
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