Maserati Dedicates Unique MC20 Prototype to Sir Stirling Moss
Maserati has announced that a unique prototype of its upcoming MC20 super sports car will pay homage to Sir Stirling Moss, who passed away on April 12 at the age of 90.
The Italian automaker made the announcement on May 13, the anniversary of Moss’s 1956 victory at the Monaco Grand Prix at the wheel of the Maserati 250F.
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Photo: Maserati
Over the course of his career in Formula One, Moss started in 66 races and recorded 16 victories. Though he never won a championship, he became known as the “king without a crown” for having come close on many occasions. He was runner-up four times and third in three championships, and he’ll be long remembered as one of the best drivers of his era.
The Maserati MC20, which should have launched this month were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic, is intended to be the brand’s next halo car. Though the MC20 has yet to be revealed, Maserati has given us a peek at what the prototype it is dedicating to Moss looks like.
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The design is inspired by the iconic Maserati Eldorado, the single-seater race car that made its debut in Monza, with Moss behind the wheel, for the Trofeo dei due Mondi (Race of the Two Worlds). The race itself was particularly noteworthy, having drawn inspiration from the Indianapolis 500 and attracted many of the world’s top drivers.
The original Eldorado featured a two-speed manual gearbox, a tubular chassis similar to that of the 250F that Moss raced in F1, and weighed only 1,671 pounds while putting out 410 hp from a twin-cam V8. At the wheel, Moss finished 4th in the first heat and 5th in the second before unfortunately crashing into the guard rails in the third, his steering having broken at 155 mph.
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Conveniently, the Eldorado design on the MC20 prototype somewhat resembles the camouflage livery that race teams and automakers use to obfuscate the design of their cars before they’re ready. Nonetheless, it makes for a striking appearance, especially with Sir Stirling Moss’s name written in the same font as on the 1958 car.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.