Thinking Outside the Birdcage; Maserati fires up the supercar show season with its sexy, homologation special MC12.

Byline: MATT DAVIS

Talking with Frank Stephenson, the Ferrari-Maserati head of GT and concept design on the phone before the Geneva show, his exhilaration is obvious. So is the pressure. It is a scant five days before the press conference where the new Maserati supercar will be revealed, and carbon fiber pieces for the MC12-Maserati Competizione, 12-cylinder-are still being decided upon and rush ordered. Hey, it's Italy. "We're just finishing up last-minute things on the racing version...'' Stephenson pauses on the phone as a technician asks him about plans for a part and what to order. "It's a little crazy here and my sinuses are acting up. Better go,'' he says, and he's off.

By looking at these photos you wouldn't know there existed any such rush or congestion. Both versions of the MC12-the racing and the street model-are, simply, gorgeous. Astounding. Flowing. Stunning. Though we were the first outsiders to learn the MC12's name, Stephenson and everyone else in and around Modena called the two super Maserati cars MCC (Corsa, for the race version) and MCS (Stradale, for the road-goer) up until its big Geneva event.

Why should Maserati even consider a supercar? The MC12's job is twofold: return Maserati to racing's forefront, and make people lust after it. If you're thinking halo car, then it is one mondo halo.

Based in large portion on the Ferrari Enzo, the MC12 got all the good looks in the family. Ken Okuyama, a designer soon to return to Pininfarina as creative director, penned the Enzo before leaving the company for California in 2000. Though the Enzo will certainly live forever as a classic in supercar lore, it relies too heavily on Pininfarina's stylized "F1 look.'' (Heck, even to less than professionally trained eyes, the side view appears out of proportion.) Though no one will confirm this for us, the MC12-a design proposal by Italdesign-Giugiaro-also has the job of showing us how gorgeous the Enzo could have been.

There are some differences between the two cars. The MC12's wheelbase is 110.24 inches while the Enzo's is 104.33. However, front and rear track measurements (65.35 inches and 64.96 inches respectively) remain the same, as do the wheel dimensions (19x9 front, 19x13 rear). The Ferrari wears Bridgestone tread (keeping the F1-racing sponsor happy) while the Maser gets the more Italian-friendly Pirellis (245/35ZR front, 345/35ZR rear).

Going with a longer stride in MC12 is a very non-Enzo long, aerodynamic tail section. Total Enzo length is just 185.18 inches. The MC12 sprouts to 202.48 inches, a near 10 percent increase in sprung real estate. The MC12 also out-girths Enzo by being 2.4 inches wider at 82.52 inches. It is taller by 2.28 inches at 47.44 inches. Dry weight on the MC12 rises to 2943 pounds vs. the Enzo's 2767 pounds. Weight distribution is 41/59 percent on the long, cool Maser.