Finest Maserati money can buy

The MC Stradale promises razor-sharp handling. Photo / Supplied

This is the new Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, a more track-focused, tuned version of the current GranTurismo S.

The Italian carmaker says it is the fastest, lightest, most powerful Maserati money can buy. Expect it to arrive in New Zealand next year.

Taking its inspiration from the company's Trofeo racing models, the standard car's 4.7-litre V8 has been tweaked to give 330kW - only a marginal increase of 7kW but enough to push the MC Stradale beyond 300km/h, says Maserati.

Torque has been increased 20Nm to 510Nm.

The new car has also been lightened drastically, down 110kg to 1770kg. Maserati has removed the rear seats and used lighter-weight materials throughout the cabin.

The absence of rear seats makes the MC Stradale the first two-seat Maserati since the MC12.

It also benefits from new Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, custom-developed Pirelli tyres, a unique suspension layout and rigid, light-weight, carbon-fibre race seats.

The exterior has been given some hardcore styling upgrades designed to decrease drag and improve cornering down force.

The aggressive-looking front end now features a deeper grille and spoiler and at the back the chrome twin-exhausts are mounted centrally in the wide rear diffuser, while vertical air-vents in the front wheel arches channel air around the car.

The MC Stradale also gets a new set of lighter, 10-spoke alloy wheels.

Maserati claims that the new car will give "razor-sharp handling" without compromising the ride quality of the standard car.

It says that despite the extra performance, fuel economy will be unchanged over the GranTurismo S.