Chevrolet Corvette Z06 vs. Maserati MC20 Cielo drag race is the battle of America vs Italy
- Chevrolet has been knocking on Europe’s supercar door for a while
- Now, it’s back with a new and improved Corvette Z06
- Defending Europe is Maserati – with the new MC20 Cielo
Published on Feb 22, 2025 at 2:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Feb 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
In the past 20 years, the Americans have brought the fight to the European continent with some seriously impressive supercars.
One of those is the latest Chevrolet Corvette ZO6, which has been making waves across the pond.
Now, though, it has been pitted against Italy’s newest offering – the Maserati MC20 Cielo.
The two have now gone head-to-head in an epic drag race to see who reigns supreme in the speed game.
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Chevrolet Corvette ZO6: Fighting out of the red corner
The new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 feels like a game changer.
America’s latest supercar has earned rave reviews all around, with particular praise earmarked for its remarkable performance and handling.
The LT6, 5.5 liter engine that powers the Corvette is good for 670 horsepower.
And it doesn’t end there. The new Z06 is good for a 0-60 time of just 2.6 seconds, with a quarter-mile time of just a touch over 10 seconds.
People are calling this Chevrolet Corvette Z06 the supercar killer. And that might not be premature.
Maserati MC20 Cielo: Representing Italy
Don’t think the Chevrolet Corvette has won anything just yet.
Representing Italy is the brand new Maserati MC20 Cielo, the convertible version of the standard MC20.
Like the new Corvette Z06, the new Maserati MC20 Cielo has also been receiving rave reviews.
The new V6, which produces 630bhp, is good for a 0-60 time of three seconds. A top speed of 199mph.
We’re talking a serious battle of numbers here.
Corvette vs MC20: YouTube channel puts them to the test
Now, we have a major faceoff between these two supercars.
A YouTube channel, named Edmunds Cars, has pitted the two supercars against each other.
Alistair Weaver, the main presenter, gets behind the wheel of the Z06, putting it into race mode whilst explaining all the details of the new car.
His co-host, Jonathan Elfalan, does the same thing behind the wheel of the MC20 Cielo, before putting the new Maserati into ‘Corsa’ mode.
Elfalan says that the new MC20 Cielo ‘has all the makings of a fun, mid-engined Italian supercar’.
Chevrolet vs Maserati: Who comes out on top?
Alistair and Jonathan actually perform a very thorough test.
They perform a quarter mile drag race with a braking section, before turning back and completing the quarter mile.
The Corvette gets a lightning launch off the line, whilst the Maserati struggles a little more.
The 40bhp difference really starts to show coming towards the braking section, with the Corvette Z06 building a solid lead.
“God, I love these brakes”, Alistair says.
After completing the U-turn to head back, both cars get a really good exit out of the turn.
However, the V8 of the Corvette makes all the difference, as it starts walking away from the MC20 Cielo for a resounding victory.
Round 1, Chevrolet Corvette Z06. First blood to the Americans.
Round two: Car swap between the two
For the second race, Alistair and Jonathan decide to swap the cars to see if the result changes.
Like the first race, the Chevrolet gets a rapid start off the line, although Alistair gets a slightly better jump from the Maserati.
Down the straight, the result is the same; the Corvette’s V8 roars into life as it pulls away from the MC20.
“God, it brakes well”, Alistair remarks in the MC20.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough, as the Corvette streaks away from the Maserati to take an even more dominant finish in the second race.
“Oh, that sound – it’s glorious,” Jonathan says in the runaway Z06.
Overall conclusion: Chevrolet or Maserati?
Perhaps not to anyone’s surprise, it’s not particularly close.
Although the Maserati MC20 Cielo does look ‘absolutely gorgeous’, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 impresses Alistair and Jonathan in every other way.
Alistair points out that he like the Z06 ‘more and more every time I drive it’.
Jonathan concludes by pointing out that the MC20 Cielo ‘just doesn’t deliver quite what you’re looking for’.
If it could deliver the performance and noise of the Z06, then he thought the price could be justified.
Alistair ends by noting that the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is ‘such a well-engineered car’, and that the noise is ‘just otherworldly’.
Looks like America might be a very real threat to the supercar world.
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
