A six-figure, 200-mph supercar is designed to dominate peaks, not highway exits, but that hasn’t stopped owners from expecting more than just the thrill of a day trip. As luxury automobiles continue to evolve, modern supercars are increasingly being asked to perform tasks that were once unthinkable: hauling luggage, navigating long stretches of highway, navigating valet ramps, and looking as composed as the five-star resort it’s parked in front of. The question isn’t whether a six-figure machine can go on vacation – the question is whether it can without sacrificing the feeling of lightness that true luxury requires.
We thought we’d answer the question by taking the 2026 Maserati MCPura for a spin from Miami to the Florida Keys and see if practicality would compromise its performance characteristics. Now I’ve driven this car in the mountains of Tuscany and through the curves of the Concours Club in Miami and thoroughly enjoyed its 621 horsepower and carbon-tubed handling. But how would it handle the drive from my hometown of Miami Beach via the Florida Turnpike and US 1 even further south to Key Largo, Islamorada, Tavernier and Marathon?
Part of the appeal of the facelifted Maserati MC20 is that it can be quite a docile creature, especially thanks to its 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine. Its competitors on the market are far more aggressive and the vehicle dynamics are downright relaxed – exactly what you want for a multi-day trip to the Florida Keys. The ability to raise the front axle is also crucial, because once you move away from the main route there are a lot of bumpy parking lots and speed bumps to overcome – even if the terrain in these parts is generally flat as a pancake.
The first thing I do is take the MCPura to a photo shoot to capture the golden hour. So take a trip from my home to Ocean Drive, say hello to a surprisingly amazed breakfast chef as I leave the supercar under the Betsy Ross Hotel’s famous globe, and then take it on a cruise past the Versace Mansion (RIP Gianni) and the Clevelander. I turn right after the Bentley Hotel and take the 5thTh Road to the McArthur Causeway, past the multi-millionaires of Star and Palm Islands on the right and the cruise ships on my left. Sending the car away from the traffic light using its starting system briefly attracts the attention of a motorcycle cop, but he just wants to look at the car and drives off before I take the exit to the exotically named Parrot Jungle Trail on Watson Island.
After taking a few snapshots, I am detained by a few more police officers who have been assigned to close the road and allow some shots of a black Bugatti on the causeway – with a boat driving along Governors Cut. “Must be an important guy,” I say to myself, and an Insta search shows that it’s being driven by none other than Mate Rimac himself. Small world!
After happily waving at him along the way, I head back to my apartment and begin the short process of packing the MCPura. If you’re just looking at storage options and know how hot the engine gets, a collapsible tote in the rear trunk is your best bet. It has a somewhat strange shape – long but narrow and almost triangular. Thanks to Rolex, who hosted me at Monterey Car Week, I have an elegant solution for this – although I find that even my smallest hard-shell carry-on suitcase fits in it. Next time I will also request custom Maserati luggage!
Since it is a mid-engine supercar, it naturally has a trunk. It’s small, but far from useless, and I find my Oakley Pirelli backpack fits just fine if I don’t fill it too much. But if you think that this will not escape a roast like the rear trunk, you are wrong: the radiator in the front gives off a lot of heat, so I advise you to put all the “melt” in the passenger footwell.
However, since this is a trip to the Florida Keys, all we really need are shorts and t-shirts – plus sunscreen and bug spray. Packed up, which takes all of 30 seconds, I drive to the Frost Science Museum to pick up my wife from work and we head east, past Zaha Hadid’s Scorpion Tower and Miami Marlins Park, then on past Inter Miami’s new Freedom Park under construction, at the international airport, and then make the big turn south along Florida’s Turnpike.
I have the MCPura in GT mode, so it likes to hum along at top speed, with the twin turbos occasionally whooshing and the wastegates fluttering when I have to back away from myself for one of the many random lane changes that proliferate any kind of multi-lane driving in these parts. Its eight-speed dual-clutch transmission also makes this drive easy, and with 538 lb-ft of torque on tap, when I need to get ahead of someone, it’s done with minimal fuss – and done in what feels like a split second after I think about it.
Even on the elevated concrete highway, the ride easily handles the bumps of the bridge expansion joints, and our drive south past Homestead Air Force Base and the racetrack is uneventful. Once you leave Florida City behind you are on US 1 and soon the green of the southern Everglades surrounds us. We’re driving in one lane again and after a few minutes we come across a random traffic jam. As I stand behind a boat being towed by a truck, I get no warning other than the brake lights – and for a moment I have to use every inch of the Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes to stop. You’ll read a lot about the feel of these pedals, and the left pedal does require some effort – but this proves that they work effectively when needed!
Naturally, I look directly in the mirror to see if the GMC truck behind me is about to test the rear crash-test supports of our full-carbon tub, but with its higher visibility, it’s already sitting on the shoulder and taking full evasive action – no doubt mindful of the insurance requirement to turn this $284,675 creation upside down. Thanks for your attention, buddy!
While we sit in traffic for a few minutes, I take advantage of the open top on this Cielo model and keep the roof down for the rest of the trip, which passes without incident. What’s a little annoying is that you have to hold your finger on the touchscreen to complete the process, as this takes 12 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
On this route it’s not far to Buzzard’s Roost, our late lunch stop, where you can watch the dock workers servicing some of the boats. And if you’re lucky, you might see one of them accidentally fall into the water like we did, and enjoy being teased tirelessly by his colleagues. Refreshed, we make our way to our boutique hotel in Tavernier, where the MCPura attracts envious looks from our fellow vacationers, most of whom drive rented convertible Ford Mustangs while parked in front of our luxury cottage. And of course, every time we leave our gated complex, I put it in Corsa mode and start it up so they can hear the Nettuno V6 sing its sweetest song!
For dinner we opt for Italian – of course! – at Lido 73, a relatively new restaurant from the operators of the Italian Food Company, which is spread across several locations in the Keys. First our host spots the Maserati in the parking lot and tells the waiters, who tell the chefs, and suddenly MCPura is surrounded by a crowd of excited Italians taking selfies as the sun sets. It proves that this car puts a smile on faces, and I still remember the Italian who slowed down his superbike in Tuscany, insisted that we rev the car in a tunnel, and then gave us the “Bravissimo!” gave. Hand gesture.
It’s such a beautifully designed car that we received a positive response wherever we went in the Keys, whether it was a morning trip to the coffee shop or shopping for essentials at Publix to stock up on cheese, ham, chocolate, wine and margaritas by the water. Since disposable plastic bags definitely can’t survive the heat in the trunk, my wife stores them neatly in the footwell on the passenger side for the quick return trip.
The only thing missing from our foray into this carbon-chassis, mid-engined sports car was some decent roads to showcase its rocket-like performance. But the Florida Keys are the opposite of hustle and bustle, and this vehicle can definitely provide both relaxation and thrills. Maserati’s supercar continues to be a hugely entertaining alternative in a segment where competitors often chase headlines at the expense of genuine driving pleasure, and the MCPura’s understated elegance combined with its ease of operation means it can be used as an everyday vehicle that touches the soul, rather than a motionless garage queen.
Images: Charles Bradley
