The Maserati MC20 Cielo with a retractable glass roof will debut in 2023.

Maserati has unveiled a convertible version of its MC20 supercar. The traditional "spider" name for convertibles has been dropped in favor of a new name, "Cielo."

The name is appropriate for use on the convertible MC20 because it means "sky" in Italian and allows occupants to have a view of the sky whether the roof is up or down. The car's automated roof is made of glass, especially since it features electrochromic glass that can instantly change its transparency.

The addition of a retractable hard top (instead of a soft top) would give the MC20 Cielo the same comfort, noise level, and driving performance as the coupe. The roof is operated via a central screen that transforms the car from a coupe to a sun-kissed roadster in just 12 seconds.

There is a 143-pound weight penalty (resulting in a vehicle weight of 3,395 pounds), but this would be hard to notice from behind the wheel. This small weight penalty is made possible by the MC20's carbon fiber monocoque construction, which was developed from the outset to support the roofless version and did not require additional reinforcement. It was also developed to support the battery for the electric version of the MC20, which will be called the MC20 Folgore.

The MC20 Cielo is almost identical to the coupe, except that the top can be lowered. Behind the cabin is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 with 621 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic, with 0-60 mph acceleration in under 3.0 seconds and a top speed approaching 200 mph.

The MC20 Cielo is available for the 2023 model year and adds several new features to the MC20 series. Among the new items are a surround view camera, traffic sign recognition, and automatic emergency braking. According to Maserati, the available 12-speaker Sonus Faber audio system has also been specially optimized to meet the unique acoustic and placement needs of the MC20 Cielo's cabin.

The MC20 Cielo will be available in special Prima Serie Launch Editions. One of these is a unique combination of a new color, Aqua Marina, on the body and "PrimaSerie" lettering on matte black-finished wheels.

The MC20 coupe starts at $212,000, and the MC20 Cielo will undoubtedly command a premium. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

Maserati will have a busy year: in addition to the MC20 Cielo, sales will begin on the new Grecale compact crossover and the redesigned GranTurismo, which boasts an electric model with over 1,200 hp.