Maserati's history is packed with iconic models and plenty of fast cars, but for years, the brand has been without a supercar in its lineup. That changed in late 2021 when the company released the MC20 as a 2022 model in the United States. Jay Leno recently got his hands on one and has Maserati Americas CEO Bill Peffer on hand to show him around.

After spending an overnight with the MC20, Leno seemed impressed and noted its $200,000 price as a substantial value among its rivals. Jay geeks out on the car's design and engineering in typical Leno's Garage form, noting its 621-horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 12 spark plugs per cylinder. Later in the video, we even get an overview of why the Tremec eight-speed transmission may be better than a ZF for a classic Maserati.

Unlike the Lamborghini Huracan STO Leno drove last month, the MC20 isn't "a hardcore track car," as he put it. Peffer frequently touts the car's flexibility and the fact that it's a car with a spacious, refined ride that can deliver brutality when needed. The Maserati's butterfly doors offer good space to enter and exit, and Jay liked the car's ability to take a relaxing drive out to dinner while still being remarkably quick. That said, the MC20 shouldn't top anyone's road trip list because, as Leno found out, the car's storage space may only accommodate a set of "mini-golf clubs."

Peffer notes that the company built the engine for the car after ending its extensive relationship with the Ferrari brand and its powertrains.

The MC20 also gets plenty of new tech that will eventually trickle down to other models in the Maserati lineup. However, even as the cutting-edge flagship, the car still retains several design touches that are important to the brand, such as Maserati's classic three-porthole. Since the MC20 is mid-engine, they've been moved to the back of the car as functional air vents for the engine bay.

Peffer talks about the focus on using Italian companies as suppliers for the car, such as Dallara, which spent 2,000 hours in a wind tunnel developing the aerodynamics and the tub for the MC20. Another Italian company, Sabelt, manufactured the seats. In a somewhat awkward moment, Jay describes the shoddy Italian engineering from cars he drove in years past while calling the MC20 "very tight."