During the 1950s, Maserati was synonymous with motor racing—legends such as Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio scoring regular international victories for the Italian marque. Almost secondary to this, the company was responsible for some of the most desirable road cars of the era. Fast, sophisticated, and achingly glamorous, Maseratis were assembled in tiny numbers and prized by the glitterati. As time went by, the firm abandoned motorsport to focus solely on these production models but, at the beginning of the 21st century, it returned to its roots. And what a comeback it would make.

Unveiled at the 74th Geneva International Motor Show in 2004, the Tipo M144 or MC12 (for Maserati Corse, 12-cylinder) was the most extreme model yet to leave the Modena factory. Much of the new car’s DNA came from former rival Ferrari’s Enzo hypercar, although substantial improvements were made to the engine, chassis and aerodynamics. Powered by a 5,998 cc, 65-degree, 48-valve, dry-sump V-12, the car developed 630 horsepower at 7,500 rpm, giving a top speed of no less than 330 km/h.

Prioritising function over beauty, the arresting carbonfibre body was designed by Maserati Centro Stile and bore all the hallmarks of a long-distance racer. This wasn’t coincidental, because the 50 road-going MC12s produced between 2004 and 2005 were created with a very singular objective: homologation for the FIA GT Championship.

Under the direction of Giorgio Ascanelli, Maserati’s Reparto Corse developed a competition version that would notch up a slew of international victories, including back-to-back wins in the Spa 24 Hours—the first on the model’s maiden endurance event. A string of constructors’, drivers’, and team championships would well and truly cement the MC12’s reputation as the car to beat. The Trident had returned with a vengeance.

Such was the prowess of the MC12 racer, wealthy enthusiasts seeking the ultimate adrenaline experience clamoured for a chance to own one—and in late 2006 Maserati obliged. Developed from the all-conquering competition model, the MC12 Versione Corse was conceived as a track car but—like its cousin, the Enzo-based Ferrari FXX—was not intended to race. As such, it was unhindered by the FIA rulebook. Dispensing with the intake restrictors mandated by GT1 regulations, for example, the ‘Corsa’ was noticeably more powerful than its championship-winning stablemate: with an astonishing 745 horsepower at 8,000 rpm it was—and remains—the most potent Maserati ever. It was also one of the purest.

Pared back to the minimum, at 1,150 kilograms it was almost 200 kilograms lighter than the Stradale. There was no traction- or stability control, and no ABS, yet, although the performance was truly electrifying—the Corsa could hit 200 km/h from standstill in 6.4 seconds—the car was remarkably benign to handle. With its carbon-ceramic brakes, six-speed Cambiocorsa gearbox, and integral roll cage, the Maserati offered full-fat racing-car dynamics in an astonishingly user-friendly package. In simple terms, it was magnificent.

Offered new to just a dozen carefully selected customers, the MC12 Versione Corse would remain an unattainable dream for the wider public—even those with the deepest of pockets. Among the lucky enthusiasts invited to acquire one of those 12 cars—at a cool €1,000,000 apiece—was the gentleman who took delivery of ‘0008’ in Germany in 2007. Clearly a connoisseur, he added the Maserati to a collection that already included a Ferrari FXX, although during his custodianship the Corsa was used very little. The car is understood to have since been treated to an engine rebuild by former Maserati Corse mechanics in Modena, while maintenance has been carried out by marque specialist Formula Automobile in Denmark.

Confirmed by Archivio Storico Maserati as retaining its matching-numbers engine, and being in its original Arancio (orange) livery with black Sparco seats, this remarkable machine is offered complete with handbooks, fuel rig, spare wheels and tyres. An unmissable opportunity for any serious Maserati collector.