A Beast Finds Its Home: Maserati Delivers Bespoke MCXtrema to Legendary Collector Jacques Sicotte

In the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley, at the historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena, a quiet and exclusive ceremony has just cemented a new chapter in the Maserati legend. This facility, the spiritual home of the Trident for nearly 90 years, is more than a factory; it is a sanctum where automotive dreams are forged. This week, it became the exclusive stage for an extraordinary delivery, a meeting of past, present, and extreme future.

The recipient was Jacques Sicotte, a nuclear engineer and renowned entrepreneur from the south of France. Mr. Sicotte is not just a casual enthusiast; he is the curator of one of the world's most prestigious car collections, a deeply personal assembly of over 60 rare and iconic vehicles. Among his most prized possessions is the legendary Maserati MC12, the car that returned the Trident to racing dominance in the 2000s. For a collector of this stature, a gap in the collection had become apparent—a gap that could only be filled by one car.

That car is the Maserati MCXtrema. As the spiritual successor to the MC12, its addition was deemed essential by the collector, a man driven by a profound appreciation for aesthetics, adrenaline, and the pure, unfiltered thrill of track driving.

This was the first time the lucky owner of one of the 62 "Beasts" would lay eyes on his creation. The handover at the historic plant was a true tribute to the Trident's DNA, its uncompromising Italian spirit, and its extraordinary heritage. This wasn't just a purchase; it was an inheritance.

The Collector's Vision: A Modern Tribute to an Icon

The Maserati MCXtrema delivered to Mr. Sicotte is a testament to the deep collaboration possible through the brand's personalization program. The uniqueness of the venue was reflected perfectly in the uniqueness of the car itself, which features an elegant livery and an exclusive configuration born from the MCXlusiva programme.

This program is Maserati's bespoke service for the 62 clients, allowing them to transform their "Beast" into a "work of art on wheels," personally designed in conjunction with the Maserati Centro Stile team. Taking the MCXlusiva program as a starting point, Mr. Sicotte adapted his car to his precise wishes, making a clear and personal request: his MCXtrema must pay homage to its spiritual predecessor, his own MC12 Stradale.

The Maserati Centro Stile team embraced the challenge, proposing a "Corse" (‘racing’) livery that masterfully bridges the gap between the two generations. The body is kitted out in a breathtaking two-tone color scheme: a deep, aggressive matte blue juxtaposed with a luminous pearl white. The finish draws a direct visual line to the iconic blue-and-white livery of the MC12, a car that defined a decade of GT racing.

Further personalizing the vehicle, the collector's lucky number, 77, is emblazoned on the door in a classic racing font. An imposing Trident, the unmistakable symbol of Maserati, is painted in contrast on the bonnet, a clear reference to Maserati's sporting heritage.

The bespoke treatment continues within the cockpit. The interior, a minimalist carbon-fiber cocoon designed for pure performance, is softened with a profusion of dark blue upholstery and detailing, perfectly matching the exterior accents. Demonstrating its intended use as a serious track tool, the car was specified with dedicated options, including the essential passenger seat kit (for driver coaching or sharing the extreme thrill), a rearview camera system, and a full telemetrics package to capture and analyze every second of track time.

This MCXtrema is more than just a car; it is a personal statement, a rolling piece of art that represents a dialogue between a passionate collector and the designers at Maserati.

A Champion's Handoff: The Andrea Bertolini Moment

Adding a layer of historical significance to the delivery, the car was presented to Jacques Sicotte by a true Maserati legend: Andrea Bertolini.

Bertolini is not just the Chief Test Driver for Maserati; he is inextricably linked to the very car the MCXtrema honors. He is one of the most successful GT drivers in modern history, having piloted the glorious Maserati MC12 to four world titles. His connection to the MCXtrema is just as deep. He followed the car's entire development process, from its earliest conceptual stages to its final validation in the dynamic simulator and on the track.

This handover was deeply symbolic. The man who tamed the original MC12 and helped birth its successor was now personally handing the keys to a collector who reveres the original. It represents a passing of the torch, a bridge of speed connecting the MC12’s championship-winning past with the MCXtrema’s high-performance future. It was an unforgettable opportunity for the new owner to receive the car directly from the hands of the man who knows it best.

Unleashing the Beast: The Engineering Marvel of the MCXtrema

The Maserati MCXtrema is an uncompromising model, developed to be driven on the track only. Limited to just 62 units, it was created to break the mold and invent new paradigms of performance. It is the epitome of Maserati’s engineering prowess and the most formidable track-racing car the brand has ever produced.

At its heart lies a radically enhanced version of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 power unit, derived from the renowned Nettuno engine found in the MC20 and MCPURA. Freed from the constraints of road-legal regulations, this racing engine unleashes a staggering 740 CV (540 kW). This immense power, combined with a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque and body, delivers a power-to-weight ratio that rivals dedicated race cars.

The development of the MCXtrema was a monumental task that leveraged the most advanced equipment in the world, all accessible to Maserati's engineers in Modena. The Virtual Analysis team made fundamental contributions, spending approximately 200 hours in the dynamic simulator and a staggering 1000 hours of virtual analysis for simulations of various types.

This intense virtual work, which was constantly compared with real-world feedback from the track (often with Bertolini at the wheel), allowed the team to perfect the car before the first prototype was even built. It represents the ultimate in advanced engineering and innovation, a place where the perfect, aggressive design created by the Maserati Centro Stile converges flawlessly with the engineering requirements of efficient, high-downforce aerodynamics for any track configuration. The result is a car that is not only brutally fast but also stable, predictable, and confidence-inspiring at the limit.

Life Beyond the Paddock: The MCXperience

Maserati understands that owning a car like the MCXtrema is about more than just the machine itself; it's about the experience. To that end, the brand has created MCXperience, a bespoke customer experience designed to offer a series of exclusive services reserved only for the 62 owners of the "Beast."

This program transforms owners into members of an exclusive club, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the Maserati racing world. They will be supported by professional drivers and the dedicated technicians at Maserati Corse Services, the same division that manages the brand's racing endeavors.

At the heart of this program is the MCXperience Concierge, a dedicated service that offers owners the opportunity to experience personalized driving track days at some of the world's most famous circuits. This service also includes dedicated after-sales support, ensuring the MCXtrema is always in perfect condition for its next track assault.

To make the experience even more exciting and turn-key, each MCXtrema is delivered with a special racing kit. Developed in collaboration with Sparco, a world leader in motorsport equipment, the kit includes a full, custom-fitted race suit, gloves, boots, and helmet. This kit, combining comfort and high-level performance, enables drivers to immediately and safely come into complete contact with their car’s pure racing DNA.

The Trident's New Hierarchy: Where the MCXtrema Reigns

The MCXtrema is the razor-sharp pinnacle of a resurgent Maserati brand. It sits at the very top of the MC (Maserati Corse) family, a range of vehicles dedicated to the brand's performance DNA and racing heritage.

This elite family includes:

• Maserati MCXtrema: The limited-edition, 740-hp track-only hypercar for the ultimate enthusiast.
• Maserati MCPURA: The new road-legal super sports car, in both coupé and Cielo convertible versions. Powered by the 630-hp V6 Neptune engine, it is the evolution of the MC20, incorporating F1-derived technologies.
• Maserati GT2 Stradale: The road-legal version of the GT2 race car, which has successfully brought Maserati back to the track in covered-wheel championships.

This "MC" lineup serves as the halo for the entire brand, projecting an aura of extreme performance and exclusivity that benefits the entire range. This includes the Grecale, the "everyday exceptional" SUV, and the iconic GranTurismo and GranCabrio. These models are available with a spectrum of powertrains, from efficient 4-cylinder hybrid systems to the high-performance V6 petrol engine, embodying the brand's performance DNA.

Maserati's mission to write the future of luxury mobility is also powerfully represented by its Folgore 100% electric range, which includes the GranTurismo Folgore, Grecale Folgore, and GranCabrio Folgore. This dual strategy—pushing the boundaries of both internal combustion with the Nettuno and electrification with Folgore—is supported by extensive customization programs like Maserati Fuoriserie and heritage services like Maserati Classiche.

The delivery of this one-of-a-kind MCXtrema to Jacques Sicotte is more than a single event. It is a powerful statement. It links the brand's 90-year history at Viale Ciro Menotti to its high-tech future. It honors the racing legacy of the MC12 by giving its successor a home with a true connoisseur. And it confirms that in the world of bespoke, high-performance automotive art, the Italian Trident remains the undisputed benchmark. The "Beast" of Modena has found its perfect home.