What's all this about?

It's the first limited edition of the mighty Maserati MC20 supercar. Called the Notte Edition - that's Italian for 'night', unsurprisingly, for those of you that aren't linguists - it will be restricted to a build run of just 50 units.

Cor, it looks mean! Are we talking more power, then?

Maserati makes no mention of such a thing in announcing the MC20 Notte, so we have to assume that this is merely a styling exercise, rather than boasting any mechanical upgrades. Still, when you've got 630hp and 750Nm from a mid-mounted turbo V6 called 'Nettuno', allowing for 0-62mph in less than 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 202mph, more power isn't strictly necessary, now is it?

Instead, Maserati's customisation arm, Fuoriserie, collaborated with the company's test driver and former GT1 world champion, Andrea Bertolini, to develop the look of the MC20 Notte. The result is a car finished in magnetic matte Nero Essenza paint, complemented by exterior details - such as the Trident emblems, the side logos and the Maserati signature - which have changed from silver to matte white gold. This evokes Maserati's motorsport heritage.

In the arches are a set of 20-inch matte black 'Birdcage' alloys, again with accents in matte white gold. The brake callipers are black, while inside are six-way power sport seats in black-and-grey Alcantara with yellow stitching. The Trident logo makes it onto the head restraints, the Alcantara-clad sport steering wheel gains some carbon-fibre inserts, and there's an exclusive metal plate to mark the MC20 Notte Edition's limited-build status that bears the Italian phrase 'Una di 50' (one of 50). This sits between the seats on the rear bulkhead.

This is all very nice. But what has David Beckham got to do with the price of chips?

Oh, because old Goldenballs is in the pics? Beckham is a brand ambassador for Maserati, and he's already designed his own mean and moody, one-off MC20 Fuoriserie model in homage to the city of Miami, which he rendered in black and, er, pink. Because sunsets, or something. Anyway, it makes a nice link to the MC20 Notte, so Becks stars in a short promotional video along with Bertolini, as the Italian racing hand rags the new limited-edition car through a night-time cityscape and onto a darkened circuit. 'Race the night' is the motto here.

OK, I see. And has anyone else got anything to say about this MC20 Notte Edition?

Just Klaus Busse, head of Maserati Design, who said: "Fuoriserie means 'custom-built' in Italian, and our Trident's customisation program is conceived to create one-of-a-kind rolling sculptures for our clients. MC20 Notte celebrates the thrill of racing and the allure of the night, combining supreme performance and Italian elegance with a touch of mystery of the nocturnal world. It is the first Fuoriserie limited edition of MC20, and it is dedicated to super sportscar collectors and track enthusiasts."