Another 12c vs 458 head to head test

Thanks for sharing! It's an interestingly objective performance comparison.

The engine sounds in the video portion of this AutoExpress review of the 458 is just as awesome!

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/grouptests/268828/ferrari_458_italia.html

 

Very cool, thanks for posting. It was nice to see the cars in action rather than just read about them. Its no surprise to me that they are similar on the track given everything that we have read/seen before. I think that is a significant accomplishment for the Macca given that its their first "production volume" (my words) super sports car. I think from a "my car is bigger, err, I mean faster, than yours" perspective they are essentially a wash...at least to me (because I don't give a damn about a few 1/10ths of a second for a street car!

I will also say this is the first time I've gotten a look at the macca in action and I kinda like the look of it now (was doubtful based on the still photos I'd seen). And the sound is nice in the macca too.

Finally, the 458 sound is "nice" but doesn't have that high "scream" I like to hear in some other ferrari's (CS being one for example).

Pretty cool for car lovers that their is a new competitor that is so closely matched with the Ferrari. Will be great to have some additional competition to improve the breed!

 

THANKS BOB! Excellent video!

 

I have driven the 458 a number of times on the road and at millbrook in the uk and have been in but not driven the 12c yet but have one on order for june 2012. I will get a drive on the road shortly. Before I even get to drive it I have decided to keep my 458 and forget the 12c. My plan originally was to get the 458 earlier in the year, swap for the 12c in January if I liked it then move to 458 spider in January 2013. My 458 and 12 c were both delayed and the 458 now arrives shortly to be registered on 1st jan when I will trade in my California.

The 12c is undoubtedly a technical tour de force especially in the ride department (from what I read) and is a great achievent for a first car (excepting f1 and slr) but too me the overall feel is not there yet. I have lifted the carbon tub with my mate at the factory and seen the quality under the skin but:

The body is a type of plastic and it feels it- like an Elise but 200k more expensive (I have an Elise as well)
All the exterior vents and grills felt very cheap, that's why so many are replaced with carbon i think but to do that is very expensive.
Personally I don't like the doors or engine noise

Probably been said before but the carbon brakes are £10k extra so in a base comparison the
12c is £10k more.

To me the 458 feels, sounds, looks better, has 4 year warranty (uk), comes with 7 years servicing and is cheaper. Tiff from 5th gear not to happy with the handling on track either and I respect his opinion even though I will never get close to his driving ability.

The interior is good and I know they have had issues with infotainment, doors etc but that's fine by me as it's their first.

The knowledge of a few tenths quicker here and there (and remember that's with optional sports exhaust, carbons and wheels) would not stop me longing for the 458 so that's why I will stick with Ferrari for the moment. Maybe when I get to drive it, especially on the track, I might change my mind but I doubt it. It's still plastic with dodgy exterior vents and an uninspiring soundtrack and looks.

If only I could afford both!

 

Tiff needell and Jason Plato in both cars for those of you that have not seen it, both great drivers.

http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/videos/supercars/mclaren-mp4-12c-track-test

 

The reviews are no different than at the beginning. The 12C has time and again proven to not be the tour de force that Mclaren claimed. That being said it is a fantastic car and a great way for Ferrari to improve the breed. The 458 is such a marvel it is no wonder that it comes out on top.

 

Great video, and yet again Ferrari with the 458 on a same day/same driver/same track comparison beats the 12C.

 

One would have to bet that the Ferrari is a better and more evolved car than Mc.

Why? Practice, practice, practice. The 458 is the latest descendent of the rear mid v-8 sports model which began with the 308 some 40 years ago.

Mc, though, has got a really good first generation car. Things will get more interesting when the second generation Mc arrives in the future ( maybe 5-7 years from now?).

 

Really uphill.

No real dealer network in the US. Where do you go for service? Where do you even buy one if you live in Colorado?

No convertible. Not an option for me.

 

The 12C does not really interest me for some reason. I want to buy an SLR in the next year or so because I think it is a very special and interesting car that would make a great addition to my collection.

I would be curious to see what MacLaren is doing a few years down the road. Is the 12c currently available for sale in the US?

 

so the Ferrari 458 wins ... again.

and certainly not the first reviewer to mention instability under braking in the new McLaren ... this is a pretty serious flaw, seems to me.

 

Great video. Thanks for posting Bob. Loved the sound and look of the 458 but the 12C looked better than previous video and stills IMHO. Still happy I went with the 458, not the 12C.

 

+1 on all counts


Onno

 

You bring up all the real life concerns of a prospective buyer.

I'm not even looking at the Mc.

 

New sport exhaust option.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336908&page=3

Cheers

 

Oh, man. The comedy continues. Another 3 sec (ok, 2.4 sec.) improvement for Italia.
For the curious:
http://fastestlaps.com/laptimes/4ceb5e5fa5da4.html

Again, the tires are different, the lightweight options are better, the conditions are different and so is the driver. One thing stays inexorably the same: 3 secs improvements by Ferrari.

I start to appreciate their sense of humor, though.

 

Oh, I agree, McLaren has clearly problems launching the car. No doubt. Ferrari has clearly more experience and can deliver a finished product more easily. Ferrari's problems are of different nature .

 

And fastestlaps Anglesey national 458 lap (1:01,6) is wrong.
A 458 1s slower than a AMG SLS (1:00,6) on same day comparo ?
The 458 was faster than Mercedes as stated here :
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/videos/featurevideos/257605/mercedes_sls_amg_pcoty_video_review.html
Correct lap time is 1:00,1 as told in PCOTY Video (jump to 9,25s) (0,4 s slower than GT3RS laptime, 59,7s).
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfWaB4X9CA[/ame]
That means the 458 MY2011 had a 0,9 s improvement on single lap.
The only thing stays inesorabily the same is your BIAS.
Anyway opinion are opinion but facts should be reported correctly.

 

Here's the deal. It takes a very dedicated blindness not to see a problem with Italia's times.
I found a solution, though. I offer a bet: come spring (or maybe summer), when I get my car, I challenge any owner of any Italia to bring their car to any of the local track ( Monticello or njmp). We will hire a professional driver ( I know several, but we can agree on a choice), and have him drive both cars and set a laptime. No bull**** press cars. Anybody willing to bet on their car? I bet that MacLaren will easily beat a customer car on the track. If you believe the press car lap times you should have no problem taking the bet.


We will also post a video here for everybody's enjoyment .

 

Yawn.... I will give you that the 12 C is quicker than the 458 around the track. I still don't want one and all the challenges, rants and badgering can't change those facts. I don't care for the looks, the interior design or the engine sound. I dropped my deposit and have a 458 in productions as we speak. So, for me personally the outcome of the 458 vs the 12C debate was very clear. The 458 wins! I choose to spend my money to get one over the 12C. Case closed for me but thanks for your continued input.

 

Press-reported laptimes ... maybe they are ALL questionable, ALL biased? The McLaren could be a ringer, or a pre-production car with extra goodies (or fewer?) that will NEVER see volume production. Who can be sure? Not enough McLarens in the wild yet, to know anything about the "production" version ... especially when anything reported by any press is in serious doubt.

Think McLaren will ultimately be more "honest" than any other manufacturer? Let's not forget about some of the downright silly excuses that were offered, the first few times that the 458 beat them around a track.

All the reports, all the excuses, toss them all out. Pick the car that satisfies you ... brain, heart and soul ... over a long-term ownership experience. No need to defend your decision to anyone