458 vs McLaren MP4-12C--- Your thoughts?

ferrari wins in terms of looks and no doubt in terms of "passion" in the driving experience due to unparalleled exhaust note etc.

mclaren will be a hell of a lot faster. sure you can't buy one of these cars based on 0-60 or course times since they're all incredibly fast, but the light weight of the mclaren might make it way more fun to drive. something you don't hear very often with ferrari competitors.

i'm picturing this car to be sort of a midpoint between a lotus and a ferrari. except the hp is right up there with the 458. despite all the negativity on here about its looks and the brand in general, the mclaren could be the most exciting sports car in a LONG time. it could finally force porsche, ferrari, lamborghini etc. into actually making lighter cars instead of just talking about it.

obviously this is all speculation at this point but it's something to consider.

 

The 458 exists and the McLaren doesn't. That makes the choice easy.

 

I still would take a 458, but that McLaren should be one great car.

 

The MP4 looks exactly like the Ascari

 

lol, that's a good way to put it.

As for which car I would choose, it would have to be the 458 Italia. Although I'm gradually starting to warm up to the McLaren every time I look at it.

 

Clarkson will be blown away by it.

But he'll still have the Ferrari, as always.

Same for me.

 

The McLaren will be a great car but--

A Ferrari is a Ferrari and a McLaren is not.

 

things i could not overcome given sufficient funds.

1. McLaren is just ridiculously awkward looking...'goofy' if you will
2. McLaren just sounds bloody awful...blahhh...blahwwaaah...

solution for me...throw in the Porsche RS spyder 3.4l V-8 race lump, and put on a completely new body



But sure, its owners will be blown away by the performance for performance sake...

 

Certainly the McClaren will be a worthy magazine opponent but a car is something you wear and at this level you must feel it; simply being content plus favorable statistics and you could find yourself getting bored. I can appreciate the MP4-12C on an engineering level (just like the Bugatti Veyron) but it does nothing for me.

 

i really think you guys are selling the mclaren short

this isnt a porsche gt2 or lp560 etc., a similar car that may have slightly better numbers but no "passion."

this is a very different car, one that is significantly lighter and could make the 458 seem like a minivan in comparison.

the light curb weight is a huge deal.

 

I have to say that Italia leaves me cold. Very pretty car but too much weight, especially after the incomparable Scuderia. The McLaren is not as good looking and the turbo thing really worries me (even though on videos it sounds pretty good), but I am really excited about the car. I think it moves the entry supercar game in significant ways, Italia does not. THe carbon tub is a great achievement at this price point, and the car is likely to feel much lighter than Italia due the added stiffness. The Ferrari bleatings that the carbon fiber is not ready for prime time since it costs so much to fix is just a pathetic excuse. I don't worry about fixing the protection cell. If you have an accident where the tub comes into play, it does not matter how much it costs to fix. The car is a goner by then and the tub can save your life.

I love the scud and I will definitely keep it, but the next high-performance toy for me is going to be the Mclaren.

 

It will perform better than the F458, and that's very exciting, as Ferrari will work hard on the next Scuderia/Stradale version of the F458 to balance the game.

 

Ron Dennis thinks he can use the McLaren name like Ferrari does. He can't. The base McLaren already costs what the Italia spider will, doesn't come with CCB's, and only comes in three standard colors -- white, black, and orange. All other colors are either expensive or really expensive.

He's tryng to mimick Ferrari by copying some of it's worst aspects. He's in for a rude awaking we potential buyers start to ask why everything is so expensive.

 

I think the Mclaren sounds awesome and I like its looks as well. I'm still sufficiently programmed and enamoured by hype to get my 458, but I'll be watching my rear view mirror for a fast approaching car that will likely overtake me. If the Mclaren proves to be as good as we're told, expect to see some migration of buyers from F to M. Also, more limited edition Mclaren's just might hold their value better than relatively voluminous 458s. Only time will tell.

 

I think these will be the most compared cars during the entirety of their production and for many years after...

 

You have to factor in maintenance costs and general hassle of use before you just look at volume for judging resale value.

It's not the number of pieces made that determines the price. It's the size of the market in relation to the number out there. If the cost of maintenance and having only a few dealers around to do work on them causes living with one to be too much of a hassle, the market shrinks and resale values plummet as few want a hassle when they buy a modern super car -- particularly one that claims engineering perfection.

 

When driving on real roads in real traffic that superior performance will not mean much,at the level of performance these cars have these differences are not going to matter as much as some here expect.
On a race track,track days,etc,yes,the McLaren might be faster but only when driven by a superior driver.
I can bet a good driver in 458 will still run circles around a weaker driver in Mp4...
McLaren performance advantage is going to be great for bragging rights though...
As for styling it's a matter of taste,personally I like it.

 

Obviously, we will see in head-to-head tests, however looking at the specs, the Mclaren will easily beat Italia without any need for superior drivers.

 

I think regardless of how good the car will be, they will be facing a major problem. where will the owners service their cars?? Do you think they can open up service centers all over the world by next year!! That problem alone will scare off buyers.

 

Definitely an issue. Imagine a CEL shown in error, a trim piece coming loose, or an annoying noise due to something needing a little tightening. 500 mile round trip for something like that? **** no.

 

The McLaren is for me. I couldn't afford either, but I'm sure that I will get a chance to drive both very soon as well as photograph them.

In terms of looks: Speaking as a photographer, I would prefer to photograph the 458 as it looks amazing from almost all angles. The 12C is let down by it's front bumper. I think that they've tried to design a 'timeless' design, but the reality is that the front almost looks dated! That said, the 12C in Black looks amazing well as the 458 couldn't really pull off the black as it lost all its curves.

The performance of the 12C is going to be devastating, but the 458 has a lovely sounding engine and revs to 9000 rpm. I feel that the 12C is going to be the better drivers car and be great, both on track and on country roads.

The McLaren is supposedly about £150000 - probably more like £170000 in a decent spec.
The Ferrari is about £170000 in base spec, so probably more like £180000 in a decent spec.
Not much in it really..

What about the SLS? I know it is very different to the 12C and 458, but it's still a car that many people will consider.

 

Which would you rather have, a McLaren F1 or an Enzo? Same answer to the OP's question. McLaren F1 had some serious operability issues, the Enzo did not. Why would that change with the new car?

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

VERY different cars than ones in current consideration..owners of those cars are willing to accept the 'difficulty' . but sure, it's likely there will be some serious 'issues' when it comes to servicing a 'run of the mill production' McLaren that does not have 'run of the mill production' service network.

 

Seriously....how many people really know what a McLaren is? If you don't think it makes a difference when spending 300 grand on a car, your kidding yourself


Everyone wants a Ferrari. How many dream of owning a McLaren in the US?