exactly but I do not have the F8 now just the Pista the F8 was a loaner would be an interesting comparison ....
I do right now .. I have always like the looks of the Pista and they are both great will have to decide as I still am in line to get an F8 .. I had a reason I needed a car for an event in June and the F8 got delayed so I plan to keep the Pista as it was what I really wanted to begin with ....
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I had a highly edifying test drive of the F8 today. This is the second time experiencing the car and this drive was more comprehensive, lengthier and involved. It encompassed city, highway and quiet, industrial streets. The F8 was driven exclusively in race mode- manual and at times with CT Off, and ESC disabled. While clearly track use was not possible, the testing did reveal the car's personality and driving characteristics due to the highly spirited and enthusiastic manner in which it was commandeered. Lets get the obvious out of the way . Subjectively, the F8 is a stunning example of automative art. It is aesthetically masterfully harmonious and artistically fluidly coherent. In other words, it is a homogenius design that is attractive from every angle. The interior is handsome and exudes luxe with a mix of excellent workmanship and high quality materials. The climate control assembly is a step forward from previous models in quality but still not up to the exalted standard of the rest of the interior. The highlights of the cabin of this car is undoubtedly the steering wheel, which is the most comfortable and appealing I have had the pleasure of caressing and gripping. It is a perfect diameter and its thickness simply contours into the driver's hands. The racing carbon seats are lovely and exceptionally supportive and extremely comfortable. Body shape and girth will either confirm this statement or not. Overall the the interior is successfully executed but it does not break any new design ground nor is it exceptional. An area of concern has been the slotted Lexan cover over the engine. It does not discolour but it does distort the images seen in the rear. It is disconcerning at first and does act as a distraction but not severely so. It is however, so visually appealing that many will overlook its impracticality. For those who have opined that the F8 is soft, compliant, fast and highly competent, but lacking the raw, visceral quality expected in the F8, I beg to differ. All the subsequent comments pertain to driving the F8 in RACE mode, manual exclusively. Of immediate notice is the speed of the car. It is at the hierarchy of outright quickness. Its only competitor which I have driven, is the 720S. Choosing between these 2 speed demons would be akin to nitpicking. Is the car excessively fast? Many seem to think so. Not for me. There is no such thing as too fast. The throttle and how hard it is pressed will control speed. Is the speed fully useable outside of a track? No it is not but feeling the surge of immediate power thrusting one's body pinned to the back of the seat is exhilirating in and of itself. There is no perceptible turbo lag.Anyone who claims otherwise is simply biased to believe that forced induction engines can never be absolutely bereft of that phenomenum. The linear nature of the power delivery at any speed or RPM is a true testament to the break through Ferrari engineers have wrought. The 720S does exhibit a very slight degree of lag between 3000-3500 RPM. What about the nature of the driving dynamics of the F8? Personally this is a parameter of performance that is exceptionally vital. This comprised my greatest concern and as it turns out, my worries were unfounded. Compared again to the 720S, the elevation of feedback with regards to steering and suspension was markedly apparent. The F8 steering is more nimble, direct and tactile with an uncanny balance between light or excessively heavy. The same applies to the suspension, which is firm and accessibly stiff which created a great sense of driver- car connectivity. The 720S is noticeably more compliant, refined and comfortable. More aligned to a luxury car, like a Bentley for example. ( LOL) The F8, much like the 720S, exhibits tenacious grip and stellar handling abilities. Point the car in the desired direction and it obediently adheres to the command. Upon launch, there is the absence of wheel spin which is replicated by the 720S. Kudos must be addressed to both Mclaren and Ferrari for developing 710HP- RWD super cars that accomplish this feat. Breaking is very predictable and assured on both cars with little to differentiate them. The DCT is seamless and lightning quick for both the F8 and 720S. Both the F8 and 720S feel very tight and rigid with the carbon fibre tub of the 720S exemplying this atrribute to a slightly higher degree. Many have lamented the sound quality and quantity of both the F8 and 720S. While the F8 is no Performante in this area, it is certainly more boisterous and appealing compared to the 720S which is sorely lacking. Inside the cabin, the F8 is actually quite satisfying in terms of SPL and quality of tone. The engine note is more mid frequency dominant which imparts a throaty aural concerto versus the Performante's Beethoven's 5th Symphony sonic block buster. For those who prioritize sound, the F8 might prove disappointing. For others, it will prove more than adequate. The F8 can be highly playful. Turn off the CT and push it into corners at spirited speeds and the car will reward the driver with controlled slides that are entertaining. To up the ante, turn off the ESC and the F8 will entertain with slip, sliding away. Compared to the 720S, the F8 is more compelling and engaging. It connects the driver to the car and the road more intimately. At the end of the drive, my heart was pounding and the feeling of exhiliration was palpable.These emotions aluded me at the culmination of 2 test drives of the 720S. Emotion is often collateral damage to the advance of technology and turbo engines push cars away from individual personalities and towards conformity. The F8 substantially eludes this trend. The F8 is the synthesis of technical excellence and imparts the subjective sensations of joy, thrills and excitement. The F8 simply tickles all the right senses. To fully satisfy my preferences and priorities, it still could use an added dose of Performante rawness and visceral enthusiasm. In conclusion, I am highly enamoured by the F8 and count the days when it will be mine.
Buddy I was in the same boat you’re in. Cancel the F8 and get a 20 Pista....it’s a buyers market for Pistas and there are plenty to choose from. As long as the F8 has not been built you will get your refund back.
Nice write up Coincid. Was an enjoyable read as per usual! Going back on my F8 experience, perhaps it was tainted after driving more focused cars that day. Keep in mind the conditions I drove F8 was pretty much take no prisoners around a very technical circuit. It wasn't that i didn't find F8 very capable but after 4 laps I felt I was just going through the motions of racking up more laps for the sake of it rather than extracting any level of heightened sensation or excitement which would keep me going around indefinitely. It isn't that I don't appreciate F8's predictable and communicative steering feel and strong acceleration and agree F8's power is very usable indeed. I was using full power most of the time without any issue and found it never too much. The brakes were very strong and decent to modulate (for a Ferrari) that is until they got a bit grabby from the heat. It cornered very well - had a lovely predictable feel to the chassis - but generated too much lean under lateral load for my liking. I recall checking if I was in bumpy road a few times to be 100% sure I was in the sports setting as it just didn't feel like it was. The engine sound also lacked any form of crescendo which would alert a red-line which had me watching the Tach more than I would have liked. And the sound whilst overall good was still just too muted - did not have the emotion of Pista and most certainly not of an atmo engine in any way shape or form. I just found the experience lacked overall emotion in the sense it was just doing everything so easy without any having any real theater or drama going on, which one would expect in this type of car. I also found other than perhaps having to watch out for bringing too much speed into the braking markers there really was't much else to watch out for or keep you on your toes. This ease of use may make the average driver feel the hero and invigorate them but for me I expect more of a challenge. And I don't mean challenged in any sense by having the car working against you either like some of the these old tech cars - which the F8 does not do thankfully. F8 definitely works for the driver but IMO just far too much for my liking and this can leave the experience somewhat lackluster, bland and wanting. On a road or in an industrial estate I doubt you will be pushing the levels of G's as you would on a circuit. Pista does not roll around anything like F8 and sat way flatter, a trait I would have expected in F8 tbh. I found in contrast the 600lt has by far a sharper and better turn in by a noticeable amount, sits much flatter yet is equally compliant in the suspension - although not luxury soft - so the only compromise in Pista or 600lt is the lack of deadening really. Both very d/d'able but feel so much more connected and engaging than the F8. I guess if you keep your driving limited to an F8 and don't jump into anything else then you will think F8 is it, so as the saying goes what you don't know wont hurt you. But if you drive either you will lose interest in F8 pretty smartly unless you like that soft "Bentley" feel lol.
As I stated, the drive did not involve the track. All my comments were predicated on driving on diverse roads, and the car was pushed with included slides and speeds up to 150 kms. Under these conditions, in RACE - manual mode, the F8 is highly engaging, compelling and a stellar performer. Personally, it is a quantum leap above the exalted 720s in visceral excitement and car - driver connection with substantially greater suspension and steering feedback. Spoke with another test driver who owns the 720s who echoed my sentiments with an abundance of enthusiasm for the F8 and concurred with my assessment of the 720s which is now going up for sale.
There is at least a $100,000 dollar difference or more to buy the Pista. I would not want a stripped down model and I’m addicted to Carbon Fiber. A bit too steep for me.
In Canada, the price differential between my spec'd F8 to a Pista is $300000 CAD. Absurd. The Performante premium over the 610-4 was $70K. Same for the 765Lt compared to a new 720S. At those price differentials, very reasonable to upgrade.