458 versus Mclaren 650s?

2 diffrent cars i have driven both my choice 458 the 650s is super super fast but at end of the day 458 is my choice,drive both and make ur decsion eitheir way both are awsome cars.

 

To your question.....not a single issue, 4.5k miles. Nav works well surprisingly, zero glitches. Having sat on sidelines for 7 years thru the 360, F430....the 458 has far far fewer issues. And for me, none.
Please go drive both. Pure speed is the 650 and it will shoot past a 458. But that's not everyone's only measure of course or you could get a souped up Camaro.

 

If you are concerned about satnav, and that's the reason why you consider not buying the 650S, well, I'm not sure the 458 is for you. Just do a search here, the 458 satnav is not,, uh, great... It's awkward, slow and annoying to use, it lacks what I will call an intuitive user interface. I doubt that McLaren does a worse system in the 650S. I don't think the system in the 12c was worse.
Drive both, get the dealer to show you the system, and pick the one you like. It's that simple. Is the 650S faster? Yes. Is it more fun to drive. To some yes, to some no.

 

I own both. They are great cars. The 650S is a monster. Fastest stock car I have driven.

 

I also own a Mclaren, no issues with the Navigation/entertainment, bluetooth, etc systems for me. The latest software made a big improvement.

No experience with the 458 satnav, but if Becker was the designer, you will need to go back to school and get another degree, without a doubt the worst user interface and lack of intuitive controls/software ever. Biggest waste of money I ever spent for my 360 and 430.

MB

 

I have satnav in my 458, huge improvement over F430. I enter addresses with voice control, it works pretty well. Map display also shows traffic.

 

Who cares about the Sat Nav anymore? I use an iPhone and Waze...

 

I don't like looking at my iPhone while I drive so I can understand the question about built in nav.

McLaren: faster car, better ride comfort balance. but you have to drive it faster to get that edgy feeling out of it and it has unique electronics which have required sorting out after the fact. IMHO you get the McLaren (any of them) because you want to go really fast and you like the easier ride for the times you are not going really fast.

Ferrari: more of an event. More fun at lower speeds. ride handling is more what you expect in a sports car (McLaren comfort can sometimes approach a nice sedan!). Some of the electronics systems are shared with other cars so they are better sorted out. Also this will sound like double talk until you own one, but only a Ferrari is a Ferrari.

I've driven them all and for my money the 458 is the better choice- which is why I bought one.

 

Perhaps if sat-nav is the deal breaker you're looking at the wrong kind of cars...

 

I think he's just trying to refine his understanding and search. The big part is he wants a sports car. This is how I used to think before I owned any of these cars. Nothing wrong with asking. Isn't that what forums like this are for?

 

If you want to go fast get the 650s, if you want to look good and make lots of noise get the 458.

 

If you want to go fast in a lifeless machine, get the 650s.

I have hope for Mac's new car because it doesn't have active suspension.

 

100 percent disagree with you! Lots of life and fun with my two Macs. And I have a 458 that I drive them both back to back. Mac has the lovely turbo sounds and blow off valves and will blow the doors off my 458 with the top down. 458 is a wonderful car, but to say the 650s is lifeless is not a fair statement. Do you own or have you ever owned a McLaren?
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Very nice picture!

 

Thanks!

 

McLaren gets too much hate with not enough experience. It's an absolutely phenomenal car.

 

I've driven the 12c. I don't care for the suspension. It's like you're too isolated from the road. I don't like that the transmission "creeps" like an autobox either.

Everyone has their own take on what they like. Some like this, some like that. No biggie

It's a really fine car but the idea that the 458 is some kind of poser mobile was over the top.

I do like the new Mac very much though. It's the only one I would consider buying.

 

I just bought a 650S Spider to partner my 458 Speciale Aperta. In my opinion

- The 458 has much better sound. 650S is disappointing
- The 650S is a much better convertible. There is simply no comparison in terms of structural rigidity (the Aperta is significanty floppier than my old Speciale coupe)
- The 650S is much faster. Simply unbelievable
- They are very different in terms of handling, but I like them equally
- I prefer the 650S dashboard but that is subjective. I have a fetish for cool fonts and graphics
- IRIS is no longer a problem following the upgrade, however the 458 satnav is better in my view
- 650S (with Meridian upgrade) has a much better hifi than 458 SA
- 650S ride is miles better than 458SA. In town the car rides like a Bentley, it is unbelievable
- 458SA is more beautiful. Sexy as opposed to "functional" 650S
- 458SA will hold its value, while 650S will depreciate like yesterday's newspaper
- I have a marginal preference for the 650S build quality
- if you want attention, buy the 458

Anyone who thinks 650S is soul-less needs to spend some serious time with it. I consider myself very fortunate to own both

 

I have never said the 458 is poser mobile. It's a wonderful car, the sound and the feel is amazing. I LOVE Ferrari, and my 458, and I loved my F430 spider as well. Let's agree to disagree. Have a great evening.

 

I have owned:
2011 458
2013 12C
2015 Speciale

The Mclaren is quite a bit faster - road and track. But, allow me to add some context. The Mclaren is very fast with all the aids turned off. With them on, it's no faster and they interfere horribly. The 458/S in Race mode (still has aids) is actually still quite good to drive. So, depending on your experience and track interest, you'd probably opt for the Ferrari if you aren't an experienced racer.

Other road observations:
Turbo lag is present on the Mclaren anywhere under 5k RPM, throttle response on the F-car is awesome.
Shifting is simply better on the F-car
Steering wheel on the Mclaren is second to none. Small, thick, narrow - awesome.
Brakes on the Mclaren aren't great - at all. The carbons are grabby and have poor feel and the iron brakes just aren't powerful.
Turn-in response about the same on both.
The Mclaren does;t have a locking differential and you notice it. It doesn't hook-up and go like the F-car does.
Visibility in the Mclaren is better

 

Amazing how a simple question about satnav has devolved this thread into a good ole fashion peck.. waging contest of who's car is better.

Let's all agree we drive great cars and each day is a special day in that we are able to afford such vehicles and appreciate each for their own merits. We live in a wonderful time, maybe the new golden age of automotive engineering and excellence.

MB

 

The track tests beg to differ.

 

The track tests are a bit of joke. Really.

a) they are done on stock tires. the mclaren comes with P-Zeros. the 458 comes with SuperSports. There's nearly 2 seconds right there.
b) the track tests are almost never done analytically. Meaning that there's always a fly in the ointment. there's either a hack driver (which almost all journalists are) or they do the test on different days or they do the test with aids on or etc.

at the risk of coming off arrogant, I am capable of driving these cars within a second of their achievable lap. and, i can tell you with high confidence that the mc is ~2 secs a lap faster on a 1:40-1:50 track than the 458. now, that said, that is with both cars running trofeo r tires and aids 100% off.

(I don't yet know the delta for the Speciale - haven't done a proper tesst day with it)

 

I own both and couldn't disagree with you more. Mclaren is fun to drive , has lots of soul, better tortional rigidity and sounds great. If you feel the Mclaren is "lifeless" I doubt you've spent much time in one. Both amazing machines , both have pros and cons ...