autocar ; 458 vs lexus lfa vs noble m600 vs gt3 rs

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The 458 delivers on what it promises. Tony, thanks for the story!
CH

 

Thanks Tony - very kind of you.

 

Thanks for posting this I enjoyed reading the article.

 

458 on top again... Can't wait for a side by side with the McLaren!

 

Wonder who'll be more nervous when the time comes, McLaren or Ferrari?

 

i would think Mcl..since they are the ones that need a sure fire winner, but it seems a tough trick to beat the 458 as a ROAD car...where it matters.

btw, in the minority here on Fchat, but i still LOVE the LFA...insane hardware,,,that specially woven CF tub....that ridiculous engine..revs like an electric motor...and jeez louise, that sound....

 

I agree McLaren will also be more nervous, Ferrari has manufacturer many mid engine V8s, McLaren on the other hand has not. I'm sure they learn very quickly and are very smart but maybe it will lack something, we'll see!

The LFA is complete overkill/overrated, it doesn't perform for the price and for all the exotic materials it uses.

Why I like the Noble is because its not as sophisticated as the rest yet it still performs quite well even if its built in a shed

The Porsche.. no comment.

 

McLaren for sure. Ferrari has set the target. Ferrari has ALWAYS BEEN the target.

I'm sure on somethings it will be better than the 458. But, I bet on other things it's not as good. I'm really curious about there turbo motor and how it reacts in such a lightweight car. Turbo cars are not known to be the most reliable.

If the McLaren is faster in a straight line, you have to ask yourself -- is this speed really necessary? The F430 is already plenty fast and the 458 is a rocket compared to it. It boggles the mind!

My thinking -- a tie with a slight edge to McLaren in performance and a light edge to Ferrari in looks and interior. We already know the 458 wins in the looks department.

 

i predict the Mcl will win the numbers propaganda battle...0-60, etc..(it HAS TO, to stay in this fight), but it will fall short as a super all-round sorted sports car for the road compared to the 458..sight, sound, ride, comfort, useability along with the mental performance. also, has ANY turbo engined car provided the instant, i mean RIGHT now, response of a top notch NA engined car in the power delivery/driving experience?

 

the LFA is overrated and doesn't perform? Wow. But ok, sure, for such a crappy overpriced car, this guy sure is having a good time..and that engine sounds ho hum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-3PBD1aXD8&feature=related

 

458 rules...

 

I think it's safe to assume that the British press will favour the McLaren, regardless of how it compares to the Ferrari.

 

The issue with the turbo's throttle respone (and sound) is a very good point. However, i don't expect 0-60 to be much better (traction). On the other hand, 0-100 and higher speeds, i expect the McLaren to easily take Italia. Finally, given its structural advantages (carbon tub), much lower weight and more power, McL will simply kill Italia on the track. (Probably,even the new GTO will not keep up.) Italia can't keep up through the turns with the scud, i can't see how it will compete with something as light as the scud with way more power (than the scud).

As to ride comfort, again given the much stiffer structure, McLaren should find it easy to give its car very good ride comfort. No need for rock hard suspension. As to the rest of the intangibles, it's hard to say at this stage.

The throttle response and sound should be a big advantage for the italia, the rest will go McLaren's way.

 

I didn't know anything about the LFA but after watching the video that you posted, I come away thinking that everything he said is true. For a car made of those materials & costing that much, it's overrated, ugly, slow transmission, hard to handle, etc, etc... I can have "fun" in a Miata, that doesn't mean I want to pay 6 figures to buy one.

 

GT3 RS? They should have compared it to the GT2 RS.

 

what makes you state that the 458 cannot keep up through the turns with the scud? You cannot take the German sport auto review as a reference..: the scud time was done on track tires, the 458 was on road tires, so the comparison is irrelevant. I believe that with same tires, it is faster than the scuderia because its suspension is better.
However, I agree that the McLaren will probably beat easily the 458 on a track - they don't seem to address same market

 

I agree with their conclusions, but they must have had the only 458 with double wishbones in the rear ever produced.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Not necessarily.
Turbocharging technology improves almost on a daily basis,what was typical yesterday is "yesterday" news today.
Best example is the new S63 TT replacing old NA 63,same throttle response and Nascar like sound in the new engine but with way more power and torque.Even more remarkable is the fact that that NA 63 was considered to be one of the best V8s as far as responsiveness is concerned.

 

Really? I think the british press will simply make a judgement about which is best.

 

Exactly, it should perform better for that price.

 

I hate to say it but the LFA feels outdated.. lol

 

Well, according to Sport Auto, the new Italia tires match the corsas in dry performance ( while stunningly enough being far back in the wet). So, the comparison seems relevant to me.

I disagree on the mcl market. It's dead set against Italia. It will have all the creature comforts of 458, while being a very capable track machine. That's what better technology gives you.

 

that's not what they say. If you can read German and have the article, read the side paragraph on page 20 with the "maximale Querbeschleunigung" measurement. What they say is that the 458 maximal "perpendicular acceleration" reached is 1.35g vs 1.4g for the Scuderia, and that the reason for this lower value is that the Michelin Pilot Sport of the 458 cannot reach the level of grip on the dry of the Pirelly P zero Corsa which were equipping the Scuderia.
And on the final summary of their impression ("fazit"), they emphasize again that the Scuderia was equipped with "special sport tires", which limits the ability to do time comparisons...

 

No, I can't read German. However, people on rennteam.com who can, maintain that AS sees little difference. I will dig up a link.