Ferrari 458 Speciale vs Mclaren 650s review

Does anyone really have to? Even from outside the car the McLarens sound like they are redlining at 4000rpms. It's a sad noise and the re-design was a slap to P1 owners.

 

Facetiousness is wasted here.

 

Why not just change your house

 

I'm told by my track hound friends the 650s is faster than a 458 Challenge.

 

Quite +1


Sent from my F430 using Tapatalk.

 

I would find that hard to believe. Ferrari v. McLaren aside, a Challenge car is much lighter, has a higher power-to-weight ratio, race setup, incredible brakes, etc etc.

A "regular" Italia has a higher top speed than a Challenge car, but that is down to gearing, though the Evo is likely slower now given the wing.

However, any direct comparison needs to be "same driver, same day, same conditions". No doubt a great driver in a 650 would beat a novice in a 458C - lots of variables make for endless comparison debates on forums.

Also recalling that post a while back about a Speciale turning faster lap times than a 458C field, remember some race tracks slow down 2-3-4 seconds as track conditions change, etc etc. Sticker tires are worth 1-2 seconds on some tracks, 20 degrees of ambient temp make for different real power available, etc etc

Haven driven all of these cars now on a track, it's hard to "beat" a "real" race car with similar specs - though I have not tried the McLaren GT3 version. Having said that, I would not want to even try a long grocery run in a 458C Evo car.

 

BS

In addition to the points made by Entropy, you have road tires v slicks.

Remember even the McLaren P1 is not faster than the 12C GT3 around circuits such as Spa! Same goes with 599XX v 458 GT3 etc.

 

Lap record at Laguna Seca in a pre-EVO 458 Challenge is 1:28.1 and from what we saw at Sonoma, you could expect 2-2.5 secs/lap improvement from the 458Ch EVO. Laptime record for the (pre-upgrade) 12C is 1:34.5. 6.4 seconds/lap is a chasm.

I like the 650S as much as anyone - fabulous car, great evolution of the 12C. But same day, same driver, it's not going to hang with a 458 Challenge on any track I'm familiar with.

 

Will be addressed in a moment.

Wow... Just wow...

Pretty sure (and by pretty sure I mean I know damn well) Keith can have whatever he wants. Lots of people who can chose either have and will pick McLaren. I haven't touched a 650s but the 12c was utterly brilliant.

Look at it this way, the wonder of the internet has turned your original simply smartass post into something truly epic! Lol!!!!!

 

I need a 3 car garage this is true😉

 

Having driven the 12c and the 458, I can easily say that the mclaren really does not have the soul that a 458 does. It could be how much faster, it really just didn't make me feel the way I felt in that ferrari. I am pretty positive the 650s would be no different.

 

I had the chance of driving both the speciale and 650s within a week. Before i drive, I had great expectation for 650s bcos the 12c was so good. However, after driving both, I was not impressed by the 650s. Speciale was wonderfully communicative, very sharp at everything . It just feels like a sharpened and better 458. On the other hand, the 650s is a good car, immerse traction, precise steering, throughly high-tech. However, it lacks the wonderful engine noise of the speciale and all the feelings of a emotional machine. The 650s is good but sterile, it doesn't evoke the same emotions as a Ferrari. The 650s may be faster but I would pick speciale any time, any day.

 

Had the chance to get a ride on a Challenge yesterday. It's an experience you will never forget. The g-forces in turns are unbelievable. I am sure there is only maybe a handful of street-cars that manage to be faster on track - and they are for sure much more expensive than a Challenge.
On the track I did 1:43 with my Speciale, a real good driver could maybe go slightly below 1:40. In a 997 GT3 Cup they go below 1:33 and a Challenge is definitely faster than a 997 Cup.
No way the 650s is 10 sec faster than a Speciale, never ever...

 

Yah, let's be clear. The 650S has a 70HP advantage over the 458 Challenge, but it's not enough to make up the massive traction and aero deficit. The 458 Challenge cars just ran consistent 1:27s at Laguna a few weeks ago - I've never seen a 650S get below 1:30 there (in fact, I believe they'll run 1:33 in a pro's hands). For reference, the McLaren GT Sprint ran 1:27 at Laguna as well with a pro driver - is anyone (credible) claiming the 650S is faster than the GT Sprint at the track?

 

My friends were talking about last year's Challenge cars. The newer cars are faster (more aero and better stick, but slightly slower down the straights). But in terms of feel, Ferrari every time.

 

+1

You know the stories of a friend from a friend who had a friend, and the friend of this friend heard that the 650s with its 35000hp in the rear was able to fly to the moon and back faster than Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins?

 

Sure you can go faster on the straight than a Challenge... But - at the point where I had to hit brakes with my Speciale the guy in the Challenge was going one gear up

 

The outcome remains the same however? The older challenge cars were still under 1:30 when they ran at Laguna last year...

I am trying to politely say that your friends are mistaken

 

Ok, well, if you insist!

 

I really doubt a 650S is going to compete with a near race car on slicks. I don't think Challenege cars are quite what GT3 cars are, but they are still a heck of a lot closer to race cars than a 650S.

I'd be shocked if the 650S was as quick as a Sprint or Challenge on slicks.

 

Evo as the first UK publication has a supertest (incl. track test at Anglesey) of the Speciale v 650S v 991 GT3. It's on the app now. I'll see if there are some interesting snippets worth sharing.

 

The Speciale wins the comparison with all cars getting 5 stars.

Edit: Strictly, they didn't say the comparison had a winner but the reader is left with the impression that the writer preferred the Speciale on this test. The GT3 wins on value and the McLaren is faster accelerating but the immediacy of response in all the controls on the Ferrari is superior.

 

Any results (acceleration, braking etc.) ?

 

No. Evo didn't use a stopwatch. Just detailed driving impressions.