I agree with all of that. Most mac owners I know have or had a fcar. I go to a lot of car events, not just pebble but also a lot of C&C kinda stuff and I get approached by fcar owners asking questions as they are truly interested in the brand. Its not about one over the other as many of us have multiple cars or at least like to try different cars over our lifetime. McLaren newport has more 720 orders than you mentioned above and the response from those who saw the car is very positive. I'm sure there was someone who doesn't like it but most people yes. You can't please everybody and like others have said McLaren don't need to please everybody, just 2500 people worldwide wont be that hard. I had an F50 back in the day, I thought it was a good looking car but was surprised about half the people didn't like it so much. At the end of the day it didn't matter, all that mattered was I liked it and 50-ish others as thats all they made. I'm looking to add a new Porsche GT3 (not the RS) and if you want to see a car with a lot of aero going on thats gotta be the king of in your face aero, and Porsche will sell every one. I'm not a fan of the giant oversized wing and I give McLaren credit for creating a nice package without one.
Funny. I've had lots of Ferraris. And other stuff. Bought a 650S and loved it. No BS "mystique", no "end-user development" like Ferrari has done for YEARS. My latest Ferrari was a Speciale, I had a GT3, a GT3 RS, and Huracan. The 650 was absolutely a peer, needed a little more front tire ( they added on 675, but it wasn't worth the premium in secondary market). Great cars, and if you dislike one, you've never pounded the hell out of one like I have. 458 pretty, looks awful with hole hacked in flank for 488. Speciale gorgeous. Huracan is family favorite, and 650 far better looking than 488. 720 makes Ferraris look old. 458 aging best, but the rest far worse. Best, they all look like they should. Ferrari guys often dislike anything else. Own enough, that will change. Own stuff at same time, run them hard enough they start to trip up, and then decide. I buy them to run, not park in public and look at them. Looking at options and colors for 720 now. Amazed they held the price point with Brexit. Bonus that the thing looks a bit like a Pagani. We'll see what 488 replacement has then. For now, McLaren gets money PS, Frefan's right. GT3 is screaming deal. RS wasn't worth premium, and Porsche made too many. Huge wing on it works, amazing in ugly rain. But GT3 crushes. I had a M4 GTS, and a AMG-GTS. They pale in comparison at exactly same price point. And try a GT3, which rides great, RS even better, against a Turbo S. Pitches and wallows, felt like a damn Buick. Awful, acceleration not 60 grand's worth, and aero doesn't work.
Who said the 458 is the epitome of exotic styling? We said it looks better. Not the same thing. When the 458 came out I was very happy about one thing: curves came back. At least it looked like someone sculpted it instead of drawing it in a computer
The 458 was first shown in 2009 as a 2010 model. It's 2017 now. IMO its held up very well. The 488 is a slight warm over (and not a particularly appealing one). It doesn't do it for me, along with following McLaren's turbo PU format. Don't ask me to defend the rest of the styling of Ferrari's line. You're asking the wrong person!
I thought most buyers at Mclaren bought a 570. The porche GT3 has less Hp than a turbo and slower 0-60 metrics. GT4 sales doubled cayman sales. I get that Mclarens top car just has to be hyperfast, and that may make it ugly. But a F1 is not ugly. Lets hope they make some slightly slower lookers too. I get that designers today feel polarzing is a strong reaction and you can grab half the buyers by being polarizing. But a Miura was never described stylisticaly as polarizing. The thing is styling is just as important as performance metrics and performance is not just headline numbers. No reason car shouldnt have a good dose of both, like a ducati superbike does.. Seems today manufacturers think headline numbers and polarzing styling is it, which does not explain why people love a GT3. Todays approach is a lazy approach based on the idea of stupid consumers(and 90% may well be), or a lack of understanding as to what the product really is. Sadly apart from styling what gets lost in the equation is the one thing that really differentiates a sportscar from a fast powerful car, and that is fun to drive. Eventualy the paper performance will hit such ridiculousness that sales will actualy be elsewhere. How many superbikes does Ducati sell compared to monsters and Hypermotards, why did they bring back the supersport. I get that the new supercar has to blow everything else away, lets hope they build some really excellent cars for the rest of us who you know actualy drive. Meanwhile I'll give lambo credit for the eprformante a car which pretty much ticks all the boxes, including apprently headline numbers, all through elegant engineering with great style. yep headline numbers do count as you point out, if people really love drivers cars exclusively then Lotus would be the hero. Still the equation for a number of manufactuers now seems to move more and more to ugly and irrelevant metrics. The 720 is light though, thats an improvement and a good trend
Wow we are on the same page. I'll add my 0.2c, There is a vast chasm between polarizing/striking and beautiful. The 458, its was the first really beautiful ferrari(non polarizign just beautiful) in long long time. Like the Dino or miura it will stand the test of time. Cant say the same for the cars 360/430 that came before or the car that came after. Some like the 355 although from the front its meh and while the 456 is derivative its nice. Frankly from the 458 you have to go back to a euro 308/boxer/288 to find a really great looking ferrari and yes a 458 is stylisticaly in the same league as those. Of the current crop of moderns stylisticaly I would have to hand it to lambo and the vette, maybe not all time classic beauties but certainly better than the others.
So funny! I said I agree with you at the same time you agreed with me! I'll give you another example When Chevy came out with the C7 everyone on the Corvette forum said it was "sexy but would not age well". They were right. Other Vettes have aged very well but the C7 never will.
come on guys, its just personal taste. whos prettier, kate upton or princess kate? would get takers for both. same with exotic cars. no sense arguing over it or trying to prove one over the other.
No I think its more than this. I think the desire to make a car that goes at insane speeds that would put it on the mid row of Indy is creating machines that go really really fast but are pretty ugly to look at. And I think in a world that has enough ugliness already, super cars should be one area where we could add a little artistry to our lives.
but i still love looks of the 720 even if it caused the car to flip over at speed. its just a shape i find very pleasing to look at. on flip side i couldnt stand either 12c or 650 looks. with 570, they went in right direction and then got it right with the 720
Too much negativity towards McLaren, if people like it then good for them and let them be. Did you see it in person? I highly doubt it. You blasted the 488 to hell and back when it was unveiled then as soon as you saw one in person you made a post on how good it looks in person and that you actually considered buying one. I saw the 720 in person and think it's quite striking. Now is it a timeless beauty like let's say a 458? No, but I appreciate McLaren for doing something edgy, something different. I find supercars lately have became stale interms of design, kind of like smartphones, just the same thing (albeit slightly modified) over and over, Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche and Aston to mention a few are guilty of this and I personally find it very disappointing.
I dont know anyone that thinks the 458 is the epitome of exotic styling. Im sure they are out there, but not in my circle of friends who are pro designers.
The 720 doesnt look bad. But when the 730 comes out in 2 years, 720 is going to look old. I type this in jest somewhat but with how fast Mclaren is changing cars (12c in 2014, 650s in 15 and 16) and now 720 - when the next body restyle comes, the car will age poorly. 458/488 might look dated in comparison, but the fact they are still desired cars 8 years into the production cycle is telling.
I don't think you're going to see a 730 in 2 years. Just sayin... And 12c came out in 2012 (I had one). I suppose next cars will be 570 spider (soon I hope) and 720 spider probably 2 years away. Then LT variants probably 2 years after that. Pretty much the same schedule Ferrari are doing these days. Actually longer since 488 coupe and spider came out same day.
I know the next one isn't coming out in two year but this is their 3rd super series car in 4 years. 2014 - 12c 2015-16 - 650s 2016- 720 That's a lot of cars and no wonder the values of the previous versions are tanking
As we all know pictures and videos do not do these cars justice. Until the car shows up at the dealership can you really make a judgement as to how this car looks. Remember the dreaded "door handle" on the 488 and how it ruined the car. Nobody talks about that anymore. I don't think you can focus on one specific part of the car but need to view it in it's entirety. Just my 2 cents...
The 12C was unveiled to the world in Sept 2009 and deliveries began in late 2011, slightly behind schedule because of the delays with re-engineering IRIS v1. The 650S was announced in early 2015 and deliveries began midyear. It's very common for manufacturers to do a 3yr/2yr replacement cycle. The P11 platform was over 6 years old before the 720S came along to replace it. >8^) ER
+1000 The 458 is a wonerful car and an epic performer. Seems to be the break from Pininfarina where Ferrari took a more technical approch in design language. Love the car. Never thought of it as beautiful or sexy.
Because they have been the ones DRIVING this message since the rather ugly 12c -- and making excuses for its looks with "well, it needs to be that way!"
