From V12 to Hybrid: My First Week with the Ferrari 296 GTB (and McLaren 720S Comparison)

I have driven a base huracan, evo, performante, and sto. Huracan and evo are not great at all not even close to McLaren and Ferrari steering and how precise they feel. Idk where you get the idea that they are. I found the performante to be a better all around car/track car and my favorite because the STO is so compromised.

 

To each his own I guess.

Back to my original point, unless you have unlimited funds it’s silly to own a 296 AND a 720s or 750s because they are basically the same car from an experience perspective. A NA v10 or v12 or even an older gated manual car provide a different and unique experience

 

Well…. It is silly to own any of these cars if you are applying logic to the equation.

Speaking of silly, I own a pre-GPF 812 and 296 GTS. The 296 does sound good. Not make your spine tingle good like the NA V12 @ 8000 rpm, but good nonetheless!

 

I own a Performante, 5 other V12s and a F296 and I think the 296 sounds very good, the others are louder but they don’t cancel the fact that the 296 is a good sounding car.

 

idk why you are making lambos to be some kind of amazing car when they simply aren’t. They sound good that’s it. They don’t handle or drive well save for a specific model or two - notice they happen to be rwd models. Nearly every reviewer prefers the same

Frankly I don’t know if you have driven a 750 or a 296 at all to come to these wild conclusions. I’m not talking 10 min tame dealer test drives. I rented each one for the day over the last year or so and while it was fun they aren’t drivers cars.

 

Really? I am sorry but you must be getting your info on YouTube.

The SF90 in gear acceleration to me “feels” a bit faster, not necessarily certain that it is because I haven’t tested it with telemetry, from a stand still the Revuelto is faster, better grip, the SF90 fights for grip on most street surfaces sometimes up to 4th gear, mid range the Revuelto pulls like a freight train, stops, turns and corners like a car half its size, if you don’t think the Revuelto is a good car I am sorry to break it to you but the Murci you crane feels like farm equipment.

The moral of the story is, these cars aren’t built for drag racing, they are both extremely fast, drive very different from each-other and they are both very enjoyable in their own way. I highly recommend hands on experience because you might be surprised.

 

Discussion boards are interesting because on the Lamborghini forums they really think the Huracan is a much better car than the 296 or a McLaren. They don't see the purpose of those other driving dynamics or high rate of speed unless you are always tracking it, because the enjoyment can come more often with a Huracan at normal speeds

On the McLaren forums right now if you mention the 296 in the same breath as even the MP4-12C you are a lunatic. Those guys despise this car for the most part. The weight, the looks, the haptics, the hybrid system!

Meanwhile I really like the 296, 750 and Performante. If I could afford all three of the cars I would have them. Zero interest in Porsche again though, so maybe I am not so different after all.

 

There's no comparison between the Huracan Evo / Perf or other NA V10 or V12 and the performance and driving experience of the 296. The 296 is not only faster with better braking but more nimble and far more entertaining- if one actually drives them. People who think the Huracan Evo / Perf or other NA V10 or V12 the performance and driving experience is superior haven't experienced a 296 driven the way these cars were meant to be driven.

 

All wheel drive removes the fun from a sports car. Can still be fun, just less so.

 

I asked about the 296 in the McLaren forums and the response was very positive. Of course there was one guy who was adamant about getting a Lambo instead I wonder if this is the same guy

 

I have only one thing to add. If I was to get a Lambo, it would have to be the Sterrato! Oh my, I didn’t even know about it until I just read the reference. What a hoot!!!

 

I'm sorry but this is so wrong.

I know you said it before, and I've already replied, but every time I read this it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

They are most definitely not the same car from any perspective, experience, looks, ownership, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the 750 (almost go one myself), but to say the Mclaren 750 is "basically the same car" as the 296 is like saying a hot dog is basically the same as a hamburger, since both have meat between two bread products.

To say a 750 is basically the same as a 296 is essentially ignoring all the significant differences, i.e., V6 versus V8, pure ICE versus hybrid, full carbon monocoque chassis versus blended and bonded alum and carbon, hydraulic steering versus EPAS, so proclaiming that the two cars are "basically the same" is like saying they both have four wheels with an engine between the driver and the rear axle.

Huh?

 

The 720, and most Mclarens, make louder noises.

But most Ferraris, probably all them vis-a-vis most Mclarens -- sound better.

One should never conflate noise with sound. We want the latter, the former is, well, just noise.

 

I have a 296 and it's definitely hugely agile and sounds pretty good to me, but in the wet the lack of steering feedback dampens the enjoyment some. Have driven the 750S and it was good but very different. Much more steering feel, more raw but not much more, but doesn't sound as good or drive as nimbly as 296.

So definitely wouldn't think of 750 and 296 as same car design or driving wise BUT in some sense they both fall into "comfortable every day scary fast supercar" vs. 765LT or, not as fast, STO. And both cheaper than Revuelto and arguably more practical than Aventador.

But for wet driving, considering SF90 if the steering is less faint with feedback, or doing some rain driving in a McLaren R/LT to see if that's a good enough augment for me.

 

The steering in Macs is almost unparalleled compared to most modern production cars.

Especially when compared to modern Ferraris, which have this ultra light and almost twitchy steering. My guess is that the gremlins at Maranello do it to make their cars feel faster.

 

Have you been in the “the 750 is the best bang for your buck supercar” thread the past few days? lol. The 296 is about as well received as Roger Goodell at the NFL draft. Actually yes you have because you’re like one of two guys defending the 296 there.

No, that wasn’t me. I like Lamborghinis but I also like the 296 and I wouldn’t tell someone to get one over the other outright. Maybe drive both and make a decision based and your own preferences and what you want out of a car or something.

 

Lmao yes I read that thread but I also made my own prior to buying the 296.

 

Or at least more agile/nimble. DeMuro today said the XX feels that way - not sure if if feels quite as nimble as the 296 though? When I drove a SF90 GTB I think it had maybe a bit quicker rack than F8 but same order of magnitude? Didn't feel as "small" that way or otherwise as a 296.

 

THIS. So many people misunderstand noise for good sound.

 

Even though I'm a loyal mclaren owner, I made the mistake of posting on the mclaren forum 750s thread saying how after tracking 750s for a day, 296 feels faster by a good margin. Boy a couple of folks got upset so I'm now keeping my mouth shut...
Funny I am/was debating of doing the 720s/750s combo with the 296. They are not too similar but similar enough in use case that I think I will just keep my mp4-12c instead. It's more raw and analog and old school. Sounds good and if I want lunatic speed, I can get that from the 296. Saves me 100k in the process as a bonus.

 

I would describe most McLarens as "sounds happening near each other" and not as complex or harmonious as even 911s much less Ferrari or Lamborghini 10 or 12cyl. 620R and Senna have more of a vibration and race feel to them and maybe other LTs? 296 sounds nice but less harmonic - sounds like the 296S may have more of that?

But also not that impressed with 488, F8, SF90 sounds. I do think those 3 sound better with modified exhausts than McLarens with exhausts but personally I'd be concerned about voiding warranty or running without on SF90 for sure and probably F8 as well.

 

No

 

Okay this discussion really blew up. On public roads do you really need more speed than an Evo, Perf, 458, F12, etc. (i.e. a NA car) gives you? Do you really care about a 1 mph difference going around corners? How often do you push your car past 150 mph so you can feel those turbos pull? Do you really care if your 0-60 time is 2.5 sec or 3 sec? All modern mid-engine supercars have similar performance, especially driving on public roads. The "x" factor, in my opinion, is SOUND, and the V6/V8/turbo/hybrid McLarens and Ferraris just don't sound that good compared to a NA V8/V10/V12. I'm sorry but speed has been commoditized.

In fact, I love the experience of my 1997 f355 spider (gated manual) just as much as any other modern supercar, even though it's not fast. It sounds like an F1 car, steering and handling are great, and the gated manual shifting is heavenly.

True car enthusiasts understand this. And, again, if you are a car enthusiast it doesn't make sense to have multiple V6/V8/Turbo/Hybrid cars and NOT have a NA and/or manual car.