458 Scuderia or McLaren MP4-12C?

I've been offered the new McLaren. I should have the car by the end of the year. I sold my Scuderia a while back and passed on the 458. In an ideal world I would like to have a 458 Scuderia but as we know that car may never get into production. No one has a crystal ball but I wonder how great a car the McLaren will be and would it be worth taking a chance on having one of the first ones in the country? What would you do? Buy the McLaren or pass on it?

 

You seriously imagine the McLaren is going to be anything other than sensational?

 

Buy the Mc. And when 458 scud will came 2-3 years after..sell the Mc and buy the 458 scud

 

I agree.

 

+1. MC will be amazing

 

I don't see why Ferrari wouldn't build a 458 SCUD... After the CS, Scud why break the tradition? Especially that there are lighter/track versions from Lamborghini and Porsche. There is also that small thing called "making even more profit" by selling a Scud version with a few different odds and ends and charging the customer a premium over an outgoing and otherwise not so hot anymore model...

I don't think anyone will know for sure just how great the McLaren will be untill folks start spending some time behind the wheel and the reviews start pouring in. I don't see how it wouldn't be a great car though and a serious competitor to the 458 being in the same price range and performance bracket.

I doubt you can go wrong with either choice so buy the one that appeals to you more when both are available. On the other hand, given the rather limited allocations and dealerships for McLaren, I don't see that car falling much in price in the next few years while Ferrari is getting ready to build the 458 Scud version.

My local and the "only" McLaren dealer in my area called me yesterday and told me that they got over 96 phone calls in one evening when they advertised the fact they will be selling them soon..

 

I expect the McLaren to be amazing in terms of performance.

If it doen't clearly beat the 458 in performance, how many people will will want one? How many people will choose a slower McLaren over a faster Ferrari?

If it doesn't beat the 458,... the car will die.

 

It's not always that simple and it's not always about which car is ultimately faster. Either one is too fast for the street as it is, as are some Porsches, Lamborghini, Corvette ZR1, Viper, etc... What about styling, heritage/history, appeal, character of car, exclusivity, driving dynamics just to start with. The Lambo Superleggera is not any slower than the 458 yet one can walk into a showroom and buy one at any time... The 911 Turbo S is faster 0-60 and cheaper than the Italia and yet no one has to wait a year or two to buy one or pay a premium now..

I see two factors playing into the hands of McLaren. One, the rich history of F1 racing and the engineering brilliance derived from it. McLaren is only second to Ferrari in terms of F1 racing history and tradition. Very much like Ferrari which built road cars to support the racing car team through the years, seems like McLaren is heading in the same direction.

Two, that other road car they once made, the McLaren F1 which is still legendary today and quite collectable. I am pretty sure it is still the fastest (NA engine) car in the world today.

Not a bad way to enter the exotic car market.

 

One little tid bit I heard from a guy who went to the orientation and got a chance to drive the McLaren MP4-12C is that it feels tight as a drum and the launch control makes the Ferrari and Porsche launch controls seem broken by comparison...

 

If I can selectively edit your post...

In attribute 1 you feel (as do I) that McLaren is second to Ferrari in history.

The example of the McLaren F1 being legendary supports my contention does it not? It beat everything on the market at the time.

I expect the new McLaren to be spectacular.

 

I never argued the fact that it should be brilliant. I'm just not putting as much emphasis on the fact that it has to be faster than the 458 or it will die... Althogh it very well may be a tick faster.

In fact, I'm betting a $25k non-refundable deposit on the fact that it will be brilliant... Come Oct/Nov of 2011, I'll let you know if is in fact brilliant.

 

I don't think you will be disappointed!

 

Do they have any build sheets available yet or options (besides what is on their website)? If so, can you post it? Any idea of base price?

Thanks!

 

I believe the base price was announced last week as $229k

Don't know option prices or list beyond that ..

 

I am waiting to hear on the options other than the website and their pricing. I would not be surprised if the options are very similarly priced to the 458 options. So a $230k base and upwards of $280-300k with all the carbon fiber brakes, carbon bits on the int and ext. and other interior options.

 

what is the downside to saying yes? It will probably trade at a premium for a while and is unlikely to depreciate much soon after launch, so little financial risk. It will probably be a fantastic car too. At the time that I placed my 458 order there was no one to take an order on the macca . . .

 

Nothing official yet on the options. Base price is $229K. Apparently all the dealers ( all 10 them) are now contacting their customers. I would expect options and pricing to come rather soon. First build slots are for September/October. I've heard europe will see the car sooner.

Supposedly McLaren will build this car for only a couple of years. I don't think the 12C will be in too short of supply. Even the smallest dealer is getting 20+ plus cars for allocation. I'm expecting 400 cars the first year. The next car coming will be $1Million + to compete with the Veyron.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAvKUqpYPXk&feature=related[/ame]

Here info on the prices http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/uk/insider/archive/2010/11/25/PricesAnnouncedForUKandEurope.aspx

 

I guess that answers the "who's faster question".

 

I think that Ferrari will definitely produce the 458 Scud variant. Regardless of what they state at the present time. It is a business after all and once they sell enough of the "base" versions, the lightweight one will come. As a previous post said, the competitors sell lightweight models and they will most likely have to follow suit.

And if not you can point and laugh at me and say how wrong I was

 

That sounds like a good idea. McLaren will only produce 2000 units in the first yr. so prices should hold.

 

There will be less than 500 cars the first year....

 

The lineup for this car is impressive. There will be a wait list for probably 24 months even if you assume a good percentage of the current wait list declines the opportunity to put down a deposit.

I'm looking forward to spec one this year as well.

I recall the options won't be expensive relative to the 458 either. At the Pebble Beach preview McLaren was saying that a well optioned car would be an extra US$30K.

I'm not crazy about the some of the styling of this car but the GT3 mockup is definitely heading in the right direction. If they lost those horizontal strakes at the front and the back and it is a major improvement.

 

Love love love the 458!...but anything made by Mclaren has been nothing short of perfect! The MP4-12C I think is the better choice.

 

Well, don't forget the SLR. That was a major turd.