Ferrari LaFerrari vs Mclaren P1 vs Porsche 918

Well this one just sold at my local dealer here in the UK a few days ago. I saw it over the weekend when I went for a visit. Don't ask me how much for as I did not ask:

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I would never accuse this car of being gorgeous. The list of better looking cars would be huge. It looks so odd, ungainly and clumsy in the profile shot.

 

Gorgeous indeed! Much better looking than P1 or 918. Easy choice.

 

It's fairly annoying when dealers advertise prices as POA!

I wonder how much they were asking and which engine was in the car?

Fairly sure I'll never get to drive one of these

 

I think it would look good with F50 wheels.

 

Porsche offers VIP treatment to 918 customers...

Porsche Announces VIP Program for 918 Spyder Buyers

So let me get this straight, if you spend $1M, you will receive a better treatment than the guy who bought a Cayenne Diesel? And when you read into it, it's mostly BS anyway. It's something that should be de facto.

 

I know right? That's crazy! They should be like Ferrari. Spend $300K on a car and get treated worse than if you bought a $40K Lexus.

 

The porsche vip deal is absurd. They are trying to entice people to buy 918 by giving them preference to buy future porsches?! Obviously, if the 918 needs help to find buyers, then no one needs preference for a future one!

 

How is this absurd when Ferrari does the exact same thing, except they never put it down on paper? As Andrew says, it should be de facto, but I think this is just a classically German way of dealing with the age-old tradition of treating your best customers better. Putting everything down on paper.

From what I understand, you will have first dibs on ordering any future limited edition Porsche, and you'll also be able to cut in line in front of people to buy any Porsche you want - limited to 1 unit per model line. Porsche guys tend to stick with the brand, so I can see how this is a nice offer for the brand's most loyal/important customers.

I'm sure the VIP thing won't be a deal maker 99% of the time, anyway, but it's a pretty cool program. Not sure how you think this means the 918 needs help to find buyers. It's a classic move by any luxury brand. Spend money on their most expensive product, you are bound to get goodies out of it.

 

how is the vip pass absurd?

porsche is sending out 'invitations' to owner like me who are not likely to buy $1m car. doesnt that mean they have cars available for sale and its not sold out? i could walk into ferrari dealer with $2m cash in a suitcase and they wouldnt sell me a laferrari.

so if the 918 is not sold out, then why would i need a 'vip pass' for preference when the next porsche limited edition model comes out? it will be available to anyone who can pay for it (just like 918 is) so the 'vip pass' is nonsense.

 

It won't be available if 500 VIP's want it.

You can buy a 918 and not give 2 ****s about the VIP program. Like I said, it's not a deal maker, but it's a nice gesture.

 

I respect it but it is not my cup of tea.

 

Looks like Jay Kay could be getting a LaFerrari.

http://www.ferrari.com/english/about_ferrari/corporate/Pages/130329-jay-kay-views-laferrari.aspx

 

Which chemistry are the batteries used in these three hypercars?

Recent AUTOCAR feature states lithium-ion phosphate, but as far as I know there is no such thing..McLaren P1 v LaFerrari v Porsche 918 | Autocar

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) would be a good thing; less energy density than lipo but FAR more stable.

 

The aerodynamic downforce coefficient Cz claimed for LaFerrari is 'about 1'.
Assuming an effective frontal area some 5% smaller than the 458's (corresponding to the two cars' width*height) this would translate into the following downforce levels:
368 kg at 200 km/h / 124 mph
536 kg at 241 km/h / 150 mph
610 kg at 257 km/h / 160 mph

McLaren's claim for the P1 reads
'600 kg at 257 km/h / 161 mph'

Aerodynamics | LaFerrari ? Official Site

McLAREN P1: PRODUCTION SPECIFICATION UNVEILED - McLAREN NEWS - McLaren Automotive.com

 

Theres one way that could guarantee the sels of more than 1000 models of these super-exotics.

Manual gearbox!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I do prefer the manual gearbox in P 4/5 C to the paddles of Ferrari P 4/5 by Pininfarina.

 

You have a sequential box in the P4/5C, no? Does it have no-lift shifting and auto-blip/throttle kicker for downshifts?

 

Oh I am afraid you would be sorely disappointed. If I recall correctly, in the last year that Ferrari offered the California (the last model still to have that option) with a manual it sold 5... not 5%, 5 cars in total!

Manuals are dead. They do not offer any advantage over a state of the art semi-auto/dual clutch other than the illusion of involvement. In reality all they do is subtract from the experience of actually steering the car and focusing on your lines and braking points. It's like fighting a beast with one arm behind your back. When we are talking about beasts like these, you need both your arms...

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CD8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSequential_manual_transmission&ei=Z1VbUY6LAfW64AP_pIGYDg&usg=AFQjCNG9SjlBnzX4qw11kvqdpaeWf13CMg&sig2=tVJx_0Nd1-EYUP_I0mj99Q&bvm=bv.44697112,d.dmg

 

Could this be the year a paddled-up something outruns a three year-old gizmo-free stick-shift Dodge ...?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGtgYrkVdYs&feature]Dodge Viper Sets New Record at Nordschleife For Production Cars - YouTube[/ame]

 

The illusion of involvement? I'm pretty sure working 3 pedals and shifting your own gears makes you more involved in the act of driving than clicking a paddle and using 2 pedals. Focusing on your lines and braking points? That only happens on the track.

Automated transmissions make cars faster, I will admit that. But in my opinion, they do not make the driving experience better. I have more fun with a proper manual, even if I don't win the "race".

And manuals are not dead. They're just dead in Europe. Cars from Japan and the US still come with proper manuals. In fact, manuals are more alive than your beloved N/A V12.

 

That is basically a road legal race car, with ultra sticky tyres and set up specifically for a track that does not really interest Ferrari as they have never sent their cars there officially (other than the stupid 599XX publicity stunt). At any rate, I never give much credit to manufacturers' claims. Independent tests are much more reliable.

 

Over here we have twisty roads also, hence the need to take good care of our lines and braking points. Have you seen the Stelvio Pass, or even a Welsh B-Road for instance?

As for manual Japanese supercars... GTR? LFA? Both semi-autos.