Ferrari LaFerrari vs Mclaren P1 vs Porsche 918

Yes, I drove the P1 in race mode too, it was blindingly fast and more surprising it was
felt even faster than in reality, but I have had a better lap time in the 918 weissach pak
at the same circuit and a far better experience, 918 handling is far beyond any hyper car I
drove in the past!

 

For discretion to the P1 owner I can not go to the detail of our test, but the P1 owner
has a Veyron SS too, surprisingly in our test SS was a bit faster than P1 specially in a straight line but it is not to pronounced as all these hyper cars are blindingly fast,
Also I am not the only one to find 918 faster than Veyron SS, for example Walter Rohrl who has extensive experience driving both reckons the 918 is “quite a lot faster than the Veyron” up to about 180mph

 

can't argue with your first hand experience!

 

Motor tend just compared the new z/28 to the porsche turbo s and the gtr track edition and on a cold day with No heat in the tires it easily out Lapped both cars with only 505 hp and a factory warranty that covers tracking the camaro fully. They said on a warm day it would be even further ahead. Not bad for 75,000.00.

 

What track and what were your lap times?

 

Yas Marina circuit,
At the time I can not post the exact lap times here, but I will be back as soon as possible
It's because I will receive my 918 in less than a month by now!!

[If I said I can't post lap times it is because of McLaren, they don't want you to know about lap times and there for as I said before for discretion to the owner
of P1 I can not post the detail here]

 

What. Was the 918s time then? I know porsche doesn't care if you tell us lap times.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences! Love some more about your 918 as soon it arrives.

 

I know what you mean when you say "feels a lot faster than it is in reality". A lot of high end machines are like this. They feel insanely visceral, even if in reality the measured numbers don't line up with the perceived experience. Make no mistake however, no doubt P1 is staggeringly fast, it feels insanely fast because it IS insanely fast , just like Veyron SS. and certain 'insiders' close to Porsche development and testing team, know that 918 in standard spec is also otherworldly fast, and especially in Weissach Pak... less than 2.45 sec to 60mph, less than 9.9 sec in 1/4mile, and less important terminal velocity of 215mph (10mph 'slower' than P1, 15mph short of Laferrari) is plenty fast.

people, including soon to be owners like yourself, will be pleasantly surprised when the final spec/newly minted 918's are delivered. it will be comfortably quicker than those numbers we've all seen so far. the 918 performance envelope is unique via complete system of AWD up to 150mph, 2 Emotors up until that speed, optimized PDK (massive dynamic torque/hp curve maximized even further with near zero interruption), Ulra high-performance petrol engine...how it accomplishes head scratching performance despite being a good bit heavier relative to P1 and LaF... it's unlike any other car ever made.

the few, of which you are one, who have driven Veyron, P1, and 918 in context, are the only people that have direct insight into their performance relative to each other. as more cars are finally delivered, we'll get more and more information where/how it matters.

"the P1 is faster than the 918, EVERYWHERE" ... "speed, acceleration right up there with Formula 1 car..." Sutcliff

"P1 is a new thing, it's an entirely new thing" Harris

duh! So is LaF, so is 918...

overenthusiastic, over-excitement greatly coloring objectivity.

 

Zakaria - I sent you a pm in case you have the chance to see it.
Best,
Mike

 

I can understand Sutcliff's claims being doubted considering everything you said, but Harris is a different story. The 918 may end up being faster than the one he drove, but his "entirely new thing" claim was based on his driving impressions.

While objective measurements are impossible and a car can feel much faster than it is or even than a car of similar speed, that feeling is actually important too. The comments that Harris made, including his extreme enthusiasm would indicate that the P1 simply feels faster, and better, than the 918.

That's not say the numbers will show that, but there is a lot to say for a car that feels faster. This isn't just about feeling faster than it is, it's about the excitement and enjoyment in the car.

It could be argued that with cars of this speed, that the numbers mean less and less and how it feels being what matters. Of course it depends on what you want from your car, but to me it seems like at this level that the car the feels like the better car, is the better car, whether the stopwatch indicates it or not.

Whether it felt faster, more responsive or just generally more exciting, for these people they came away with more positive emotions in a P1 than a 918.

That said, there are practical elements to consider such as the usability of AWD, but I don't think that is what is being discussed here.

 

I thought feel or soul or how emotional the car made you feel was the most important thing. Or is that the case only if the Ferrari is the slower car. That seemed to be what all the tifosi said when the McLaren was faster than the Ferrari.

 

Everyone whose driven both cars seem to agree that the p1 is the better car. Everyone except those who Bought the 918. Could it be that the p1 was sold out so they had to settle for the other. So that there is bias in their post. Im pretty sure the buyer didn't have the time and the permission to really get to fully know the car. Id trust the reviewer who isnt biased. OK... Maybe Harris is. He is a porsche fanatic and he seemed to be in the p1s corner.

 

Hmmm.

You know, I was looking at the P-1, no, wait . . . I was riding in the P-1. . . no . . . I mean I was driving the P1, yeah, that's the ticket. And in the seat beside was . . . um . . . my wife . . . Morgan Fairchild, yeah, that's right. And Morgan took out her stopwatch . . . no wait, she called Mansour Ojjeh and had him, yeah, she had him send his TAG team to the . . . hmmm . . . hmmm . . . Indianapolis 500, yeah, that's the ticket. And we timed my lap in the P1, while my wife Morgan did her nails.

And our time was faster than Mario Andretti, yeah, that's the ticket.

 

yes, the 'feel', the overall experience is what we are after. design goals, purpose, is different among the new 3 hypercars despite the fact that they are all capable of spin-the-earth backwards performance. and only the lucky few will get to pick and choose depending on their mood, preference, etc. general consensus thus far is that P1 is the more exciting drive on a racetrack, presumably due to it's readily more thrashable nature (epic drifting) and its ability to mimic a prototype racer...the directness, the dynamic drive afforded by the same 2.5 inch ride height, the super tight damping, massive downforce, and instant/damn the physics hyper rolling acceleration. when driven on the street, the consensus is that it's essentially a 900hp 12C. nothing really to write home about. subdued until you cuff it. 918 being accomplished in that role doesn't mean it is dull. the few that have driven both P1 and 918 posting in this thread, say that 918 simply provides a more 'rounded' drive when using seat-of-the-pants impression/feel as the measuring stick...the performance-- speed and handling-- seemingly more subtle, because it is better than P1 in NVH department, leading one to perceive the car being not 'quite' as fast as P1 or Veyron (that is, with the targa top on, when top is off and driven at 10/10ths, the experience is of a sensational one-with the-world kind, where noise, speed, agility, fit/finish of interior, proper attention to NVH, all align). the 918 having the nicer interior-- trim, switchgear, touch panels, gauges-- it feels the more 'solid' car at rest and at speed...it feels the better built machine, a higher quality product. Some may think the 918 is the more exciting drive, both on track and street. it is also imminently driftable, but delivers all of its performance in that perceived 'smoother' manner. massive torque a huge factor in the easy, effortless feel when driving the car(for 918~790ft-lbs gears 1-5, from 800rpm-5000rpm, 940ft-lbs net in higher gears. for P1 675ft-lbs net). 918 was designed from the ground up to be 'useable', exploitable from 5-205mph, on vastly different roads, in different weather, etc. How does one define 'better'? if it's as traditionally accepted, then the 918 is the better car. The P1 the more exciting track car, but clearly not hugely faster than 918 as Ron Dennis had claimed and hoped it would be. One feature that 918 has which the LaF and P1 simply can't offer...the epic noise coming from 9150rpm of motorsport blue-print, flat crank V8 right behind your head, with wind in your hair, sunshine on your face...and with no compromises in dynamics, no mush or slack introduced into the car due to loss in rigidity, etc. The sensation of being 'free', in open air, is something that a lot of folks put a premium on. Going back to 'fit and finish', you notice the little things when you're just easing along or when sitting at the stop light. these 'little things' do contribute to the drive, making it a better one. when doing 30mph in a 35mph zone, I notice the R8's much higher build quality, nicer interior, vs GTR or Corvette. completely different aura.

 

"better"? define. certainly not 'better' in terms of build quality, fit/finish. inspections at car shows, events, etc, a lot of folks saw for themselves that 918 does not take a back seat to P1. also, "everyone"? those that have driven latest spec 918, customer P1, and Veyron SS in context of each other, and not months apart using cars at particular phase of development? I assure you that not 'everyone' agrees that P1 is "better". also, the 'sold out' so had to settle idea, silly. Mac wanted to sell 500, but the demand wasn't there, so the retooled number became 375 to ensure enough profit and also preserving exclusivity. the latest numbers now indicate that Mac could sell another 50 cars, so they are a little bummed out leaving over 60mil on the table. That's coming from head of McL cars.

 

good grief, LaF P1 918 threads have enough cynicism and head-butting. please contribute in a more productive manner.

 

I can tell you that they do get VERY upset if you 'release' certain info deemed 'for internal use only'. at least the numbers didn't circulate much, and stayed within F-chat. I want to be able to return to my local dealership and not get dirty stares because of my misgivings.

 

The idea that mclaren couldn't sell 500 is just rumor. Call your dealer and tell them you want one -- the wait list is currently over 50 people in case someone backs out. That means they could have sold at least 425...

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Your obviously a porsche fan. Your bias shows 100%. Me, Im just trying to show that you cant get away from the flag waiving. Myself, Im a Chevy man and am waiting for the Z06. Didn't mean to hit a nerve. Im just going by what Ive read and heard.
Remember, its just a forum.....Lol

 

And as for the porsche performance numbers not being spread around. Who's going g to share numbers someone has claimed to have seen from a dealers secret file. Would you believe that person?

 

you did not hit a nerve. just my reply the to questions and assertions... calm and collected. no heat, no raised pulse. I guess all the great things about the P1, things I mentioned, the things I really like about that car, don't register with y'all. Fan Bias..really? I absolutely love just a few cars in their lineup (staple being the GT3's), I mostly feel lukewarm towards much of the model ranges, and genuinely dislike a couple. going to test drive a Stingray this week...I like it in gray. seriously looking into one, lots of bang for the buck. love the sport roof, car is nice size--not very big, nice proportions.

 

I'm am dang glad for the lack of traction. I am genuinely relieved, as I plan on visiting the dealership for many more years and hope they continue to treat me well. The info will in fact be released in a couple of months...so it matters to no one, myself included, if anyone believed what I posted. the info isn't of a top secret nature to never be released (such as Mac's lap times), as it was always meant to be released, but Porsche AG like all others, want to do it when they see fit-- which just so happens to be around same time that the owners will start taking deliveries of their cars. Your jab implying that I'm just some random nutjob peeking at a 'secret file' is just rude. He casually pulled out a fax as we chatted, just another chat like we've done countless times in the past. End of it is, in a couple of months time, you can again decide if you want to believe it when it's part of a press release. Or, you can wait longer still for Magazines to spit out some numbers...and then decide if you want to believe that mumbo jumbo.

you haven't been hanging around these parts long enough yet. for your cynicism, your cynical take on my ill advised 'contribution' to this thread, you're welcome to as much as you can bear. I do not have a track record of posting bullsht or hatred. all sorts of BS from F-chat has ended up being circulated by Jalopnik and the like. and they were pure fantasy by trolls. per your jab at common sense, and by extension, jab at ME, "Would you believe that person?" if the person in question was a solid member (of which there are many here), someone that's made contributions and engaged in productive discussions throughout the past several years...yes, I would believe them without hesitation. Lastly, I like to believe that I'm in relatively good standing with other members here, and I hope that I have been for a number of years now.

 

Every British journalist?

Well maybe not for Topgear, but then they drove it on a moist track.

 

well, that 'rumor' came from people that were interested in buying one back in the day. and were told by Mac that its initial run was planned for 'about 500'. interest and deposits early on wasn't what was hoped for, so a lower number was decided upon. They want to sell as many cars as they can but a cap is needed somewhere to preserve 'exclusivity'. based on info in the early going, there was no way they were going to sell 500 cars, so to prevent potential customers perceiving the car as ho hum, a calculated change to the production run was needed. the number of cars had to be enough to generate acceptable profits. the current demand is a result of a relatively new and steady increase, so head of McL slightly regrets capping the number so low...however, at the time of the decision, they had figures that indicated that demand and exclusivity matched up at under 400 cars. Of course, if they knew then that demand would start to increase a bit, they would've set the cap higher, probably at around 400 cars.