458 Italia vs McLaren MP4 Blighty - The UK press decides

My most preferred colour on the MP4 is the 'candy apple red', a la the one in EVO.

 

I'm not sure about that. You could take that last sentence to mean a car for posers.

Art

 

Is a guy who cruises in his Lusso a poser? Driving is an experience on city streets, not a race. 99.9% of the time these cars are used is on the street. That's were the 458 wins.

 

You've got to buy and drive what makes YOU happy, not what some other gearhead or automotive journalist likes. Reminds me of movies. Some of my favorites get terrible or mediocre reviews. Sandler's Zohan comes to mind.

 

Eh, no. That's were the McLaren wins, because it has superior comfort compared to the 458 Italia (with reference to Top Gear and tons of other reviews).

 

Very few customers, besides some British clients has had the chance to drive the McLaren. McLaren claims it has a comfortable ride. Unfortunately, i will have to wait 2 months b4 i get a test drive.

 

Not trying to stir the pot but...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/powerlaps.shtml

???

 

I overheard clarkson talking to stiggy. McLaren supplied a ringer for the lap. It weighed 1500 pounds and had 1200 HP, still as ugly as a stock 12C though.

 

Lap times sell magazines and posters, not cars.

 

But they catch your attention, like an ad. They create word of mouth, as we've seen a lot of with Z06 first and GTR later on, and also with the baby Ferrari (Scuderia) that's just as good as the halo Ferrari (Enzo)...

So IMHO they are not worthless. But yes, in the end, if there is no connection felt at the buyer, lap times are pointless. Thus, the 458 Italia trumps the clever British kid on the block... We are males after all - big juicy hips and teasing eyes beat a nerdy schoolgirl any day...

 

I understand the numbers really don't matter. But it seems to me it should at least be an unbiased way to compare the cars. I'd have the 458 all day but how does the 458 stomp the mp4 on one track and get crushed on another (relatively small tracks as well.) Something smells fishy from BOTH sides, it shouldn't take 30+ pages to decipher lap times haha.

 

Lesser sports car.... that depends on your personal definition of a sports car...not merely a track car. For me, the 458 hits all the right notes and marks for what I am looking for in a the 12C does not.

 

I look at it this way. Some guys get all hot and bothered over Olympic athletes: not an once of fat and fast as the wind. Me, I like then with some curves in the right places and some fire on their soul. Maybe they won't win a gold metal on the track but it's in other positions were they win first place.

Neither of us is wrong. Both are right.

But to call one superior over the other is also wrong.

 

Much further down the list they have a 575M doing a lap less than half a second faster than a Fiat 500 Abarth, and slower than a Ford Focus. Is that likely? Is it likely that I care?

 

Well with cars that have already been out for awhile I would assume that you can find all the information that you need and have it confirmed by actual owners or verify it with more than one source. With these brand new cars there have only been several tests and I would like to think that the numbers are somewhat accurate for comparisons sake.

I know that a .1 second difference in a 0-60 doesn't really matter but these are performance cars at the end of the day. Will I notice the difference between a 430 and 430 scud? Maybe not (even though I've read differently), but who would turn down the extra 20 horsepower and 220 lb diet? Sure performance doesn't tell the whole story but it's certainly an integral part.

Unless you're talking about a specific characteristic of the car. With regards to performance it looks like the jury is still out, but I know which one wins the beauty contest haha

 

Baller you have to keep in mind that the 12C was developed on the Top Gear track (Dunsfold). That could explain a lot, also bear in mind it is a power circuit.

The Italia is faster on other tracks because those tracks are more handling based. This is where the 12C would appear to lack and the 458 shines. The E-Diff definitely trounces the brake steer of the McLaren in that it puts power down better and fully allows the driver to do what they want to do.

 

^Ahh thanks that could help to explain it. The technology in these cars is incredible. I never really was on board with the break steer concept however.

 

Leno's driving lesson:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a84RaR2PABM&sns=em[/ame]

 

you really need to get your facts right if you are to give advice,the topgear track is not a power circuit There is only 1 fast sweeping corner,the rest are tight bends that you wouldnt find anywhere else other than monaco(hammerhead),and as for putting the power down out of a corner! this is one of the points all the tests show the 12c is best at,even if it loses in the emotion stakes.

 

Handling trumps power on a race circuit.

Pete

 

Slow corners and straights between them? It looks like a power circuit to me.

 

Andy, Dunsfold is widely known as a power circuit. It's an airstrip linked together by slower corners. The percentage of time at full throttle is significantly higher than tighter tracks. What you described definitely points to a power circuit. Straights linked by very slow corners. This will actually rely more on tires. Ever wondered why there is the term "power lap."

I'll point you to the Bedford lap, go watch the videos again (it was already discussed here as well). Bedford relies more on handling because there are shorter (much much shorter than Dunsfold) straights and different types of corners (sweepers, decreasing radius, hairpins, the lot). In the EVO video the 458 clearly makes up time accelerating out of the corners while the 12C is struggling to put down it's power. It lost at Rockingham as well, the sector times seemed to point out that it lost most of it's time through the tighter corners where it clearly struggles (and breaks).

My facts are straight, consider analyzing your own advice again

 

Sorry Andy, but I must agree with Bryan - the Top Gear track absolutely is a power circuit.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

point taken,i apologize for getting my knickers in a twist,however i still think you are wrong about getting the power down,the 12c shows exactly the opposite on the top gear video,i realize the 458 is showboating for the benefit of the tv,but the benefit of the suspension system allows for more rubber on the road more of the time.The reason it lost grip at rockingham was later explained in the article,due to the hydralic leak not allowing it to work properly,a big PR gaff by Mclaren.Again my apologies for being short.
An interesting article in EVO today,how Mclaren have listened to the criticisms and altered alot of the problems that the press didnt like,a small step,even if it dosent affect the look some people dont like

 

No worries Andy, and I agree it looked composed on the Top Gear lap. However, the Bedford laps still seem to show the 458 hooking up better.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTX_w-GSGkE[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_fKkyG_GL0&feature=relmfu[/ame]