MCLAREN 720S OR 488

Same thoughts from me, actually. Strange pricing from McLaren imo

 

Sales tax is never taken into account in the US as far as I'm concerned. The price advertised is always before tax and the only possible way to offset sales tax in some states if a trade-in. Any time you purchase from a private party or from a dealer without a trade-in, you owe tax on the total amount.

 

What's strange? It's a higher-end car and some options are actually way more reasonably priced.

A nice spec 488 is nowhere near MSRP. A nice spec 720S is about $315 IMO.

 

McLaren do have a much better value on their options

 

I think McLaren's pricing structure is quite smart. They are forced to make a bigger splash by producing a car that betters the figures of the main segment leader (Ferrari with 720, Porsche with 570) but to price at or below those competitors is an acknowledgement that the McLaren brand is somehow not as valuable as its competitors. There's no real way around that and so it has to be higher. The problem for them is that that can lead to depreciation, especially if the brand/dealer network resolve the optical price difference under the counter, which is exactly what has been happening with 12C and 650 etc.

It's quite easy these days to make one car go faster than another, but for every reaction there is an equal and opposite one and nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

 

I have never driven a McLaren but I do think they are beautiful cars and I'm sure they are incredible to drive/on par with the competition to the point of taste determining which is the best.

With that said, I do have to wonder what they are thinking with their business model of constantly releasing new models rather than letting their product cycles breathe. I think this, along with the fact that they are a relatively new brand comparatively speaking, is the reason their cars suffer from the levels of depreciation that they do.

I know that few people look at cars as investments, but I personally I look at these types of cars less as the actual sale price and more as the fixed/unrecoupable costs + depreciation over the time I plan on owning the car, and in that sense McLaren (outside of the P1) is perhaps one of the most expensive brands out there.

By contrast, Ferraris hold their value relatively well, and newer ones offer free maintenance making the cost from that perspective relatively low.

 

I think it's strange because they're still trying to break into the market IMO. I would have thought that would mean a better car at the same price or less than the established competition. However, that being said, the McLaren has technically superior suspension and a full carbon fibre tub, and that costs $$$$$$$

 

An observation: first: Ferrari has a much bigger "fan base" than McLaren, this is out of question. We all know Ferrari is one of the strong brands at all when it comes to popularity and desirability, an asset developed over 70 years market presence. This brand power is of course reflected in the resale of Ferrari products (keyword depreciation) and also in polls in terms of popularity/desirability. However, this alone does not allow a conclusion about the product strengths and quality of a single and actual product like the 488 GTB is. The market research department of Ferrari is well advised not to draw such simple conclusions about their products. And I'm sure they know that.

Second: Someone who buys a car primarily because of its value retention has definitely other reasons to buy than someone who buys a car because of its product features which he would like to experience and enjoy. It seems to me, people discussing with each other which have completely different buying interests. The ugliest art paintings are bought just because they promise an appreciation. If the buyer wants to convince me he has bought it because of its beauty, then I become skeptical (I know this is an abstract comparison ).

 

Without going for a speculation approach, cost has to be part of the equation - if money is really no object I doubt one would consider mundane cars like the 720S or 488 GTB.
Perceived value for money is another subjective criteria that's part of the enjoyment.
Saving a few tens of thousands $ may provide more satisfaction than a few saved tenths of seconds on a 0-62 time, which one will never notice unless devoting the car to burn clutches in drag races.
On the other hand, spending more money just to have the ability to show a spec sheet with better times may also be a pride for some.
Each to his own, but that does not tell that one car is objectively better than the other.

 

Most basic 720 specs I've seen are in $330-$340 range. I left a lot off mine and it came in at $346.

 

"mundane cars like the 720S or 488 GTB". I would agree that LAF, 918, P1 are more exciting, but referring to the former as mundane might be a tad of an overstatement.

 

Seems pretty high. I'm more of a paint guy than anything else, so maybe that's why. I find almost all the options to just be different material trims. All body color panels and standard trims for me. Just color is important.

 

You're going to like it. Hopefully, I'll see you on track one day.
Mclarensf provides very good customer service/support and logistics. It helps a lot that mclaren warranty covers track use.
picture and couple of short videos at sonoma.


https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=o03XWhKRUGE

 

Is your video private? cannot see it

 

sorry, just changed it. there's two videos. short 30 second clips.

 

Thanks, always nice to see these cars in action

 

Exactly! It's like saying that the A Bomb is not a terribly powerful weapon, just because the H Bomb exists.

 

jesus, thats awesome, what a sound! not like the flatulent wail of an f-car, more like a supersonic fighter jet! love it, thanks for posting! anyone have a 720s v. 488 drag race video?

 

yeah, it sounds like a jet at full throttle. I think they struck a good balance with the sound. Inside the cabin it is pretty tame but outside it has some real character.

I know a few 488 owners... I don't think any of them want to be on the very wrong side of a drag race. (I know I wouldn't want to be regardless of car).

 

yeah, agreed. 488 competes against the 570 anyway, Sport Series. they don't make a car that competes against Super Series McLaren.

 

I genuinely wonder what is the interest of arranging a drag race between a 488 GTB and a 720S, because:
- drag races between road cars are rather pointless (the goal of a road car is not to drag race - there is much more to define its skills)
- everybody knows the more powerful 720S will win a drag race against a 488 GTB; this is not an unexpected achievement

Now what about a 0-30 mph drag race between a Tesla and a 720S? there are good odds that the Tesla would win, but this would be an equally ridiculous test, and I would definitely not conclude that the Tesla is a better car (that's what makes me different I guess )

 

There isn't really any point to do it other than just to have some fun. Going around a track with your friends is more fun but a lot more skill involved in that then just waiting for the green light and launching the car.

When I do these things it is just for fun and to check off some box of having done it. However, it is very rarely shown in public and when it does it happens to go very viral and lots of people start discussing it. (ie., I did a roll race against a veyron and there is millions of views on youtube. Luckily, it was a fair race and no driver errors).

 

Then those viral videos are taken as "the word of God" with no clue as to ALL the many variables (how warm were the engines, were there any mods done, what gas was used - racing or standard pump gas, were both cars in their powerbands, were both drivers actually trying to win and shifting at the most effective points, the list goes on and on) but watchers and poster then forget any actual validity and make implicit claims if they back their beliefs without knowing anything about the credibility of the said video. There's zero credibility but when it backs one's belief people go off. Good for those who post it to share but bad on those who then use it as some sort of scientifically accurate representation unless the validity can be corroborated. "Because I saw it on the internet it must be true!" that and it backs what they WANT to believe so it must be truer

 

Wow... can I get whatever you are smoking today?

 

Are you being serious? It may not be representative but the car sounds neutered on that clip.