MCLAREN 720S OR 488

The advertised prices are all beyond €279,500 - so significantly more than a new 488 GTB; IMHO a lot of additional money to get the queen of drag racing. At least it makes some sense, people focussed on this have to pay a premium.
Amazingly some keep saying it comes for free and one should be crazy to chose a 488 GTB, whereas the facts do not support these claims.
I believe it's totally sensible to pay less for a 488 GTB and find a better way to spend the difference; it's a personal choice of course but I do not understand why some cannot admit it is an option.

 

Man, you're amazing. Almost all of your postings on fchat are in this thread and you have to be the number one poster in this thread...and you don't own any of the cars that are being talked about.

 

The fact that I don't but I have a good amount of experience driving them makes me an impartial, objective participant. I have no a priori predisposition towards any make or model. Many here offer definite opnions without having the benefit of driving them and /or are so tied to a brand which causes them to be unreceptive to any comments that might not conform to their biases. If you feel my posts are unwanted or of little value, please feel free to ignore them.

 

I guess you're not a buyer for any of these cars under consideration. I don't disagree with the poster who said the speed is a game changer.

btw; mclaren and lambo did things different with their initial cars. Mclaren gave two launch cars to each dealer. One was supposed to be used as a demo and one as a floor car for display purposes. Eventually, they are going to sell these but they couldn't right away. Lambo wouldn't allow the dealer demo car to be sold for 3 months and wouldn't even supply the paper work to the dealer just in case they turned around and tried to sell it to a potential customer. New car buyers in Europe don't like to buy floor models or launch type cars that they can't specify. The situation is different here in the States.

Customers, or potential customers do U-turns on purchases (financial situations change or they bought something else in between waiting for their car and then they have no use for the one that they ordered. Happens across all marquees.

So far three of my friends ended up with performante's (very early cars). One was spec'd, one customer cancelled and one was a dealer demo.

Two of the three have 488's, many ferrari's, porsche's and mclarens. They just want to buy the cool cars. The one who happens to like to track didn't like 488 at all on track the first time. Second time he liked it a bit better. He gets the performante and he can't stop driving it during regular and track driving and says it is superior to 488 in every way and is not interested in 720s at all. One of the performante owners is a relative of mine. He has a 570 and had a huracan. He likes to track. He was able to get an early performante and would've had to wait longer to get the 720s so he went with the performante.

 

Actually quite a few people have made a few postings who do own these cars. They just say what they have to say and don't want to necessarily keep harping on the same things over and over again. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I believe that how loud a person talks should be proportionate to their experience with the subject matter they are talking about.

 

Well here is how the cost differential is justified:

• Full carbon fiber monocoque cage, versus aluminum space frame
• Butterfly doors (F1 design) with available glass roof, versus basic doors
• Lightest dry weight 1283 kg, versus 1370 kg (manufacturer spec)
• 698 wHP, versus 535 wHP (same dyno @ FabSpeed)
• Full length active rear wing and air brake, versus active diffusor vanes
• Hydraulically linked suspension, versus magnetorheological shocks
• Radical new design derived from F1 and Pagani Huayra, versus refresh of 458
• Brand new interior and tech, versus refresh of 458

So what would Ferrari charge for a regular production LaFerrari variant w/ 800HP V8 biturbo, gas-only powertrain that traps 148 mph in the 1/4 mi ? Of course it does not exist (yet) but that would be the comparable to the 720S.

 

My heart is fine, you're a poser I'm a player. Get in the game then you might get some consideration otherwise just noise.

 

Sounds like the 488 SE (GTO?) will be around 4500 units ..not too hard to get hold of one.

 

So I have read in this thread many times that the 720S was a direct competitor to the 488 GTB, my comments about a different price bracket being dismissed every time... And for this reason the 720S was claimed to be the only sensible choice.
And now (eventually) you tell me that the price difference is justified - but that leads to another debate, if the 488 GTB and 720S are actually on different markets the choice is not that straightforward. And - as I tried to argue many times - value for money has to be considered as soon as the price point is different.

For the real cost of a 720S a Ferrari 812S could be a better proposition (for the NA V12 alone); a personal choice of course (and one of the reasons why I will never believe the claims that the 720S is an objective better choice than a 488 GTB; some people prefer the 720S and that's their choice based on what they like, if they think it's because they are smarter, good for them but I do not feel the need to agree).

 

These are all good and valid points. The 488 and 720S are similar enough to compare but the 720S in my opinion is better in every way. This doesnt mean that the 488 isnt great and others may prefer it for their personal reasons and that is just fine as well. It really doesnt matter - enjoy and appreciate what you have. From a price perspective you just get a lot more from McLaren as described above but this may or may not matter to some. I dont think you are comprising a whole lot by choosing a 488, I almost bought one but then I saw and drove the 720s.

There are a lot of reasons to choose one over the other, price is just one, performance is another. You cant go wrong either way.

 

This price difference is only like 10% after you spec a Ferrari with options. The MSRP on each car is far from what you end up paying after adding even the most reasonable of options.

$300K+ on a 488 is quite common. You're talking maybe 10% difference in price at the end of the day, which makes a lot of sense. The launch edition 720S cars had tons of options, some nearly $400K. Realistically you can get an excellent car for like $325K.

The premium is totally reasonable considering what you're getting. Imagine how much a Ferrari would cost if you included 100 lbs of CF...

 

Some, like myself agree with you but certainly not everyone. I did a road trip yesterday, about 6 hours of driving and I couldnt be more pleased or impressed with the car.

 

Equipped similarly, 720S falls between the 488GTB and 812SF in price. A 720S with basic options runs $320-330k. Figure $290,000 for a similarly equipped 488GTB and $360,000 for a similarly equipped 812SF, so about a 10% spread among them. Add all the carbon fiber available, and those numbers can easily increase by $50,000.

The McLaren comparable to the 488GTB is the 570S.

Ferrari does not currently offer a vehicle comparable to the McLaren 720S.

Nor is there a current McLaren that compares to the 812SF, they have not and probably will not enter the front-mid engine ground touring segment which includes the Aston DB11, Mercedes AMG GT S, and Corvette Z06/ZR1. Ferrari justifies it place atop that list with the high output atmospheric V12 and least weight.

McLaren will be introducing two Ultimate series models, a heavily focused, but roadable track car and a hyper-GT. Former is the 'P15', reveal next weekend, latter the 'BP23' which will be their 3-seat F1 replacement. How will Ferrari respond ? Later expect an LT variant of the 570S in 2019, to go up against the 488GTO.

Competiton is a good thing

 

This post made me LOL!!

You must of been living under a rock all this time if you think the 488 is comparable to a 570s!

 

Do your homework they are closely matched performance-wise. Ferrari costs a lot more and on paper makes more power but then again McLaren is known for underrating power. The 488 might be more "car" but this comparison isnt far fetched. I would go 488 vs 570 but many others might go 570 - personal choice.

 

Okay so why it is not, other than the price differential and absence of a prancing horse logo? If you think it is the big gap in power and performance, well...

Weight is similar, 1313 kg and 1370 kg dry, with the 570S slightly lighter as it features carbon fiber tub versus aluminum frame.

If you disregard the official specifications (reliably inaccurate both both manufacturers, just in different directions) and actually measure the power output at the rear wheels, they are nearly identical, 533 versus 535 HP. These were from the same dyno, look at the stock curves:

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And here is a 488 Spyder (+ 50 kg from the GTB) versus a 570S in a straight line race... a photo finish. Skip to 4:55 for the race. On a track both handle superbly, the tires and driver, not the car, will determine the winner.



I've driven both numerous times and if I were buying in this segment, I'd take the Ferrari for sure. But they are most definitely worth comparing.

 

I own both. 570s is about $100k cheaper, performance wise they are closely matched only in terms of on paper in terms of straightline.

My 488 is my daily driver simply because I can't go a day without driving it. 570S I use as long distance beater car.

In terms of driving, they are very very different. 488gtb has virtually zero turbo lag, even more so than 720S, everything is instant. Torque between 570s and 488 is also very far apart. Seat of pants not even close. There is a ton of turbo lag in 570S, it always require some waiting before power come on.

One of the passenger who rode in both mentioned why does 570S feels so much slower and so much less scarier. I told her they are about the same top end wise, but rest of driving dynamic is different. My business partner has 720S, I passed on 720S for 488 not because of price difference. I just simply prefer 488 over it. Cars at this level of performance really doesn't matter, it is what makes your heart beats faster that counts.

 

My recent investigation into pricing 488GTB vs. 720S in Germany produces almost identical pricing once the 'must have' options are added to the base models - the prices linked appear to be for fully optioned cars or from dealers looking to sell above MSRP. They should have just purchased Bitcoins...

Basically both cars come to about 300k USD, new, delivered and including our ridiculous 19% sales tax. Base prices before tax are actually very similar, the Ferrari is maybe 20k less. The 720S in base doesn't really need any extras at all if it's intended use is as a track toy or drivers car - the 488GTB not so unfortunately.

Otherwise I completely agree with your evaluation of both cars.

 

Interesting how expensive the 720S is in Germany once converted to USD. Unless I am doing the conversion incorrectly you have ask prices in the $400k USD range.

 

Have to agree with you. Did an extended test drive of the 570 the other day. Nice little car. But like every Mclaren I’ve driven- did not like the turbo lag. The cars aren’t in the same class whatsoever.

No way I would trade my 488 for a 570. Not a chance.

 

Totally agreed on 488 vs 570. Not in the same class. The lag of the 570 really requires you to pay attention to the gear and revs. It’s a crazy quick car once it’s in the power band though. I prefer my NSX for driving dynamics (power is basically immediate) versus the 570 though and I drove the 570 three times to make sure. The 488 is a tremendous machine. Better than my 458 objectively speaking but I wouldn’t trade my 458 for one. The 720S was, as I’ve said before, the best car I’ve ever driven imho.

 

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Here I was , ignorant me, believing that 650s and 720s was what we compared to 488s, and that 570s was for people who could not afford a Ferrari California.. whoa!! We learn something new everyday (ps! Throwing gasoline on a fire for effect)...

 

I was stating USD - so no need for you to convert. Basically a 488GTB and the 720S are about 250k EUR including 19% sales tax, once you have added the essential extras. Both good value for their class. Base on the McLaren is about 240k, compared to 220k on the 488GTB.

I was told it's 6-8 months to get a 720S right now.

 

Totally agree. The 570S should be compared to a Turbo. Very similar driving characteristics. Both very comfortable, smooth, easy to drive and fast. Lacking in excitement and thrills from my humble perspective.

 

488 has turbos