8 replies to this topic

[mariner]

Autocar magazine has put a full road test of the new McLaren road car on line

http://www.autocar.c...-3.8-V8/257947/

Interestingly they say the same as several other reviewers - it is not quite as good as the existing Ferrari 458 Italia which is a compliment to Ferrrari's skill at road cars.

One obvious question is how does it compare to the McL F1 of 1993?

Firstly it is 65% cheaper despite nearly 20 years of inflation which is pretty good. The max power is 592 bhp against 621 for the F1

It is not quite as quick as the F1 because it weighs 1434 kg versus 1138kg for the F1. It is about the same size and the tyres are within 10mm on section.

So 0 to 30 is 3.3 versus 3.2 for the F1 ( traction limited probably)

0 to 100 is 6.7 secs versus 6.3 for the F1 and 0 to 150 mph is 15.3 secs versus 12.8 for the F1.

Top speed is 205 mph versus probably 235+ for the F1

So the power is virtually equal but acceleration and top speed is down by about 15%. Part is weight but the top speed loss suggests the new McL road car is actually has a higher Cd factor than the F1.

I think the cost reduction still using carbon fibre is great, not sure it should have weighed 25% more but I guess the need to cost reduce meant some of the original techniques were too costly

[cheapracer]

Not for me, consider things such as service and parts back up - I think thy made a real mistake making "just another mid level supercar", not a patch on the F1. They could have done a lot better.

If I ever spent that amount of money on a that type of car (and I never will) it would certainly be the 458 or a pregnant VW.

[gruntguru]

So 0 to 30 is 3.3 versus 3.2 for the F1 ( traction limited probably)

"in both directions we recorded runs in the high 3.2sec bracket, on a showery day with grip at a premium.in both directions we recorded runs in the high 3.2sec bracket, on a showery day with grip at a premium."

That sounds like it is probably quicker off the mark than the F1 actually.

[ViMaMo]

Lap times, lap times, lap times......

[mariner]

As far as lap times are concerned then with all due respect (!) to Jeremy Clarkson and various journo. types few drivers can push these cars fast enough to get meaningfully comparative lap times.

However on the Uk fitth gear TV show Jason Plato who is a several times BTCC Champion put the McL. and the 458 around the same track and reported the Ferrari slightly quicker than the McL

http://www.channel5....s/episode-8-211

So I suspect it is slower than the F1. Problem is tyres have moved on a lot since 1993 so any real test would have to use the same type of tyre.

[kikiturbo2]

there is an additional problem of the press 458 being "a bit" lighter and quite a bit more powerfull than normal "over the counter" 458's...

frankly speaking, it looks like the 458 and macca are almost equally fast around the track, mclaren being more suited to normal roads, but overall nobody likes the way mclaren drives... saying it is not fun to drive... contrary to 458 or something like 997 gt3..

[cheapracer]

but overall nobody likes the way mclaren drives... saying it is not fun to drive... contrary to 458 or something like 997 gt3..

Well why else would you buy one of those medium level supercars except for fun or pose so that's going to weigh heavily against the McLaren. I haven't driven an F1, who has, but even if it wasn't fun you know darn well you can blow off just about any car in the world at the drags, track or street so it didn't matter. I genuinely think Ron's trip over his own shoelaces this time.

He should have done what the other "Mclaren" has done with the Hulme...









..and dare I say it again... this is what a bloody F1 car should look like!!

Edited by cheapracer, 30 June 2011 - 15:21.

[munks]

He should have done what the other "Mclaren" has done with the Hulme...


..and dare I say it again... this is what a bloody F1 car should look like!!

Never seen that before ... very nice!

[kikiturbo2]

ahhh, yess.... LS7.... torks abound..


being a part time car journo, I get to sample some of this fine machinery from time to time.. I honestly think that bitching about the very last tenth of a second is missing the point completely.. 458 looks like fun, have yet to drive it, but it is so badly made, I'd hesitate spending som much money on one of those... Engines might be superb, but chassis welds are a joke, and there is some very dangerous fuel tank hose routing..