991.2 turbo s - Ferrari 488 - McLaren 650s
After driving the Porsche turbo s, McLaren 650s and Ferrari 488 in direct comparison I wanted to share my personal impressions:
McLaren 650s
In general, I was not 100% convinced with the refinement of this product (that is to say: in direct comparison with the other cars mentioned above, the McLaren as such is a wonderful product, of course, but here we compare it to the best in class).
Issues included more major topics like strange/”sticky” steering feel around center position (car was on PZero tires), interaction of gear-box and throttle (too slow on downshifts, too slow on upshifts), and suspension in normal mode (very soft and indifferent, more like a sedan than a sports car).
Smaller issues included flabby mechanical feel of the throttle (the pedal just felt strange), brake feel, outdated nav system, mediocre sound system (despite the car having the premium sound system McLaren offers), seats, entry to the car.
The design of the car is special and the engine sound is very present. I like the concept of the 488 better thought – the 488 can be driven very quietly but you can also have all the sound you would like to have.
The 650s excels when driven fast in sports mode, with manual gear shifts on bended roads or the track. In these moments the car feels very light and cart like (even more so than the 488, maybe). Also, under comparable conditions the 650s is about 4s faster than the turbo s 0-300kph. I did not GPS test the 488 but based on what I felt and read in the press it should be somewhere in the range of the 650s.
Having had a lot of interest in these performance figures in the past I have to admit that you can hardly feel these differences any more without a GPS device (or a competing car in front of you…). That’s why these numbers are less interesting to me than all the other pros/cons summarized here. These pros/cons make the real difference between these cars – performance is very similar, also very much depending on weather/road conditions etc.
Ferrari 488
A wonderful product. I was a bit shocked to realize how good it is…
The turbo engine is just wonderful to drive in combination with the gear-box. I would say: same level of refinement as in the turbo s (and much better than in the 650s). Of course, the 488 has this wonderful engine sound (when you want it – the car can also be driven “noiseless” like a turbo s). The steering (car had PZero tires as well) is much more direct around center position than in the turbo s (I don’t think this is an advantage but it still feels very good). Super precise and nice mechanical feel. Brake feel is a bit less sensitive than on the turbo s – typical Ferrari ceramic brakes. The suspension is great – super comfortable in wet mode – and yet you do not have any softness/imprecision when driving quickly. The car feels and handles very nimble and feels lighter than the turbo s. All wonderful.
Nav system is Ok – but Apple Car Play solves all problems. The sound system is not as good as the Burmester in the turbo s but also excellent. Seats are great (but not as good as in the turbo s), entry to the car is great. Build quality of the interior is still a bit below turbo s level (more cracking noises) but overall look & feel is excellent. And the interior design is amazing.
The 488 is a wonderful product. Just amazing.
turbo s
Now comes the difficult part. The turbo s is as amazing as the 488 but different…
Of course, the car looks and sounds more normal (interior design included). But then every detail is done just so nicely! The AWD is such a huge step forward when you want to use the car in colder temperature or even on wet roads (the 488 sometimes has traction issues coming out of corners even when it is dry…). The interaction of gearbox and engine is super refined (488 is approximately on the same level).
The suspension has this unique Porsche mix of softness, heaviness and precision. It is just a treat whenever you drive it. Brake feel is best in class and steering is also best in class (together with the 488 – although the steering of the 488 feels totally different as written above). Handling is just impeccable under all conditions.
The navigation and the sound system are the benchmark.
The turbo s is a product so refined and so lovely to drive on a daily basis but also in these very special moments on beautiful roads with beautiful weather.
Conclusion
Personally, I would think that the combination of turbo s and Ferari 488 might be ideal. Both cars, in summary, operate on this level of refinement and driving pleasure that is not easy to achieve… And both cars would be used as you can just enjoy either right after driving the other. These products do set the standard in this segment.