Jun 22, 2011 11:33:55 AM
Rossi:
REALZEUS:
No, the Evo test included the Turbo S instead.
Ah, best allround sportscar of the world.
I don't think it would win any group tests based on sheer speed, lap times, driver's involvement, looks and sound. But it is probably one of the most accomplished all rounders and usable sports cars in the world. I would take a GT3 over it though, as in my book a supercar needs to have all those things I just mentioned. Unless I went to the bigger league (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, GT2 RS), which is even better.
I'm just reading through the verdict in EVO. It's not good news for Mclaren. Not one tester would choose the 12C. John Barker is not at all complimentary about it's ride at moderate speed on a fast, undulating road on their Triangle route and says you need to be pushing the limits for the ride quality to settle down. He does however praise the car when you are pushing it and says it is the faster car. Passengers complain the ride is like sitting on a water bed or balancing upon a large beachball and it's likened to the old Citroen hydropneumatic system which I always hated as a passenger for making you feel queasy.
Henry Catchpole writes -
"We've been amazed and impressed by a lot of the things the MP4-12C has done over the last few days , but I don't think anyone reached the end of a drive, however fast or even sideways, grinning. I certainly never found myself buzzing with excitement during a drive, wanting to bottle the moment.
Chris Harris hit the spot in his initial review (EVO 155) when he talked about a curious lack of emotion, and he adds that despite being a serial supercar buyer, in the months since he's never once found himself longing to own one.
Emotion. Ferrari's trump card".
And Andy Wallace of Le Mans winning fame who was part of the test team says "The best car is the bright red Italian one, but could you drive around in a Ferrari every day? ..... Aw, hell yes, I suppose you could!"
Jun 22, 2011 3:39:23 PM
Jun 22, 2011 3:45:30 PM
Here is Roger Green's opening paragraph from the write up of the EVO track test -
" 'Don't be afraid to damage the car. A little damage is okay. Just push, okay? Push, push, push!' If there was any doubt as to the importance of this test to Ferrari, then this pep talk from one of the support crew is enough to banish them. And don't imagine for one minute that McLaren is taking this shootout lightly either. Its chief engineer might not be employing quite such unabashed psyching techniques before every run but I can most definately sense the pressure. They've brought along an even greater number of engineers and support staff than the Italians to the Bedford battleground."
The weights they quote in their figures are the respective kerb weights published by the manufacturers and NOT the actual weights of the models tested it would seem.
Ouch 2!
Car's Verdict
"You have to feel sorry for Mclaren - the hydraulic leak in the suspension that caused the 12C to be so much slower than the 458 was unfortunate. Still, a lap time is only one element of what decides our final ranking, and this misstep doesn't alter our verdict, as the car we drove on the road - where, ulimately, it matters most - was perfectly represensentative.
.....
There are all sorts of ways in which McLaren best Ferrari, particularly composure through fast turns, ride quality and outright speed.
Yet the 12C's all round polish can't compensate for the fact that the Ferrari is the more engaging, more interactive, more compeling machine to drive hard, and if your supercar is going to tick any box, it's agood idea to prioritise that over everything else.
The Ferrari lifts your spirits in the way the McLaren can't, and, you know what, a 458 isn't such a chore to live with. We'd never have predicted but.... Ferrari beats McLaren".
Jun 22, 2011 6:00:07 PM
Jun 22, 2011 6:10:09 PM
Jun 22, 2011 6:36:42 PM
ISUK:EVO times for the 12C are
0-30 mph 1.4
0 - 60 mph 3.0
0 - 100 mph 6.4
0 - 150 mph 15.3
458
0 - 30 mph 1.5 0 - 60 mph 3.2 0 - 100 mph 6.8 0 - 150 mph 15.8
EVO tested the 997 turbo S not the GT2 RS
0 - 30 mph 1.2 0 - 60 mph 2.9 0 - 100 mph 6.8 0 - 150 mph 16.3
So if you are looking for a straight line drag racer, not a sports car the 12C has it ....... but they also tested the new Noble M600 and it did the 0 - 150 mph run in 15.2 Oops.... McLaren beaten again
Jun 22, 2011 8:28:48 PM
The sad thing is that the MP4-12C is competing in reality with cars that have been out for a while and its just matching their performance and loosing in overall reviews... whats going to happen with the McLaren when in a couple of years Porsche, Lambo, Ferrari, etc bring out their new versions?
Jun 22, 2011 9:00:28 PM
I went to the McLaren London showroom launch today. The staff there were adamant (via McLaren people at the track) that the 458 italia in the Car magazine showdown had well over 600BHP and other modifications e.g. titanium bits to get weight down. The joke on that side of the fence is is that Alonso wants the same mods on his car.
There was a Volcano Red MP4-12C there which actually looked very nice as it happens.
crayphile:
I went to the McLaren London showroom launch today. The staff there were adamant (via McLaren people at the track) that the 458 italia in the Car magazine showdown had well over 600BHP and other modifications e.g. titanium bits to get weight down. The joke on that side of the fence is is that Alonso wants the same mods on his car.
There was a Volcano Red MP4-12C there which actually looked very nice as it happens.
And I am adamant that the earth is flat!