Car magazine : MP4-12C vs 458 vs GT2 RS vs LP570 Performante vs SLS AMG vs R8 V10

[EKaru]

Rockingham laptimes (driven by Stig - Ben Collins) :

Ferrari 458 Italia........01:28,30
Porsche 911 GT2RS.. 01:28,78
LP570 Performante... 01:29,92
McLaren MP4-12C..... 01:30,10
Audi R8 V10.............. 01:31,06
Mercedes SLS AMG.... 01:33,10


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8EAYPssUzg

[Benman]

And the 458 just continues to dominate... I wonder if Chris Harris and other "brave souls" will finally be vindicated and other manufactures will finally GRAB THEIR BALLS AND SHOUT "BS! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

And frankly, the whole, "Well, we really don't want to piss off Ferrari" is a turd bucket of an excuse. I mean, come on. First of all, "Lord" Metcalf buys his OWN, so bloody hell, just use his! At LEAST you know it's stock. Second, ALL manufactures buy each other's cars. So if ferrari did boycott a particular magazine, the OTHER competing manufactures would bring THEIR Ferrari to test. And it could quickly be dyno'd and tested to assure it met factory quidelines. Just saying...

On a different note, I am very impresssed with the LP570's time! :thumb:

Ben

[Ruergard]

This is just getting more and more silly. C'mon.......

[Joker]

It's been something I have been complaining about for years now, I know with certainty that a lot of manufacturer tweak their press cars to make them appear better than they truly are, until each and every press car is correcty tested, i.e. they are dynoed, suspension geometry checked for differences and are properly weighed for not only overall weight but weight distribution then we will continue to see examples like this showing up.

A complete list of additional info should be provided as well as the above.

1/ tyre type including width, diameter and pressures.
2/ full list of optional kit included on tested car.
3/ how much fuel is in tank.

Additionally I feel that each magazine test should provide a select selection of testing drivers were the best time from this pool of drivers is chosen as well as an average to show if the car in question is generally easy to drive quick or not.

[Benman]

This is just getting more and more silly. C'mon.......

I think we all agree. :thumb:

[Mr Balsen]

Well I know somebody who ordered the MP4-12C and drove it. The 458 is nowhere near the MP4-12C in term of chassis. Nowhere...

Frederic

[Joker]

Well I know somebody who ordered the MP4-12C and drove it. The 458 is nowhere near the MP4-12C in term of chassis. Nowhere...

Frederic

Even without driving the MP4 I and the general opinion here and just about everywhere other than Ferrari is the exact same, the Ferrari is very good just not this good all of a sudden.

[tailpipe]

The UK Motoring press has severely dented its credibility by bowing to Ferrari.

It makes me sick. You'd think that, for once, British motoring journalists would support a home-grown product if it was genuinely better than foreign competition. Apparently not. To change their tune after so comprehensively running out of metaphors to praise the MP4-12C such a short time ago seems ridiculous. I don't know if it was a threat from Ferrari or a backhander, but it looks dodgy.

[absent]

Ferrari with their "ringers" is one thing.
But being blown by both Porsche and Lambo ( a roadster on top of it),both rehashed versions of really old platforms, is mighty embarrasing for the newest and supposedly most advanced car that Mp412c is touted to be....

[Benman]

Ferrari with their "ringers" is one thing.
But being blown by both Porsche and Lambo ( a roadster on top of it),both rehashed versions of really old platforms, is mighty embarrasing for the newest and supposedly most advanced car that Mp412c is touted to be.... That is actually a really good point. The caveat at the end was the McLaren was experiencing suspension issues and was retested with a time that beat everyone. And also, let's not sell Porsche and Lambo short. They had YEARS to tweek these fine cars to perfection.

[absent]

That is actually a really good point. The caveat at the end was the McLaren was experiencing suspension issues and was retested with a time that beat everyone. And also, let's not sell Porsche and Lambo short. They had YEARS to tweek these fine cars to perfection.
The fact that it was the only car that experienced faults is doubly embarassing ,especially in light of Macca personnel encouraging the testers to really push it and not be gentle with it as it was their final production car not a prototype.

[Benman]

The fact that it was the only car that experienced faults is doubly embarassing ,especially in light of Macca personnel encouraging the testers to really push it and not be gentle with it as it was their final production car not a prototype. Again, a good point. :cheers:

Ben

[RXBG]

easier to forgive a car that had reliability issues than a car that was doped by its manufacturer for the test.

see: Nissan

[Joker]

easier to forgive a car that had reliability issues than a car that was doped by its manufacturer for the test.

see: Nissan

Exactly. Though the difference between Nissan and Ferrari is that all their examples both press and customer cars are underrated where as only these latest press cars from Ferrari seem to be doped. It almost seems that as soon as the MP4 is ready to be tested and compared we have Ferrari press cars that appear to have been in the gym working on their fitness levels. Now if Ferrari had made it public knowledge that new modifications had been implemented to these press cars and future production models then there wouldn't be the uproar we have at the moment because as it sits it looks very shady indeed.

As for the poor showing from the MacLearn, faults can and will happen from time to time especially in a brand new car, so I think it's only fair to write these early results as teething problems that hopefully won't be repeated because too many of them and we will all have to question whether this car is the dramatic leap forward we were all lead to believe.

[AndyBG]

just to mix up a little... Porsche was second with engine in the back and with manuall gearbox... BTW, 997 is at the end of production, it is here for seven years!

[Joker]

just to mix up a little... Porsche was second with engine in the back and with manuall gearbox... BTW, 997 is at the end of production, it is here for seven years!

Quite right, we can only imagine just how good the new one will be.

[Ruergard]

just to mix up a little... Porsche was second with engine in the back and with manuall gearbox... BTW, 997 is at the end of production, it is here for seven years!

And if you took a customers 458 and not a press car, the GT2 RS would eat it for breakfast. Can't wait for the new one...