Ferrari 488 GTB VS 650S - Autocar

[baypond]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ferrari...

[RamboLambo]

Wow, high praise for both cars and practically nothing between the 2 cars in reality.

If you want a coupe then go for the 488 GTB but throw in the carbon tub element for the spider and the McLaren 650S beats the 488 in convertible form for me. No wonder 80% of McLarens are convertibles as there is no compromise and its like having 3 cars in one.
1. Coupe - Roof up, rear window up 2. Coupe - Roof up, Rear window down, spider noise 3. Spider - glorious roof down

I simply hate scuttle shake with all the flex and creaks and rattles and would never have another spider without a carbon tub now having been spoiled by the McLaren

[AeroMan]

Thanks guys - an interesting article, as a new McLaren 650S owner I'm still pleased with the choice, especially as it's a Spider.

[icebite78]

So Ferrari keeps its crown as the king of junior supercars yet again.
Looks like mclaren needs to do some more homework.Carbon tub or not ferrari always wins.

[andyferrari]

It only keeps it as far as the Autocar journalist is concerned, I much prefer the Mclaren to the Ferrari. Probably biased as I own as 650s spider, the looks finish and feel and carbon tub of the 650s I'd far better than the 488. Let's also not forget that they are comparing the latest offering from Ferrari against an out going model from Mclaren.
I think it will be a completely different story comparing the new P14 replacement when it comes out.
Just my view, but having owned F cars in the past I think Mclaren are a game changing brand to be watched as time goes on.

[RamboLambo]

andyferrari said:

It only keeps it as far as the Autocar journalist is concerned, I much prefer the Mclaren to the Ferrari. Probably biased as I own as 650s spider, the looks finish and feel and carbon tub of the 650s I'd far better than the 488. Let's also not forget that they are comparing the latest offering from Ferrari against an out going model from Mclaren.
I think it will be a completely different story comparing the new P14 replacement when it comes out.
Just my view, but having owned F cars in the past I think Mclaren are a game changing brand to be watched as time goes on.

Only the learned

[RamboLambo]

icebite78 said:

So Ferrari keeps its crown as the king of junior supercars yet again.
Looks like mclaren needs to do some more homework.Carbon tub or not ferrari always wins.

650S and 488 are in different change cycles and bearing in mind that this is Ferrari's latest and greatest it only just keeps up with McLarens exiting model

P14 will wipe the floor with the 488 which time in the limelight will be only a year on a product that's likely to have a 5 year shelf life

[sone]

RamboLambo said:

icebite78 said:

So Ferrari keeps its crown as the king of junior supercars yet again.
Looks like mclaren needs to do some more homework.Carbon tub or not ferrari always wins.

650S and 488 are in different change cycles and bearing in mind that this is Ferrari's latest and greatest it only just keeps up with McLarens exiting model

P14 will wipe the floor with the 488 which time in the limelight will be only a year on a product that's likely to have a 5 year shelf life

Ffs, take a chill pill, it's not that important.

Edited by sone on Wednesday 18th May 22:43

[traxx]

usual magazine utter rubbish

I've got a 488, had the Mclaren and you can't compare them - Ferrari is miles better
but as pointed out so it should be the 650 isn't Mclarens latest car

Surely 675 vs 488 would be a more valid comparison?

[Russell996]

RamboLambo said:

650S and 488 are in different change cycles and bearing in mind that this is Ferrari's latest and greatest it only just keeps up with McLarens exiting model

P14 will wipe the floor with the 488 which time in the limelight will be only a year on a product that's likely to have a 5 year shelf life

Surely the 488 is the evolution of the 458 just as the 650s is the evolution of the 12C?

[NickOrangeCars]

traxx said:

usual magazine utter rubbish

I've got a 488, had the Mclaren and you can't compare them - Ferrari is miles better
but as pointed out so it should be the 650 isn't Mclarens latest car

Surely 675 vs 488 would be a more valid comparison?

No point comparing - the 675 makes absolutely fking mincemeat of a 488, a 650S is just as quick as the 488 (and its 2 years old)

[cheddar]

This is escalating nicely

[squirejo]

I would rather have a crash in the mclaren. Therefore it wins.

[andrew]

squirejo said:

I would rather have a crash in the mclaren. Therefore it wins.

buy a volvo
hth

[Jules360]

NickOrangeCars said:

traxx said:

usual magazine utter rubbish

I've got a 488, had the Mclaren and you can't compare them - Ferrari is miles better
but as pointed out so it should be the 650 isn't Mclarens latest car

Surely 675 vs 488 would be a more valid comparison?

No point comparing - the 675 makes absolutely fking mincemeat of a 488, a 650S is just as quick as the 488 (and its 2 years old)

in a game of Top Trumps or have you actually driven both ?

[Turquoise]

How entirely predictable this thread is.

And as an aside I find them both quite ugly, especially when compared to their predecessors.

Edited by Turquoise on Saturday 21st May 08:04

[Boshly]

andrew said:

squirejo said:

I would rather have a crash in the mclaren. Therefore it wins.

buy a volvo
hth

Not sure if smiley means a joke or whether it's simply a crass comment, so I'll use my usual backstop of "many a true word spoken in jest".

As such, if and when Volvo produce a beautiful 2 seater mid engined supercar your comment is valid. Until then it has no real value in this debate.

[Boshly]

AeroMan said:

Thanks guys - an interesting article, as a new McLaren 650S owner I'm still pleased with the choice, especially as it's a Spider.

Great choice when do we get to see it?

[matsoc]

Turquoise said:

How entirely predictable this thread is.

And as an aside I find them both quite ugly, especially when compared to their predecessors.

Edited by Turquoise on Saturday 21st May 08:04

Absolutely agree on this. I still don't understand why McLaren quickly dismissed the looks of the MP4-12C, which I loved. Also the 458 was visually better than the 488.

[Boshly]

icebite78 said:

So Ferrari keeps its crown as the king of junior supercars yet again.
Looks like mclaren needs to do some more homework.Carbon tub or not ferrari always wins.

Your comment as highlighted above, whilst I appreciate reflecting magazine tests results, makes no sense at all. Wins what? The fastest in a straight line? The heaviest? The widest? The most fuel effecient? What's the criteria?

Magazines are quick to tell us that the Ferrari has more soul and that it's immeasurable and I get that; I never got on with my Porsches because they lacked something I couldn't quite put my finger on whereas I loved my Ferraris, my Morgans and I love my McLaren. But if something is immeasurable how can a car "win" by it? That is simply someone's opinion. As such it either matches mine, in which case it's 'right' or it doesn't, in which case it's 'wrong'

We all want to see someone's opinion match ours.

What I suspect really matters to the manufacturers is sales (and thus profitability) and in that respect McLaren is doing an amazing job, but Ferrari is 'winning'; however overall the anodyne, teutonic and soulless (in comparison) Porsche is streets ahead!

Back to the comparison however, ignoring value, I wouldn't swap my 650s for any current Ferrari save an F12 TDF maybe. There are a number of reasons why this is so: the feel, the technology, the performance and how it's delivered, the fact that it's British, the design .... but most importantly ... because it's my preference.

Ps I know I've probably opened a Porsche can of worms etc so apologies in advance to all those pork aficionados, as I said above, it's all about choice