Still Undecided 991 Turbo S

Still Undecided 991 Turbo S

Author
Discussion

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
Well thanks to a fantastic morning at Millbrook with McLaren in the 570S, i'm now if anything going backwards in my decision making process.

After a 20min accompanied test drive around unfamiliar roads a few weeks back, the 570S really didn't light me up, however taking it round Millbrook & getting some hot PAX laps with a Pro Driver & seeing every colour in the sunlight, i'm now back to being Mr Undecided.

Bottom line is out of the 3 cars the 570S is by far the closest to a Supercar & would comfortably (as has happened in the motoring press) take the title of best Sports Car, however that does mean it's certainly more raw than the R8 & 911 & that may become an issue for more mundane tasks such as a long commute.

The Turbo S is certainly the quickest off the line but on the mile straight in the 570S without LC we hit 175mph on the dash & that included braking to 50mph before the end of the straight, so once rolling it piles the speed on a ludicrous rate. Did feel slower than the Turbo S but the dash was telling me perhaps not that much slower. The driving position is out & out racing car & a significant step up from even the higher value Mk1 McL's such as the 12C & 650S as the 570S has a totally new chassis & carbon tub that McL appear to refer to as Version 2.

You 100% feel like you're in a Sports Car when driving the McL which isn't something i really felt in the Porsche or R8 as these were more very Sporty very fast cars.

To try an explanation in numbers, my M5 is say 50% luxury cruiser & 50% performance car (i'd bestow a similar figure to the RS6's & the like), the 991 Turbo S is 30% luxury cruiser, 30% performance car & 40% sports car. The R8 V10+ is 20% luxury cruiser, 50% performance car & 30% sports car with the 570S being 10% luxury cruiser, 20% performance car & 70% sports car. This as daft as it sounds makes the decision tough as it's a true Sports car i want which would point straight at the McL, however that itself in these cars would offer up some significant compromises that i may not be able to live with. If i wanted the very best all rounder the Turbo S would win by a country mile, but the R8 offered up an aural experience i was shocked by & that stirred senses neither the Porsche or the McL did.

All that said, the 570S made me feel like a racing driver (sorry for the poor description) & you felt like you were driving something very special. It's on track ability was out of this world & don't tell any owners of the McL Supercar range, but during a McL event in Sepang, the 570s was quicker on track than the 675LT in the hands of all the Pro drivers which let's be honest is quite some accomplishment & perhaps supports McL's Marketing tag line of the 570S being a game changer.

Going to try to encourage my local OPC to book me onto the Porsche Experience at Silverstone ahead of ordering as i feel i need to see/drive the Turbo S closer to it's limits in the same way the 570S presented itself today. My hope when i left for Millbrook this morning was that my decision would be made & a Turbo S order would be being completed in the next few days but sadly for somewhat unexpected reasons i'm more undecided now that i was this morning.

OldBob

290 posts

158 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
LOL - first world problems eh wink

Well mine's turned up at the OPC and starting pdi - inspection by me - and Expel wrap
I'll get piccies up as it progresses, but here it is with it's delivery clothes on.


W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
Does look stunning in Yellow. I was also musing about debugging the rear to just say Porsche & i quite like that look as haven't seen it on a physical car.

I'm not quite as brave so would order in Sapphire Blue with a black interior. What options did you select on your 991TS?

tyrrell

1,670 posts

207 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
OldBob said:
LOL - first world problems eh wink

Well mine's turned up at the OPC and starting pdi - inspection by me - and Expel wrap
I'll get piccies up as it progresses, but here it is with it's delivery clothes on.

Looks totally stunning in yellow cool

jh001ace

615 posts

176 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
Having had several R8's in the past and a 911 GT3' I've gone for a turbo s, waiting for the .2 GT3 to come......

I had a R8 v10+ for a week and have to say it didn't do it for me, big surprise, I actually found the fancy dash too much, looked at the 570s and although I agree it would be the ultimate track/road car of the three the prospect of have to travel to Ascot for all service work and the slightly OTT image stopped me going any further.

TTs in build this week, delivery mid May

9e 28

9,410 posts

200 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
Yellow turbo looks amazing and if its one car for everything unbeatable ^^^^

I'm still struggling with why the 2wd Lambo doesn't get a look in if R8 gets a shot. Old school N/A V10. Lambo looks with 2wd handling dynamics. The R8 really is its ugly twin sister. Looks like an Audi TT thats been bashed flat and then a go faster spoiler which looks completely out of place thrown on the back for good measure to add to the ugliness. I'm not sold on the Macca either I'm afraid purely on styling - the Macca design language doesn't work for me at all although I love their tech. Not that its relevant I'd be very surprised if 570 quicker than a 675 LT around a track. Sounds like sales BS tbh but you never know maybe there's something special about version 2 of the CF tub which improves handling even further - still can't see how it make up for a 100bhp deficit around Sepang?

Just look at the entry level baby lambo - looks great on its smaller wheels and chunky tyres imo



I still predict you will go 911 turbo S - an astonishingly good piece of kit - forget Sapphire go PTS (Gulf Blue) wink

pete.g

1,527 posts

205 months

Wednesday 13th April 2016
quotequote all
W8PMC said:
Going to try to encourage my local OPC to book me onto the Porsche Experience at Silverstone ahead of ordering as i feel i need to see/drive the Turbo S closer to it's limits in the same way the 570S presented itself today. My hope when i left for Millbrook this morning was that my decision would be made & a Turbo S order would be being completed in the next few days but sadly for somewhat unexpected reasons i'm more undecided now that i was this morning.
Unless they send you out on the main circuit you won't get a Turbo S within a lion's roar of its limits at the PEC.

Sustenpass

100 posts

96 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
Sound like the R8 stirred senses because of the NA power plant?

I can't remember why, but I think the Ferrari FF was ruled out in the original thread. Perhaps because a new one was beyond budget?

I still feel like a lightly used FF would be strong contender in this mix; there will be plenty of opportunity to buy high-power turbo cars in the years to come, but a massive NA V12 is something to savour while we still can.

Chris Harris had a great time with his:

http://youtu.be/hWB6vTboO5I

I think they look lovely too, menacing and reasonably understated for a modern Ferrari.



The new 911 Turbo looks a bit over-styled and fussy to my eyes.

Fabulous 'dilemma' all the same...

Edited by Sustenpass on Thursday 14th April 04:48

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
9e 28 said:
Yellow turbo looks amazing and if its one car for everything unbeatable ^^^^

I'm still struggling with why the 2wd Lambo doesn't get a look in if R8 gets a shot. Old school N/A V10. Lambo looks with 2wd handling dynamics. The R8 really is its ugly twin sister. Looks like an Audi TT thats been bashed flat and then a go faster spoiler which looks completely out of place thrown on the back for good measure to add to the ugliness. I'm not sold on the Macca either I'm afraid purely on styling - the Macca design language doesn't work for me at all although I love their tech. Not that its relevant I'd be very surprised if 570 quicker than a 675 LT around a track. Sounds like sales BS tbh but you never know maybe there's something special about version 2 of the CF tub which improves handling even further - still can't see how it make up for a 100bhp deficit around Sepang?

Just look at the entry level baby lambo - looks great on its smaller wheels and chunky tyres imo



I still predict you will go 911 turbo S - an astonishingly good piece of kit - forget Sapphire go PTS (Gulf Blue) wink
It will be my 1 car but have the wife's for sensible family duties. Agreed the R8 looks prettier but that comes at a price. If the R8 & Lamborghini were the same like for like cost then perhaps but they're not & if going RWD raw at this price point I feel the 570S would be unbeatable.

Agreed the 570S vs 675LT tale may have been a little tall, but it was a freelance pro driver that told me, not a dealer. Perhaps Sepang is better suited to the smaller/lighter 570S but he said the 675 would as expected pull away a little on the straights, but under braking & cornering speeds the 570S was ahead & lapped quicker. McL state the 570S is 140kg lighter tha its rivals which I guess is the Turbo S.

I'm too tight to pay over £3k for a colour not available on the stock palette. If I was going PTS it would be Voodoo Blue but Sapphire's pleasant enough & keeps the car in budget.

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
I might have missed another thread on this, but is the car a Daily Driver ?
Yes in the main. Wife's car would be used for mundane duties but my next car is intended to be well used & cover around 15k miles per annum.

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
pete.g said:
Unless they send you out on the main circuit you won't get a Turbo S within a lion's roar of its limits at the PEC.
That's good to know. I'm getting conflicting stories as to what's possible at the PEC, but if it is nannied on one of the tiny inner tracks then unlikely to offer me much feedback that I didn't get on the 2 day test drive. I don't think they use or have access to the main circuit though but when I did the Audi Driving Experience a few years back you certainly got,to push the cars hard.

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
Sustenpass said:
Sound like the R8 stirred senses because of the NA power plant?

I can't remember why, but I think the Ferrari FF was ruled out in the original thread. Perhaps because a new one was beyond budget?

I still feel like a lightly used FF would be strong contender in this mix; there will be plenty of opportunity to buy high-power turbo cars in the years to come, but a massive NA V12 is something to savour while we still can.

Chris Harris had a great time with his:

http://youtu.be/hWB6vTboO5I

I think they look lovely too, menacing and reasonably understated for a modern Ferrari.



The new 911 Turbo looks a bit over-styled and fussy to my eyes.

Fabulous 'dilemma' all the same...

Edited by Sustenpass on Thursday 14th April 04:48
I did have a little look at the FF but i decided I'm really not a Ferrari type of guy unless I was able to afford a new 458/488 & I had a stable of available cars. I kind of get the FF & no doubting it's good, but the running costs could be crippling compared to the other cars I'm looking at.

Tony 1234

3,465 posts

226 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
W8PMC said:
. McL state the 570S is 140kg lighter tha its rivals which I guess is the Turbo S.
Yes that's true if you spend circa £40k on all the carbon options otherwise the standard car isn't 140kg lighter.

I ordered a 570S but changed my mind prior to the build date as I did not really like some aspects of the styling and thought they'd grate on me over time and plus the dealer is 130 miles away.

Looking at the Gen 2 Turbo S myself and have also considered the Gen 2 R8 Plus but don't like the dash layout etc which is a pity because the V10 engine is something else!!

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
get a NA lump while you still can imo.. to say only 30% sports car is not quite right if you give the 570 70% !!!


OldBob

290 posts

158 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
W8PMC said:
You 100% feel like you're in a Sports Car when driving the McL which isn't something i really felt in the Porsche or R8 as these were more very Sporty very fast cars.
....

All that said, the 570S made me feel like a racing driver ..
Was it the driving position / seats and difference in cabin that made it feel more sporty? Alcantara presence, or was it it's behaviour on the road?
We've got Carbon Buckets fitted and know this gives a different feel to the car in itself. Whack off as many nannies as it will let you, stiffest settings and whilst I'm not expecting GT3RS steering and front bite, I'm hoping it's not too sterile thereafter....
We've a Cay S with Boggo sports seats and a Cay R with the Carbon Buckets and even without driving them the Alcantara and Seat difference makes you feel quite different.

tuffer

8,849 posts

266 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
570GT?

DasChin

609 posts

215 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
macca will be very special and super rare.

turbo S is an immense car but lacks that special quality. massively brilliant all rounder.

W8PMC

Original Poster:

3,345 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
Porsche911R said:
get a NA lump while you still can imo.. to say only 30% sports car is not quite right if you give the 570 70% !!!

The engine & respective sound was the R8's tour de force but the cabin was very Audi (not always a bad thing but not as good for a Sports car). The focus in the 570S was all around the driver which neither the Porsche nor Audi are able to match. All 3 are epic cars but the McL felt to me the by far more focussed Sports/Super car.

Also don't forget that the 570S engine is basically a detuned 650/675 engine & at its core the same as the P1 but without the electric motor aspects.

hornbaek

3,670 posts

234 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
I first started to love my turbo when i took it down to Monaco and back. Driving long distances and then hitting some alpine passes really showed off the cars true potential which unfortunately always comes short when driving here in the UK. So it really comes back to what you intend to use it for. The turbo is a master in being the best allround alternative - that is why it is so popular.

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
I wouldn't get a new Turbo as they look poor value aganst a GT3 and just stir no emotion whatsover. I'd rather have a fun car and sensible car rather than one compromised one.

Not a fan of R8 at all - ugly in my eyes. I'd pay more for a 2WD Huracan but then you suddenly have a car you can't drive or park anywhere you like. To a lesser degree, same issue wih the McLaren. Again, it comes to down precisely which role the car has to play.

If it's something just for track work and Sunday drives then it's the Mac for me - it has a carbon tub FFS! If it's an everyday going to work car which includes occasional track work and journeys with kids, then i'd be looking at the Turbo.