Swing and a miss.

[br d]

Want something new for next summer, had three cars on the list.
The Huracan is surely the finest looker.
The 458 certainly makes the right noise and gets all the plaudits.
The 650s definitely goes the best.

What to do?

Went up to the West End today to get tactile but I should have checked before I left.
The Maclaren showroom doesn't open on Saturday, H R Owen Lambo is shut for refurb and I couldn't park anywhere near the Ferrari showroom. Possibly a wasted journey.

The Maclaren was always the front runner though, just needed to see it in the flesh.
After staring through the window at the orange car they have I'm 90% there. That thing is beautiful, and leaves everything else for dust performance wise.

I want to sit in it and go "Broom broom", I want to push all the buttons and pretend I'm landing a probe on an asteroid, I want to bang my head on the silly doors while failing to look cool climbing in.

I want this car.

0 to 100 mph in 5.7 seconds?
Sign me up.

Roll on next summer!

[br d]

Scousefella said:

Morning Brad.

You should have been at Bicnacre when the Black 650s was there - it was a beauty that is for sure.

Interior was looking very "snug" but as I am not imitating any ballet dancers that would be the norm from my point of view.

Good luck with your next purchase, bring it to breakfast one day.

Carl.

Alright Carl, long time no see.

Yeah I hear it's a bit tight in the cabin but I'm only 11 stone these days so shouldn't be a problem, think it might be a squeeze for you, I remember how you filled my Lambo!

Can't wait to get a proper look at it. I took my other half with me in the hope that she'd have some sobering input and stop me being rash. She took one look at it and said "You have to buy that car!" So much for keeping my feet on the ground!

Missed all the meets this year, just kept clashing with stuff, we will have to catch up soon.

[br d]

corinthian said:

Howdy Brad, it's not the first time a plan has gone haywire, I still feel bad about you sitting in the wrong pub to this day!

I still love your old Ferrari so my tuppence worth goes to the 458.

You've travelled far and wide in the gallardo, has it been as good as you hoped it would be?

Sorry guys haven't been keeping up with this thread.

Don't feel bad Corinthian, even sitting in the wrong pub is better than not sitting in one!

I'm always very weary of giving opinions on my cars, truth be told I'm no expert and and don't rate myself as much of a driver either. Opinions are for people who know what they're talking about, I still struggle with the difference between oversteer and understeer!

It is a great car though, very quick and nasty with it too in Corsa mode, really lets you know you're sitting in front of a big engine.
If I was being picky however:
It doesn't make enough noise, although an after market exhaust would sort that out.

Even with my car having all the interior bling (stitching, patchwork roof and two tone leather finish) the cab is still a bit, well, cheap feeling. The center console switchgear is a bit naff. If you're paying north of 150K you'd sort of expect buttons to actually be metal rather than just a cheap plastic imitation of it.

The feeling of not really knowing what's going on around wheel level is a bit disconcerting, very tricky in confined car parks and the like, but then it's a Lambo, you're not really buying it for it's ease of parking.

/Oh, and a quick edit for another niggle, the bloody boot space! You could not tour Europe with two people and luggage in this car. I have been a few times but always alone and even then I struggled, the boot has just enough room for a holdall and you can chuck a bit behind the seats. You can take more personal luggage with you onto a plane than you can get in this car./

I can't believe that after being lucky enough to own cars like this I'm moaning about it!

The plus points are many of course. It feels brutally quick, it handles fantastic in the damp (although it's way too powerful to enjoy in the wet, my lack of driving skills not helping there no doubt) and it just looks so damn pretty! It drives nicely in town and savagely out of town when you want it to.
Of all the cars I've owned it's the most fun on a dry, early Sunday morning out in the back roads of Essex, or better yet on the flat winding lanes of central France.

Overall I've enjoyed it immensely, just time for something new I think.

Are you still enjoying the 430? Any downsides to the experience? I can't imagine there would be with the roads you have access to!

Edited by br d on Saturday 8th November 19:13

Edited by br d on Saturday 8th November 19:25

Edited by br d on Saturday 8th November 19:26

[br d]

Scousefella said:

Having lady Brad with an opinion like that is a stroke of genius - crack on fella.

Carl.

Yeah she's a keeper.
I don't know why I even pretend I'm going to use my head and do the sensible thing when buying cars, I always just open the little door in my skull and take my brain out when the time comes.

[br d]

mpbcs said:

mine is the black 650S from Bicnacre.... if you are local (shenfield) then pm me and we can meet up.

Hello fella. That is a fantastic offer and I may well take you up on it, I'm only 20 minutes from you. Don't worry though I only have about ten thousand questions I want to ask about the car.

Top man.

[br d]

neil-f said:

Check out the Autocar video of the 458 Speciale, 991GT3 & 650S!
Also the video "Britains best drivers car 2014" by Autocar.

Speciale order book is closed.

Friend of mine picked his Speciale up about a month ago, fabulous car, can't go wrong with that.

To be honest Neil I really don't care if the 650S understeers a bit at 140 mph on the track, I will never be in that situation to be bothered by it.

Edited by br d on Saturday 8th November 19:16

[br d]

BobTurner said:

I'm not sure we've ever spoken, but have seen your car at Ken's meets.

In your position, I would be having the 650s, right up an until the point where I put the deposit on the 458...

Indeed, there was no way I was buying a red Ferrari, no way at all...

I know exactly what you mean Bob, the allure of the red F car is strong.
I had a 911 Turbo, black with red seatbelts and brake calipers, waited 14 months for that car, it was my dream, the car I'd worked all my life for. Then 4 months later I walked into Colchester Ferrari and saw a gorgeous red F430 sitting in pride of place in the middle of the showroom, 2 hours and 2 cups of tea later I'd bought one. Very hard to resist.

But, the 458's days are numbered. I bow to no one in my appreciation of that car, it was a game changer, you can't find a bad review for it, I envy every single person who owns one.

However, a new baby Fezza is due next year, it will be a turbo car and to be honest I don't see it beating the current performance figures that the 650s is putting out by much. It will look gorgeous no doubt and draw all the attention on Sloane Street but my weakness is in numbers. 0 to 100mph in 5.7 seconds for the 650s. Will I ever do that? No of course I won't but I want to know it's possible.

As a previous poster rightly said the 458 Speciale is the perfect car to buy but I like comfort, I like luxury, I don't want a rich man's track toy.

The 650s isn't the best looking car out there but I've had a 911, I've had a Ferrari and I've had a Lambo, now I want a weapon :-)

Having said that it's not finalised yet, still want to drive a Huracan.

Edited by br d on Saturday 8th November 22:08

[br d]

corinthian said:

Brad, your old car is still perfect, it's now done 36k miles and chewed a set of michelins. Every drop of petrol has been exploited to the full and every horse under the lid gets to stretch their legs regularly.
Why anyone would buy one and not use it defies belief, may as well have corned beef rather than thorough bred.
As well you know, a bit of man maths is needed to justify some costs but at least insurance is cheap.
I'm so glad I bought it and not some of the safer but duller options, only a 458 would be good enough to replace it for me!

You kept the Ferrari a lot longer, why not the lambo?
Have you had some test drives yet or are you more a buy on impulse kinda guy?

Fantastic to hear you're enjoying her mate, I loved that car, I miss it every day. I was looking through some old pics the other day of her parked on my drive covered in snow, I went out for a drive anyway to Southend that day to look at the ice, we parked on the slabs outside the arcades, the place was dead, just a 430 that shouldn't have been there! The car didn't miss a beat.
My other half loved it as well, she drove it lots, she won't drive the LP though, she says she can't see out of it!

Still no test drives yet, work is mental busy, no free time at all.
I won't drive the 458 but I will drive both the Huracan and the 650s when I can find the time. Spoken to McLaren and they are talking about a 4 monthish build time so if I go that way I could have it for next summer.