Better than the flagship?

[Eighteeteewhy]

Ok, one that always stands out for me is the 306 Rallye over the GTI 6.

So it doesn't have the creature comforts of the GTI, but as a drivers car it's just that 10% better at everything.

Any others?

@

[Dangermouse58]

I disagree; the gti was the better drive having owned one and driven the rallye

[David87]

People tend to prefer the E38 740i over the 750i. Me? I'll take the V12, please!

Lots of magazines also said the R8 V8 was a sweeter drive than the V10, but have a feeling some may have changed their mind in more recent times.

Lots of folk prefer the standard E46 M3 or CS over the CSL.

[thinfourth2]

Seeing that the flagship model of landrover is the defender one could argue that everything that isn't a defender that comes out of the landrover factory is a better road car

[Codswallop]

Reviewers seem to like the 981 Boxster more in 2.7 guise than the 3.4 on account of sweeter handling.

Similarily, the lower powered GT3 911 is often rated better than the GT2.

[carlingofblack]

Didn't the motoring legend LJK Setright declare the model below the 'flagship' often offered the best conpromise of pace, comfort and value?

[Bisonhead]

One that springs to mind is the R33 and R34 Skyline GTR which played second fiddle to the 300ZX or Fairlady according to Nissan.

[s m]

David87 said:

People tend to prefer the E38 740i over the 750i. Me? I'll take the V12, please!

Lots of magazines also said the R8 V8 was a sweeter drive than the V10, but have a feeling some may have changed their mind in more recent times.

Lots of folk prefer the standard E46 M3 or CS over the CSL.

A general point, but with many of these cases ( not necessarily the ones above ) are the non-flagships demonstrably better ...or is it just personal preference.

I would prefer a CS over the CSL because of the manual box ...but I wouldn't say it was better ( only for me ) as the CSL is lighter, faster etc etc

[toon10]

People often said that the 1.6 205 GTi was more balanced and better to drive than the 1.9 and not that much slower. I've never driven either to be honest.

[V8KSN]

Clio 172 IMO was 'better' than the 3.0 V6 version.

My opinion may be skewed slightly as I bought a 172 after a test drive in the V6 in the wet

[Vitorio]

David87 said:

Lots of magazines also said the R8 V8 was a sweeter drive than the V10, but have a feeling some may have changed their mind in more recent times.

I'd take the V8 one over the V10 myself, if only to avoid the whole "it's almost a gallardo" thing. Besides, it's bound to be fast even with 2 cilinders less.

[Rutter]

Eighteeteewhy said:

Ok, one that always stands out for me is the 306 Rallye over the GTI 6.

So it doesn't have the creature comforts of the GTI, but as a drivers car it's just that 10% better at everything.

Any others?

@

They were identical, you could spec a rallye with all of the bits from the GTi6.

[Captain Muppet]

carlingofblack said:

Didn't the motoring legend LJK Setright declare the model below the 'flagship' often offered the best conpromise of pace, comfort and value?

Yes, but he also insisted driving should be done whilst wearing gloves, and that five spoke wheels should only be fitted to cars with 5 wheel studs.

Also he might have written that to suit an article he was writing.

Plus "pace", "comfort" and "value" are all massively subjective, so a rating scale made from all three of them would be pretty much worthless, unless it's only used by the person who devises it.

I trust his opinions no more than Clarkson's.

However: an S1 Elise 160 is much better than a Sport 190, an AX GT is better than the AX GTi, a tin-top MR2 (mk1 or 2) is better than the T-Bar and a 1.6 mk1 MX5 is better than the 1.8. I admit that I might not actually be able to tell the difference between some of those in a blind test, but then my opinions don't actually have to be facts.

[p1doc]

they say a cayman is better than cayman s and i can see how wrx is better road car than sti up to a point as lighter 5 speed vs 6 speed
martin

[paranoid airbag]

carlingofblack said:

Didn't the motoring legend LJK Setright declare the model below the 'flagship' often offered the best compromise of pace, comfort and value?

And I believe the boss of VW thought that the flagship should be ridiculously over-specced, so that people would see the second-best (which was only slightly ridiculous) as more reasonable by comparison, so they'd spend more on an over-specced car. See W12 phaeton.

I may, however, be talking out my arse.

[C997]

997 Carrera S over the 997 turbo?

[zeduffman]

I know a fair few people think the Mk5 Golf GTI is better than the R32. The VR6 is too heavy for nippy cornering.

[David87]

I have another! The new shape V8 Continental GT is said to be better than the W12.