Lotus and McLaren ,- I didnt expect that!
Discussion
Did a test drive on a 570gt yesterday followed by one on an Evora 410 sports. The McLaren as always impressed - to achieve what McLaren have done in is it just 7 years is amazing. And the car itself is by my standards biblically fast. Faster than can be used on Britsh roads even if you ignore legalities.
But the big surprise was the Evora which I found to be more of a real world drivers car. I always liked the feel of the flappy paddle Ferrari F1 box ( not the DSG one) which combined the ease of paddles with a feel that something was happening when gears engaged. The McLaren DSG is just like the ZF auto box in the F type - seamless changes you dont notice. The Lotus had a manual box which was much more involving.
The Evora steering had more feel and the ride was marginally better. There were fewer electorinc bells and whistles , things like engine and suspension modes, which for me is a definite plus point. Surprisingly I found it a bit more comfortable. Worse instrumentation and dark and gloomy inside.
The best way I can put it is that the McLaren had the sort of faultless competence that you find in Porsche and that gave it a bit less character. The Lotus was more traditional and more involving as a real world drivers car. Not at all what I was expecting.
Anybody hyere done the changeover from Lotus to McLaren? Do you agree with the above?
But the big surprise was the Evora which I found to be more of a real world drivers car. I always liked the feel of the flappy paddle Ferrari F1 box ( not the DSG one) which combined the ease of paddles with a feel that something was happening when gears engaged. The McLaren DSG is just like the ZF auto box in the F type - seamless changes you dont notice. The Lotus had a manual box which was much more involving.
The Evora steering had more feel and the ride was marginally better. There were fewer electorinc bells and whistles , things like engine and suspension modes, which for me is a definite plus point. Surprisingly I found it a bit more comfortable. Worse instrumentation and dark and gloomy inside.
The best way I can put it is that the McLaren had the sort of faultless competence that you find in Porsche and that gave it a bit less character. The Lotus was more traditional and more involving as a real world drivers car. Not at all what I was expecting.
Anybody hyere done the changeover from Lotus to McLaren? Do you agree with the above?
Dblue said:
Didn't change directly but had a 650S Spider followed a few cars later by an Evora 400
Agree with a lot of what your saying though that's a bit hard on the McLaren,against anything else the steering is superb. Found the chassis, steering , gearchange and surprisingly the noise all better in the Lotus. Build quality and materials, cabin and instruments , bespoke and awesome engine and sense of occasion all way better in the Mac.
But they are really cut from very similar cloth - I always felt my 650 was like a Lotus with a proper engine.
I think it was on the Thorney motorsport video that someone said 7 of the 9 engineers responsible for the design of the McLaren were ex Lotus.Agree with a lot of what your saying though that's a bit hard on the McLaren,against anything else the steering is superb. Found the chassis, steering , gearchange and surprisingly the noise all better in the Lotus. Build quality and materials, cabin and instruments , bespoke and awesome engine and sense of occasion all way better in the Mac.
But they are really cut from very similar cloth - I always felt my 650 was like a Lotus with a proper engine.
12pack said:
This ^^
I think those who think of the Super Series Macs as "too competent" or "too technical" are just not riding them hard enough. The Macs are just as much fun and as involving - with the best steering feel and Lotus-like agility - but at a much higher pace. Sure if you drive them at their 5/10ths they will feel un-involving - because they their capabilities have not been challenged.
Taken a bit further past the Evora, one could find a great deal of enjoyment with a manual MX5 or a BRZ. All they’re missing is the pace....
OP, if I'm not mistaken interesting that you still seem to be banging around buying a Mac for over a year now. Happened to see an old post in a search for another item.
You are right about the 5/10ths or at least I suspect you are. But either I am a coward or you have a death wish because 10/10ths in a McLaren on british roads is only going to end one way. I think those who think of the Super Series Macs as "too competent" or "too technical" are just not riding them hard enough. The Macs are just as much fun and as involving - with the best steering feel and Lotus-like agility - but at a much higher pace. Sure if you drive them at their 5/10ths they will feel un-involving - because they their capabilities have not been challenged.
Taken a bit further past the Evora, one could find a great deal of enjoyment with a manual MX5 or a BRZ. All they’re missing is the pace....
OP, if I'm not mistaken interesting that you still seem to be banging around buying a Mac for over a year now. Happened to see an old post in a search for another item.
Edited by 12pack on Wednesday 6th February 18:12
The conflict is between owning something "special" like the McLaren or owning something you can thrash and enjoy at realistic speeds like the MX5. I still love the idea of a supercar but lets be honest, 50% of its expensively bought and maintained performance cant be used outside a track.
Yes I looked at buying a Mac the last time I changed, and probably will do so the next time I change. There arent a lot of alternatives in 2 seater sports cars
I have never yearned for a manual until I tried the McLaren. I was happy with the feel of the F1 Ferrari system, if not with the clutch life and its inability to creep very slowly. But it had the advantages of both manual and flappy. You could feel gear engagement
The McLaren box was just too good and smooth. The Evora manual wasnt the worlds best manual but heel and toe downshifting had the foot pedals ideally placed , and it was enjoyable.
Interestingly, Aston when replacing the mechanised manual with a slushbox were asked by customers to make it a bit less smooth with perceptable gear changes. I can relate to that from my F type which has really smooth changes and IMO far too many gears anyway
The McLaren box was just too good and smooth. The Evora manual wasnt the worlds best manual but heel and toe downshifting had the foot pedals ideally placed , and it was enjoyable.
Interestingly, Aston when replacing the mechanised manual with a slushbox were asked by customers to make it a bit less smooth with perceptable gear changes. I can relate to that from my F type which has really smooth changes and IMO far too many gears anyway
12pack said:
Guys, are you really saying cars that do a quarter in the 10s are too fast to be useable? I must be in the wong forum.
Maybe you are. "a quarter in the 10s" is American drag strip terminology - it goes with long straight wide roads, and not with the windey B roads of the sort we have here. You can likely find a striaght quarter mile to do your 10 secs in - here you wont.justin220 said:
Where as the Exige V6 is slower than a Golf GTI round the nurburgring.
For all the compromises a Lotus has, they should be leagues ahead.
I'm a huge Lotus fan BTW.
Thats a nonsense comparison between a factory sponsored publicity drive in a stripped out GTI with a good driver at the wheel and a private trundle round in the Lotus. And its wrong - the GTI claim being 7:49.2 whereas there is a Lotus Exige Cup 380 at 7:48For all the compromises a Lotus has, they should be leagues ahead.
I'm a huge Lotus fan BTW.
But all this is irrelevant anyway, unless you are a spotty teenager arguing with his mates. You dont spend your driving life on a race track. For most of us the best we get is a clear stretch of B road with decent visibility and some nice bends. We're not timed and ehat matters is the driving fun. Hot hatches with 4 inch exhausts are simply chavvy.
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