Monday 14th February 2011

Ferrari 458 Vs McLaren 12C - The Verdict

So how does Britain's best fare against Italy's finest? Steve Sutcliffe has driven both...

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A tale of two supercars

Considering how similar the new McLaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 Italia are to one another in design template, and on price - the McLaren costs £168,500, the 458 £169,545 - it's intriguing to discover just how different they are to drive.

To begin with the McLaren seems far less edgy, and far less obviously exciting in its responses and is certainly less dramatic to listen to than the Ferrari, which feels more extrovert than the 12C in its personality, period. Yet the more time you spend with the 12C, the more impressive its monstrous dynamic capabilities become. In many ways it's quite a subtle car to begin with, because its ride is so well resolved, its gearchange less 'thumping' in its delivery (than a 458's), its engine more refined at low revs.

Once you've summoned the courage and found the right road on which to let rip in the 12C, though, a rather more fearsome side of its character becomes apparent. Truth is, the 12C can do things that the 458 driver cannot (or should not) even contemplate. It's that much faster in a straight line, that much more planted through corners taken at speed.

Sutters living it large in the McLaren 12C

And on paper the 458 would appear to be comfortably outgunned by the 12C. It has less power (562bhp to the 12C's 592bhp), less torque (442lb ft v 398lb ft) and weighs 50kg more. Its 4.5-litre atmospheric V8 also produces more g/km (307 v 279) and burns more fuel than the 12C's 3.8-litre twin turbo V8.

Whether all that makes the 12C a better car than the 458 overall is, of course, entirely up to the individual. The McLaren is a more capable car, no question, but whether it's as desirable is another matter entirely. Visually you could argue that it's not. But again the decision, as with all matters of style, is subjective.

Personally I prefer the look of the Ferrari but would go for the McLaren in just about every other department. The only certain conclusion is that if you have £170k to spend on a supercar right now, the choice just got a whole lot better.

(Read the full McLaren MP4-12C drive report on PH here)

	McLaren MP4-12C	Ferrari 458 Italia
Price	£168,500	£169,545
0-60mph	3.1sec (claimed)	3.4sec (claimed)
Top speed	205mph (claimed)	202mph (claimed)
Economy	24.1mpg (combined)	21.2mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions	279g/km	307g/km
Kerb weight	1434kg	1485kg
Engine layout	V8, 3799cc Twin turbo	V8, 4499cc
Installation	Mid Longitudinal Rear wheel-drive	Mid Longitudinal Rear wheel-drive
Power	592bhp at 7000rpm	562bhp at 9000rpm
Torque	442lb ft at 3000-7000rpm	398lb ft at 6000rpm
Power to weight	455bhp/tonne	413bhp/tonne
Specific output	155bhp/litre	125bhp/litre
Compression ratio	8.7:1	12.5:1
Gearbox	7-speed Dual clutch auto	7-speed Dual clutch auto
Length	4507mm	4527mm
Width	1909mm (ex mirrors)	1937mm (ex mirrors)
Height	1199mm	1213mm
Wheelbase	2670mm	2650mm
Fuel tank	72 litres	86 litres
Range	382 miles	401 miles
Front Suspension	Double wishbones Coil springs Hydraulic anti-roll Active dampers	Double wishbones Coil springs Anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension	Double wishbones Coil springs Hydraulic anti-roll Active dampers	Double wishbones Coil springs Anti-roll bar
Brakes	370mm front 350mm rear Steel ventilated discs	398mm front 360mm rear Carbon ceramic ventilated discs
Wheels	8.5Jx19in (front) 11.0J x20in (rear)	8.5Jx20in (front) 10.5J x20in (rear)
Tyres	235/35 ZR19 front 305/30 ZR 20 rear	235/35 ZR20 front 295/35 ZR 20 rear

[S1MMA]

McLaren for me please!

Did the car have carbon brakes? How do they compare with the Ferrari/Porsche/Lambo items? Interested in pedal feel and anything else you can tell us...

[fatboy18]

Saw the Mclaren st the Autosport show, it looked fantastic in the flesh, nice to know us Brits can out gun the Italians Faster and better fuel economy Yes please, But I do like the 458 too

[neiljohnson]

[wackojacko]

12C for me too ...... Great write up

[whythem]

It sounds like the MC is the better car, but I think the 458 whips it in the looks department. I would of had the Ferrari over the Mclaren if I was still 25, but as an old knacker, I think the Mclaren would be my choice today. I just dont like the look of the front though.

[Jerwatt]

McLaren for me - I think it looks better (in a more subtle way) and seems to be much better in most other departments. I'm wondering how the next generation of "hypercars" (e.g. Enzo, Veyron) are going to improve on this lot in performance, there's not really much room to improve it seems. I guess they will just have to be slightly better, with more exotic stuff and very exclusive.

[Gun]

Definitely the McLaren for me, never been a fan of the looks of the 458. The 12C is now at the top of my lottery winning list.

[redgriff500]

Both are more than fast enough.

Supercars are bought on feelings rather than facts and the Ferrari is better looking IMO.

Not a fan of Turbos either so Ferrari for me please.

[kazman]

"nearly at least" ?!?

[kazman]

"nearly at least" ?!?

[Wigeon Incognito]

Going against the grain a bit I'm really not keen on the McLaren from what I've seen, it just doesn't stir me.

So Ferrari out of these two but to be honest I'd rather have a Lambo or DBS. Even better would be the cheaper Wiesmann or Morgan Aeromax.

The scalpel like precision engineering is a real turn off for me.

Edited by Wigeon Incognito on Monday 14th February 07:58

[Twincharged]

kazman said:

"nearly at least" ?!?

The way the figures were quoted wasn't ideal either; for power it was Ferrari first and McLaren second, then torque McLaren first and Ferrari second, then for CO2 it's back to Ferrari first and McLaren second. Not impossible to figure out which is which, but interrupts the flow of the article somewhat!

[freedman]

McLaren is a great car Ive no doubt, but is as dull ooking as you'll ever see, looks like a Lotus at first glance

I saw it in the flesh at FOS last year and it just isnt special enough in the looks department

[anonymous-user]

I'd still have the 458. Can't wait to compare top gear track times

[jellison]

Is the weight of the 12C right? 1434kg? I'd heard it was going to be alot less, alot closer to the F1's type weight (Approx 1100kg).

[dom9]

Head says McLaren, heart says F458...

Very impressed by the stats and I am not completely put off by the styling, but I am somewhat concerned by the number of times the word 'clinical' is used in the various articles being published round the internet.

And, for all the impressiveness of the stats, no one seems to be saying it is definitively better than the Ferrari, just 'different'. So, arguably not the major leap people were expecting, except on paper?

Would like ot see one in the flesh and a back to back drive would be amazing. May have to wait a few more years 'til they have dropped a bit!

[mat205125]

It'd definitely be the McLaren for me ........ if I was monumentally more financially endowed than I am now

[jellison]

Both Lard buckets.

I'd have the Mac'er though.

[PompeyM3]

Both are stunning cars. I'm sure any potential customers will want to drive both to get the feel for them and decide from there.

I'd be happy with either

[The Moose]

Head says: MP4-12C

Heart says: MP4-12C

Anyone know how many Mclaren are going to make?

I'm glad the English can build a great car afterall!!

I am looking forward to the 918...

Cheers

The Moose