Upon seeing this photo, I’m sure the majority of you will have a crisis. The Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 and McLaren P1 together at last in the Top Gear studio – and on your TV screens this Sunday. But unfortunately we’ve got some bad news…
The Stig won’t be taking any of them for a lap. Not yet anyway.
Whilst Jeremy is supposedly trying to make it happen, one or more of the manufacturers have not allowed Top Gear to power lap their cars – rumors suggest it might be Ferrari. While this may frustrate those who have been waiting to see whether Jeremy will be changing his name to Jennifer, it is easy to understand why Ferrari may not be comfortable with the keys to their million-pound, 950bhp flagship hypercar being given to the Stig.
The first factor to consider is that the LaFerrari, like the Enzo before it, is Ferrari’s top-tier model that will be produced in limited numbers – with just 499 being built. The hype surrounding the vehicle is incredible – and on paper it appears that it would smash the 918 and P1 into submission. But imagine if it didn’t? The fall out would be huge.
Well, at least the boys can argue over which one is best like they usually do. Episode 5 airs at 8pm on BBC Two on Sunday 22 February in the UK.
4 comments
It’s the biggest TV show on the planet. They spend millions on each episode. Why can’t they just borrow it from someone else. I think Top Gear should stick it to all these companies.
Porsche 918 and McLaren P1 have already been compared on a number of race tracks. And the result has been tipping toward the 918. But P1 has proven to be faster on a straight line drag race.
Ferrari has the most to lose in this game. It’s known for passion and its flare. Just imagine if…
**Caution: Long, slightly rant-ish post**
The only reason they won’t send the Ferrari around is because they know that it’s an over rated pile of garbage (like most Fezzas) and the P1 is on home turf because it was developed at the TG track. However, ALL of these hybrid supercars are POINTLESS. The McLaren 650S is all the evidence you need to see that McLaren scored an own-goal with the P1. As engineering projects, all 3 are spectacular, but as cars…not so much.
If you compare the 650 and P1 you will see that the P1 is better on paper.
-It’s quicker to 60 by 0.1 secs (a time gap you definitely wouldn’t notice)
-Has 262 BHP more (a fair amount)
-41 NM more in torque (not too big a figure)
-Is 10 MPH faster (also not that big a figure, you could jog at that speed)
HOWEVER,
-It’s 189 Kg HEAVIER (and that’s a lot)
-And is £700,000 MORE than the 650S
Now unless you were cataclysmically retarded you would not spend an extra 700K for only a slight improvement, because you’d see that the only real difference is the BHP. Now unless you want to pay £2772 per extra BHP you’d be better off with the 650. For the price of one P1 you could have four 650S’s AND a 12C.
I’d only buy a P1 over a 650S if I could drop a nuke on £50 million and not shed a tear. And if I could do that then i would walk right past the P1, 650S and 12C and would place a custom order for a brand new F1.
Right mate
I prefer to have a 458 Italia or the new 488 rather than spending one million pounds on a LaFerrari. You can use what you have left to buy an F-Type, Aventador and a proper Range Rover….. and still have spear money to buy petrol!
For the price of a 458 I’d buy a Jag XJL. Big, very comfortable, stylish, 5L supercharged V8, lightest car in it’s class, 0-60 in about 4.5 secs. Top speed limited to 155 MPH (which is more than you need). Excellent at long distance drives too.
The problem with a supercar is the country you live in. For instance, here in Britain a supercar is pointless because you can’t drive it anywhere, partly because of the appalling road quality (at 150 a small bump will feel like driving over a speed hump) and partly because of speed limits and traffic.The XJL is the perfect car. For around £100K. Or something like a 760Li or S65 AMG.