Ferrari refuses to let Top Gear track-test the LaFerrari against the Porsche 918

[996GT2]

http://jalopnik.com/heres-how-top-gear-can-test-the-laferrari-against-the-p-1687365910

Here's the short version:

Porsche has already agreed to let Top Gear test the 918 on their test track at any time. No fine print. This is important because both McLaren and (especially) Ferrari have refused to let their cars be timed on the TG test track unless certain conditions are met.

McLaren also agreed to let TG track test the P1, but only if the test is not done on the Top Gear test track, as they feel the 918 will have an advantage on the tight TG track due to AWD.

McLaren also insisted that customer cars for all 3 be used in the tests, to prevent a one-off factory special with a higher tune from being used. Here's where Ferrari's conditions come in. Ferrari will only allow TG to test the LaFerrari against the 918 and P1 if the car used is a factory LaFerrari and not a customer car. Ferrari even went one step further and banned all owners of the LaFerrari from lending their cars to TG for the test (or else they would be banned from buying any limited edition Ferrari in the future).



TL;DR seems like McLaren and Ferrari are scared to lose to the 918 Spyder on Top Gear.

 

[shabby]

Jeremy needs to extend his middle finger to ferrari.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have always admired Porsche's workmanlike, non-BS approach to things like this. I suppose they have the least to lose in that their car is by far the cheapest and will have lower expectations than the others, but at least they have the temerity to put their money where their mouth is. Ferrari's arrogance is unsurprising but disappointing (they only seem to want to allow their cars to be tested under conditions that let them cheat). I am also a little disappointed with McLaren's attitude, particularly given that they use the TG track for their own development and testing.

I am at work but look forward to going home and watching that video of the Brit who owns all three cars on my Apple TV - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s7UiQ3sOwI Hopefully he will let TG use them.

 

[rommelrommel]

Ferrari has a LONG history of sending ringers to comparison tests and also mandating tracks and conditions that favour their cars.

Porsche gives no fucks about how their cars are tested, or even if they win.

McLaren seems like they are sick of Ferrari rigging tests, and I do see why they would want customer cars used.

 

[yoda5]

I'm surprised that McLaren is putting restrictions on the test. 99% of the owners of these vehicles won't be able to drive these cars at their limits anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QstV4FFKIdQ

 

[Ferzerp]

This isn't the least bit surprising. Ferrari is that way. When they do allow tests, they typically tune a car for a specific test, etc. Just look in to the 360 tests vs what the cars you could actually buy were capable of.

Have you seen *any* objective tests for the TheFerrari? I was amused when the owner weighed one though.

 

[smackababy]

It is funny McLaren is acting like this. They continuously claim the P1 is faster than the 918 on a track.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

It is funny McLaren is acting like this. They continuously claim the P1 is faster than the 918 on a track.

I would have to think the P1 is in fact faster than the 918, so I agree this is weird. In general the fastest cars on the TG track are high-powered RWD cars, not AWD cars (not that there has ever been an AWD car with the performance of the 918), so I don't see why the use of the TG track is of such concern to them.

 

[Harrod]

Is there anything stopping a private owner from letting them test his/her car on the track?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Is there anything stopping a private owner from letting them test his/her car on the track?

No, but Ferrari says it will prevent anyone who lends his LaFerrari to TG for testing from buying another limited-edition F car.

 

[shabby]

No, but Ferrari says it will prevent anyone who lends his LaFerrari to TG for testing from buying another limited-edition F car.

How would they know whose it is? Its red... must be oh forget it!

 

[Ferzerp]

How would they know whose it is? Its red... must be oh forget it!

It would not surprise me if they all are cellular connected and report their location all the time

 

[SSSnail]

They should do what they did in that one episode where they went to Romania - substitute the LaFerrari with something else and call it that.

 

[Skurge]

I would have to think the P1 is in fact faster than the 918, so I agree this is weird. In general the fastest cars on the TG track are high-powered RWD cars, not AWD cars (not that there has ever been an AWD car with the performance of the 918), so I don't see why the use of the TG track is of such concern to them.

It isn't. I guess Mclaren don't want to be beaten again by the 918. Sure the P1 had the faster time, but they had to come back later with stickier tires and who knows what else they did to it. The Trofeos are proven to be over 2secs a lap faster than the Cup 2s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiyyO7vrdiI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrLQpAt5Mes

I'm starting to think the Porsche has both Mclaren and Ferrari beat with a heavier, less powerful, convertible.

 

[exar333]

TG should just do a special on the 918 (again) and then just state it is faster than both the Ferrari and McClaren because they were too afraid to race. Maybe shaming them would help.

 

[_Rick_]

I would have to think the P1 is in fact faster than the 918, so I agree this is weird. In general the fastest cars on the TG track are high-powered RWD cars, not AWD cars (not that there has ever been an AWD car with the performance of the 918), so I don't see why the use of the TG track is of such concern to them.

The Veyron SS shouldn't be that far removed, but I suppose the handling isn't quite setup in the same way, and even with all that extra displacement, I doubt that out of corner torque quite matches a hybrid. Still, from a numbers-standpoint their performances are quite comparable.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

The ferrari wins sitting still. So gorgeous. Nobody who buys these cars gives even half a rat's ass what that entertaining buffoon Clarkson thinks.

 

[Smoblikat]

No, but Ferrari says it will prevent anyone who lends his LaFerrari to TG for testing from buying another limited-edition F car.

After the kind of bitching and moaning Ferrari is doing, even if I could afford another limited edition version of their cars, I wouldnt. What a bunch of cry babies.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

The ferrari wins sitting still. So gorgeous. Nobody who buys these cars gives even half a rat's ass what that entertaining buffoon Clarkson thinks.

Personally, strictly aesthetically, my order of preference is 918>LaFerrari>>>>>>>>P1. Actually this is the second time in row Porsche has won the looks prize for limited-edition hypercars - the Carrera GT looked worlds better than the Enzo, and infinitely better than the SLR. (Though if we want to go even further back, I like the F1 better than the F40, and like that better than the 959 - they all look great, though, and the Ferrari and Porsche were earlier designs than the McLaren.)

 

[darkswordsman17]

They all look pretty good, with each having views that they look particularly good in. I don't think any of them are all time classic good looking (but then the only one of these types of cars that I think has is the XJ220). They're not bad looking (I'd say even pretty good, I really like parts of all of them, I'd even say they're all close to being really great all time classic looking), but they all have some weirdness to them. The Porsche is the most traditional and looks pretty good to me, although I don't like the exhaust and the headlights would look better more circular (they're a little squared off, kinda like the Boxster/Cayman although not as awkward as those two). The P1 has that weird downward sloping intake on the side which just looks odd with how they styled the side. Plus it's canopy/greenhouse looks a bit too upright. The front fascia of the Ferrari looks pretty odd with how they have that red piece sticking out and then looks like it's just sitting on the huge front splitter, it looks unfinished. The P1's rear end kinda does but I actually think that's the best view of the car, with the way the curved rear haunches flow the best, although the canopy still looks like it's too high up in comparison. I can understand why they did that, but it looks a bit awkward. I'm also not sure if I like the headlights (which if anyone didn't notice are shaped like the McLaren logo).

I think paint job matters a lot too. I like the P1 in burnt orange or one of those color shifting paints with black wheels. 918 in a silver (they had a race concept version of the 918 that was a nice silver with some light orange accent paint that looked good), but a really metallic looking color on it is nice to me. I'd like to see the Ferrari in a matte red (or just less glossy red, with matte black canopy maybe) with some different multispoke gold wheels.

 

[exar333]

Personally, strictly aesthetically, my order of preference is 918>LaFerrari>>>>>>>>P1. Actually this is the second time in row Porsche has won the looks prize for limited-edition hypercars - the Carrera GT looked worlds better than the Enzo, and infinitely better than the SLR. (Though if we want to go even further back, I like the F1 better than the F40, and like that better than the 959 - they all look great, though, and the Ferrari and Porsche were earlier designs than the McLaren.)

This.

I love Ferraris but the 918 is amazing.

 

[thomsbrain]

McLaren has tweeted that they were ready to throw down on Top Gear, but that Top Gear canceled the competition on short notice.

 

[GTaudiophile]

McLaren has tweeted that they were ready to throw down on Top Gear, but that Top Gear canceled the competition on short notice.

Is Ferrari tweeting at all?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

They all look pretty good, with each having views that they look particularly good in. I don't think any of them are all time classic good looking (but then the only one of these types of cars that I think has is the XJ220). They're not bad looking (I'd say even pretty good, I really like parts of all of them, I'd even say they're all close to being really great all time classic looking), but they all have some weirdness to them. The Porsche is the most traditional and looks pretty good to me, although I don't like the exhaust and the headlights would look better more circular (they're a little squared off, kinda like the Boxster/Cayman although not as awkward as those two). The P1 has that weird downward sloping intake on the side which just looks odd with how they styled the side. Plus it's canopy/greenhouse looks a bit too upright. The front fascia of the Ferrari looks pretty odd with how they have that red piece sticking out and then looks like it's just sitting on the huge front splitter, it looks unfinished. The P1's rear end kinda does but I actually think that's the best view of the car, with the way the curved rear haunches flow the best, although the canopy still looks like it's too high up in comparison. I can understand why they did that, but it looks a bit awkward. I'm also not sure if I like the headlights (which if anyone didn't notice are shaped like the McLaren logo).

I think paint job matters a lot too. I like the P1 in burnt orange or one of those color shifting paints with black wheels. 918 in a silver (they had a race concept version of the 918 that was a nice silver with some light orange accent paint that looked good), but a really metallic looking color on it is nice to me. I'd like to see the Ferrari in a matte red (or just less glossy red, with matte black canopy maybe) with some different multispoke gold wheels.

I just generally find the 918 too swoopy looking. I find the design fussy and lacking in cohesion. I have not loved a McLaren road car from a design standpoint since the F1 (which is still an all-time classic in all respects). I think the LaFerrari looks great but it is, to my eyes, less distinctive-looking and visually exciting than an "ordinary" 458 (with the caveat that I am totally charmed by the way the active aero deploys, and overall find it the most appealing of the three cars). The Porsche looks much more like a conventional car than the other two, but to me it's a really appealing design overall (again, like the Carrera GT, which is one of my favorite cars of the last 30 years).

 

[fbrdphreak]

Ferrari has more to lose than Porsche. Same with McLaren. They don't have Boxsters to sell to everyman. Ferrari has to take their brand seriously, because their exclusivity and premier status is what pays the bills.

While TG has moments of serious credibility, in the end it's an entertainment show and they could easily embarrass Ferrari, whether rightful or not, and that would have real world impact on the showroom floor.

I know people who are young (<40) and have the money to buy exotic cars; brand embarrassments like could happen on TG would make a real impact in their buying decisions.