joseff wrote:You're right. The Enzo has less hp and more weight, but I guess shorter gearing and (as we F1 fans know) 11 years of tire development means the Enzo should roast it.
Actually the Enzo makes about 20-30hp more than the F1 as well as about 10 more ftlbs of torque.
joseff wrote:The GTR has more realistic gearing (maybe on par with the Enzo) and it beat the original F1 for acceleration at any speed. But really, I still think the GTR was dumbed down. In racing form, it gets beaten time and again by modified F40s. But tune up an F40 in street-legal spec, and I doubt it'll ever touch the street Mac.
When did the F40 LM ever get near an F1 GTR on the race circuit? At Le Mans in '95 the F40 managed a distant 12th overall while McLaren swept 1-3-4-5! The F40 has never even seen a Le Man podium, nor did it ever touch the F1 in the FIA GT series. The GTR has air restrictors because THOSE ARE THE RULES. Its a large displacement engine so it is penalized to level the field.. the street is where the F40 could be faster due to its a turbocharged induction. Its pretty easy to make big power when you're blowing double-digit psi into the chamber, so thats a moot argument. The GTR gearing was never released..
joseff wrote:IMHO things the McLaren has (aircon, luggage compartments, CD changer, custom stereo) really sets it apart from the other supercars mentioned here. Don't blame me... I like practical cars
A true purist!
joseff wrote:There are megaxotics out there, like John Carmack's 1000hp testarossa, countless Japanese R34 skylines, modified F40s, etc that would kick the F1's ass in several measures of performance, but the McLaren still strikes me as a very usable car that does what it does very well, day in day out.
Yes, $1million pricetag, $50,000 muffler replacements every 20k miles, and an insurance premium to break the bank. Very usable. I can see you've been watching Top Gear!
I agree, it is kind of soft, so it is nice on the road, this is why you need the LM setup. Skylines aren't exotics.
joseff wrote:Maybe I sound to McLaren-biased... which is true, but still the disturbing feeling I tried to share is this: the McLaren F1 was a freak happening, a moment of epiphany where everything just magically fell into place. With the current political & economic climate, will the Veyron finally be the world's last supercar? Is the Enzo going to be the best Ferrari will ever make? Have we seen the last of the world's supercars? Is Formula 1, with its obscene money-burning exercise and extravagant consumption of resources, going to be a doomed victim of its own success?
The F1 was nothing close to a freak happening. Gordan Murray claims to have had sketches of its basic design as early as 1978, it was only Ron Dennis who delayed the green light. It was a work in process for over a decade! The Veyron is anything but a supercar.. its a massive, overweight, shamefully powered beast. Who cares how much power it is. I think our Dodge Caravan is some 800lbs lighter. The Enzo is amazing, but thats because its brand new.. and don't worry, i've read in more than one source that McLaren has a new supercar on the drawing board.
The Enzo's weight baffles me. I dont see how you manage to make a carbon monocoque tip the scales at 3200lbs! Crazy. But it does have many advantages over the F1 that are the product of modern technology. More efficient output, advanced engine management/faster processors, massive carbon 380mm brakes, more advanced aero, gearbox, etc. But, the F1 has that amazing weight, central-driving position, BMW M POWER!, and a sweet design.. i think the Enzo looks better though.
joseff wrote:I have a feeling we're at the golden age of the automobile, where the only way from here is down. Of course, there are other folks who think that the 60's was the golden age, and that today's cars are lookalike blobs
I agree. Right now is as good as it gets. Alternative fuels, environmental concerns, and safety has dumbed down the performance of the true sports car. That is why i drive a 2700lb 1988 BMW M3 with a '98 M3 300hp (tuned) engine! Long live internal combustion.
Cheers!
too old to keep stats. Of course the Enzo has more bhp!