| The Enzo is very impressive no doubt, certianly one of the 5 or 10 best performing cars of all time, however to put a few things in perspective regarding the Enzo vs. McLaren F1 vs. Bugatti arguement: McLaren Strengths: 1) Technology - Started production in 1991, a full 12 year jump on the Enzo. With such a close match in performance, and such huge gains in the performance of the average automobile during the time (Mustang 5.0 vs the current Cobra anyone?) one would hope Ferrari could have produced a clearly superior car, not to mention the McLaren owners have enjoyed their car for 12 years while the Ferrari owners have been waiting around or driving inferior cars. 2) Performance - The McLaren has a higher top speed, a world record breaking 240.1. This is the crown jewel of auto performance, and McLaren's goal when producing the F1, and the Enzo has about a 23 MPH deficit. For all of the Enzo's vaunted technology and CAD design, the designed on paper by hand McLaren will be remembered as holding this prestegious record. In addition many members of this and other sites have personally run quarter mile times in excess of the Enzos, but noone has ever documented taking their Z in excess of 240 MPH. 3) Weight - as much as Ferrari brags about their use of ceramics and carbon fiber, the McLaren weighs in at 2500 lbs vs the Enzo's 3020. As any journalist who has compared how elemental the driving of a Lotus Elise is compared to just about anything else, or anyone who has ever lamented the Z32's mass can tell you, 500+ lbs is a major difference 4) Rarity - There are some 68 McLaren road cars, to 399 Enzos, although there will never be anyone saying how there are just too many darn Enzo's in his town, there is something to be said for exclusivity 5) Styling - Everyone has something to say about the Enzo, some good, most bad, all tempered by the fact that we as enthusiests are supposed to like Ferraris, the McLaren has little to none of this 6) Design - The McLaren was designed by hand, not on computer by committee. It has no ABS to get in the way, no F1 tranny to get in the way, and no traction control/dynamic control/whatever CONTROL to get in the way (Remember HICAS?) 7) Racing - McLaren won at LeMans, a major acomplishment, Ferrari's F1 success has been phenominal, but the Enzo and the F1 car are at best cousins. The McLaren F1 GTR and the F1 street version are like fraternal twins at worst. Disadvantages: 1) Handling - The Enzo is far better, pulling nearly 1.0g vs the McLaren's .84g, and has a far better slalom speed, still this hasn’t stopped the McLaren from having racing sucsess, but still exists as a disadvantage. 2) Price - the McLaren in the US is nearly $500,000 more expensive, thats alot of $$$, but considering the performance and the year of issue, would anyone consider paying $1000 for a 2.0 GHZ processor back in 1991 exhorbanant? The European McLaren and Enzo are within a bit more reasonable $200,000 And the Bugatti: Its TERRIBLY ugly Its extremely over weight Its overpowered for its performance - what could McLaren or Ferrari have done with 350 or so extra HP and 4 cylinders AND turbos? One hopes more than 20 MPH on the top end Most of all and ultimately damning: It cannot go faster than 180 on the street, elecronically limited. If you wish to go faster, you call Bugatti, they fly you out faster tires and disable the limiter, you drive it, then they change the tires back and put the govener back on. That = gay Thanks for reading this far, and I hope I havn’t offended too many people Sorry for the spelling issues if any as well Lane
|
15:32:48 12/03/03
