Ferrari 296GTB V Lotus Emira

[roundincircles]

I've just spent 2 days driving the 296GTB. It's 830 bhp in Hybrid mode. Crazy fast with immense grip. In the hands of a pro driver. On the Milbrook Hill route, it was shockingly capable, maybe the fastest car I've been in over that circuit ........ that includes a 458, various 911s, and a Vantage V12.

So I came away mightily impressed but convinced, more than ever, that on public roads a 400 bhp car (Emira) would be more fun as it needs 'driving to its limit', you can't do that on the road in an 830 bhp car. That's not saying the Ferrari is inferior but that on public roads its capability would be unused.

 

[eclat2emira]

I've just spent 2 days driving the 296GTB. It's 830 bhp in Hybrid mode. Crazy fast with immense grip. In the hands of a pro driver. On the Milbrook Hill route, it was shockingly capable, maybe the fastest car I've been in over that circuit ........ that includes a 458, various 911s, and a Vantage V12.

So I came away mightily impressed but convinced, more than ever, that on public roads a 400 bhp car (Emira) would be more fun as it needs 'driving to its limit', you can't do that on the road in an 830 bhp car. That's not saying the Ferrari is inferior but that on public roads its capability would be unused.

Yep, a lot of people don't seem to "get" the sweetspot for the road - you clearly do!

 

[CarGuy07]

Test drove an F8 Tributo last year and a McLaren Artura few weeks ago. I came to the same conclusion: super fast and awesome cars but I would never ever use the power. I’ll also be worried driving it and parking it everywhere, not to mention the cost of maintenance and replacement parts. I suppose if you can afford it those are non-issues, but that’s just some things I thought of. There’s actually such a thing as too fast.

 

[kratedisease]

I've just spent 2 days driving the 296GTB. It's 830 bhp in Hybrid mode. Crazy fast with immense grip. In the hands of a pro driver. On the Milbrook Hill route, it was shockingly capable, maybe the fastest car I've been in over that circuit ........ that includes a 458, various 911s, and a Vantage V12.

So I came away mightily impressed but convinced, more than ever, that on public roads a 400 bhp car (Emira) would be more fun as it needs 'driving to its limit', you can't do that on the road in an 830 bhp car. That's not saying the Ferrari is inferior but that on public roads its capability would be unused.

mini cannonball runs on public roads in controlled conditions are not for everyone.

I am on the waiting list for the soon to be announced 800-1000hp C8 ZR1.

 

[ADC]

Yeah, as I have reached a certain age, I have come to the slightly sad conclusion that I am unlikely to become a good enough driver, nor obscenely wealthy enough, to realistically own a Real Supercar

Of course, random luck (or a lot more hard graft) can always take care of the latter issue, but without the former, you're probably eventually going to stuff your expensive status symbol sideways into a tree

EDIT: don't get me wrong, I'm not a bad driver, and I'm not crying poor... but I'm agreeing that these bonkers new-generation supercars are more car than I personally would feel comfortable buying / manage to use.

 

[Evotion]

I envy you both getting a go in them. Still a great experience.

Still makes the Emira look l like a bargain but I'd always go for the Ferraris.

 

[kitkat]

It's as simple as understanding that not all sports cars are only driven on public roads.

 

[Eagle7]

The other side to that coin is not all sports cars are only driven on the track.

It's up to the buyer to decide what their main use is going to be, and what they're willing to put up with/pay for it. An Emira may not be the ultimate car, or be for everybody, but a showroom stock Emira may be close enough for the majority who get one. For those who want more, there's always modding which those types of people usually do anyways with any car they buy. Either way, it looks like the Emira is going to be a pretty darned good starting point.

 

[MCS]

I do love the look of the GTB and the packaging is amazing. If you’ve seen how low they’ve managed to mount the engine it’s extremely impressive.

 

[eclat2emira]

Test drove an F8 Tributo last year and a McLaren Artura few weeks ago. I came to the same conclusion: super fast and awesome cars but I would never ever use the power. I’ll also be worried driving it and parking it everywhere, not to mention the cost of maintenance and replacement parts. I suppose if you can afford it those are non-issues, but that’s just some things I thought of. There’s actually such a thing as too fast.

...and too precious and worrisome.

 

[roundincircles]

I do love the look of the GTB and the packaging is amazing. If you’ve seen how low they’ve managed to mount the engine it’s extremely impressive.

It couldn't be any lower. Then add the 120° V, with the turbos within the V , the mass is very low.....nearly a flat 6, lol.

 

[Toomanyloti]

i think once one is old enough to not worry about ones own cock waving and that of others its an epiphany moment.

My old elan sprint is plenty fast enough for the road and oooodles of fun

 

[Green]

mini cannonball runs on public roads in controlled conditions are not for everyone.

I am on the waiting list for the soon to be announced 800-1000hp C8 ZR1.

Are you talking about these type of cannonball runs?

‘Horrific’ high-speed crash kills two men in road rally west of Norwood

Two men were killed Thursday afternoon in a high-speed, single-vehicle crash on Colorado Highway 141 west of Norwood in San Miguel County. According to the Colorado State Patrol, driver Larry Chachko ...

www.durangoherald.com

 

[Porter]

Are you talking about these type of cannonball runs?

No.

 

[hbar]

For years I've been wishing that Ferrari would put out a small sports car priced at around $100,000 that I could use to tour the mountain roads near my home. For me the modern supercars are too fast and too expensive to be fun. My favorite car I've ever owned was a 993, but I'm tired of taking care of old cars. I'm expecting the Emira will fit exactly into this niche.

 

[Gibbo205]

I've just spent 2 days driving the 296GTB. It's 830 bhp in Hybrid mode. Crazy fast with immense grip. In the hands of a pro driver. On the Milbrook Hill route, it was shockingly capable, maybe the fastest car I've been in over that circuit ........ that includes a 458, various 911s, and a Vantage V12.

So I came away mightily impressed but convinced, more than ever, that on public roads a 400 bhp car (Emira) would be more fun as it needs 'driving to its limit', you can't do that on the road in an 830 bhp car. That's not saying the Ferrari is inferior but that on public roads its capability would be unused.

That is why the 458 is so good, still insanely fast considering it is a 10s quarter mile car, but also one that remains great fun to drive at legal speeds on the public road due to the extremely short gearing on the DCT box.

This is also why the AMG DCT version of the Emira will be a fun car as it shares a similar very short gearing in the first six gears making it fun to use the paddles, with the last two gears been over drives for economy at motorway speeds.

Of course you can grab an Emira in manual too, which in itself makes it fun and interactive to use on the road.

 

[roundincircles]

That is why the 458 is so good, still insanely fast considering it is a 10s quarter mile car, but also one that remains great fun to drive at legal speeds on the public road due to the extremely short gearing on the DCT box.

This is also why the AMG DCT version of the Emira will be a fun car as it shares a similar very short gearing in the first six gears making it fun to use the paddles, with the last two gears been over drives for economy at motorway speeds.

Of course you can grab an Emira in manual too, which in itself makes it fun and interactive to use on the road.

That's interesting about the 458 box and the AMG DCT. I tried to buy a 458 when it was launched in 2011, IIRC, after a wonderful test drive......what an engine! But the dealer would not sell me one unless I bought a California and resold it to them when my 458 turned up.......get lost I will buy Mclaren!