The results are in and petrolheads have been eager to give their verdict on which is the best hypercar; is it the Ferrari LaFerrari, the Porsche 918 Spyder or the McLaren P1?
What we have all been waiting on is for the embargo on the LaFerrari review to finally be lifted. As that has now ended, journalists have been quick to get out their take on what it’s like behind the wheel of this car. Now that is likely to lead to a battle that will be raging on for months about whether the LaFerrari, P1 or 918 Spyder is the king of the hypercar.
Here’s a little insight into some of the great points about these beasts of automotive engineering mastery.
Let’s begin with the most recently reviewed; LaFerrari. It was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, where engineers outlined the feat of maths and physics that went into its production. Powering the car is a V12 6.3 litre engine, which delivers up to 789bhp. It uses a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and is rear wheel drive. At Top Gear magazine, Charlie Turner was nothing short of blown away by the power of the 12 cylinder engine, he wrote: “What an engine: arguably the greatest V12 in Maranello history.”
Next there is the McLaren P1. This one drives on a 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine that is turned to 727 bhp. It is also coupled with a 176bhp light electric motor, which means that the car can deliver up to 903bhp in total. The rear wheel drive vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 2.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 217 mph.
While driving the P1, Dickie Meaden of evo said: “It’s so far beyond anything I have ever driven in my life.” Hear it growl in the video below, taken from EVO’s Youtube!
As for the Porsche 918 Spyder, it is clear that this is bound to be the best of the three at cornering; with four-wheel drive for excellent traction and a great counter to understeer. The composite that makes it chassis is derived from racing experiences. The car is powered by a 4.6 litre V8 engine with a hybrid drivetrain, making it the fastest Porsche ever made for the road.
AutoExpresss gave it five stars, stating: “Not intimidating to drive yet spectacularly special to experience whichever mode you drive in, the 918 has the looks, performance and wow factor every great hypercar needs.”
It is worth getting the views of those who have driven all three of the cars to get a clearer picture of which might stand up as the best.
For example, Steve Sutcliffe is one of a few journalists who was able to try them all out. He explained that in terms of performance, all three are almost equally fantastic vehicles. Where they differ, however, is in the overall driving experience. The LaFerrari is the fastest when travelling in a straight line, while the McLaren P1 excels in torque when pulling in the mid-range, while he simply said that the Porsche 918 Spyder was “merely incredible, back in third place.”
Videos courtesy of Autocar, EVO
Image courtesy of www.thesupercarkids.com
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