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This may sound controversial but Artura and 296 are both kind of boring, really. I'm ok with this, I suppose, if this is understood going in. I think of the 296 has kind of a Ferrari meets Aston (in my mind) because of the looks and luxury. If one is jumping into either car expecting a hair on fire experience, they'll be quite disappointed.
Brother, I say to you that if we are in a place where sub three second 0-60 times and massive hybrid horsepower are considered commonplace, that's a world I want to live in.
 
This may sound controversial but Artura and 296 are both kind of boring, really. I'm ok with this, I suppose, if this is understood going in. I think of the 296 has kind of a Ferrari meets Aston (in my mind) because of the looks and luxury. If one is jumping into either car expecting a hair on fire experience, they'll be quite disappointed.
I think this is spot-on, but reading the various marketing blurbs, it seems to be what McLaren were aiming for. Rolling down the pit lane, the Artura felt like a Corolla, but as soon as he floored it as the pit lane ended, the experience completely changed. It's not an LT, obviously, but it also felt completely different than at road speeds. Presumably at some point they're going to do an LT version, with another 50hp and more vibration and noise, it may well set your hair on fire.
 
Brother, I say to you that if we are in a place where sub three second 0-60 times and massive hybrid horsepower are considered commonplace, that's a world I want to live in.
Oh I agree. With the LT though, there is a fantastic sensation to accompany the performance. A lot of the new cars somehow manage to be kind of boring while being extremely fast.
 
Oh I agree. With the LT though, there is a fantastic sensation to accompany the performance. A lot of the new cars somehow manage to be kind of boring while being extremely fast.
Do you recall the Ferrari diehards calling the 720 boring claiming it's just fast in a straight line? Funny how times have changed.
 
Do you recall the Ferrari diehards calling the 720 boring claiming it's just fast in a straight line? Funny how times have changed.
and now we have McLaren diehards calling the new Maserati MC20 boring. I guess what comes around goes around and fan boys will be fan boys regardless of the marque.
 
and now we have McLaren diehards calling the new Maserati MC20 boring. I guess what comes around goes around and fan boys will be fan boys regardless of the marque.
some of us including capstan probably get a chuckle of some of the now mclaren fan boys who were on fchat that were ripping on 720 back in 2017 and 2018…. All of those guys got into 720 and/or 765 eventually
 
some of us including capstan probably get a chuckle of some of the now mclaren fan boys who were on fchat that were ripping on 720 back in 2017 and 2018…. All of those guys got into 720 and/or 765 eventually
I remember the Jaguar "stalwarts" although back then it was in the public houses of Middle England, laughing at the idea of the funny little McLaren "thing" in comparison to the XJ220. Well when the Birmingham Motorshow in 1992 opened and Autocar and Motor published it's tested figures the Gulf in expectation and reality narrowed! LOL!

And the McLaren F1 went into the history books! So I never put much on opinions anyway!
 
I got to drive the Artura twice last week just 2 days after driving the 296GTB twice as well (including an Assetto Fiorano package). Both sets of drives were a day apart, so I got to think about each car and then come back and reevaluate. Both are amazing cars. I'm not really biased because I have an order for both cars, so here's my take on both cars...

The 296 is a hair faster than the 720S, seat of the pants, while the Artura seems to be a hair slower. The 296 does everything really well, and it's just an absolute mind-blowing step up from the F8. But, the Artura does the steering feel and brake feel the best. I could not get used to the brake by wire on the Ferrari, and visibility and room in the cabin was tight. Being 6'1", the 296 was lacking in leg room. The McLaren was the usual best field of vision, roomiest, and best feedback through the steering wheel and the pedals. Leg and head room was just perfect. Of course the 296 sounded the best, but I would say the Artura sounds better than a 570S. And it's definitely faster in a straight line than the 600LT, I don't think there's any debating that, I put over 8,000 miles on mine, the Artura is faster. Launch control is as good as it's ever been on both cars, hits hard from the get-go. I would say the Artura does it smoother, but both had no lag. Speaking of, there's no lag at just about any RPM on both cars. Both drivetrains just punch and go. There's a brand new transmission in the Artura, from a company called Hofer, shifts just about as fast as the Graziano in the 600LT. I think both companies did an excellent job on these cars drivetrains. While the 296 chassis feels stiffer than the F8, the Artura takes the cake for the stiffest chassis, having no flex. The build quality on the Artura is now on par with Ferrari from what I could tell. I couldn't find any imperfections on the prototypes and I'm a stickler for that kind of stuff. The interior of the Artura is simpler, but it has just the right amount of buttons and they all feel high quality. The 296 is a mix of buttons, switches, toggles, dials, and capacitive touch pads. Some may say the 296 has more tech, but IMO it's an absolute hodgepodge mess of button positions. It took me five times longer to change the mirror positions than on the McLaren, and it's not a case of getting used to it, it's simply a stupid design. I do like how all the knobs and dials on the McLaren all feel like something from a high quality stereo amp. The aluminum paddle shifter was sublime. Anyone in the market for either car is going to be impressed.

But what blows my mind is just how much you get for your buck with the Mac. Realizing that these cars start out at $100K apart, the delta between the two grows exponentially with options. A similarly spec'd Artura with options taking it to about $285k would very easily cross over $450k with the 296. It's simply ridiculously expensive, like special edition expensive. The gloss black roof option on the Artura is around $3K now (used to be included in the black pack), the same exact thing for a much smaller square footage on the 296 is $14K! You want the front lifter for that F-car? Well, you need to pay $5K plus an additional $4,500 for the adaptive headlights. You want that fancy looking red exterior paint (basically candy apple red) on the launch car? Try $28k. You want forged wheels for that prancing horse (that have been pretty much standard on every McLaren from the beginning of time)? $8100 plus a mandatory $1400 titanium lug nut set. The Assetto Fiorano package is more track oriented with a stiffer suspension and carbon wheels, but I don't feel it's worth the $42k price of admission to basically lose the ability to adjust the suspension in any way.

My final thoughts are the 296GTB is a monster, it's fast, somewhere between a 720S and 765LT. It looks great and it comes packed with new tech, but it's very expensive. The Artura is fast as well, a step up from the 570 platform in just about every way. It still drives and feels like a McLaren and gets a lot of tech for the money, especially if you add in some reasonably priced options. There's more value in what's included for the price, definitely more bang for your buck. It's roomier and more comfortable to drive. You can't go wrong with either car, both look fantastic and are a leap forward in technology. But, if I were to pick one, I'd go with the Artura.

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How far does that windshield go around on the Fezza? It looks like a visor type pair of wrap around sunglass!
 
some of us including capstan probably get a chuckle of some of the now mclaren fan boys who were on fchat that were ripping on 720 back in 2017 and 2018…. All of those guys got into 720 and/or 765 eventually
The only place where there are more fan boys than FChat is rennlist where the collective is drooling over 125k adms for an RS that has less horsepower than the cheapest entry level mclaren.

Don’t get me wrong- I love Porsche and own several- but sneaking up on 400k after the stupid tax for an RS is insane.
 
Discussion starter · #50 ·
How far does that windshield go around on the Fezza? It looks like a visor type pair of wrap around sunglass!
You know, it does wrap around pretty drastically from the outside, but it doesn't seem to really help on the inside. All it does is make the dash deeper so you don't really get an improved field of view, just a windshield that reaches more forward. The Artura still dominates in field of vision.
 
Discussion starter · #51 ·
The only place where there are more fan boys than FChat is rennlist where the collective is drooling over 125k adms for an RS that has less horsepower than the cheapest entry level mclaren.

Don’t get me wrong- I love Porsche and own several- but sneaking up on 400k after the stupid tax for an RS is insane.
I really don't get that, yes the RS is an amazing driver's car for its original MSRP of around 200k. But 300K+ is stupid for a 500 HP car that shares the platform of a 100K car. A lot of other cars I'd rather have, including the 675LT, 600LT, 720S, or even Artura for that matter. I think most of those cars drive just as well, especially the LT's, and cost less.
 
I really don't get that, yes the RS is an amazing driver's car for its original MSRP of around 200k. But 300K+ is stupid for a 500 HP car that shares the platform of a 100K car. A lot of other cars I'd rather have, including the 675LT, 600LT, 720S, or even Artura for that matter. I think most of those cars drive just as well, especially the LT's, and cost less.

Come on now. The new RS has 518 hp. Get your facts straight’. Lol
 
Do you recall the Ferrari diehards calling the 720 boring claiming it's just fast in a straight line? Funny how times have changed.
I still feel that way. The 720S is a stellar, highly capable super car. For me, it was not as immersive and engaging as I sought. The 765 took care of that In a mind bogglingly way. After almost 2 years of ownership, the 765 is at the pantheon of super car brilliance. Nothing is its peer.
 
I still feel that way. The 720S is a stellar, highly capable super car. For me, it was not as immersive and engaging as I sought. The 765 took care of that In a mind bogglingly way. After almost 2 years of ownership, the 765 is at the pantheon of super car brilliance. Nothing is its peer.
Presumably you have Senna seats in the 765? They make a huge difference to that immersive feeling, although at the expense of some ride comfort. I want to try a 720 with Senna seats.
 
Problem with Senna seats is the side bolsters that I find uncomfortable. The P1 is highly supportive and very comfortable notwithstanding minimal cushioning.

The huge gulf in raw driving dynamics between the 765 and 720 cannot be minimized by Senna seats.
Haha, I'm not arguing with that! I found the 720 a bit underwhelming after all the fuss.

The side bolsters do feel tight at first, and I have relatively narrow hips, but they bed in very quickly, and they'd be easy to swap for a softer cushion.
 
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