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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