[Kaiser]

I’ve driven and tracked both the 750s and 296 AF.

The McLaren is more exciting to drive. The steering feel in both cars is very good, but it’s outstanding in the 750. Power delivery is very linear and smooth in the 296 so it’s deceptively quick, but no quicker than the 750. If there’s anything between them it’s marginal. But the 750 shorter gearing and ‘beast like’ tendencies above 6k rpm make it more raw and exciting to drive. Turn in is better in the 750…you can also feel the weight more on track but not as much on the road…Both are great cars, but I prefer the overall balance and feel of the 750. If you’re looking for a spider…then the 750 is the clear choice.

The haptic feedback buttons on the Ferrari flat out SUCK. Period. End of discussion.

Overall…both excellent cars…no bad choice here…but the 750 is more exciting to drive and has better overall feel.

In terms of a tuned 720 being as quick as a 296…YES. There’s not much between a 720 and 750 in terms of straight line performance.

Thank you, dude. Very solid comparing and contrasting and is what I was looking for!

 

[MarkNC]

Has anyone who has driven the 750 ALSO driven the 296?

to reiterate: driven BOTH the 750 AND 296

Pretty comparable priced cars, similar performance numbers. Independent reviews of each car are glowing (both cars picked up performance car f the year awards this year). Let’s hear it from anyone who qualifies with the above.

I own both cars in Spider form (750S Spider and 296 GTS). They're both awesome but the 296 has some flaws. I've also driven both (296 GTB and 750S coupe) back to back on track.

The 296 is the most playful Ferrari since the 458 but let down by a few things:

1. It's a little small inside - I'm 6' and I have to sit with the seat touching the back firewall of the car to be comfortable. I tilt it up enough to make sure it isn't touching but I would be more comfortable if the firewall was back another 2-3 inches. Forget much seat recline.
2. Continuing with #1 the door opening is also small, and badly shaped, so it makes it awkward to get in and out of
3. The HMI (human machine interface) is (a) absolute shit, (b) dangerously distracting to use when you're moving, (c) the worst implementation of any HMI I've ever seen in any car. When CarPlay is in use you don't even have a tachometer available so you only have the optional steering wheel shift lights (which I optioned) to guide you when to shift. At least in a positive (over the McLaren) it has steering wheel controls for changing audio tracks & volume but in a negative (against the McLaren) it has steering wheel controls for everything else too which can be annoying. For example the highbeams control is at an awkward place on the wheel and complicated to use for no good reason.
4. The interior is lit up like a Christmas tree which makes it very distracting to drive at night. You can't turn down the screens enough to reduce that. How come Corvette can let you dial their cars interiors down to near darkness, so you can concentrate on the road ahead at night, but Ferrari and Porsche can't do the same? In comparison, I don't find the 750S distracting to drive at night at all.

I seriously considered returning the 296 GTB and cancelling the GTS but the underlying car is so much fun to drive you can (mostly) overlook the controls. The HMI will continue to infuriate and frustrate you from time to time but it's still a very fun car to drive. They made the right choice with the 8 speed transmission, shifting gears is delightful and really adds to the fun of spirited driving.

The 750S is the best all-around McLaren yet. I thought our 720S Spider was going to be a forever car but the 750S improved on it enough to upgrade and I'm glad we did. I never loved the folding dash, having CarPlay is fantastic and they somehow made it ride even better than the 750S while being a little more playful when you're rowing through the gears. The 750S doesn't initially feel as quick as the Ferrari because the steering isn't boosted as much, it doesn't have the hybrid power to fill in for the turbos, it has one gear less than the 296, and the accelerator is far more linear than the Ferrari's typical hair-trigger throttle. But HOLY HELL when you commit to pressing the accelerator down for real it is mind-bendingly fast. Plus it out handles the Ferrari in the tight corners because it's 450 pounds lighter! And the steering feel is perfection. The seats in the McLaren are more comfortable and more supportive than the Ferrari. I did heated electric seats in both although the 296 GTS seat also has cooling and a heat scarf. I'd the trunk in the McLaren is larger but, whether it is or it not technically, it's definitely a more usable configuration. I think the cabin in the 750S is nicer than the 296 and having the central touch screen never felt more perfect than it does when you compare it to the abomination that Ferrari foisted on it's customers with the 296 and SF90 before it. They're both enjoyable to drive but the Ferrari will sometimes make you question why you put up with it (every time you need to find a new radio station or playlist) while the McLaren is always making you smile.

If I had to choose between them it would be the McLaren all day long. In fact I consider the 750S Spider a forever car. I'm already thinking of what car I'll trade the 296 on but I'm enjoying it for now. The 296 is NOT holding it's price like other mid-engined Ferraris have, I took a decent bath just going from the GTB to the GTS and I only had the GTB for six months before the GTS arrived. Plus it's not like a McLaren P1 where the car is so rare and special you want to keep it indefinitely despite it being a hybrid and you knowing the technology will get old before long (McLaren has come out with a replacement battery for P1).

Hope that helps. Happy to answer any specific questions you have.

 

[Tumbleweed]

I own both cars in Spider form (750S Spider and 296 GTS). They're both awesome but the 296 has some flaws. I've also driven both (296 GTB and 750S coupe) back to back on track.

The 296 is the most playful Ferrari since the 458 but let down by a few things:

1. It's a little small inside - ...

Thanks. Great comparison.

 

[Phaphaphooey]

Yeah the 296 is fast as all hell so your stage 2 is pulling some serious numbers, or the other driver was not ready/296 was not in the right mode, etc.

The 296 is the only rwd mid engine car to ever do a sub 10 second quarter mile from road and track for example. It did 9.7 if anyone is curious.

296 owners generally say the steering is fantastic, turn in is great, torque fill is nice, lots of positives driving the car. Infotainment yeah that’s shit.

Completely agreed, that's why I tried to be very clear in saying I was only speaking for that specific moment in time. I know on paper, and in most videos, the 296 is wicked fast and likely faster than a 720s/750s in many situations. That day, for whatever reason, we were pretty neck and neck through the entire drive.

And yes, the 720s is even more bonkers fast when tuned once the tires hook up, no question about that. I am on the stock Corsas still and light them up through 3rd.

The 296 is still an amazing car, so effortlessly easy to build serious speed. It just doesn't kick you in the pants like a McLaren does.

 

[Nu2Mac]

Now that folks with 296 experience have spoken, I’ll give you my 2 cents. McLaren should pay me royalty for saying this! 😀 I’d suggest a test drive and experience it for yourself. I’ve driven some fast cars and been a passenger in others. The 750S is the craziest car that I have ever driven! That’s about the extent of how I can describe this beast. I’m sure the hyper cars are on the next level but I’m more than completely content at this level. Be prepared to write a check if you go in for a test drive. My 750S was an impulse buy and I consider myself very disciplined financially. Fortunately my wife didn’t give me much grief after dropping well north of $400k in a single moment. She was actually very happy for me and told me that she hasn’t seen me so over joyed in a very long time!😀

 

[Kaiser]

Now that folks with 296 experience have spoken, I’ll give you my 2 cents. McLaren should pay me royalty for saying this! 😀 I’d suggest a test drive and experience it for yourself. I’ve driven some fast cars and been a passenger in others. The 750S is the craziest car that I have ever driven! That’s about the extent of how I can describe this beast. I’m sure the hyper cars are on the next level but I’m more than completely content at this level. Be prepared to write a check if you go in for a test drive. My 750S was an impulse buy and I consider myself very disciplined financially. Fortunately my wife didn’t give me much grief after dropping well north of $400k in a single moment. She was actually very happy for me and told me that she hasn’t seen me so over joyed in a very long time!😀

It’s too cold where I am right now to give a proper drive. Not making any decisions until it warms up and I can drive both but just wanted to get some reading and thinking material to keep me company until then. I like reading about cars I guess.

Thanks for everyone’s input!

 

[thackl]

The 750 is that good! If Dallas had one when I was ready to buy, I would have seriously considered it, even thought it would have meant liquidation of my other toys to do it . That said, the Artura I did get is excellent. I truly wish McLaren hadn’t fumbled the release of this car, because it’s excellent in its own right. I haven’t had a bad McLaren yet (knocks on wood). I keep trying to talk myself into a FerrarI, but every time, McLaren is more car for less money and they simply fit me better as a tall driver.

 

[LMP]

The 750 is that good! If Dallas had one when I was ready to buy, I would have seriously considered it, even thought it would have meant liquidation of my other toys to do it . That said, the Artura I did get is excellent. I truly wish McLaren hadn’t fumbled the release of this car, because it’s excellent in its own right. I haven’t had a bad McLaren yet (knocks on wood). I keep trying to talk myself into a FerrarI, but every time, McLaren is more car for less money and they simply fit me better as a tall driver.

812 you would love xtra spacious interior SF90 ,296 smaller cabins …F8 also spacious. How are you enjoying the Artura? need to drive one

 

[GenevaGT]

The 750 is that good! If Dallas had one when I was ready to buy, I would have seriously considered it, even thought it would have meant liquidation of my other toys to do it . That said, the Artura I did get is excellent. I truly wish McLaren hadn’t fumbled the release of this car, because it’s excellent in its own right. I haven’t had a bad McLaren yet (knocks on wood). I keep trying to talk myself into a FerrarI, but every time, McLaren is more car for less money and they simply fit me better as a tall driver.

I'm 6'-4" and I've always been very comfortable in both the sport and super series McLarens. Regarding the 750S, I couldn't agree more with all the positive comments and I absolutely love my 750S Spider! If I had to come up with just one negative comment it would have to be regarding the sport mode trans. settings. To me the shifts feel overly boosted, to abrupt, and therefore come across as artificial. Yeah, the pops and bangs are cool but that's also some theater I can do without. Maybe I'm just getting older and have mellowed a bit. I understand the intent is to offer a more aggressive experience but IMHO it's just to over the top. My "kiwi" go to settings are trans in track mode (shifts are like butter and offers a more refined burble and bang sound track), suspension in comfort, shifting in manual, and the aero mode set to full "baller"!

 

[TokyoCyanArtura]

Earlier in this thread I explained my recent disdain for Porsche as the reason for such a big pivot to pick up two McLarens about a year apart - the Artura and the 750s spider. Both have a high MSO color and both are heavily optioned.

My issue with the 296 is three fold. First, I have never cared for the Ferrari pecking order to get their higher end cars, which is precisely one of the biggest reasons why I have moved on from Porsche to McLaren.

Secondly, I didn’t even consider the 296 when I bought the Artura because of the relative higher cost. Maybe I should have driven one but was so smitten with the balance, driveability and performance of the Artura that I couldn’t imagine paying a lot more for the 296. The 296 and the Artura are the real entry level competitors in that class, esp with their respective hybrid platforms. Not the 750 to the 296. To me, they in are completely different classes for comparisons sake.

Third, IMHO I just can’t get past the looks of the 296 especially from the rear. It’s too much of a corvette look from the rear to me. Once my brain saw a corvette look from the rear of the 296, I just couldn’t unsee it. To each his own…

 

[LMP]

I'm 6'-4" and I've always been very comfortable in both the sport and super series McLarens. Regarding the 750S, I couldn't agree more with all the positive comments and I absolutely love my 750S Spider! If I had to come up with just one negative comment it would have to be regarding the sport mode trans. settings. To me the shifts feel overly boosted, to abrupt, and therefore come across as artificial. Yeah, the pops and bangs are cool but that's also some theater I can do without. Maybe I'm just getting older and have mellowed a bit. I understand the intent is to offer a more aggressive experience but IMHO it's just to over the top. My "kiwi" go to settings are trans in track mode (shifts are like butter and offers a more refined burble and bang sound track), suspension in comfort, shifting in manual, and the aero mode set to full "baller"!

Funny you say you might be getting older feel the same much mellower here as well maybe we are just refined! Great kiwi setting

 

[MarkNC]

I don’t think there is another overpriced, overrated brand than Porsche. And it’s all because of Porsche fan boys. Porsche can sell its fanboys a brick of shit with Porsche logo on it with ADM. Sadly the fanboys will line up to bid over the ADM just so they can hang the shit brick in their living room. 1/50 Porsche shit brick. Made of Genuine turd from Andreas Preuninger.

In all seriousness there is nothing about a Porsche that justifies its price tag. People say it’s the best daily driver. The new Aston vantage is a LOT better daily. More exotic. More exciting and way more beautiful. I really hope the fanboys will get off the bandwagon and will be open to trying a real exotic.

You should never say never but I can confidently say I will never ever have a Porsche in my garage.

Sound likes you've never ever HAD a Porsche in your garage because if you did you'd probably be singing a different tune. Porsches are AWESOME! They've made some of the most iconic cars in history. There's nothing terribly exotic about an AM Vantage and nothing that makes it a better daily driver than a 911, especially if you opt for a 4 wheel drive 911. The Valkyrie and Valhalla are exotic for sure, but a Vantage, while a beautiful and classic-looking car is hardly exotic. I have multiple Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens but never felt the need to buy an Aston.

 

[06viper]

Sound likes you've never ever HAD a Porsche in your garage because if you did you'd probably be singing a different tune. Porsches are AWESOME! They've made some of the most iconic cars in history. There's nothing terribly exotic about an AM Vantage and nothing that makes it a better daily driver than a 911, especially if you opt for a 4 wheel drive 911. The Valkyrie and Valhalla are exotic for sure, but a Vantage, while a beautiful and classic-looking car is hardly exotic. I have multiple Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens but never felt the need to buy an Aston.

I will take my Aston 770 Ultimate any day over a 911. It's UNBELIEVABLE, by far the most beautiful car I have ever seen/spec'd. Makes a 911 look and sound like a Pinto. The TT V12 with the titanium exhaust I spec'd it with sounds like a dream. Rides like an S class Mercedes, and has the speed of a 570 or 600LT. Plus the custom 1 of 1 color I did with Aston came out crazy cool.

 

[invisiblewave]

I will take my Aston 770 Ultimate any day over a 911. It's UNBELIEVABLE, by far the most beautiful car I have ever seen/spec'd. Makes a 911 look and sound like a Pinto. The TT V12 with the titanium exhaust I spec'd it with sounds like a dream. Rides like an S class Mercedes, and has the speed of a 570 or 600LT. Plus the custom 1 of 1 color I did with Aston came out crazy cool.


View attachment 247969 View attachment 247963 View attachment 247965 View attachment 247966 View attachment 247967 View attachment 247968

Tokyo Cyan Aston! 😂😂😂

 

[Kaiser]

Earlier in this thread I explained my recent disdain for Porsche as the reason for such a big pivot to pick up two McLarens about a year apart - the Artura and the 750s spider. Both have a high MSO color and both are heavily optioned.

My issue with the 296 is three fold. First, I have never cared for the Ferrari pecking order to get their higher end cars, which is precisely one of the biggest reasons why I have moved on from Porsche to McLaren.

Secondly, I didn’t even consider the 296 when I bought the Artura because of the relative higher cost. Maybe I should have driven one but was so smitten with the balance, driveability and performance of the Artura that I couldn’t imagine paying a lot more for the 296. The 296 and the Artura are the real entry level competitors in that class, esp with their respective hybrid platforms. Not the 750 to the 296. To me, they in are completely different classes for comparisons sake.

Third, IMHO I just can’t get past the looks of the 296 especially from the rear. It’s too much of a corvette look from the rear to me. Once my brain saw a corvette look from the rear of the 296, I just couldn’t unsee it. To each his own…

Like it or not, the 296 and 750 are competitors despite the different engines. The performance and price are almost identical. They are also both brands current, premium, RWD mid-engine cars that you can spec and buy new. The 296VS will be even more ferocious when it comes out in 2025.

Both sound amazing from owners experiences that I have read, and I understand the McLaren bias here, but let's not pretend the 296 (from a performance standpoint) isn't an amazing car. The interior layout and infotainment system are the biggest turnoff for me.

 

[06viper]

Like it or not, the 296 and 750 are competitors despite the different engines. The performance and price are almost identical. They are also both brands current, premium, RWD mid-engine cars that you can spec and buy new. The 296VS will be even more ferocious when it comes out in 2025.

Both sound amazing from owners experiences that I have read, and I understand the McLaren bias here, but let's not pretend the 296 (from a performance standpoint) isn't an amazing car. The interior layout and infotainment system are the biggest turnoff for me.

Performance wise, they are similar that is correct. But, on the flip side, non Hybrid will win 10000000% of the time in the long run in terms of collectability and ease of service.

 

[MarkNC]

Completely agreed, that's why I tried to be very clear in saying I was only speaking for that specific moment in time. I know on paper, and in most videos, the 296 is wicked fast and likely faster than a 720s/750s in many situations. That day, for whatever reason, we were pretty neck and neck through the entire drive.

And yes, the 720s is even more bonkers fast when tuned once the tires hook up, no question about that. I am on the stock Corsas still and light them up through 3rd.

The 296 is still an amazing car, so effortlessly easy to build serious speed. It just doesn't kick you in the pants like a McLaren does.

I don't think the 296 is appreciably faster than the 750S. I just read a test that said 750S out accelerated the 296 to 60 mph and that the 296 just slightly beat it the quarter mile. So they're very close. One would assume the Ferrari would have more torque due to the electric motor. But on a track I would suggest the much lighter 750S should be the faster car. It would certainly be the safer car to try to go really fast in. The more weight you have the better a driver you need to be to control it. If you optioned the CCMR brakes, Trofeo RS tires and racing seats on the McLaren and the Assetto Fiorano package on the Ferrari, the McLaren would still be about 570 pounds lighter (according to Top Gear who weighed them) but with WAY more stopping power so you could carry more speed through the corners. The Ferrari might catch the McLaren on the straight but then have to slow down more to make the turns. Wash, rinse, repeat and it might be a toss up who wins the race and more track dependent. Either way you'd have a lot of fun! I got to track both cars back-to-back and there were both awesome. The first time I drove a 296 GTB (our dealer had a tester car way before they shipped to customers) I came away thinking it was the most playful Ferrari I have driven since the 458 which was a super playful, fun car to drive. That's why I ended up keeping the GTS despite how much the Ferrari's horrible HMI (human machine interface) infuriates me at times. It's fun to drive for a sporty run on twisty country roads but less fun to drive to get somewhere. The McLaren is fun and easy in both cases. If in the Ferrari you never listen to music, never use navigation/CarPlay, never try to use your heated seats, never use the high beams, never use the wipers, never try to get the car to charge the battery while driving, never drive it at night, never make phone calls, and never want to check tire pressures you might not care about the horrible HMI but then you're probably not driving the car very often. This is why the McLaren will stay long-term in my garage and why I'm already strategizing which car I'll trade the 296 on. Ferrari management should have been ousted for allowing such a horrible customer experience to continue to exist after they shipped it on the first car that had it.

Top Gear reviewed the two cars here: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/big-reads/a-supercar-fight-ages-mclaren-750s-vs-ferrari-296-gtb

 

[Nu2Mac]

Performance wise, they are similar that is correct. But, on the flip side, non Hybrid will win 10000000% of the time in the long run in terms of collectability and ease of service.

I’m beginning to embrace the “hybrid” technology as long as it’s not a plug in-think Porsche 992.2 GTS. I’m sure technology will continue to evolve but for now, I’m planning on staying 100% ICE. I’m ok with being a dinosaur! As always, to each their own.

 

[Kaiser]

Performance wise, they are similar that is correct. But, on the flip side, non Hybrid will win 10000000% of the time in the long run in terms of collectability and ease of service.

Yeah, true but no one is keeping the 750 or 296 as collectors cars. I also am not planning to keep the either car out of warranty. I’m comparing these two cars so I don’t care about in general statements

 

[Kaiser]

I don't think the 296 is appreciably faster than the 750S. I just read a test that said 750S out accelerated the 296 to 60 mph and that the 296 just slightly beat it the quarter mile. So they're very close. One would assume the Ferrari would have more torque due to the electric motor. But on a track I would suggest the much lighter 750S should be the faster car. It would certainly be the safer car to try to go really fast in. The more weight you have the better a driver you need to be to control it. If you optioned the CCMR brakes, Trofeo RS tires and racing seats on the McLaren and the Assetto Fiorano package on the Ferrari, the McLaren would still be about 570 pounds lighter (according to Top Gear who weighed them) but with WAY more stopping power so you could carry more speed through the corners. The Ferrari might catch the McLaren on the straight but then have to slow down more to make the turns. Wash, rinse, repeat and it might be a toss up who wins the race and more track dependent. Either way you'd have a lot of fun! I got to track both cars back-to-back and there were both awesome. The first time I drove a 296 GTB (our dealer had a tester car way before they shipped to customers) I came away thinking it was the most playful Ferrari I have driven since the 458 which was a super playful, fun car to drive. That's why I ended up keeping the GTS despite how much the Ferrari's horrible HMI (human machine interface) infuriates me at times. It's fun to drive for a sporty run on twisty country roads but less fun to drive to get somewhere. The McLaren is fun and easy in both cases. If in the Ferrari you never listen to music, never use navigation/CarPlay, never try to use your heated seats, never use the high beams, never use the wipers, never try to get the car to charge the battery while driving, never drive it at night, never make phone calls, and never want to check tire pressures you might not care about the horrible HMI but then you're probably not driving the car very often. This is why the McLaren will stay long-term in my garage and why I'm already strategizing which car I'll trade the 296 on. Ferrari management should have been ousted for allowing such a horrible customer experience to continue to exist after they shipped it on the first car that had it.

Top Gear reviewed the two cars here: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/big-reads/a-supercar-fight-ages-mclaren-750s-vs-ferrari-296-gtb

quick question for you; which year 296 do you have? They updated the steering wheel this year so just want to get an idea of which wheel you have.
Thanks