We have been drooling over the prospects of getting the definitive answer for which of the three most desirable supercars in the world – the Porsche 918, McLaren P1 and LAFerrari is the fastest. Months after they told us they will settle the dispute, BBC still haven’t given us an answer. Top Gear writers have written about their driving experience on public roads, but we don’t really care much about that. And before one Stig could goad these beasts around the Top Gear test track, one Jeremy Clarkson decided to punch his producer bloody in the nose and get the brightest prospect of a supercar showdown in years go down the drain.
Thanks then, to Motor Trend, who have grabbed the opportunity with both hands and given the fans a definitive verdict on which of these two ultra-desirable machines is better. We say two because Ferrari refused to lend their creation to be pitted against the other two. Probably they thought it was too fast, probably too slow, or probably they found the stature of Motor Trend too low, in any case, we probably would never know. And it rhymes too!
So what’s the word? Well, the test drivers from the American publication took the two beasts to Laguna Seca and after some rounds of rigorous on-track testing, the less powerful and heavier Porsche 918 managed to edge past the McLaren P1. The difference? Almost one full second. So while the Mclaren P1 recorded its fastest time at 1:30.71, the 918 disposed the distance in 1:29.89. Porsche’s more sorted engineering, and a grippier AWD system lending it the advantage around corners.
In P1’s favour, the good blokes at Motor Trend said the car was the “quickest-accelerating production car we’ve ever tested”. Which means given the rather technical nature of the Laguna Seca, the results on a faster track could have been different. So which one would you lay your bet on if the two hypercars were to slug it out on the fast Monza circuit?
Images and results courtesy: Motor Trend
Was the Porsche racing top down as pictured?
If anything, it only adds to the confusion. Evo magazine have done the same test and found Mclaren P1 to be faster!
Here is the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiyyO7vrdiI
P.s Clarkson’s punching has to do nothing with it.. Ferrari weren’t bothered to give them a car as well.. And they had only agreed to do so if all the cars came from factory.. By the time Mclaren accepted this stipulation, Porsche probably had no cars in the factory.. So it could have very well happened in the next season anyway.. And going by the rate at which Top Gear was making new seasons, we could have waited till next year anyway..
I had expected this.. Around a track with exactly the same rubber the Porsche would have been faster.. Then again are we sure both were on same tyres..? P.s on a track like Laguna Seca, I am not so sure the LaF would be any faster than the Porsche.. But on Monza though, it could very well be the fastest by some distance..