“Surprise in Surrey” – The Ferrari 458 Italia Knocks Out A New Challenger

DJ · #1 08-09-2011, 02:39 PM

“Surprise in Surrey” – The Ferrari 458 Italia Knocks Out A New Challenger
Re-posted from the Ferrari August 2011 Newsletter

Quote:

It was the sports car world’s equivalent to the “Thrilla in Manila,” the 1975 heavyweight bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. It was a duel anticipated for many months by car enthusiasts the world over, the first televised comparison test between the heretofore-unchallenged Ferrari 458 Italia and the newcomer from England, the McLaren MP4-12C produced by Ferrari’s F1 archrival.

At the end of the engine-screaming, corner-carving grudge match staged by England’s “Fifth Gear” TV show, driver-hosts Tiff Needel and Jason Plato emphatically declared the Ferrari the “clear winner.” (“Fifth Gear” ran its comparison test on the track that “Top Gear” also uses, the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England.)

“Fifth Gear’s” conclusion on the McLaren, also reached by three other British auto outlets, “Top Gear,” Autocar and AutoExpress, had come as a bit of a surprise to the British auto journalists who, perhaps not surprisingly, seemed to have been rooting for the home team going in. Needel and Pluto admitted as much in their segment, in which they expressed disappointment in the McLaren while unequivocally choosing the 458 Italia for both its tested performance and its “fun factor.” The latter, they conceded, was Maranello’s unequalled forte.

A clear win, however, was not the end of the story. Unexpected on-track drama added a second unexpected – and unwelcome – twist. Here’s how the duel played out:

Round 1: Testing the Benchmark

“Fifth Gear’s” Needel and Plato divvied up driving duties, Needel testing the 458 Italia for “fun” and Plato going for the fastest lap. (See sidebar below for drivers’ backgrounds.) In his first-ever drive in the 458 Italia, Needel found himself instantly comfortable and confident behind the wheel – and instantly smitten. Watch closely the portion of the video (embedded below) running from 2:16 to 3:38 and you’ll see Needel capture the essence of Ferrari perfectly. “I’ve just lit up 570 horsepower, and I’ve lit up the grin on my face!” Needel shouts. “I’ve only driven this car around two corners and already the confidence is unbelievable.” Trackside, and still grinning, he conveys his impression to Plato with two words: “I’m breathless!”

Needel takes the Ferrari out for another drive and clearly enjoys the car even more. He no doubt appreciated using the manettino to adjust the car’s dynamic handling controls to his own expert driving skills. He concludes his run by putting the 458 Italia into one of his signature moves, a tire-smoking “Tiff drift.”

Next, Plato reveals how much he, too, enjoys the Ferrari. “It’s just an electric experience,” he says from inside the car. “This is a flat-out 140 mile an hour corner and we’re sideways, and it’s no effort.” Trackside, he tells Needel, “I love this car. It’s my favorite-ever car.”

Round 2: Scrutinizing the Challenger

Next comes the McLaren. Even with the sound turned off, facial expressions on both drivers tell a markedly different story. Needel, looking for the car’s “fun factor,” feels no enjoyment at all. Instead, he finds the MP4-12C unpredictable through the corners, and he appears visibly shaken at the wheel. Trackside, he gestures a shaky hand to Plato. “I've got to learn to drive this more than I did the Ferrari that was instantly putty in my hands,” the experienced racer says.

Needel then nervously agrees to try for a “Tiff drift” but his decision leads to an off-track excursion that turns the McLaren into a “high speed lawn mower.” He explains, “The trouble was, I was trying to make the McLaren do exactly what it’s programmed not to do.”

Plato, in his lap that was a half-second behind the Ferrari’s, reveals his disdain for the McLaren’s dynamic handling systems. “I don't like it,” he says, citing a “disconnect” between the driver and the car. “To get the best out of it, you’ve probably got to drive it the way McLaren wants you to, and the way it’s been programmed to, and I’m not programmed that way.” (Autocar reached a similar conclusion in its McLaren test: “You have to do things its way, not yours. And that’s not always the most satisfying way.”)

Plato elaborates: “It’s very, very nervous on the brakes. It squirms around, and it won’t downshift when I want it to. But the big thing is, it’s nowhere near as fun, as engaging to drive, as exciting as the Ferrari. I’m genuinely, genuinely disappointed.”

The Decision: The “Fifth Gear” team’s conclusion on the McLaren MP4-12C

Needel: “The engine isn’t as good.”
Plato: “Agreed.”
Needel: “The gearbox isn’t as good.”
Plato: “Agreed.”
Needel: “The handling isn’t as good.”
Plato: “Very much agreed.”
Needel: “There can be only one winner.”
Plato: “And it’s a clear winner.”
Together: “The Ferrari!”

The Final Word

Although the McLaren MP4-12C may incorporate F1 technology transfer, impressive specifications alone cannot match the 60 years of racing experience and passion that underpins Ferrari’s road cars. As the “Fifth Gear” segment below makes that clear, that passion comes through not only in the way Ferraris perform, but also how they make the driver feel.

“Fifth Gear”
“Fifth Gear” debuted in 2001 as essentially a continuation of the original “Top Gear” TV series, which ran on the BBC, 1977-2001 and featured racer Tiff Needel as one of its presenters. He continued on the new show. His varied racing career included stints in F1 and Le Mans (where he finished third in 1990), as well as GT1, the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and rallycross. Also a highly accomplished racer, Jason Plato holds the record for the most overall wins in the BTCC.

Source [Ferrari]