Thoughts on the McLaren MP4-12C?
03-22-2010, 01:34 PM
#31
03-22-2010, 06:27 PM
#35
Nordschleife Master
seattleite,
I doubt the lack of a full manual will turn a single person who can buy one away. That is the direction the world is going, like it or not. It is WAY faster and WAY more accurate than any human is these days. Sure, it is fun to stir the box from time to time, but those days are coming to a rapid end now!
The rocker system for this car is AWESOME too...you can use the paddles on either side to go up OR down! Why has not other manufacturer done this? SO MUCH nicer! That way if you only have one hand on the wheel (like me WHENEVER I drive...I am in a wheelchair and use handcontrols) it does not matter which hand it is and you don't have to switch back and forth! WAY TO GO McLaren!
That Ueno Clinic race car looks AWESOME! They raced a Mc F1 for years...SA-WEET!
I doubt the lack of a full manual will turn a single person who can buy one away. That is the direction the world is going, like it or not. It is WAY faster and WAY more accurate than any human is these days. Sure, it is fun to stir the box from time to time, but those days are coming to a rapid end now!
The rocker system for this car is AWESOME too...you can use the paddles on either side to go up OR down! Why has not other manufacturer done this? SO MUCH nicer! That way if you only have one hand on the wheel (like me WHENEVER I drive...I am in a wheelchair and use handcontrols) it does not matter which hand it is and you don't have to switch back and forth! WAY TO GO McLaren!
That Ueno Clinic race car looks AWESOME! They raced a Mc F1 for years...SA-WEET!
03-22-2010, 06:45 PM
#36
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
03-22-2010, 07:02 PM
#37
Nordschleife Master
My thoughts are, how reliable do you really think a totally new car from any manufacture be, let alone McLaren? While it may be a finely designed and engineered car, it will take years to get the engineering and manufacturing bugs under control. Did any of you see the You-Tube of the McLaren from San Francisco burning?
Mark
Mark
No interest in the first model or two. I have no doubts that I can go out today, start up my 3, go blast all day on the track and drive her home just as strong as when I first lit her up. There are very very few cars that can do that day in and day out. Something to be said for that.
03-22-2010, 08:09 PM
#38
Nordschleife Master
Grant,
You are quite right...none of us will be able to know the true answer to that question. We can however look at Ferrari and how they are doing with their F1 trans (they offer the regular 6 spd and the F1 remember) and the F1 is almost 90% of what people order.
One thing for sure...they will sell every damn one they can build for the next 5+ years! I assure you reliability and flappy paddle shifters will make no difference, they won't be able to build enough of these if they price them anywhere close to a 458 Ferrari! I just wish I could afford one!
Allegretto, I LOVE your paint scheme! That car is HOT LOOKING!!!
You are quite right...none of us will be able to know the true answer to that question. We can however look at Ferrari and how they are doing with their F1 trans (they offer the regular 6 spd and the F1 remember) and the F1 is almost 90% of what people order.
One thing for sure...they will sell every damn one they can build for the next 5+ years! I assure you reliability and flappy paddle shifters will make no difference, they won't be able to build enough of these if they price them anywhere close to a 458 Ferrari! I just wish I could afford one!
Allegretto, I LOVE your paint scheme! That car is HOT LOOKING!!!
03-25-2010, 06:08 AM
#39
Just thought the Mclaren supporters in this thread would enjoy:
http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010...tion-line.aspx
http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010...tion-line.aspx
03-25-2010, 01:33 PM
#40
Three Wheelin'
Grant,
You are quite right...none of us will be able to know the true answer to that question. We can however look at Ferrari and how they are doing with their F1 trans (they offer the regular 6 spd and the F1 remember) and the F1 is almost 90% of what people order.
One thing for sure...they will sell every damn one they can build for the next 5+ years! I assure you reliability and flappy paddle shifters will make no difference, they won't be able to build enough of these if they price them anywhere close to a 458 Ferrari! I just wish I could afford one!
Allegretto, I LOVE your paint scheme! That car is HOT LOOKING!!!
You are quite right...none of us will be able to know the true answer to that question. We can however look at Ferrari and how they are doing with their F1 trans (they offer the regular 6 spd and the F1 remember) and the F1 is almost 90% of what people order.
One thing for sure...they will sell every damn one they can build for the next 5+ years! I assure you reliability and flappy paddle shifters will make no difference, they won't be able to build enough of these if they price them anywhere close to a 458 Ferrari! I just wish I could afford one!
Allegretto, I LOVE your paint scheme! That car is HOT LOOKING!!!
03-25-2010, 04:42 PM
#41
Just thought the Mclaren supporters in this thread would enjoy:
http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010...tion-line.aspx
http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010...tion-line.aspx
03-25-2010, 04:45 PM
#42
Really? That would really limit a large majority of your future sports car choices. I prefer to do my own shifting too but I don't know if I can say "No new Ferrari's for me".
03-25-2010, 05:26 PM
#43
Rennlist Member
To ME, the SMGs, DCTs, etc, are still MANUALS but they just do their job with a better, faster and more accurate user interface/control that doesn't require the use of an auxiliary mechanism (that has nothing to do IMO with the driving experience) that needs to be operated by the driver to interrupt the power transmission between engine and gearbox (i.e manually operated Clutch). The "manual" clutch, IMO, is an obsolete user interface that is not at all adequate for the performance of modern cars. My GT2 would be perfect if it had a "pedal clutchless" Manual.
All new interfaces require some adaptation (what about independent braking for left and right or front/rear wheels operated by hand levers like in a Bike? Sure that will make a few rennlisters puke!) and taking out the Clutch pedal is an awesome idea...
The ones guilty about screwing customer perception about the "clutchless" manuals are the marketing boffins who promote these gearboxes as the "new" automatics.... that's why SMG failed in the market while still being a mechanically sound and good performance solution (much lighter than DCT)
03-25-2010, 05:52 PM
#44
Three Wheelin'
I've not been thrilled with the direction cars, particularly sport cars, have been heading. That's partly the reason I bought the 2008 RS... limited (though still too many) 'driver aids'/electronic nannies, but still basically a real driver's car.
03-25-2010, 06:49 PM
#45
Nordschleife Master
cgomez, I could not agree with you more. Porsche produced the first PDK transmission in the early '80's to the express purpose of making their 962 (or was it still even the 956?) faster and more accurate (as you point out) than ANY of their race car drivers could shift the car. Now it is so good we can have that too.
For some people unless they are getting a good left leg and right arm work out they just won't be happy. My best friend just tore his left quadracept working out and ask him if he wouldn't rather have an automatic (or PDK, SMG, F1, etc) car right now! OH YEA! He is stuck...he can't go ANYWHERE because he has a manual tranny car (single guy and only one car).
For some people unless they are getting a good left leg and right arm work out they just won't be happy. My best friend just tore his left quadracept working out and ask him if he wouldn't rather have an automatic (or PDK, SMG, F1, etc) car right now! OH YEA! He is stuck...he can't go ANYWHERE because he has a manual tranny car (single guy and only one car).