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BIMMERPOST Universal Forums General Automotive (non-BMW) Talk + Photos/Videos I drove a Mercedes McLaren SLR!!!

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      11-07-2007, 01:31 AM   #1
onefastdoc
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I drove a Mercedes McLaren SLR!!!

Actually, I spent the day driving multiple exotic cars including the Ferrari F430, Ferrari 599 GTB, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The best part of this experience was getting the opportunity to drive these cars back to back and get feel for how different the cars are. For example, driving the Vantage on any given day would probably be fun, but in the company of these cars, the Aston felt like a cheap and slow piece of crap. Anyway, I'll give you my impressions:

Ferrari F430: This car was my favorite. Not the fastest, but overall was so much fun to drive. I was truly in heaven. Feels very light, very responsive, amazing handling, beautiful interior, amazing sound. The mannetino stability control knob was fun to play with.

Ferrari 599 GTB: This car was a close second. It was much faster than the F430, and the shifts were faster as well. The 599 F1 transmission shifts in 60 milliseconds as opposed to the F430's 100msec time. Going from 40mph to 120mph and cracking off lightning fast gearchanges was mindblowing. It felt a little heavier, and the ride a little softer, more of a GT than a straight sports car which is why I liked the F430 better. This car is definitely more comfortable though and you could drive it cross country easily. Interior is gorgeous. The leather and carbon fiber were just beautiful, and nicer than the F430.

Mercedes McLaren SLR: You would think that the most expensive car of the group would be the best but it was terrible. What a disappointment. Okay, it is faster than anything I have been in (including the 599) but that's about it. The interior did not look that nice, it felt big and heavy, very stiff ride, and the seats were so uncomfortable and had limited adjustments. Also has poor visibility from the cockpit. According to the event organizer, that is basically the universal sentiment. Almost everyone that drives the SLR hates it, and loves the Ferraris.

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder: This car surprised me as well, but in a good way. I did not expect much given that most of the previous Lamborghinis were terrible to drive. However, Audi has done a good job designing a the Gallardo. The interior was nice (even though all the switchgear and steering wheel are Audi parts) though not nearly as nice as the Ferraris. The ride was similar to the F430. Felt fairly light and responsive, and the engine sound was even more amazing because the top was down. It definitely is not as sophisticated as the Ferrari, and the e-gear tranny, though mechanically the same as the F430, uses different software and is nowhere near as smooth as the Ferrari. Still a fun car overall.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage: Like I said earlier, by itself it probably is a decent car. However, on this day it felt like, an overweight, underpowered, cheap car. The interior felt cheap, particularly the center console. The leather was nice, as were the seats. The car is far too quiet, and I could barely hear the engine even under full throttle. By the way, at full throttle, I was looking at my passenger and asking him if something was wrong with the car. It felt sooooo slow. It literally felt like it had 280hp instead of the 380 it advertises. The Porsche 997 Carrera S is much more fun to drive.

The cars that we didn't get to drive: The Ford GT was crashed and suffered front end damage prior to this day. The 997 GT3 was rolled and destroyed and was therefore not available to drive either. Bummer.

My face hurt at the end of the day from smiling so much. It was pure heaven...

By the way, I did this through www.WorldClassDriving.com

Peace.
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      11-07-2007, 01:36 AM   #2
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pics

Almost forgot the pics.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...8AYuHDRq2YtGXb
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      11-07-2007, 01:38 AM   #3
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great stuff!! thanks for the review
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      11-07-2007, 03:18 AM   #4
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Very nice! The experience includes 3 cars for $895. How much was it for all 5 cars?
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      11-07-2007, 09:35 AM   #5
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Great thread....thanks for the write up and he great pics!
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      11-07-2007, 03:57 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e92phreak View Post
Very nice! The experience includes 3 cars for $895. How much was it for all 5 cars?
About $1200 for 5 cars. Definitely worth it considering you can't even rent an SLR or 599.
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      11-07-2007, 07:39 PM   #7
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Nice!!

I'm thinking about doing this next year Spring when they're up in Napa.
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      11-07-2007, 07:43 PM   #8
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how long did you guys get to drive each car for?

and how long was the overall event?
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      11-08-2007, 05:08 AM   #9
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I wish I could do that
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      11-08-2007, 09:36 AM   #10
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Very cool... I wish they had something like that here In Canada. What are the prerequisites for being able to drive these cars...
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      11-08-2007, 12:42 PM   #11
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great review thanks
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      11-08-2007, 12:55 PM   #12
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Hey someone else here did that same thing a while ago, funny. Looks like fun. I always wanted to do that, and there's always an ad for it in any of the major car mags.
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      11-08-2007, 02:17 PM   #13
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I drove a SLR...in GT4
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      11-08-2007, 06:30 PM   #14
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wow.... did your face come off at any point of that?
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      11-08-2007, 06:58 PM   #15
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looks like a blast
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      11-08-2007, 07:41 PM   #16
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plan on doing this next year when they come back to chicago...
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      11-09-2007, 12:51 PM   #17
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That is awesome... although after driving it I am afraid everything else would just not be as fun to drive... so I will save myself the heartache and keep on believing my car is fast
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      11-09-2007, 03:39 PM   #18
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the 599 is my dream car. insanely fast but still classy and not overdone.
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      11-09-2007, 04:21 PM   #19
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That looks like such an amazing experience! Must be tons of fun to drive someone else's exotic cars for the day. How long do you actually get to drive each car for?
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      11-09-2007, 05:46 PM   #20
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Good Review But A 599 Is Faster Than An Slr
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