Mine isn’t fitted, but it fits me so well
it could have been. Foot on the brake, pull the right lever to signal the
dual-clutch gearbox that you require first gear. Internally, it’s the same as
the Ferrari F12’s ’box, but outputs and inputs are adjusted to allow for engine
position and the inclusion of electricity.
Quite how a car charged, literally, with
950 hp can be coaxed forward with so little drama is a function of how far these
cars have come since the last frenzied bout of willy-waving 10 years back. The
Enzo’s automated manual gearbox didn’t feel too clever in 2004. Compared with
the LaF’s, it now seems like a cruel joke. In terms of pleasure, crawling a
Carrera GT through slow traffic is up there with kicking bricks barefoot. In
the P1, LaF, and 918, you can mooch along with the smoothness of a small
automatic sedan.
Visibility
is OK to the front of the P1. This is a wide car but the mirrors are good. It's
hard to judge the back, though
That last round of supercars—Enzo, Carrera
GT, et al.—espoused a kind of motorsport connection that could be considered
the last of a generation. Big motor, yards of carbon, and not much besides.
They were mostly analog, whereas this new group uses technology that inevitably
forces a physical and electronic disconnect between driver and machine. Many
people think the old way is best and the new way is evil, but based on what I
found in the Porsche 918, and more so in the McLaren P1, I think we’ve hit—or
at least approached—a sweet spot. I’m a believer; those who aren’t
flat-earthers or masochists who feel that low-speed obstinacy is cause for
celebration will be as well. That most worthy form of propulsion, the hybrid,
the supposed enemy of people like you and me, has been used in the most
exciting way imaginable.
The
cabin of LaFerrari is smaller than you might anticipate
The LaF confirms the trend. There isn’t
much time to drive at Fiorano, and since the temperatures are already good after
Raffaele’s virtuoso performance, we decide on speed right away. Steering is
light, fast, and instinctively accurate. Front-axle grip from the P Zero Corsas
is huge. As I tip the car into the first turn with some aggression, there’s
more compliance than I expected. You can actually sense the suspension bushings
flexing, a slightly odd feeling because your connection to the car—harnessed
into the frame—is so complete. It’s a telling reminder that LaF was designed
primarily for road use, to be compliant and comfortable, and there are thus no
spherical joints or pure race elements to the suspension. Which only makes the
car’s circuit performance more astounding.
The
Porsche 918’s interior is all about offering the driver a great driving
experience
Because the LaF feels absolutely connected.
If anything, the suggestion of body roll adds to the feedback, because it
brings crucial information about grip levels. Direction changes are immediate,
a wrist-flick. These first few miles bring confidence; yes, the instant
response of the powertrain is intimidating, because you aren’t yet sure if the
Pirellis can handle what is capable of being deployed, but you can call on the
assistance of some very clever electronics to aid your investigation. With
LaF’s engine and chassis management system in race mode, the rear axle is
allowed significant yaw, enough to leave the driver breathless at how easily
the car will push the rear axle wide, at how predictable and controllable small
slip angles are.
But it’s the sheer punch of the motor that
colors everything. And before describing the subjective results of a 950-hp
hybrid-gasoline V-12, we need to briefly touch on the technology, because it is
both outstanding and pertinent to anyone who enjoys fast cars.
