Ferrari F8 Spider, the topless version of the F8 Tributo.
Supercars have a common theme: They have plenty of sex appeal and are blazingly fast. They are also able to carve up one’s favourite road or race track with real brio, making you feel like a hero in the process.
Unfortunately, the price of one of these could buy a small apartment in town. But what the heck, you only live once right?
No thanks to the pandemic, only a few from this rarified segment arrived this year.
From the UK there’s the McLaren GT ($859,000). From Italy, we have the Lamborghini EVO RWD ($798,000) and the Ferrari F8 Tributo/Spider ($998,000/1,098,000).
It needs to be said that these cars are not strictly comparable as they each occupy a different market niche within the supercar market but we need to select a winner.
They all boast mid-engine layouts, but only the V10 of the Lambo EVO RWD is naturally aspirated. It produces 610 PS but its roar makes up for a lot and some may say it’s worth everything.
Dr Lam says the McLaren GT lets one enjoy the nuances of a sports car without suffering too much for it.
The McLaren GT and Ferrari F8 Tributo and F8 Spider have quieter turbocharged V8s. The 4-litre V8 in the McLaren GT is good for 620 PS but the Ferrari F8 Tributo/Spider reaches another level altogether with an impressive 720 PS from its 3.9-L V8.
Not surprisingly it is the Ferrari that reaches the century mark first at 2.9 seconds followed by the McLaren at 3.2 seconds and the Lambo just a tick behind at 3.3 seconds.
Subjectively, one would say the Lambo “sounds” the fastest, thanks to its spine-tingling soundtrack, whereas the McLaren is deceptively quick because of its refinement.
However, it is the Ferrari that delivers true vision-blurring acceleration, while not being too “anti-social” in the sound department.
The Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD delighted our supercar specialist with its handling and raspy engine soundtrack.
Even with the suppleness of a Grand Tourer, the McLaren appears to be pretty sharp in the chassis department with excellent steering feel because it alone retains electro-hydraulic assistance. This McLaren allows you to savour the nuances of a proper sports car without having to suffer too much for the pleasure of driving one.
Of course with its more powerful engine, it is expected that the Ferrari F8 Tributo outperforms the other two and justifies its price. While the F8 blazes the track, it has impressive ride comfort in the default Sport setting.
But the clincher is how good its electric power steering feels. It is a real breakthrough for Ferrari to have such communicative steering making the F8 thoroughly engaging at any speed.
The Lamborghini EVO RWD is set up for fun at the track and its firm suspension settings give it sharp handling at the expense of a little ride comfort. Its sonorous naturally aspirated V10 is its soul, but the RWD chassis is really capable and delivers an intense experience that has more appeal to an old-school enthusiast.
Moreover, through some quirk of marketing, Lamborghini decided to price it at the bottom of its Huracan totem pole, undercutting the most expensive car here by over $200k.
None of these is the perfect supercar. But thanks to each marque serving up their best efforts, we now know what is the best in each department.
The ideal amalgamation would have the Lambo’s V10/RWD oversteer handling, the Ferrari’s gearbox/performance and the McLaren’s suppleness/steering.
That said, if price is not an issue, then the Ferrari F8 is the “Coolest Supercar” by a thin margin. If I had to be pragmatic, the Lamborghini is close enough.
Besides, with the savings, I could have a Toyota Yaris GR as my everyday car – and some spare change in my pocket!
Torque Honours 2020 – An introduction
Click here for our Ferrari F8 Tributo review
Head here for our Ferrari F8 Spider review
Read our McLaren GT review here
Don’t forget to check out our Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD review
