Car and Driver reported several days ago that the 2024 McLaren 750S is the quickest RWD vehicle the periodical has ever tested, besting the previous champion, the Ferrari 296GTB, in the 0-60 sprint.
By the time you read this, the McLaren would have already hit 60. If you need a quantitative description, that’s 2.3 seconds, beating the Ferrari by a tenth. In most other acceleration metrics, the Ferrari is marginally faster, like quarter-mile ET, with the 296GTB’s electric assist showing its charms in 30-50 and 50-70 passing runs.
In the case of the V8-powered McLaren, here’s how one gets the kind of thrust needed to achieve 2.3 seconds:
- Turn off stability control
- Pin the throttle
Now that the tires are clean, a peak acceleration run is possible.
The performance of modern cars certainly is incredible, but sometimes they make me yawn because there are so many powerful cars—including sedans like the Audi RS7—that offer astounding acceleration that not long ago was only dreamed of by exotics. If you go back to my childhood, cars like the Lamborghini Countach never managed better than 4.9 seconds to 60, which is hardly impressive today. Sure, this was the age of Malaise, but the Buick Grand National matched the Lambo to 60 in 1986. In truth, many vintage American muscle cars from the 1960s were as fast or faster than exotics in these acceleration tests, with many of the best muscle cars hovering around six seconds and a select few delving into the 5s.
Yet, today, when a four-door Honda Accord will out-accelerate many vintage muscle cars – which is impressive – it’s hard to be impressed by McLaren and Ferrari moving the bar marginally every year. Sure, anything under three seconds is nuts (as is anything under four seconds), but what’s next? Tire technology and computer controls make it happen, but what controls that absurdity? It’s like asking a person who’s won an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, World Series, Superbowl, Stanley Cup, NBA Finals, PGA Championship, and Indy 500, “What’s next?”
I’m not suggesting we need to stop moving the bar – far from it. But I’m finding it difficult to find the romance in these cars that seem so automatic (irony noted).
Source: www.classiccars.com