Which 'Failed' Supercar Was Better Than The Rest?
Poll: Which 'Failed' Supercar Was Better Than The Rest?
Total Members Polled: 464
Discussion
Is the F50 really a failure?........it's highly rated by most people who've driven one, the entire production run was sold out and it continues to hold its value. Yes it's not as popular as the F40, but is that partly due to the relatively huge numbers of F40's made(more people have been in, drive, seen F40's)
I think failure is pretty hard to define tbh. Some cars were only built in small numbers, so of course there will only be a small number of sales. You can't sell more than were built.
Same goes for the motoring press. Really its not a singular opinion and most small car makers probably couldn't give a chuff anyway.
Same goes for the motoring press. Really its not a singular opinion and most small car makers probably couldn't give a chuff anyway.
AndrewW-G said:
Is the F50 really a failure?........it's highly rated by most people who've driven one, the entire production run was sold out and it continues to hold its value. Yes it's not as popular as the F40, but is that partly due to the relatively huge numbers of F40's made(more people have been in, drive, seen F40's)
I think the F50 is borderline. It didn't arrive with the same rep as the F40 and had no stand out statistic, i.e. top speed, 0-60. At the time it seemed that's all anyone cared about. Sure even Gordon Murray said the McLaren F1 wasn't built to achieve a new top speed, yet they still went out and tested it.AndrewW-G said:
Is the F50 really a failure?........it's highly rated by most people who've driven one, the entire production run was sold out and it continues to hold its value. Yes it's not as popular as the F40, but is that partly due to the relatively huge numbers of F40's made(more people have been in, drive, seen F40's)
It certainly wasn't a commercial failure for Ferrari. I think its smaller following now may also be down to how guarded Ferrari were with the press. I don't think anybody was actually allowed to roadtest it were they? Just a few laps of Fiorano. The styling does it no favours either though I think its more accepted now than when it was released. I personally think they look good with the hardtop on (softop looks awful) but red isn't their best colour.I'd vote for the McLaren F1 in that it was a commercial failure and arguably the greatest supercar of them all.
Edited by Gad-Westy on Wednesday 6th May 11:38
Graham said:
the jag was simply too big and had the engine from a metro !!!
That's so lame.
First off, it might have been badged "Metro" but the 6R4 had little in common with it.
Plus the V6 was actually an extended development of the Rover V8, itself a development of the Buick 215ci small block.
And lastly it was and still is a very potent and capable engine. So what exactly was wrong with it?
300bhp/ton said:
And lastly it was and still is a very potent and capable engine. So what exactly was wrong with it?
Biggest problem I heard was that people put their deposits on it expecting the V12 they were initially promised.Once people heard it was a V6, combined with other factors, they demanded their deposits back in spades.
G_T said:
300bhp/ton said:
And lastly it was and still is a very potent and capable engine. So what exactly was wrong with it?
Biggest problem I heard was that people put their deposits on it expecting the V12 they were initially promised.Once people heard it was a V6, combined with other factors, they demanded their deposits back in spades.
G_T said:
300bhp/ton said:
And lastly it was and still is a very potent and capable engine. So what exactly was wrong with it?
Biggest problem I heard was that people put their deposits on it expecting the V12 they were initially promised.Once people heard it was a V6, combined with other factors, they demanded their deposits back in spades.
For me its the XJ220. It is STILL one of the fastest road cars ever. And it took the mclaren f1 to go faster. That alone makes it worthy. Add to it the looks, and its shoudl have been a winner.
The fact is if anyone else made a car like it, it would be hailed as one of the true greats. yet, somehow people are still stupid enough to say "its got a Metro engine", as if they really think you could get a metro engine and make it power a car up to 217mph.
Gad-Westy said:
Was certainly one factor. It was also meant to be 4 wheel drive and more compact than it ended up. The asking price went through the roof and by the time the car went on sale we were in a recession. Not the fairest start in life!
Oh yes I'd forgotten that part about 4 wheel drive.It wasn't supposed to be more compact was it? The concept designs were actually larger than the finished model if memory serves? So it was actually smaller...
G_T said:
300bhp/ton said:
And lastly it was and still is a very potent and capable engine. So what exactly was wrong with it?
Biggest problem I heard was that people put their deposits on it expecting the V12 they were initially promised.Once people heard it was a V6, combined with other factors, they demanded their deposits back in spades.
Having said that. The V6 is in many ways better than the Jag V12. Don't get me wrong I love the fact the V12 existed and it was/is one of the smoothest engines I've ever witnessed (had an XJ-S V12). But its not the best powerplant in the world. The V6 was smaller, lighter, lower C of G, better packaging, more powerful and critically more economical than the V12.
Had they gone the V12 route it wouldn't have been such a fast/good car IMO.
But I can understand the outrage at the time.
daveco said:
AndrewW-G said:
Is the F50 really a failure?........it's highly rated by most people who've driven one, the entire production run was sold out and it continues to hold its value. Yes it's not as popular as the F40, but is that partly due to the relatively huge numbers of F40's made(more people have been in, drive, seen F40's)
I think the F50 is borderline. It didn't arrive with the same rep as the F40 and had no stand out statistic, i.e. top speed, 0-60. At the time it seemed that's all anyone cared about. Sure even Gordon Murray said the McLaren F1 wasn't built to achieve a new top speed, yet they still went out and tested it.
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