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Old 12-22-2003, 07:48 AM   #27
stradale
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 2,737
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Yeah, a great first post. But, I don't agree.

A debate on taste is virtually endless of course, but I can say with certainty that there are people who hate the looks of the SLR. Me, for instance.

If practicality is what we're after with supercars nowadays, then still the SLR needn't have looked like this. The McLaren F1 has aircon, radio and luggage space, but is also a car with a proper gearbox, stunning supercar looks and a normally aspirated V12 which sits in the middle. The SLR might have buttons on the steering wheel, but don't be fooled. It's not like the paddle shift gearboxes as on a Ferrari or Vanquish. It's got a torque converter like any other automatic gearbox. Which shouldn't even be in anything remotely sporty. The brakes have not only met critisism from Richard Hammond BTW. Read the evo article on the SLR (it's here somewhere), in which Metcalfe reports a total lack of feel in the brakes.

You stated that the Enzo doesn't have airconditioning. That is not true I'm afraid. It has a fully automatic climate control with a sun sensor. And if you're still wary about the CGT's clutch, just ask st-anger. He can tell you from his own experience that this clutch just needs a different approach. Do it like that and it's easy and no problem at all. The journos who stalled it in first were either not listening to the people of Porsche or did not follow their instructions.

The ride height is just something you have to live with IMO. Although it's not so bad that you can't drive roads with crests. It's there for a reason as well. That's why these cars deliver the thrilling drive they do. Besides, I doubt the SLR can take the speedbumps in my town any better than an Enzo or a CGT.

If you want a fast car you can live with every day, buy a Bentley Continental GT, a 911 turbo or a Ferrari 575M. Sure they're not as fast, but if you use it for everyday driving you're talking about a margin you wouldn't notice in regular traffic. If you want a true supercar, buy an Enzo, CGT, Koenigsegg, Murcielago, Pagani etc. The SLR is somewhere in between in some sort of no-man's land. But why? People who pay this kind of money for a supercar already have another car as their daily driver and intend to use it on special drives only.
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