Which would you rather autocross (also, my wife is awesome)

"MoCamino" (mocamino)
04/05/2020 at 09:38 • Filed to: None

Yesterday for my 50th birthday my wife got me an exotic car driving experience! This fall (assuming the Coronapocolypse is over) I will get to do autocross laps in a Ferrari 458, a Lamborghini Gallardo, or a McLaren MP4-12C. The best car I have ever driven is the 2002 Corvette my dad used to have. These three are obviously far superior machines and way beyond anything I’ll ever drive again. So, which would you choose to make a memory in?

Also, my daughter and I made gooey butter cake today. I’d never had it before, but my wife has and said we got it right. It was delicious!

DISCUSSION (48)

Thisismydisplayname > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 09:46

Ferrari.

daender > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 09:51

The Lambo, if not purely for the noise of that V10.

sony1492 > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 09:55

12c

Tekamul > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:08

McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren McLaren

AndMudflapsForAll > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:12

McLaren

Snuze: Needs another Swede > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:12

For AutoX I’d go Ferrari for the following reasons:

Its RWD and normally aspirated. The RWD makes it more hoonable than the AWD Lambo because you can walk the back end around easier and/or do more epic slideybois in it. The N/A engine should give you better response than the McLaren. Im sure McLaren’s tuning is great and you barely know its turbo and response is good, but I dunno.

Ive driven a 458 and its absolutely magical. So I may also be a bit biased.

Edgyhal94 > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:20

Happy birthday, I’d say it’s a very tough decision.

McLaren is apparently the “best” but I’ve heard they are a bit souless, the Gallardo looks fun and the 458, which is my favourite out the lot, so I’m biased and would drive that one.

Grindintosecond > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:29

I would track day the lambo for the noise, but I think the Ferrari ofr the cross because I think the comparison will be better . Also because I feel it’s the morenimble of the three that will actually let you drive it. I wonder if the MP4 has so much tech wizadry it will be the car and not you doing it.

A Boy and His Longtail > Tekamul
04/05/2020 at 10:37

I second the response for the Big Mac

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:38

Awesome! I’ve done one of these years ago but it was on a track. I picked the Gallardo and my brother in law picked the Ferrai (f430 at the time) and my dad picked an R8. After our laps were finished, which happened in the blink of an eye, they let you pay another fee and you could go again in a different car.i didnt but later wish I had. They had an SLS I should have tried.

Any of them will be awesome, but I’d probably go with the McLaren in your case. That was not an option when I went.

Also I would make sure to push it hard enough to “accidentally” spin it. You might get laughed at but looking back you will know for sure that you pushed the car as hard as you/it could go. When I did the Gallardo there was a ride along instructor with you, and while I hit lowish triple digits, I never really “felt the limits” of the car in the turns. Looking back I wish I was able to push it harder to really feel what the car could do.

Keep us posted on what you pick and take pictures!

MultiplaOrgasms > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:41

Gallardo. Easiest to drive for normal people, best noise.

QCGoose > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:48

The Lambo simply for the intoxicating sound.

The Ferrari will likely have the bet ter handling and driver feedback, but it sounds like two Honda Civics fighting eachother. Gross.

The McLaren, from what I’m told, has fantastic performance and handling... but you can’t really tell because it’s so sterile. The car, like the Nissan GTR, does the driving for you. It’s very lacking in driver engagement and feedback. “Too technical” is how it’s described most often.

And just FYI, you most likely won’t be able to turn off any nannies or even do the shifting yourself. That’s how these exotic driving experie nces usually go. Which is understandable, as these cars aren’t ours and they’re expensive, but just know you won’t be able to do any actual hooning in them.

Years ago (2012 I think) , my wife (then-fiance) got me an exotic driving experience at a track in Joiliet, IL and out of all the cars, I chose the Gallardo. My other choices were a Ferrari F430, Audi R8 V8, Mercedes SLS-AMG, and I forget the other cars . Since we weren’t gonna be chasing track times and weren’t racing for positions, I figured I might as well go for th e car that would give me the most entertainment in looks and sounds, and the Gallardo more than delivered . That howling V10 behind me going through the revs around the course and then banging off a couple shifts at redline down the front straight sent shivers down my spine and is forever ingrained in my memory.

XJDano > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:54

Oh shit gooey butter cake. Mmmmmm

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 10:55

The barely competitive side of myself says the 12-C as it is the technically most capable of that three.

The Lambo is probably the easiest to drive since AWD, and that V10 does sound absolutely epic.

But as others have said, the Ferrari is the best choice because it is the most exciting the drive. So, begrudgingly, I’d have to pick that one as well. I’m still bitter at the Prancing Pony for all their cultish BS. But they do make amazing cars. Most of the time anyway.

Also, Happy Old!

MoCamino > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/05/2020 at 12:20

Exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for.Thanks! I am leaning toward Ferrari, for all the reasons you gave. If it was on a big circle track where I could wind it out, I’d probably go McLaren.

MoCamino > Edgyhal94
04/05/2020 at 12:21

Thanks! The Ferrari seems like probably the best bet for the circumstances.

MoCamino > Grindintosecond
04/05/2020 at 12:21

Good point on the tech wizardry.

MoCamino > QCGoose
04/05/2020 at 12:25

Good point in the V10 noises. Part of me wants to stay RWD, but the Gallardo would keep me between the cones better without just driving for me like the McLaren would.

MoCamino > XJDano
04/05/2020 at 12:25

It was goooood.

MoCamino > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
04/05/2020 at 12:27

Thanks! Hitting those “significant fraction of a century” birthdays get my attention. Other than having more aches and pains after a wrenching session than I used to, I don’t feel TOO old yet. :)

Captain of the Enterprise > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 12:32

I did a three lap experience once at a small airport. I drove a 360 Modena for one and a Gallardo for two. I will say the Lambo was less scary as it felt so much more planted with the AWD over the RWD. So, I would recommend that. It does sound like you have more experience than me as at the time the fastest thing I had driven was a 05 Crown Vic civilian spec.

I’d prefer AWD so Lambo.

My bird IS the word > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 12:36

Gallardo for sure, as most exciting. I hate corporate F errari and the 12c looks so meh. Maybe if it was one of the newer McLarens....

W ith my taste, the car has to look the part and be fast for me to be interested. It doesn’t have to be the best at either. I like em well rounded.

MoCamino > Captain of the Enterprise
04/05/2020 at 12:44

Although I drove the Vette a few times, I never tracked it (or anything else for that matter). Honestly the fastest I have ever driven was in the 79 280zx I had in college. That thing was fun in excess of the posted limits. :)

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 12:45

Having driven all 3 for extended periods,daily drove a 458 for a spell, you will have the most fun in the Ferrari. The McLaren is honestly a keyboard and mouse, you input commands and the car does the rest , fun for some, not for others. F eels quicker than the other two, rides a bit better as well . The Ferrari will save your ass in a bad situation, more so than the Lamborghini and its AWD . If the Lamborghini was a gated manual, I’d say go for the Lamborghini, but it is most likely an e-gear, so go for the Ferrari, the gearbox is worlds better.

Also remember, these cars are pretty ragged out by now, they do not live a pampered life. So have as much fun as they will let you ;)

MoCamino > My bird IS the word
04/05/2020 at 12:45

Well rounded is a good call. Corp Ferrari does tick me off. It’s a good thing I have a few months to decide. I will probably change my mind 100 times. :)

MoCamino > GoodIdeaAtTheTime
04/05/2020 at 12:49

Yeah they are all automatic, and I know they won’t be pristine (or even clean) examples. I just know it’s going to be fun. Deciding between the Ferrari and the Lambo is going to be hard.

My bird IS the word > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 13:20

Luckily it's a win-win situation. Have fun.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 13:46

Ferrari for me but I am biased lol

Is your wife from St. Louis? I have many questions to ask about the gooey butter cake. I haven't had one in a while and they are my favorite.

TechJunky > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 13:56

My wife got me a chance to take a Lambo Gallardo on a track as a wedding gift. I'm 6'0" tall and was warned I may be a bit too tall. Sure enough, it was a very tight fit. Luckily, the Gallardo was a little overbooked, so they let me take a Ferrari 458 instead. I fit much better, and it was an amazing car on the track. Highly recommend it.

QCGoose > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 14:51

I would just go with the one that pulls your heartstrings the most. We'll all give you our opinions, but it's so subjective that only you can say which one you wanna get behind the wheel of most.

Edgyhal94 > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 14:53

No problem, we share a birthday weekend this year (today the 5th is mine) so I don’t mind helping.

MoCamino > Edgyhal94
04/05/2020 at 15:56

Happy birthday!

MoCamino > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
04/05/2020 at 15:59

She lived there for a couple of years. The office she was in had one just about every month. Here is the recipe we used. She said it was pretty authentic. https://www.frugalfarmwife.com/article/gluten-free-french-butter-cake-2/

MoCamino > TechJunky
04/05/2020 at 16:00

That was the one bit I forgot to ask about. I’m 6’1” and about 230lbs. Sounds like the Ferrari might fit me better.

Edgyhal94 > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 16:26

Thanks! I unbiasedly suggest the Ferrari.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 17:39

She did good. There are too main styles for gooey butter cake. This one, and the wrong style. This one is actually gooey and delicious. The other is, like, flakey, I guess. Certainly not gooey which seems like an important trait for a cake if it has gooey in the name. Lol

Looks good, though! My brother is gluten free and misses GBC. I might have to show him this recipe

MoCamino > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
04/05/2020 at 17:51

The gluten free cake mix we used was King Arthur Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix . As I was mixing it up (for this recipe anyway) it smelled really good. I think it would make a really good yellow cake on its own. But why, when you can add cream cheese and a metric crap ton of butter and make Gooey Butter Cake instead?

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > MoCamino
04/05/2020 at 17:57

I love yellow cake with chocolate icing but not nearly as much as cake with extra butter, sugar, and cream cheese haha!