McLaren P1 vs. Porsche 918 Spyder vs. Ducati 1199 Superleggera drag race
Check out the McLaren P1 vs Porsche 918 Spyder vs Ducati 1199 Superleggera drag race
The McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder are two of the hottest hypercars on offer at the moment, but how well will they fare in a straight line against the fastest Ducati on sale? Autocar pitch them both against a 1199 Superleggera to find out.
Autocar, is the world’s leading motoring magazine and website, delivers industry-leading news, the most in-depth car reviews and opinion from our team of experts. Our presenters include some of the world’s top motoring journalists who have unrivalled access to the world’s fastest, rarest, most exotic and most exciting cars on some of the world’s best roads and race tracks.
The surprise here is the third competitor. First off, it only has two wheels. Yes, it’s a motorcycle. The Ducati 1199 Superleggera holds its own with its Superquadro L-twin producing over 200 hp and nearly 100 pound-feet of torque at 10,200 rpm. Its wet weight is just 390 pounds, giving it the highest power-to-weight ratio of any production motorcycle in hisory, according to Ducati. With a production run of just 500 units worldwide, the 1199 Superleggera goes for $65,000.
There is a noticeable void in the shape of a missing LaFerrari. The folks at Autocar say “We invited Ferrari to provide a car as well, as course, but for various reasons, they declined. Which is a shame, but it doesn’t matter. Because we got hold of something else that’s fast, red and Italian to take its place. And the drag race we ensued was one of the closest we’ve ever staged.”
Carbon fiber and exotic metals such as titanium and magnesium went into these three vehicles, giving them the relentlessly pursued combination of strength and lightness. In fact, the Ducati Superleggera takes its name from the Italian word for “super light.” Even when considering the tremendous amount of horsepower they put out, the power-to-weight ratios are still mind boggling. The Ducati comes in first place in this respect, with its 1.2-liter L-twin hammering out 1,315 hp per ton. The RWD McLaren’s twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 combines with its electric motor to produce 903 hp, the highest of the group. Its power-to-weight ratio is 623 hp per ton. Finally, the 4WD Porsche, with its 4.6-liter V8 and two electric motors, puts down 535 hp per ton.
There are so many variables here to make an exciting race: drivetrains, gearing, weight, rev limits, aerodynamics and more must all work together to keep the power flowing while providing traction to reach the finish line. Of course, the skill of the driver/rider will also contribute to the outcome — a proper launch and the avoidance of wheelspin and wasted revs can make a huge difference when time is being measured to the hundreths of a second.
Watching these three dream machines come together in a symphony of speed and noise is something you must experience for yourself. Autocar took the race to an empty runway and.
Autocar paired the McLaren P1 vs Porsche 918 Spyder vs Ducati 1199 Superleggera drag race. see what happens…
