Going to be in Vegas from March 3-5, just a short trip.

I think I'm going to do either Ferrari or Lamborghini - not decided on which yet. And I agree, it's mostly because of the sound these cars make, nothing else sounds like them. Plus, I'll not likely ever own a Ferrari or Lambo.

You should probably drive the 458 italia, but im a sucker for porsches, so i voted for the 997 turbo.

I always though these "driving experiences" were more expensive. My gf and i go a lot to vegas, mostly on our anniversary. Now i know what im going to be asking as a gift :stirthepot:

I voted for the 911 Turbo S, because that's my favorite.

The Aventador, MP-4, Superleggera, SLS, and R8 are up there too.



Already did the F430 and... meh. It was cool, because I was driving a Ferrari, but didn't feel out of this world like I thought.

My thoughts on the 430 exactly. Fantastic turn-in, otherworldly sound and no power at all. Shockingly gutless. And the interior was not nearly good enough for a $200k car. I went in expecting to love it and got out unimpressed. I should have driven the Gallardo they had instead.

I had clients complaining about power lag in the 430 also.

The issue is the electronic nannies, not the actual power of the car. Unlike the Lambo stability system, the 430 ties available power to steering angle.

More steering = less power. Less steering = more power. Straight = full power...and it's plenty strong.

Even with the wheel straight, there was nothing under 5k. Maybe I'm asking too much from a $200k car (I'm not) but it should push you into the seat better than that. It wasn't "slow", but it sure was slow for a supercar. With the list of options in the poll, the 430 is pretty close to the bottom of the barrel.

I did this last year and I'm going back in June to do it again. :) I decided on the Audi R8 V10 for my first time. Mainly because I wanted to feel out the program there. The Audi was less expensive to drive, yet it still has the Lamborghini V10. The AWD was really nice on the track too! I've got some track experience on motorcycles, but I'm not great in a car. The AWD Audi was a great car to start with. In June, I'm planning on trying either the GTR (because after I got the Z I'm REALLY curious!) or the 458.

458. No question. The likelihood of somone getting to drive a $100k car outside of one of these events is higher than that of a $250k car.

I go out to Vegas quite a bit. :) So odds I get to go back and do it again are pretty good! LOL

If that's the case, go for it. Driving the GTR may be a really expensive decision, though. Most people aren't going to get out of a $250k Ferrari and think "I love it. I'm going to buy one." But most of us here could swing a GTR, even if you have to go used and make sacrifices. If you really love it, it could end up costing you $60-100k. :rofl2:

LOL...this is true! :icon18:

RWD vs RWD, the F430 puts down generally the same 0-60 times as the LP550, so the ability to push someone into their seat is right there with the Lambo.

Of course the AWD 560? will be a little quicker from a dead stop to 60 but that's a traction thing rather than power.

The other instructors were split on which car could have made it through PBIR quicker, but I was in the F430 camp. The AWD 560's only had an advantage from a stand still, and the lone 550 was still dragging too much weight to keep up with the F430's. (Although I liked the RWD Lambo more than the AWD examples)

We never actually tested our theories because we didn't want to get booted from the gig. But I would have put a little money on a friendly bet to see which camp was right, if the opportunity had been there.

According to google, 400/290 on a dyno. For $200k+. It's a low 12 second car. They trap 117-120. Stock 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider 1/4 mile trap speeds 0-60 - DragTimes.com 0-60 is a terrible measurement for cars. It's a traction contest. Look at trap speeds.

I get that you like the car, but you have to admit that, given the other options he could drive, the 430 is a dog.

I don't just "like the car". I drove it, back to back, with AWD and RWD Lambo's, over and over and over. I have also tracked examples of many of the other cars on the list, many times, and gave my thoughts on them in my first post in this thread.

The F430 is not a dog in either real-world driving, nor bench racing. It's actually rather awesome behind the wheel of those things.

There are a few on the list I have not driven that may be better choices, but I have not driven them, so I don't know. I commented on the cars I have driven and pointed out my lack of experience with the others.

Well, maybe I got to drive one that was missing two spark plugs. :rofl2: You're talking to me like I've never been behind the wheel of one. I don't know how someone manages to look at that list and pick the 430 over the 458.

A 12.2@117 $200k car is a dog. That's not fast.

I'm sure it's a hoot to drive compared to a lot of cars. But if you're looking for a vehicle that you step out of and think "wow", the 430 isn't it. Maybe it was in 2006. But compared to the 458, GTR, McLaren, etc, it just falls short.