Hardcore Flagship Supercars Are Ruining Their Road-Biased Brothers

When supercars rely so heavily on provenance and reputation, what happens to the unfortunate 'standard' version when its maker releases a harder, faster, more exclusive option?
Hardcore Flagship Supercars Are Ruining Their Road-Biased Brothers

Picture the scene: you’re loaded. You have bags of money so deep that ocean liners could go sailing in them. You can buy whatever car(s) you want, because you can afford it without thinking twice. Faced with a model choice at the top of a range, which do you go for?

There’s the standard supercar, with its monumental power output, redline potentially skimming the clouds, presence on video games and universal fame across the globe. But there’s also the upgraded, hardcore version for [insert insane currency value here] more. It has more power and torque, lower and stiffer suspension, maybe no back seats and it’s faster – a couple of tenths to 62mph and a whole second or two around the Nurburgring.

Hardcore Flagship Supercars Are Ruining Their Road-Biased Brothers

We all know full well that the answer is the latter. As a rule, people who could afford to buy the 458 Speciale would never buy a standard 458. People who simply want the best Nissan GT-R will buy the Nismo version because, on paper, it’s the best one, and people with money often can’t bear to buy anything less than the best, regardless of whether or not it’s best for them.

In the eyes of the people that actually buy them brand new, the standard car is no longer as desirable as it was because there’s something better. They look down on the model that’s now second or even third best on paper, and surely that can’t be good for the car’s image. If the 911 GT3 plays second fiddle to the GT3 RS and GT3 R, what value does it retain?

Now, I’ve driven the standard and hardcore versions of both the dearly departed 458 and the Nissan GT-R, and I can tell you without hesitation that the standard versions are better road cars. This you’ve probably guessed without my help, because you’re into cars and know, at least in theory, the real-world pro/con relationships between a track setup and a road one. But with the hardcore special edition sitting above them in the range, are the standard cars’ reputations just being smeared by petty one-upmanship?

Hardcore Flagship Supercars Are Ruining Their Road-Biased Brothers

There’s a reason (several, to be fair) why you don’t see many 458 Speciales with 60,000 miles under their belts, and it’s because they’re not what you’d call comfortable or relaxing.

Don’t get me wrong. The Speciale is one of the most memorable cars I’ve ever driven, bringing a new meaning to the word ‘immediate’ in everything it does. Steering, brakes, throttle response, gear shifts – they’re all so sharp that it’s a miracle you don’t cut yourself to pieces. It’s an astonishing thing in that regard. But at the same time it’s harder than a stint in a Turkish prison.

The seats are pretty much solid and the suspension isn’t much softer. Brilliant on track, but on the road you find yourself desperately trying to avoid hitting raised ironwork, potholes and basically anything coarser than melted chocolate. I felt a more complete bond with the 458 un-speciale.

Hardcore Flagship Supercars Are Ruining Their Road-Biased Brothers

And yet, if I was horribly rich and standing in the Ferrari showroom a few years ago, would I have bought the less powerful, cheaper and better road car? No. If I was that sort of person I’d have avoided that model because it was less powerful and cheaper, and car makers know that’s how rich people think. It’s a strange situation when brilliant supercars simply aren’t cool or exclusive enough for their target buyers, and the manufacturers are actively making it happen. The profit margins are higher that way.

Perhaps it doesn’t matter. Maybe there are enough of us relative peasants in the world to ensure that even with hardcore upgraded editions in existence the standard cars are still revered. Unless you live in Kensington, Dubai or any other supercar hotspot then it’s rare enough to see them and it’s still a bit exciting when you do.

But track-biased specials still overshadow and diminish the image of the models from which they came. And that’s a shame.

Comments

Anonymous

I would give this an ok for a blog post of a community member that hasn’t yet turned 20, but comming from CT office… this article is a letdown.
How many track specials are actually driven on track?
Who actually destroys the normal cars? The manufacturer that has the know-how to appease their hard core clientele asking for track toys or media turning every new car intro into a numbers game??????
Is it really “comfort” that puts an owner off driving their special edition or is it actually the fact that it is just a toy for them, not even their main toy, and once they get bored of it, they want to sell it for a nice price that will not happen with serious mileage???
Anyone that wants a fast car will go for a base version. Anyone that wants to spice up their garage, have bragging rights or the 5 people that actually take their Nismo, GTS, ZR1, Superleggera or Speziale to the track will get those special editions. And none of their reasons for getting those cars is that they need a car.
You could have made a nicely researched piece on how full equipment cars overshadow their cheap versions yet are shown to you on every brochure all trimmed up, yet you chose a clickbaity subject so you get some clicks.

12/19/2016 - 11:49 |
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Anonymous

Great and very interesting post. I agree, the Mercedes AMG GT-R, Nissan GT-R Nismo, and Mclaren 675LT have taken over. In fact, the regular Mclaren 650S is barely mentioned anymore, as all focus has turned on the 675LT

12/19/2016 - 21:37 |
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Icekraks

If i had the money for a 458 or a GTR i would say nah, buy the motor instead and slap it in an 86. Ryan Tuerk Style. then shred tires all day long. :p

12/20/2016 - 14:57 |
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RodriguezRacer456 (Aventador SV) (Lambo Squad)

I am the first to admit that if I were presented with either the SLS AMG and the SLS AMG Black Series, id go for the Black

12/20/2016 - 23:08 |
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Anonymous

That’s a good thing for us regular people. That means lower trim dream cars more than capably of fulfilling our deepest desires will deteriorate more in price, and might even become reality for some of us. A poor man’s Ferrari (as they used to call them where I grew up, lol) won’t have to be a Bmw.

12/21/2016 - 23:44 |
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Thanos7

To get thingsright… Sports car < Performance cars <Super cars < hyper cars

03/16/2017 - 21:19 |
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Extreme Daniel

Back in the day, a supercar was a car that had everything on performance and nothing on luxury. The F40 was a supercar back then, not a two tonne monster with massage chairs

06/12/2017 - 18:49 |
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