In their latest comparison test, Motor Trend put two of Europe’s finest supercars – a McLaren 600 LT and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
Ever since they entered production in 2018 these supercars have received nothing but praise and admiration. It was finally time for them to meet in a head to head competition.
Being exhaustive in their analysis Motor Trend put the vehicles on the dyno, on the road and on the track giving them every chance to shine and show their full potential. The full episodes are available on Motor Trend Premium.
On paper, McLaren has the upper hand
The 600 LT packs a 3.8-liter, turbocharged V8 engine, producing 600 PS (hence the name) or 592 horsepower and 457 lbs-ft of torque. The power goes through a 7-speed Graziano SSG dual-clutch transmission, before exiting out the rear wheels.
The extensive use of carbon-fiber and the characteristic McLaren monocoque contribute to a dry weight of only 2,749 lbs. The titanium exhaust system, exiting out the top, and the brakes have been borrowed from the Senna.
A McLaren 600 LT will set you back between $240,000 and $310,000 depending on the options.
Next comes the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. More specifically, it’s the 991.2 variant – the latest evolutionary link in the German lineage.
It’s powered by a 6-cylinder boxer-type engine with 4 liters of displacement. The naturally aspirated engine produces 513 hp, as well as 347 lbs-ft of torque. Taking the power to the rear wheels is a PDK transmission.
Fully optioned, the Porsche will cost you more than a quarter million dollars.
Motor Trend put both cars on the dyno to measure their wheel horsepower and calculate how much is lost throughout the drivetrain.
The GT3 RS produced 430 hp at the wheels, meaning a parasitic loss of 17% which is typical for dual-clutch transmissions.
The 600LT produced 530 hp at the wheels. Either the drivetrain is so efficient eating just 10.5% of the engine’s output, or the engine produces more power. It doesn’t really matter since wheel horsepower is what goes to the ground.
Real world testing tells a conflicting story
On the 1-mile long uphill road course, the McLaren’s advantage in both power and weight showed clearly. Even with a sub-par launch, the 600 LT made the run in 1:06:65. The Porsche did it in 1:12:5 minutes, losing by 5.85 seconds.
Both cars had different drivers, so next, they proceeded with the standard batch of performance tests, giving us a more scientific view.
In the 0 – 60 mph acceleration test, 600 LT scored 2.9 seconds and 911 GT3 RS scored 3 seconds flat.
In the ¼ mile test, the 600 LT marked a time of 10.5 seconds at 137.3 mph. The GT3 RS made the run in 11 seconds flat at 127.6 mph.
In the brake from 60 mph test, the Porsche came on top with a considerable lead:
- GT3 RS braking distance: 92 feet
- 600 LT braking distance: 98 feet
In the figure-eight test, weight balance is critical, and there is hardly anyone better than Porsche:
- GT3 RS figure-eight time: 22 seconds
- 600 LT figure-eight time: 22.2 seconds
Finally, the lap time test gave us a definitive answer. The cars were brought to Motor Trend’s home track at Willow Springs in the Mojave Desert. In an unlikely event, it rained in the desert and professional test pilot Randy Pobst got the chance to test both wet and almost dry conditions.
During a wet lap test, the McLaren 600 LT obliterated the Porsche 911 GT3 RS with a 7-second difference over the 2.4-mile track.
When the track dried out, the table turned. The GT3 RS recorded the 5th quickest lap at Motor Trend’s track with a time of 1:23.67 – 0.62 seconds quicker than the 600LT.
Conclusion
Power is not everything. Power is a lot of things and there is no substitute in a straight line. But in the real world, straight lines are the exception, not the rule.
Either way, the cars are phenomenal. Both the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and McLaren 600LT the result of decades of engineering and incremental improvement over an already solid foundation. If your pockets are deep enough, so you can own them, either one will make you a happier person than you already are.
Finally, props to Motor Trend for investing the time and effort to do these tests. Head over to their website to read their expansive review of both cars.