A friend of mine rents “ exotic “,cars for one or to days max , just to have some fun testing them ..here are his the latest impressions ( not he has only tracked cars twice , and is just a regular / layman driver otherwise..)
Maserati Quattro $99k (went first and was on the PCH and went to Ritz and SR), classy, great sound, classy Italian muscle car. Turns heads without screaming "look at me,"
Audi R8 V10 Plus $199k, paddles and brakes and steering were great, bad ass hot rod makes you look like a better driver. Head turner just under the pretentious level.
McLaren 570 GT4, incredible race car, steering stable like nothing I've driven, no tire squeal or slide at any speed I could go, gull-wing doors, really stripped down and uncomfortable inside, really hard to get in and out, no seat or steering wheel adjust, bad for ladies. Too flashy for normal use.
Jaguar F-Type $70k, front-wheel, great power, less common, conversation starter, ladies love it, don't like the auto-pop air dam at highway speed, back window too small.
Ferrari 458 Italia, drove it in standard and automatic mode, great Italian sports car, lives up to expectations and was not that expensive in its day
Ferrari 488 $330k,in sport mode, manual shifting, 711 horsepower, car was above my skills at time, seat not as good and paddle shifters a bit hard to use under pressure, turbo kicks in over 110 MPH, can go 220 MPH if you have the road and cajones
Maserati GT $154k , truly a sports GT, great steering ,handling and brakes, and luxurious but ladies like it less as it is low and very sporty
Corvette C8 Z51 $72k, solid sports car, great performance at this price, way above my expectations of a GM.
Ford Shelby Cobra 302 replica, $100,000, 375 hp riding mower, widow maker with a too small roll bar, no modern steering technology, you better know how to drive before you drive it.
Lamborghini Gallardo, 2006, $99,000 back then, classic Italian new-money car for people who are desperate for attention. Audi is same factory and more elegant.
Maserati Levante Modena $108k, 8 cylinder, badass if you need an SUV that holds 5, handles well for a high ride.
Maserati Levante $80k, 6 cylinder, good for shopping in Atherton/Menlo Park
Maserati Ghibli $60k, 6 cylinder, car is too heavy for the engine, so sluggish, tranny and steering not as good as other Masertis, impresses people who do not know Maseratis
Porsche GT3, $110,000, great for tor the turns, I get it, but not for me, not good for my lady
Porsche Cayenne $86k, good power, bulky, good room for 5, toured Napa in it, good for ladies
Aston Martin Vantage, $150k, good smooth British drive, smooth sound, overall unremarkable, ladies will like it, good for going out to dinner in West LA, at high speeds it was a squealy whiner on the turns
