Ferrari vs. McLaren

You probably already know a bit about the legacy of Ferrari, founded as Scuderia Ferrari, the racing arm of Alfa Romeo in 1929. Enzo Ferrari spun his racing excellence off into its own brand in 1939, producing elegant, refined, and powerful automobiles ever since. Each model sports a hand-built engine, assembled in the same place Ferraris have always been assembled: Maranello, Italy.

The first car ever built with the Ferrari marque was in 1947 and that same level of proud craftsmanship can continue to be found in today’s Ferrari vehicles. When you drive a Ferrari around Indianapolis, IN, you’re essentially driving a piece of history. That long history allows Ferrari to not only excel on the streets but also in F1 racing, with Ferrari holding 16 Constructors’ Championship titles.

The founder of McLaren is Bruce McLaren who was born just before Ferrari broke off from Alfa Romeo in 1937. McLaren started in 1963, originating in Surrey, England, with a focus on racing as well. However, McLaren started almost 20 years after Ferrari has already established a magnificent history.

Additionally, the McLaren racing heritage simply isn’t as strong as Ferrari. Currently, McLaren holds 8 F1 racing Constructors’ Championship titles, half of what Ferrari has. When it comes to a legacy of performance and production cars, it’s clear that McLaren simply hasn’t been in the game for very long in the McLaren vs. Ferrari comparison.

Italian supercars tend to have a few similarities (even the sharp Lamborghini has a few curves to it), but you could write a book about the stylistic differences between McLaren and Ferrari. When you’re trying to decide between a Ferrari or McLaren, you’ll immediately notice that Ferrari vehicles have a design that’s just untouchable.

The new SF90 Stradale is almost all soft with aerodynamic curves while vehicles like the McLaren Senna look as though they were designed almost entirely with a ruler, with sharp angles bent and curved slightly, as an afterthought.

Not only do Ferrari vehicles provide the performance enthusiasts from Minneapolis, MN might expect from a sports car, but they also offer beautiful and stylish designs that’ll turn heads anywhere you go. Choose between Ferrari or McLaren and it’s easy to see that form and function are a high-priority for Ferrari. Whereas McLaren appears to be strictly about form.

Performance: McLaren vs. Ferrari

• The McLaren Senna sports one of the most powerful engine the automaker has produced: a 4.0L twin turbo V8 rated at 789 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
• Drivers familiar with the SF90 Stradale know that its hybrid powertrain eclipses the McLaren Senna, and even the newer McLaren Arture. Climb into a Ferrari SF90 Stradale and enjoy 986 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. With that being said, nothing beats the sound of a naturally aspirated V12 engine and the Ferrari 812 Superfast provides an impressive 789-hp 6.5L V12

Most enthiuasts that compare McLaren vs. Ferrari in terms of performance and overall engine execution, often realize that the Ferrari comes out on top.