The world's GREATEST supercar: Ferrari 296 GTB versus McLaren 750S 

The V6 in the 296 has won LeMans and 24hrs of Nurburgring, it was designed by a brilliant young engineer in Maranello. It is already an all-time great powertrain.

Having to get used to haptic controls in a car as powerful as the 296 should be illegal. I want it to be intuitive right off the bat. How are they allowed to make such interior interface solutions while it's illegal to even fiddle with your mobile phone during driving in many countries?

296 would be absolute perfection if the interior controls weren't so shit.

As a Ferrari 296 GTS owner I can only compare it to my old McLaren 650S Spider plus a few drives in the F8. There is more to owning a supercar than driving at 8/10 or more. The 650S was an excellent car in its day but the 296 with hybrid power's ability to completely cover any turbo lag is stunning. I always try and drive through local villages and towns in eDrive and I love the near silent driving. Out on the open road I think the sound of the V6 is better than the outgoing F8 or 650S. The haptic controls do take a long time to learn and I prefer the McLaren approach, luckily it has Apple CarPlay as trying to enter a destination into the navigation system is a nightmare. I 'm very happy with the steering and don't find it over sensitive. The 296 is very comfortable, in my view it's better built and hopefully more reliable than the McLaren. I live most of the time in SW France and my nearest McLaren dealer is 5 hours each way whereas the Ferrari dealer is 50mins. - important as my 650S was back and forth to McLaren Ascot quite often. Money is important unless you are super rich and the McLaren will suffer savage depreciation plus here in France the initial (let's call it) road tax is about €6,000 for the 296 because of the hybrid and €60,000 for the standard petrol McLaren.

Find it staggering how McLaren and Ferrari makes 2 cars on paper performance wise near enough identical but go about it in completely different ways/driving characteristics etc

Mclaren is nearly 300kg lighter this must make a difference the on road feel,braking, handling and peformance….sorry but sports supercars should not weigh circa 1700 kg to heavy.

296 was faster and quicker than 750S on Carwow races. I don't think 296 lacks on performance either.

That Pozzi Blu on the 296 is very reminiscent of the Official Ferrari Photos of the 360 Modena. Absolutely Stunning !!!!!!!

The 750S Harry Metcalf drove looks far better in green than the orange one. Very colour dependant.

The Ferrari 296 is another level!! Amazing gorgeous machine!!!

The irony is that you would have thought the car Enzo Ferrari would prefer is not the Ferrari

Damn, more i look at the 296gtb and 750s the more I appreciate the beautiful 458 and 720s design .

296 GTB all day long. It is refined and exciting visually and aurally. Feels much more special to me. Further Mclaren does have a spotty reputation for reliability (not saying it isnt reliable but such is its reputation especially in North America) and the residuals for Ferrari are on another planet.

I would want the McLaren based on the future alone. Having two McLarens in the last 3 years, I’ve had the most fun, satisfaction and met the greatest people during my ownership. My next car would be the next McLaren.

‘On this bumpy road’… what? That road is billiard table smooth!

F8 Tributo is better in every way. I hope its still in production. It's only 4 years old at most. And we haven't got the track focused version yet!

That 296 sounds like an exotic Nissan 350Z😂 and i mean it in the best way poasible. It sounds good 👍

Both are absolutely amazing but something about the 296 is just cooler. The looks, the powertrain, the noise.

That awkward moment when you realize the 750s looks worse than the car it replaces. The 720s visually was supercar perfection

Enjoyed your review. I agree with you on V6 hybrid engine. I have a McLaren Artura and there is zero turbo lag which I greatly appreciate. I recently drove the 750s and I did notice the turbo particularly when accelerating from 70mph in comfort mode; however, I did think the 750s drove smoother on the highway than my Artura. The speed on the 750s is crazy though

296 for me. Stimulates more of the 5/6 senses. The McLaren lacks aesthetic design subtlety and a sonorous engine. (The Artura's design is an improvement though, in fairness) These could be fixed: go to Touring for the exterior design, and get the next V8/V6 unit from Cosworth. But I doubt whether McLaren have either the money or the inspiration to.

Both beautiful cars. But how much more power do we really need before manufacturers start to dial it back in favor of lightweight and driving experience? That is what the people want, and Porsche continues to demonstrate this.

296GTB-720-750S

Finally a 296 specified that actually looks nice. Really elegant and a great interior / exterior combo. I find the AF pack bloody hideous.

Great review style guys snd beautiful camera work.

16:50. "even though it's got less power (the 750S)....70hp less power than the Ferrari...". But it doesn't! The 720S has shown to be near 800hp at the crank, on the dyno. So in reality the 750S is well above 800hp, and probably more powerful than the 296 GTB.

Great review Dan. Looking forward to seeing your display at Bicester on Sunday.

I gotta say this, the SF90 and the 296 GTB are on another level

Great test, thank you gentlemen. It would be the McLaren for me but quite possibly the 720S. With the advent of specialist third party support with warranties such as Litchfield and Thorpey it makes it a very attractive all purpose supercar.

Can't help but think that a 296 without the hybrid like the gt3 car and circa 200kg lighter would be the car to have.

man the 296 in that color is gorgeous

Interesting, I read Andrew’s review online and now Dan is also claiming the 750S is quite a bit faster than the 296, but the real world data doesn’t support that claim. Is it possible perhaps that the hybrid powertrain flattens the torque curve compared to the boosty McLaren? I previously owned a 720S Spider and it was like lighting a rocket once the boost came on fully at the top of the rev band. 60-130MPH in the 296 is virtually neck and neck with 765LT/750S and stock 296’s trap at right around 150MPH in the 1/4 mile…..which as fast as the McLaren is, it doesn’t put up any more stout numbers than that 🤔

Outstanding video, deep and excellent review

Two of my top 3 cars, Its like comparing your two children you just love them both.

Big 👍🏻 for the McLaren

The debate around intuitive controls vs. performance specs is fascinating. While @GadgetyMV raises a valid point about the 296's haptic controls, there's also something to be said about the visceral experience cars like the 750s and 296 GTB provide. It's almost like comparing classical art to modern tech; each has its charm and challenges.

Stunning film!

I know we’re supposed to judge based on capability, but in my eyes the Ferrari is a beautiful car (particularly in that spec). I couldn’t choose the McLaren over it.

Fantastic review 👍

Great stuff Dan. Great to see you back on the interweb. McLaren for me in this instance. Love an uncluttered steering wheel!

296 sounds like a gtr.

You guys do a bang-up job

Steering is what you interact with and feel, for me it’s the most important thing. Thanks Woking for remembering, I am shocked Ferrari forgot. Great video, thanks.

I read Andrew Frankel's "Dream Cars' as a child and it shaped my entire worldview of cars. The way he wrote poetically about cars inspired me on a short stint as an automotive journalist (intern!!) as well...I love his view of cars so much, and I would love a modern update to that phenomenal book with the Mclaren F1 on its cover. Maybe a Dream Cars 2?

I love the headlights of the 750s against popular opinion lol

Great cars. Unfortunately like most British car channels they film in Britain. Terrible weather and road conditions. Kind of a waste of time.

Background Music during the McLaren insert is Just next level. Tried shazam but failed. Care to help team?

The ferarri is beautiful especially whdn you see it in the flesh, but going by a few reviews the over thd top touch screen interface spoils the car ,it should havd been more analog with buttons and knobs

The Ferrari is increadibly beautiful. Just a fantastic car. For me it is clear, which one the winner is.

Look at the windscreen edge in the in-car shots in the McLaren. Looks like it's rattling away, that famous McLaren build quality.

Thank goodness for dark blue.

Great video and commentary on the 2 cars. 20 minutes well spent. However, would it not have been more prudent to compare the 296 GTB to the Artura seeing that they have the same parameters in the powertrain and therefore a better comparison between rivals McLaren and Ferrari?

Great video.. but we have to sign up to reveal your winner?

Thanks for that fellas. I think for my supercar which would be driven sparingly I’d want a “supercar” and the control weights, handling and power makes the McLaren the winner for me. Love it. And 720s would be more than adequate!

Great video. Excellent comparison. Only issue is that you incorrectly stated the 750S is quicker, when in reality the 296 was shown to be the quicker of the two cars during Carwow head-to-head races.

Both fantastic cars ❤

Which one is comfier ?

You should compare it with the McLaren Artura which, like the 296 GTB, has a V6 twin turbo + hybrid system

Is it just me or does anyone else think that McLaren are stuck in a serious design rut. Every model over the last ten years is a slight variation of the other. I only wish I had the money (or even a quarter of it) to spend on a car like these. But another thing that none of the reviewers are talking about is, reliability and residual values, and by any metric McLaren are miles behind Ferrari. I love both marques but I think since Ron Dennis left, quality isn't what it should be with McLaren.

I replaced the electric motor n battery with a supercharger unit on my 296, bolted beside the turbos...its lighter 200kgs n more powerful now.... 910hp at the wheels n 1150nm of torque

I'd take an F8 over a 296. I just don't want hybrid complication, no matter how "good" it is.

Just a few days ago ....brand new 296 GTB with a few miles on the clock couldn't start the engine. Powerless owner called RAC....they came quickly looked at the car and ....they called for a tow track and that's how the "glorious" and expensive story ended up. These cars should be packaged and sold with a tow track. Now I do understand why there are so many of these cars on second hand market .....If I had spend 280k£ plus on a car and the car would played on my such a nasty trick.....well the very next day you are out for sell as I wouldn't trust it anymore

Luxury performance elegance

I do like a Blue Ferrari, but TDF blue for me with a tan interior please… the 750 looks good in dark green

I'd be happy w/ that 720s. They're both beautiful cars,ones more a GT ones more track focused. To say the Ferrari is more beautiful is not really correct,they're both lovely.

The 750s looks immense ( especially on track ) and is far nicer than the Ferrari. The UK has McLaren, Aston Martin and Bentley producing some of the most beautiful, amazing cars yet the press are SO hung up about Ferrari that they are blinkered - come on guys support home grown talent

Fantastic

Can y'all post these in 4K, please?

Two dream car ❤ I preferer 296 because Is much complete, prestation, design, and trade Ferrari ❤

A sports car needs to be light so it’s the McLaren for me 👍

I still think Enzo would be rolling in his grave, 1 The V6 hybrid but most of the rear quarters of the 296 has a GT40 styling que.

McLaren 750 S .

The only thing I like about the 296 is the powertrain. I think the 750S has the 296 beat in terms of looks as well, as long as you spec the black eye sockets back and give it a tasteful colour like the lovely green one in harry metcalf's latest 750s video. The spec on that car is stunning and beats any 206 IMO (incidentally, he also compared the 750s to the 296 in the video and preferred the 750s most of the time)

the design of the 296 does absolutely nothing for me. it's like some guy in his garage tried his best to come up with a retro design.

296 gtb and the new astons are so beautiful 😍

what a video…❤

The 296 is super unreliable, the dashboard console is a nightmare, but the drive is ecstatic when it's working properly, essentially quintessential Ferrari!

Man that Ferrari just looks so good

Quicker than the ferrari? Carwows drag race would beg to differ.

750s v8,Pista ,Huracan... Over for way less money and better looks and a manual v6-LOTUS EMIRA

Give me a 456GT V12 glued to a manual gearbox over this all day long

I bought both if these cars... its not bad

Easy; if you want the best driver's car in the world, opt for the 750S, if it's the best long-distance tourer, opt for the 296. Simples 😊

The world's greatest farty, paddle-shifting chestwig chariots, more like. Imagine if either company actually set out to build a great driver's car as opposed to something specced out to please influencers, instagram bros and trophy hunters. There's incredible technical content in these cars, phenomenal talent in the making of them. It's so depressing it's all geared to make tat destined to be badly parked in SW1. The fact that neither company makes a single manual car tells you all you need to know. It's not that every "true" driving enthusiast wants every driver's car to be manual. But not offering manual at all on any model speaks volumes about these road-going trinkets and baubles. Utterly ghastly.

Talk about how lovely the spec is…..of the 296…at what cost?…£50k….70….90……forget familiarity…haptic buttons will never be preferable…

This Red mclaren looks amazing

5:25 bump road ????????? please man, come to Sao Paulo.

No decision after promising.

I think Mclaren need to up the anti on there interiors now!

Honda made hybrid twin turbo v6 super car decades ago

It’s insane how much better the 296 looks in a subtle colour, especially compared to the awful heritage colour scheme. Added to the list of “looks best not in red” Ferraris!

Lol 750S isn't quicker than 286GTB, go check Carwow drag race

The McLaren all day long for me

What color is the Ferrari? Black or very dark blue?

Instead of 250k Give me an Escort RS Cosworth and a Subaru P1 , a bmw m5 and an Audi rs6 instead of any of those two cars please - or instead of several cool iconic cars I’d possibly have a very nice well spec’d F12

They've fricken Super Cars! They're not meant to be supple and understated. They're not daily drivers. Did I just watch that whole video and not find out which car won!

As most Ferrari’s are more a part of an investment portfolio than someone’s driving machine its unlikely that many owners will get to learn those haptic controls.

I love my 750S

we miss the V8 dude

Shouldn’t the 296 be compared to the Artura?…