That’s the key. Within a half mile I knew
everything about the car and just started
flinging it. The McLaren takes a few miles
for you to build yourself up to take advan-
tage of its true potential. I’m not sure if I
ever would get to the point of trusting the
AMG the way I do the Turbo S, mostly due
to the GT R’s steering.
Is this another win for another
Porsche? Yeah, sorry. It’s true. If you
recall the 1997 film The Devil’s Advocate,
Al Pacino’s Satan is lecturing Keanu
Reeves about what’s wrong with the
latter’s “Florida stud” persona: “Look at
me—underestimated from day one. You’d
never think I was a master of the universe,
now, would you?”
That’s this Porsche. Staring at the
three, the Turbo S is a wallflower, espe-
cially in that (awful) shade of orange. The
720S is one of history’s wildest-looking
supercars (I find it bloody sexy), and the
AMG is equal parts muscular and stun-
ning. I think the Porsche would be the
last kid picked for kickball. But as Pacino
says of his devilish character, “They
don’t see me coming.” We sure didn’t
with this Turbo S. QFirst Place: 2021 Porsche 911
Turbo S Cabriolet
An upset win if there ever was one. Porsche
is more unrelenting than ever. The new
Turbo S picks up where the GT2 RS left off.Second Place: 2020 McLaren
720S Spider
A cruise missile with four wheels. Pure
exotica. 720S Spider customers will no doubt
crave a 911 Turbo S for daily-driving duties.Third Place: 2020 Mercedes-AMG
GT R Roadster
Down on power but high on charm, this
AMG most likely beats all convertibles on
earth save for these two rivals.I THINK GOING A TO B ON A TWISTING ROAD,
THE 911 IS QUICKER THAN THE 720S.aggressive rear-steering setup. Years
ago, on a prototype drive of the GT C,
I asked then-AMG boss Tobias Moers
(in May, he was named the new CEO of
Aston Martin) the difference between
his all-wheel-steering system and
Porsche’s. Basically, Porsche uses one
electric motor for both wheels, and AMG
uses two. AMG therefore can steer the
rear wheels a degree or so farther. This
strategy works in terms of getting the GT
R around corners—but it just feels off.
The McLaren also has some feel issues.
“This is the only one of the three that
gave me sweaty palms,” Evans said. “The
steering is a blessing and a curse. At
speed, it almost feels like a manual rack,
it has so much kickback. It’s wonderful,
but like a manual rack, things get inter-
esting when you brake. The 720S tram-
lines and moves around. The front tires
never quite feel like they’ve got enough
contact patch for the amount of stopping
power the brakes are making. You have to
be on top of the steering at all times.”
I concur; the steering is beautiful.
That said, the 720S is one of the last
cars on sale that fills me with terror. A
Koenigsegg is another. The steering is
perfectly weighted and requires low
inputs. Grip is good, though the car
mostly grips via the rear tires. The fronts
are a touch busier. Those front tires have
been and remain a relatively skinny 245
width. I’m still waiting for McLaren to
do the right thing and give this car some
proper tires. The new 765LT will come
on race-compound rubber, but McLaren
should at least make the P Zero Trofeo R
tires an option on the 720S.
Like the McLaren, the Porsche is also
on standard Pirelli P Zeros (the AMG
is on R-compound Michelin Sport Cup
2s), but there was not a single complaint
about the way the 911 handled. Cortina
was nearly speechless, stammering, “The
911 truly delivers on every front.”
Evans was a bit more talkative: “You
don’t have to manhandle it. Just be firm.
Driving this car reminds me of target
practice. Every motion is a squeeze.
Control your breathing then squeeze the
throttle. Squeeze the brakes. Squeeze the
muscles in your forearms. Hit the target.”
I climbed into the Porsche thinking
there’s no way on earth either German
had a chance against the maniac Brit.
They’d both be outclassed. However,
during my run up the mountain in the
Turbo S, I realized that it’s just as quick
as the 720S and inspires about three
times the confidence.