Supercars are built for speed and excitement, but their handling can sometimes be tricky. From sharp oversteer to unpredictable power delivery, even the most famous models can surprise drivers. Managing these powerful machines often requires extra skill and focus to stay in control. Here are 18 handling problems that can make these high-performance cars both thrilling and challenging to drive.
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Ferrari F40 – Turbo Lag Issues
The Ferrari F40, though famous for its power, is plagued by significant turbo lag. Its twin-turbo V8 engine delivers force in a delayed manner, making acceleration out of tight corners unpredictable. This lag causes a gap between pressing the pedal and feeling the power surge, which can unsettle the car’s balance.
Lamborghini Aventador – Heavy Steering
Renowned for its striking design and speed, the Lamborghini Aventador suffers from steering that feels overly heavy at low speeds. Maneuvering through tight spaces, such as parking lots or city streets, becomes a physical challenge due to this weighty steering. Although it excels at high speeds with precision, the steering feedback makes low-speed navigation feel cumbersome. The car’s all-wheel-drive system, while offering stability, contributes to this burden on the steering wheel.
Porsche Carrera GT – Unforgiving Rear-End
With a reputation for being difficult to control, the Porsche Carrera GT has a particularly treacherous rear end. Its V10 engine is positioned behind the driver, and this weight distribution can cause the rear wheels to lose traction during sharp turns. As the back end becomes unstable, oversteer becomes a constant threat, especially on slick surfaces. For drivers, maintaining control in tight corners requires expert precision and awareness.
McLaren P1 – Hyperactive Throttle Response
The McLaren P1’s hybrid powertrain delivers blistering acceleration, but its hyperactive throttle response can make it a challenge to handle. The car’s immense power is almost instantaneous, meaning drivers must be delicate with throttle inputs to avoid destabilizing the car. When too much power is applied mid-turn, the car can become unbalanced quickly. Inexperienced drivers may find themselves struggling to keep control, particularly on twisty or technical tracks.
Bugatti Veyron – Heavy Weight and Wide Stance
Though the Bugatti Veyron is legendary for its record-breaking speed, its weight and width cause handling challenges, particularly in corners. Weighing over 4,000 pounds, the car’s bulk hinders agility and responsiveness during sharp turns. Its wide stance provides stability at high speeds but becomes a liability on narrow roads or tight corners. The result is a car that feels like a brute force powerhouse but lacks nimbleness in close quarters.
Pagani Huayra – Sensitivity to Road Surfaces
The Pagani Huayra’s suspension is incredibly responsive, but this trait works against it on anything other than smooth tarmac. Rough or uneven road surfaces can disrupt the car’s balance, causing it to lose stability during fast driving. While its advanced suspension technology excels on the racetrack, regular roads expose the car’s sensitivity. Drivers must be cautious when pushing the limits, as even slight road imperfections can unsettle the Huayra.
Aston Martin Vantage – Understeer at High Speeds
Aston Martin’s Vantage, while praised for its luxurious design, encounters handling problems in the form of understeer when cornering at high speeds. As the front tires lose grip, the car tends to veer wide rather than following the driver’s intended line. This understeer issue becomes more pronounced during aggressive driving, making it harder to navigate tight bends smoothly. For a car designed for grand touring, the Vantage falls short in terms of agility.
Dodge Viper – Oversteer and Snap-Back
Known for its brutal power, the Dodge Viper frequently exhibits oversteer, particularly during hard acceleration. The massive V10 engine and rear-wheel-drive setup cause the rear wheels to lose traction, especially in corners. Once the rear slips, snap-back oversteer often follows, making the car difficult to control. This unforgiving nature requires drivers to have quick reflexes, or the car can easily spin out during aggressive driving maneuvers.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – Traction Control Problems
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a powerhouse in its own right, but its overly intrusive traction control system detracts from its handling performance. When pushing the car hard, especially through corners, the system engages prematurely, limiting the car’s full potential. While it’s possible to disable traction control, doing so exposes drivers to the car’s raw power, which can be overwhelming without assistance. As a result, enthusiasts often find it difficult to fully exploit the Z06’s capabilities.
Jaguar XJ220 – Unresponsive Steering
Despite being a former world speed record holder, the Jaguar XJ220 lacks the responsive steering needed for tight, controlled driving. Many drivers report that the steering feels disconnected from the road, making it difficult to predict how the car will react in corners. This disconnect hampers driver confidence, especially at high speeds or during fast cornering maneuvers. The result is a car that feels more suited for straight-line speed than agile handling.
Ferrari 458 Italia – Rear-Mid Engine Instability
With its rear-mid engine layout, the Ferrari 458 Italia offers nearly perfect weight distribution but introduces handling challenges during hard cornering. The car’s back end can swing out unexpectedly, particularly when too much throttle is applied mid-turn. Even with Ferrari’s electronic aids in place, this instability requires careful throttle control and steering input.
Maserati GranTurismo – Noticeable Body Roll
The Maserati GranTurismo is more of a grand tourer than a purebred supercar, and its handling reflects this. During spirited driving, the car suffers from noticeable body roll, especially in corners. This roll detracts from the car’s agility, making it feel less sharp compared to more performance-focused rivals. Although it offers a smooth ride for long-distance cruising, the GranTurismo struggles when quick, sharp handling is required.
Lamborghini Murciélago – Unpredictable Four-Wheel Drive
The Lamborghini Murciélago’s four-wheel-drive system is designed for stability but can feel unpredictable when the car is pushed to its limits. In aggressive driving situations, the power distribution between the wheels can shift unexpectedly, leading to inconsistent handling. This unpredictability makes it difficult for drivers to gauge how the car will react in tight turns or under heavy braking. As a result, the Murciélago can feel more temperamental than other supercars in its class.
McLaren 720S – Sudden Oversteer
The McLaren 720S is a technological marvel, but its rear-wheel-drive setup can make it prone to sudden oversteer. With so much power available at a moment’s notice, the rear end can break loose unexpectedly if throttle inputs aren’t carefully managed. This trait makes the 720S challenging for even experienced drivers, especially on twisty roads or racetracks. While the car’s advanced electronics help control oversteer, the 720S still requires finesse to handle safely at high speeds.
Koenigsegg Agera RS – High-Speed Instability
The Koenigsegg Agera RS is built for record-breaking speed, but its lightweight design can cause high-speed instability. When traveling at top speeds, even minor road imperfections or crosswinds can make the car feel twitchy. This sensitivity makes the Agera RS a challenge to control, especially for drivers unaccustomed to managing such extreme forces. Though it excels in straight-line performance, maintaining stability at high speeds requires an expert touch.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione – Understeer
The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is a visual masterpiece, but its handling is compromised by persistent understeer. In sharp corners, the front tires lose grip, causing the car to push wide rather than following the intended line. This issue reduces the car’s agility and makes it less responsive in tight situations. Although stunning to look at, the 8C’s handling leaves something to be desired for drivers seeking high-performance thrills.
Lexus LFA – Brake Modulation Issues
Known for its iconic V10 scream, the Lexus LFA’s braking system is powerful but lacks finesse in modulation. The carbon-ceramic brakes provide immense stopping power, but the feedback is not as smooth as many drivers would like. This makes it difficult to modulate braking force during corner entries, leading to unsettling jerks or loss of balance. The LFA demands careful braking inputs to maintain stability at the limit.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Prone to Oversteer
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, with its long-hood, rear-wheel-drive design, is prone to oversteer under hard acceleration. The car’s rear end often breaks loose, particularly on wet or uneven roads, making it difficult to control. This tendency requires drivers to manage throttle inputs carefully, or risk spinning out. While thrilling in the right hands, the SLS AMG’s oversteer can turn dangerous without proper handling skills.
This article originally appeared in MyCarMakesNoise.
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