3 Supercars in 1 Day: Going 0-100 With Aston, Ferruccio and Bruce
Three supercars in one day… what could possibly go wrong? When I was called on to shoot some photos of an Aston Martin DB9, Lamborghini Huracán and McLaren 650S during a canyon drive, I thought, “How could I turn that down?” I didn’t know until I arrived that I’d actually be riding in all three of the cars.
Being more of a classic car person, and with no trust fund to draw from, I’d never consider purchasing an exotic car… but that doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with one! While I’d never ridden in any of these models before this day, you’d have to be nuts to turn down an opportunity like this. First up was the Aston Martin DB9.
Aston Martin DB9
I got chills as the motor raced when the ignition was turned on. We set up the hill from a Los Angeles neighborhood at a slow pace and all three cars in unison. As soon as we were clear from the houses and crested the hill, things sped up real quick. When the driver (a professional) asked me if I got motion sickness I thought, “You’ve got to be joking!” Then with a shift and a corner I knew that I’d better hold on and enjoy the ride!
Racing to the first shoot location we hit top speeds of 78mph while carving through the twisting, turning canyon roads. The Aston felt like a tug boat going up a hill; very quick, but it threatened to let the ass end loose at any time. It didn’t. After the ride in the DB9, I began to feel intimidated as I glanced over at the Huracán and McLaren, knowing they were both more specialized towards handling. While the Aston Martin DB9 was a huge step forward from the parents old 454 big block-powered ‘70s station wagon, it felt sluggish and just wasn’t the supercar I was expecting – but for a refined and elegant town car with some pick me up, it was doing just fine.
Lamborghini Huracán
Taking shotgun in the Lamborghini Huracán next, I cringed a little as I’ve never been a big fan of their styling. While many people would give an arm to own one of these cars, I’d opt for a house in Italy and just ride a scooter! But for today, I was keeping an open mind and wanted to see if the Huracán could impress me in the driving experience where it lacked in my styling preference.
At takeoff, a chill went up my spine as the engine whizzed and we bypassed first and second so quickly on our way to 80mph that I don’t even know why those gears are included in this paddle shifting monster. The Huracán is much stiffer than the DB9 and you could feel every bump, crack and pebble on the road. This was getting exciting now as trees rushed by and for half-a-second I wondered if the driver had a death wish as we hit 100mph.
Between his skills and the cars handling however, the driver acted like he was just out for your average Sunday drive. Glancing over at my water bottle told another story though, it would slosh from side to side as we got pinned into the turns. The next stop came fast and it would be our last on our way up the mountain.
McLaren 650S
Stepping into the McLaren 650S next, I instantly could tell that the race of the engine wasn’t like the other two. I’d heard a few things about McLarens and knew they were more race than street, and it showed. While the Lambo acted like a pissed off teenager, the DB9 like your mom, the McLaren clearly meant business… if I hadn’t tossed my cookies before, I probably would now.
Carving the corners, it felt like someone had poured glue on the road and we were racing through it. The ride was so smooth and faster than the others, all the while feeling confidently planted… I could see how this whole supercar thing could be addicting.
Am I rushing out to buy one? Nope. But man, was it one helluva good time!
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