Geneva Show Hypercar: Ferrari LaFerrari vs. Lamborghini Veneno vs. McLaren P1

In a few years’ time, the 2013 Geneva Motor Show will be remembered as the venue in which a new breed of supercar was introduced to the world: the hybrid with more than 900HP and emissions less than a conventional one with, say, less than half the firepower.

Both Ferrari and McLaren chose the Swiss event to unveil their new hypercars. Since the latter was practically identical to last year’s concept while the Italians kept their cards close to their chest, the prancing horse premiere was the most eagerly awaited.

Why Maranello chose that name for their most technically advanced model to date (and the one that succeeds the Enzo to boot) defies logic, especially when they have such a rich and exquisitely sounding vocabulary to pick from.

(Bonus Joke: A man walks into a bar and orders a whiskey. The bartender notices the shiny red sports car parked outside. “Is that the new Ferrari?” he inquires. “Yes”. “Which one is it?” “The LaFerrari”, replies the owner. “Yeah, I know it’s a Ferrari but which one?” says the bartender. “It’s LaFerrari”, stresses the man… Then the bartender either gives up or, if he’s trigger-happy, reaches under the counter, pulls out his gun and shoots the man point-blank for being such a smart-ass.)

It’s not that Ron Dennis’ team strived too hard, either. The spiritual successor to the iconic McLaren F1 was christened the P1, the term used for pole position in Formula 1. Still, it’s better than labeling it TheMcLaren or something like their junior model that sounds like a fax machine.

Lamborghini kept things very simple. It stuck with the time-honored bull-naming tradition for its Veneno and, unlike the other two, didn’t go all guns blazing on the horsepower front and shunned hybrid systems for a merely updated Aventador-sourced V12. We assume because the role of battling with the two aforementioned rivals is already delegated to the upcoming Porsche 918 Spyder – but that’s VW Group politics to you…

Then again, 750HP and a 2.8-second 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint are more than adequate for everyone bar Formula 1 drivers. Moreover, it beats the other two on exclusivity as only four will be made, so more likely than not, their owners will run into each other as frequently as the Haley comet passes near Earth.

Now, let’s leave HP, 0-100 times, silly name jokes and top speeds out of the equation as they’re pretty much irrelevant – on this planet anyway. Since such models are, first and foremost, judged on the emotions they evoke on onlookers, which of the three do you think is the sexiest: the P1, the Veneno or the Ferrari-formerly-known-as-the-F70/F150?

You can cast your vote right after the break; and of course, you’re more than welcome to voice your thoughts in the comments section.

By Andrew Tsaousis