Just had the opportunity to bag rides in an '04 Murcie and '05 CGT (chassis #1004).

Both cars were taken to around 180-190mph (the Murcie's trip computer read a peak speed of 188mph,) on a straight, open stretch of highway.

This was my first time to ride in both cars, as they are exceedingly rare here in my country. There are only 2 Murcie's and this lone CGT currently. Though another CGT is on its way.

While both achieved virtually the same speed on the same stretch of road, I was amazed at how different the cars felt. This is the sort of thing i've read about over and again in magazine tests, but to experience their characters first hand on the same day and back-to-back within an hour of each other, was eye opening.

Keep in mind that our roads are VERY poor by US standards. Never mind the autobahn. Even major thoroughfares are pockmarked with potholes and bumps that would make the streets of downtown Boston seem billiard smooth by comparison.

The elevated highway where we do these vmax runs are a bit better, but still have undulations that make 150mph+ rides white knuckle affairs.

So with the above as background and without further ado, here we go:

Murcie:
- "crashy" at low speeds. the bumps on the road sent shockwaves thru the entire body. don't get me wrong, the structure still felt nice and stiff, but the ride was hardly comfortable, with the bumps felt quite "sharply".

- at high speed however, this was by far the most stable car i've ever ridden in. felt more planted at 170mph than a 996TT. the car was stock, except for a louder exhaust. in fact, if it weren't for the straight pipes screaming behind us, i would NEVER have guessed we were travelling as fast as we were.

- subjectively, it didn't FEEL that fast. the shove in the back was surely there, but it didn't feel savage. no question we were hauling *** though. two friends in a 993TT and 997S had a significant head start, and we were very noticeably reeling them in. afterwards, the 993TT driver said he was on the flooring it, and the big lambo just kept getting bigger in his rearview mirror.

- fantastic brakes!

CGT:
- at low speed, rode better than the Murcie. sure the suspension is STIFF as hell, as is the body structure obviously. but the bumps in the road felt better damped, as the inital shocks were more "rounded" (if that makes sense).

- SAVAGE acceleration. just jaw dropping. even more than the actual shove in the back is the immediacy of it all. the thing feels like its alive, every synapse ready to fire. i wasn't driving of course, but it just felt like it was always chomping at the bit, ready to burst forwards. the murcie felt comparatively lazy.

- but FRIGHTENING at speed! where the Lambo felt planted, the CGT was a real handful! we were going the same speed, on the same road, but the porsche felt so edgy, like it would bite you the moment you lost concentration.

- if the acceleration was breathtaking, the GRIP was absolutely sick! we took the car thru a series of well-known S-bends (smooth roads this time,) and this is the first time in years that i found myself trying to step on an imaginary brake pedal in the passenger footwell! i was just waiting for the back to step out, but it never happened. not even a hint of squeal from the tires. it was this, more than anything else that makes the CGT what it is.


Overall, the Murcie impressed me because it is relatively so docile. Apart from the size of the thing, and the almost zero rear visibility, the thing seemed so easy to drive. even ambling around town, the clutch take-up was smooth, and the thing was happy pottering along. i drove a Diablo recently, and that thing was a TRUCK! utterly amazed at how big a leap forward the Murcie is compared to that car.

The CGT was everything I was led to believe it was. But feels like a racecar, not a streetcar. the owner never once stalled the car, or had difficulty with the clutch. but it just didn't seem "happy" trundling along in traffic. the darty steering, gear whine, noise of stones clattering against the car's naked CF belly... it reminded me of a caged animal. this thing was meant to be let loose. and on a proper track!

I'm looking forward to experiencing the same breathtaking acceleration when our Ruf RT12 is complete. But not for a second do I expect even that car to be able to corner anything like the hyper porsche. the CGT is excellent at doing the cruise missle thing in a straight line (as long as the road is smooth enough,) but to use the car solely in that manner is to waste its true potential, and miss its point entirely.

Both are utterly fantastic. I have newfound respect and admiration for the Lambo. As a total package, it is an "event" like almost no other car (and certainly none where I live,) CGT included. And the CGT lived up to all the billing as the ultimate hypercar (ok, maybe that's unfair, as I haven't ridden an Enzo or Macca yet).

To other 6speeders who have extensive experience with these cars... how does a GT2 feel compared to the Murcielago or CGT?

Cheers!

 

That must have been a heck of an experience! BTW, where do you live?

Gary

 

Really fun to read your write-up, thank you!

Q: How did the two cars compare comfort-wise with the seats, footwell room, shoulder room, etc? Meaning, if you were going to take one for a weekend trip, which one would you take? I'd guess since you said the Murcie was harsh at lower speeds, you'd pick the CGT for its low-speed suspension compliance, yes? What about creature comforts?

 

nice write-up. bet it's scary in the passenger seat traveling in that speed. i agree with u on the CGT being very edgy. the steering is very very sensitive u better watch out for anyw movement. compare the CGT the Murcie steering is a lot more forgiving (can u say numb? i felt it.)

on paper the Murcie is 596 lbs heavier than CGT. that's A LOT & probably makes u feel the car is more planted.

both are truly awesome cars. too bad i'm no matt.

 

Good write up. Surprise to hear the Murc is more stable than CGT at high speed. My GT2 with stock suspension starts to feel a bit unstable at around 160mph.

 

nice feedback... cant wait to get into a CGT!!!!

 

Man real great writeup, i also cannot wait to test out these cars as well

 

thanks for all the kind words.

i am still waiting and hoping and praying that Porsche will invite me to the press launch of the new Turbo, which i've just been informed will take place around April. The dealer launch is somewhere in Spain. Maybe the journo launch will take place there as well.

If i do get to go, i promise you all THE MOTHER OF ALL WRITE-UPS!

and and sh*tloads of pics too!

so... fingers crossed!!!

 

I can only speak as a passenger, not as a driver...

Actually its a bit of a give and take. The CGT did seem to have slightly more suspension compliance, and didn't have as much impact harshness over the small bumps. maybe its not becaise of the suspension per se, but because the CGT is a much more rigid platform, the suspension really soaks up the bumps instead of transmitting the vibrations thru the cabin. (that sounds counter intuitive, but i'm sure someone can explain it better than me).

The Murcie cabin however, felt a lot larger and more luxurious. Not because the materials quality was any better, as the CGT is obviously VERY good in this area. But seating position, shoulder and leg room, seat inclination-- they were all slightly better in the Murcie for a long drive, at least subjectively. I'm less than 6 ft tall by the way, if that matters...

Finally, the CGT sounded a lot less refined than the Murcie. The gears would whine and "gargle" at coast down in a way i haven't experienced in any other road car. And that super light clutch/flywheel combo, meant you heard ever throttle blip and modulation. NOT unpleasant by any means, but if the question was which car would make for a more relaxing ride on a long trip, I'd have to say the Murcie.

Simply put, the Murcie is the ultimate GT car i've ever ridden, and the CGT is the ultimate track car i've ever ridden (we didn't take the CGT on the track, but the way it behaved on the road made it clear to me it would be the mother of all trackday cars!).

 

Thanks for the writeup. Its always interesting to hear seperate comparisons of the same cars. Matt owns both and says the Murci is like a cruiser compared to the CGT.

 

Hesperus

Grats on your soon-to-be Ruf Rt12. I hear that's a monster of a car. Did you get the full-out 650 hp turbo package?

Let us know how it is to drive once you get it.

D.Min

 

I have driven both the CGT and Murcielago extensively, and on the same roads. I have some input.

From like 0-100mph, the CGT feels much lighter (and is) and thus quicker than the Murcie. From highspeeds (120mph+), I don't really feel that the CGT is faster than the Murcie, despite every test shows that the CGT is faster at all speeds. Does anybody else agree? On the same roads, somehow I could reach higher speeds in the lambo and in a more relaxed manner. With the CGT, I have to give it maximum revs and pay close attention to the optimal shift points. Perhaps like the original poster indicated, the CGT feels more edgy, therefore, I probably pulled back sooner. Plus, the Lambo V12 feels torquier, so I could get good acceleration out of any gear without too much effort on my part. The lambo is really stable at speed, more isolated from the speeds, and less steering input is required to keep it on course.

In the handling department, the CGT feels much more nimble. I haven't taken both cars to the limits, but I suspect the CGT is less forgiving. In the intangibles department, such as steering, throttle, gearshift feel, and steering position, the CGT wins hands down. I fit like a glove in the CGT with perfect vision and position. You feel more connected to the car. For exhaust note, the Lambo with Tubi must be heard to be believed. I think the CGT exhaust is still a bit tame, but sounds angry and unique at full throttle.

In summary, the CGT feels much racier, and at best on backroads and on the track. The Murcie is one of the best GT type car.

Baron