McLaren hot shot Ron Dennis has already promised us that the upcoming MP4-12C super car will be a world class automobile that combines the performance of a Ferrari, the style of a Lamborghini and the desirability of an Aston Martin; at a much more reasonable cost. Well now you can get a closer look at the future McLaren for yourself with their new website dedicated to the former Formula One builder’s latest creation, and while the MP4-12C is slated to go on sale in 2011 with its twin turbocharged 3.8 Liter V8 engine producing around 600 HP and 433 lb-ft of torque and seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox that allows it to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 200 MPH.
The web page gives inquirers a closer look at the McLaren MP4-12C’s no compromise mid engine design and ensures you that every line on the new carbon fiber car was penned with a purpose. The site even goes into explaining the car’s high mounted exhaust and breathtaking braking performance. The Internet page gives you a brighter glimpse of the new McLaren’s HID headlamps and LED taillights and even shows the super car’s signature dihedral doors even open up to expose the car’s interior that was designed around the driver with its flat bottomed steering wheel’s F1 inspired rocker shifter and a very ingenious compact airbag.
The most interesting set of facts about the new McLaren built super car revolve around the new car’s power plant. The M838T is an all new twin turbocharged V8 that is able to make as much as 80% of its maximum torque output from as low as 2,000 RPM. Another interesting aspect of boosted eight cylinder is that along with its lightweight compact design, the M838T is offers the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any internal combustion car on the road today, including hybrids. With all these reasons backing the McLaren MP4-12C as a true 21st century super car, it will be almost impossible for them fail.
Ferrari has just already come up with a pricing plan for the all new mid engine 458 Italia sports car, and from the looks of the list of options it appears that the exotic Italian automaker is keeping things rather simple. Back when Ferrari opened up the car’s online configurator we learned of two tone interiors and color matched brake calipers; however this pricing chart shows that a well equipped version of the 162,000 Euro super car shouldn’t cost much more than the MSRP, that is excluding the dealer’s inevitable markup. So at nearly a quarter of a million dollars, the 458 is looking more an more like a super car with its 4.5 Liter V8 that makes 570 HP at a screaing 9,000 RPM and 202 MPH top speed.
The priciest option of them all is Ferrari’s vintage paintwork where the automaker will cover your new car in one of their shades from the 1950s and 60s. Coming in a close second is the 5,610 Euro Racing Livery package that is part of Ferrari’s Racing & Track list of options, and coming from a race car builder like the Maranello based automaker, the upgrade should be well worth the money. Coming in third as the new 458 Italia’s most expensive option is the $3,900 custom fit luggage for the sports car’s front compartment, and just like the livery, considering Ferrari’s attention to detail and craftsmanship the Italian leather wrapped suitcases should be quite a treat. That latest luxury is followed closely by the 3,500 Euro 20 inch forged sport wheels, and any decent set of aftermarket rims for a Ferrari will run you a lot more than that.
The Porsche 911Carrera is a car that can never die. The soul of the classic sports car from the German automaker has been on the road since the days of the original Volkswagen. The iconic shape of the backwards engineered performance car with a pair of round headlamps staring at you brilliantly, a sloping roofline that makes room for a powerful boxer engine and hips that stick out far enough to cover the wide rear rubber that it takes to make the sports car work. After a brief departure from the norm with the 996’s interesting headlights, Porsche’s latest model took the car closer back to its original shape and it looks like things will be staying that way into 2011.
Thanks to our friends at World Car Fans, we can see that Porsche’s next drop top sports car will receive a slight restyling from today’s model. It looks like the driving lights have been tweaked and the front end is flatter thanks to a larger chin spoiler while they do keep with the circular headlamp theme. The roofline doesn’t appear to be as high as the current car, perhaps part of the automaker’s plan for a more streamlined 911. Meanwhile the cutouts in the rear fenders hint at a pair of turbochargers hiding underneath all that sheet metal. If this is the case then the next iteration of Porsche’s high performance sports coupe should be a dream, especially with the wind in your hair.
The Spanish super car builders at GTA Motor have been keeping busy ever since debuting the 780 HP Spano speed machine at the Hemisferic in Valencia, the Spanish City of Arts and Sciencies. Last time we heard from our amigos they had just wrapped on the Spano’s photo shoot and from the looks of things they had a few cameras rolling as well that day. This new video not only shows off the Spano with quote a few beauty shots, but it also gives us a glimpse of what the future super car looks like on the track.
The GTA Spano is powered by a mid mounted V10, the 780 HP Spano will rocket from 0-60 MPH in under 3 seconds, and won’t stop until it reaches a top speed of 217 MPH. Built from a combination of Kevlar, Carbon fiber and titanium. The space age chassis not only looks amazing, but also will dominate any road put before it. Riding on a set of staggered 19 and 20 inch rims the rear tires are Pirelli P Zeros sized 335/30, which is over a foot wide. As you can see from the video, the Spano is a shapely sports car that complete with a ridiculously powerful ten cylinder engine is capable of tremendous speeds and qualify the Spano as an official super car.
The creative team at Maverick Business Adventures organizes creative high octane ways for up and coming entrepreneurs and Million dollar a year Fortune 500 CEOs to get together for very unique networking opportunities and in some instances a chance to give back to charitable organizations while doing it. Back on the first of the month MBA organized a group of twenty different corporate big wigs to participate in the "Totally Rad 80’s Maverick Road Rally." They started off by having their hair dyed pink in recognition of cancer awareness month by students from hair care expert John Paul Mitchell’s school of all things styling related at the Marina Del Rey in sunny Southern California. Shortly after the group jumped in their high prices Italian exotics and continued up the Pacific coast highway, ending up in Napa Valley for a few sundowners.
Along the way the group stopped to pose for pictures with members of the Variety Boys & Girls Club of East L.A. From the looks of things, everyone who participated in the road rally had an absolute blast. After all who wouldn’t feel great after a day of driving along one of America’s most memorably thoroughfares while donating to charity and making important business decisions all at the same time. Maverick Business Adventures founder Yanik Silver’s “Mavericks” gave a total of $7,000 to Fran Drescher’s Cancer Shmancer foundation and another $8,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America. The "Totally Rad 80’s Maverick Road Rally" was an absolute success and we are pretty sure that Yanik is already working on another high octane event for up and coming “Mavericks.”
We have seen a plethora of pink super cars recently
Everything from the highly modified
Mansory Vitesse Rose based on a Bentley Continental to slightly lesser Lamborghini Gallados, Bugatti Veyrons and even a pink Pagani Zonda. It is foreign to us here at Top Speed, but there is something about this very feminine shade of red that somehow appeals to the owners of some of the world’s most powerful speed machines, and who are we to argue with them.
This two tone extremely pink Audi R8 super car is another fine example of what Barbie, or Paris Hilton for that matter, might be driving if she could cruise he Autobahn. As it comes from the factory, the old R8 is an amazing automobile; with its 420 HP high revving V8 and the stability of Quattro all wheel drive. The new V10 powered R8 however is a beast of a higher pedigree, the 500+ HP aluminum Audi super car will begin to challenge the likes of Lamborghinis worldwide with its newfound power under the clear deck lid.
Personally we would go with flat black before we would go the whole nine yards with a pastel paint like this R8 owner chose to. Despite their best attempts, this feminine finish doesn’t take away from the Audi super car’s powerful appearance. However what we want to know is, where did they get the pink carbon fiber for the R8’s side blades?
Ian James Poulter is a very good golfer, good enough even to be included in two of the biggest golf tours in the world today, the US PGA and the European Tour. And while Poulter has proven that he’s pretty good with a golf club in his hands, few people know that he’s also a natural out on the race track.
Recently, Poulter sat behind the wheel of the all-new BMW X6 M and pretty much held his own with the hybrid SUV, taking it to the absolute limit and, surprisingly, he manoeuvred in and out of the chicanes effortlessly like a seasoned racing pro. Of course, he’s much better at swinging golf clubs than he is at racing SUVs, otherwise he probably would’ve found a way past that blue BMW in the video.
You can’t have too many talents, IJP. But we have to admit, you were impressive out there on the tracks.
The last time saw something about GTA Motors’ limited edition Spano super car; the car builder was introducing the world to their latest creation at the Hemisferic in Valencia, the Spanish City of Arts and Sciencies. After getting all the bugs ironed out of the radical rear wheel drive sports car, GTA Motors has found some time to let the Spano super car pose for a few beauty shots.
The GTA Spano is powered by a mid mounted V10, the 780 HP Spano will rocket from 0-60 MPH in under 3 seconds, and won’t stop until it reaches a top speed of 217 MPH. Built from a combination of Kevlar, Carbon fiber and titanium. The space age chassis not only looks amazing, but also will dominate any road put before it. Riding on a set of staggered 19 and 20 inch rims the rear tires are Pirelli P Zeros sized 335/30 which is over a foot. As you can see from the new photos, the Spano is a shapely sports car complete with enough air intakes and vents along with a ridiculously powerful ten cylinder engine that is capable of tremendous speeds that contribute to the Spano’s status as a super car that ought not be taken lightly.
If you don’t remember D.C. Shoes cofounder Ken Block’s tire smoking gymkhana antics, then we suggest you take a moment to refresh yourself with his catalog of adrenaline inducing videos with his power sliding sideways Subaru as the star of the show. In a recent interview with Edmund’s Inside Line, Block admits that his first generation gymkhana car was nothing more than an extremely modified streetcar that had gone through a series of complete revisions. The STI started out as a way for Ken and friends to enjoy cross country rallies before dabbling in the world of the Japanese art of autocross know as gymkhana. Gymkhana is like any other time trial that takes place in an oversized parking lot, except there is a lot more rally style sliding in order to get your car around the orange cone even quicker.
So when Block wanted to get serious about gymkhana, he contact the folks at Crawford Performance and teamed up to produce a race ready 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The first thing that the racers did was shed every unnecessary ounce from the STI and then stiffen the chassis with an extensive roll cage. Weighing in at 2,775 pounds, the Crawford car is almost 600 pounds lighter than a stock STI. The weight reduction helps the 565 HP high performance flat four make the Subaru absolutely fly. Almost every part of the stroked 2.65 Liter boxer engine has been replaced in favor of lightweight reinforced pieces. Sitting atop the neon green powder coated charge pipes is a Garret GT35R turbocharger that compresses a maximum of 30 psi of boost to make a total of 590 E85 burning lb-ft of torque.
One thing that you don’t get an appreciation for with those slow motion pans and rubber burning power slides is exactly how quick Ken Block’s car is in a straight line. First of all launching an all wheel drive turbocharged car can be difficult, you have to get the revs up around 7,000 to keep the turbo spinning and then absolutely dump the clutch so that all four drive wheels can get power without bogging out the engine. But after all the Crawford STI is a racecar and even without the aid of fifth gear it can go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.0 seconds and run the standing quarter mile in only 10.8 seconds at 123.7 seconds on a set of 275/35R18 BFGoodrich g-Force Drag Radials, now that is 0.7 seconds faster than a Corvette ZR-1 super car, so you know that this tuned STI is fast.
Apart from the portability of the PSP, bragging rights over the PS3 come few and far in between, so you can imagine the giddiness PSP owners have after Gran Turismo 5 was released for the portable gaming console yet the official date for the PS3 is still yet to be resolved.
As if things can’t get any worse for PS3 owners, GT5 recently released a new PSP-exclusive GT5 commercial, showing all of us exactly what we are missing.
The commercial shows a race team taking in a few laps at Laguna Seca and the passenger of the two-man unit playing on his PSP while the driver runs through a lap at the famous Monterey circuit on a Corvette ZR1, engaged in a spirited race against a Ford GT and a Nissan GT-R. As for the supposed navigator playing on his PSP, he’s racing on a Corvette ZR1 against, you guessed it, a Ford GT and a Nissan GT-R
Kind of exemplifies Gran Turismo’s eternal tagline, ‘the real driving simulator’, doesn’t it?
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