Today's press conference at McLaren's headquarters in Woking, England was all about the upcoming MP4-12C sportscar. With its twin-turbo V8 and low curb weight (@2,900 lbs.), the MP4-12C is already expected to be one of the world's fastest supercars.
Still, the company plans to price the MP4-12C in the low $200,000 range, so there's room for an even more expensive flagship in the lineup. Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive's Program Director hinted to that fact while discussing the company's drive for maximum efficiency. "Our focus will be on achieving the best lightweight solutions at the given price point," he said.
When asked about the company's plans for a flagship above the MP4-12C, Vinnels admitted that a higher price point "will allow us to play with more exotic materials." Managing Director Anthony Sheriff was a little less committed. "In the short term we will focus on two-seater sports cars," said Sheriff. "I wouldn't rule anything out in the long term but whatever we do, it will be a McLaren." -- reporting by Alistair Weaver in England
Categories: Coupes,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,McLaren,Sports Cars
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Read about our drive of a Lancia Stratos.
Categories: Motorsports
And no, they didn't make that claim with any sort of snickering or lack of seriousness. In fact, McLaren told Inside Line that it's totally committed to efficiency.
"Four or five years ago no-one in the supercar world cared about carbon dioxide emissions," said Anthony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive, "but we said it does matter because it's a key measure of efficiency. It was one of the primary targets for the MP4-12C."
It may sound like a bit of greenwashing by McLaren, but the company simply sees it as a matter of performance enhancement.
"It's very easy to chase performance figures," explained Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive's Programme Director. "The future will always be about efficiency. Increased performance will come with increased efficiency." -- reporting by Alistair Weaver in England
Categories: Coupes,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,McLaren,Motorsports,Sports Cars
Ah, the life of a Ferrari Formula One driver. All the grueling hours of testing, the overzealous fans and champagne-soaked driving suits. Sometimes it's just too much, and for those occasions you need something to take you away from it all.
When Fernando Alonso sat down to order himself up a car, the Maserati GranCabrio was his choice. Why? Well, we don't really know, probably something to do with the way it looks, the sound of its V8 and the name at the top of his paychecks.
Thankfully, Mr. Alonso did not go for the obvious and order it in red. Instead he went for some shade of dark gray with a light interior. Nice score there Fernando, now you can relax.
Categories: Celebrities,Convertibles,Maserati,Motorsports
You didn't think the 2011 Ford Fiesta was going to be stuck with a wimpy 120-horsepower, four-cylinder forever did you? Well, maybe you did, but our latest spy photos prove there's a hotter version of the Fiesta hatchback in the works.
As you can see, this Fiesta prototype not only looks a little different on the outside, it appears to have a few hardware upgrades as well. The faint sight of an intercooler up front confirms that the presence of an Ecoboost powerplant. Exactly which one is tough to tell at this point. Ford has already officially announced that it will build both 1.6- and 2.0-liter versions of the Ecoboost four-cylinder, but rumors of a 1.4-liter version have also been thrown around.
Also note the new set of wheels, low-profile performance tires and dual exhaust tips. Not a bad combination of upgrades eh? Expect to hear more about the Fiesta with Ecoboost later this year.
Ford Fiesta Will Get Ecoboost - Just Not When It Launches
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Categories: Ford,Future Vehicles,Hatchbacks,Spy Photos
Yes, you read that correctly. Racing a $500 car could score you a trip to see the real thing, the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
The just announced prize will be given to the Team Champs, so it's all about consistency over the long haul. In other words, you'll have to beat Team Eyesore more than once. And if you can do that, you deserve a trip to France.
24 Hours of LeMons
Categories: Motorsports
Nothing like a full redesign to bring a vehicle back from obscurity. In the case of the 2011 Ford Explorer, obscurity might not be the word. Not too long ago the Explorer was one of the best-selling vehicles in America. And now? It's not even in the top 10.
Ford is looking to get the Explorer back in the game by recasting it as a modern crossover instead of a more traditional SUV. That means it will ditch its off-road ability and towing capacity in favor of ride quality and interior packaging.
As you can see in these latest photos, it's getting a substantially revised design too. The changes up front can be seen a little better than before. Looks like some pretty funky headlights going on there. Expect some Ecoboost action under the hood too as well as an interior similar to the recently upgraded Edge.
Continue reading...
Categories: Crossovers,Ford,Future Vehicles,SUVs,Spy Photos
Yes, that's how contentious the situation is around Cadillac headquarters. Even though retiring product chief Bob Lutz is said to have confirmed the death of the Converj, Cadillac officials still won't say whether the stylish plug-in electric car will ever see the light of day.
IL News: Cadillac Won't Confirm Rumors of Converj's Demise
Categories: Cadillac,Concept Vehicles,Coupes,Future Vehicles,General Motors,Green Tech,Luxury Cars
Remember fuel cells? They're the perpetually "ten years away" technology that will allow us to drive around in electric cars that emit nothing but thirst quenching water droplets. Sounds refreshing eh?
Well, there are still a few problems to overcome. It's not quite as convenient as a battery-powered electric car, namely because the ratio of electric outlets to hydrogen fueling stations is roughly 10 billion to one.
Then there's the fact that creating hydrogen fuel requires massive amounts of electricity. Hmm....using electricity to create hydrogen that you then turn back into electricity? Sounds like cutting out the middle man might be easier, no?
Just bumps in the road according to the various automakers who are working on such systems. GM is one of them and it recently announced that its latest hydrogen fuel cell is smaller, lighter and uses less platinum that the setup in its earlier Equinox test vehicles. The new system has been installed in yet another Equinox and delivered to one Stephanie White, a biologist who's really into this kind of stuff. According to GM officials, the technology in Ms. White's Equinox could be ready for mass production by 2015. We'll see.
Categories: Auto Industry,Concept Vehicles,Future Vehicles,General Motors,Green Tech,SUVs
And you thought only Germans could be wacky. Think again, freund!
Like Smart, Ford is offering to sell you stickers for your new car. This assumes, of course, that your Ford happens to be a Fiesta and you have a yearning to make your car look 30 percent sillier.
You can choose from 18 different designs rendered in several different color options on "premium quality vinyl." Go to fordfiestagraphics.com and choose your most-est favorite. The company will not mail the vinyls to you though. You'll have to get them at your local dealer.
Also, you cannot create your own design at this time because, well, Ford knows that you'll just do something illegal like a line drawing of Calvin pissing on Calvin or something grotesque like a picture of hibiscus flowers.
We're currently lobbying Ford to create a life-size sticker of a 1994 Ford Aspire to apply to a 2011 Fiesta hatchback.
Tip o' the hat to xprojected for the, uh, tip.
Categories: Ford,Hatchbacks,Sedans,Tuners and Modifications
