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McLaren MP4-X concept shows innovation won't die in F1's future [w/video]

Despite things like turbocharging and kinetic-energy recovery, today's Formula One cars look more or less like the ones that lapped the world's race tracks 20 years ago. Sure, they're much more aero intensive, but the basic look is the same. McLaren, which probably had some serious free time this season considering its misfortunes, has imagined a futuristic F1 car that adopts many innovative and somewhat controversial additions. It's called the McLaren MP4-X, and the most obvious change is the closed cockpit. The death of Jules Bianchi, the accidents involving Maria De Villota and Felipe Massa, and even the death of Ayrton Senna could have all potentially been avoided by adopting a strong closed-cockpit design, like the one advocated here by McLaren. It's also worth pointing out that this design is a boon for aerodynamics. Inside that cockpit, drivers would enjoy an augmented reality display system, sort of like that used by F-35 Lightning II fighter pilots. There'd also be an independent head-up display that McLaren claims could be used to transmit info about race position and flag status. So basically, the kind of data you'd get playing Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo. Speaking of safety, the MP4-X's entire chassis, beyond the closed roof, would be far safer thanks to the use of "negative-stiffness material structures." Essentially, these materials can soak up the force of an impact and then bounce, for lack of a better term, back into shape. And if you're thinking like we are, this sounds like McLaren wants 900-horsepower bumper cars. Of course, 900 hp is speculation on our end. McLaren is deliberately vague on the powertrain of this concept. Advanced hybrid powertrains aren't surprising, although the team's mention of inductive, wireless charging on tracks sounds like the stuff of Formula E's dreams. In a move that McLaren says "tears up the rulebook," the MP4-X would see a return of ground effects. The underbody would feature enormous venturi tunnels to suck the car to the track. Alongside active aerodynamics that tweak the its shape for turns and straights, this concept McLaren would be both more slippery and offer more downforce than today's cars. There's a lot more on the MP4-X concept than we can talk about here, so head over to McLaren Honda's official website for all the nitty gritty details on this car's advanced systems, including solar cells, advanced tire sensors, and even virtual logos. It all sounds very, very cool.

McLaren 720S vs. motorcycles: Watch this Cars and Coffee clash

Cars & Coffee events are a nice way to gather enthusiasts together to appreciate a common passion. Plus, sometimes you get to see rarities like the McLaren 720S. But any time you get motor vehicles together, whether it's at an event or just a routine commute, there's a potential for drama, and that's what appears to have happened at this Cars & Coffee gathering in Palm Beach. The video above shows the aftermath of a situation where a McLaren 720S hit a motorcycle after leaving the event. The video shows a rider picking up the motorcycle to the side of the McLaren, while another biker walks around the car yelling, at one point telling another person filming to call the police. As the shot moves toward the front of the car, we see a second bike lying on its side in front of the McLaren, and the biker moves to the front of the car and continues yelling. The driver of the car, whose door is still open, pulls away from the scene and turns right through the intersection, while the biker yells, "I got your license plate!" The video description, as well as a post on Reddit, tells a larger story. According to those accounts, the motorcyclists cut off the McLaren, blocking it in. The driver of the car stepped out to talk to them, but forgot to engage the parking brake. The car rolled into the bike in front of it. The bikers, the accounts say, responded by punching and kicking the McLaren, with one taking a swing at the driver, who then drove away to call the police from a safer location. The person who posted the account on Reddit also says the bikers claimed the McLaren came close to hitting them as it left the event, which is how the incident began. Of course, we don't see what happens leading up to the beginning of the video, so we can't verify any of the accounts. It doesn't appear that anyone was hurt, but this doesn't look like fun for anyone involved. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Gallery 2017 McLaren 720S First Drive View 115 Photos News Source: Reddit Auto News McLaren Safety Motorcycle Supercars Videos mclaren 720s cars and coffee

McLaren could make 675LT Spider after all

When McLaren came out with the 675LT, it initially said it'd only be offered as a coupe. That decision has now apparently been reversed, however, with news that the hardcore flagship of the company's Super Series may yet breed a convertible version after all. According to Autovisie out of the Netherlands, customer demand has compelled Woking to make an additional run of 675LT Spiders. Just how many it would make, we don't know. The company built just 500 examples of the coupe – all of which sold out in short order – so we wouldn't be surprised to see a similar number of convertibles made. Reached for comment, McLaren spokesman Wayne Bruce would only confirm that it is under consideration: "The 675LT was conceived as a Coupe," said Bruce, "but we are receiving many enquiries about a Spider derivative which we are considering." The 675LT debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, based on the 650S but with extended bodywork to give it more downforce, inspired by the Longtail version of the McLaren F1 GTR. It also featured more power and less weight to make it even faster. The output of the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 was upped to 666 horsepower, and the curb weight cut down to 2,712 pounds, giving it a 0-62 time of 2.9 seconds. It also came with a price tag of about $400k, elevating the Super Series, in relative terms, from Lamborghini Huracan territory to Aventador rival. Expect the Spider to bear a negligible performance penalty for the open bodystyle, but a slightly higher price than the coupe version. Don't expect it, however, to sit around unsold for long.