2017 Mclaren 570 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

McLaren 720S: First look at the new hot-blooded Englishman

"Well, they're very committed and passionate," that's how a spokesman described McLaren's engineering team. Trouble is, English passion tends to be marked by a raised eyebrow, Elgar's understated Nimrod, and elegant motorcars finished in m idnight blue. Italy trumps that with arms flung wide, Rossini's operas, and blood-red cars howling down the endless straights of Emilia-Romagna. Perhaps that's the problem for McLaren, which seems to have so far built cars appreciated by race drivers and finicky poindexters, rather than those who like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or a Maserati because of the shape, the style, the passion, and the operatic exhaust noise. Geography doesn't help (nor do engines that sound like leaf blowers). Woking in Surrey was never going to roll off the tongue quite like Sant' Agata, Bolognese, or Maranello. All this might be about to change this afternoon, however, with the launch of the second-generation of the Super Series car, the 720S, at the Geneva Motor Show. Super Series is the middle of a hierarchy of three similar McLaren car ranges: all mid-engined with carbon-fiber tubs sharing similar hard points for the aluminum, carbon-fiber, and Sheet-Moulded-Composite (SMC) coachwork and sharing the same Ricardo-built V8 bi-turbo and seven-speed twin-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels. Known as 'entry, core and high' by engineers, it starts in the Sports Series, runs through Super and into Ultimate. (Of which there has only been one example, the 2013 P1, although the new "Hyper GT" is promised in 2019.) These cars are largely based on McLaren Automotive's inaugural car, the 2011 MP4-12C. But the 720S marks a new generation and is claimed to be 90 percent all-new. The more it changes, the more it stays the same, wrote novelist Jean-Baptiste Karr, whose 19th-century musing applies to the 21st-century McLaren. Stuff that's essentially the same: The carbon-fiber tub, though it trades the predecessor 650S's aluminum superstructure for carbon fiber. The engine is the familiar Shoreham-made, 90-degree, quad-cam, dry-sump, twin-turbo, but it's been stroked from 3.8 to 4.0 liters, with two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries twin-scroll turbochargers, similar in concept to those used in the P1. These should be capable of providing more boost lower down the rev range, answering criticisms of the old car being too peaky.

McLaren speeds into Dubai in white gold 650S Spider

McLaren prepared a unique take on the 650S Spider for the Dubai Motor Show, which opens this week. Called the Al Sahara 79, the special-edition supercar is geared specifically toward the Middle Eastern market. This spider was outfitted by McLaren Special Operations with a white pearl paint job with actual 24-karat gold particles to make it glimmer. The wheels and retractable hard top are done up in contrasting gloss back, while carbon-fiber trim puts the finishing touches on the blinged-out supercar. Inside, the color scheme continues with white trim and deep gold accents. The special edition takes its name from the desert landscape of the region and from the atomic number of gold. Someone will surely take the 650S Al Sahara 79 home at the end of the show, priced at 1,456,308 Emirati Dirham – equivalent to nearly $400,000 at current exchange rates. In the meantime, it will be showcased at the Dubai show alongside an orange 570S from the new Sports Series and an orange-accented white P1 ordered by a local customer - marking the first time McLaren is showing all three of its model ranges together in the region. McLAREN UNVEILS EXCLUSIVE 650S SPIDER AL SAHARA 79 BY MSO Dubai, UAE: McLaren Automotive has today debuted an exclusive 650S project bespoke to the Middle East, as the covers have come off the 650S Spider Al Sahara 79 by MSO. The special edition model lines up alongside the 570S Coupe and a customised example of the McLaren P1™ at the Dubai International Motor Show 2015 as McLaren showcases the recently announced three model tiers – the Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series – in the region together for the first time. The 650S Spider Al Sahara 79 has been developed by McLaren Special Operations –the division of the company responsible for bespoke craftsmanship – and is available exclusively for Middle East customers. The uniquely formulated paint scheme and bespoke specification have been inspired by the styles, cultures and landscape of the region, and contribute to the name of the latest MSO model. 'Al Sahara' translates from the Arabic for desert, and the crisp pearlescent white gold paintwork has a subtle shimmer, inspired by the golden sands which form such a distinctive part of the Middle Eastern landscape. This unique paint finish is achieved through the addition of 24 carat gold particles. The precious metal, associated with opulence and luxury throughout the region has an atomic number of 79.

Driving McLaren's Sports Car and 'The Best Corvette' at the M1 Concourse | AutoblogVR

There's nothing better than a track day. Great cars on a great track are always great fun. Recently, we had the opportunity to check out the new M1 Concourse in Pontiac, MI, with two of the coolest cars in the game; a McLaren 570S and a Corvette Grand Sport. Driving the 570S was Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore, and he didn't hold back. Getting behind the wheel of the McLaren, Greg explains that although this is McLaren's idea of a sports car, "it's all relative." Topping out at 204 miles per hour with 562 horsepower, there's no two ways about it: this thing is a monster. While the 570S was fantastic, we had another sports car we wanted to drive and editor-in-chief Mike Austin was just the man for the job. Enter the Corvette Grand Sport. Mike pushed all 460 horses of the 'Vette to the limit and came away impressed with the car, even calling it "the best Corvette." Comparing it to its more powerful sibling, the Z06, Mike goes so far as to say the Z06 has too much power, while the Grand Sport seems to be the third bear's bowl of porridge in the Corvette family... It's just right. We captured all the action of the day with 360° cameras so you can feel like you're right there in the car sitting shotgun with us! You can check out the McLaren and Corvette laps above, but the best way to view them is through the AutoblogVR app, where you can watch the videos on your VR headset or in a nice swivel-y office chair so you can take in the sights all around you. Each month, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll be posting them here on Autoblog, but for the best experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too!