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Top Gear drag races VW Golf R against McLaren 675LT and Porsche 911

Top Gear's latest quarter-mile drag race in the collects three very different performance vehicles: the 296-horsepower Volkswagen Golf R, 424-hp Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, and 666-hp McLaren 675LT. While each of these cars sit near the top of their segment, they each come from totally different rungs of the sports car price ladder. Spoiler alert, the Golf R doesn't win. But the final results illustrate the diminishing returns of price and performance. For example, the McLaren is only about a second quicker than the Porsche to 60 miles per hour, but the 675LT costs over 2.5 times more that the GTS. Related Video:

McLaren refutes rampant Alonso rumors post-crash

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding Fernando Alonso after his crash at the Formula One test-session two days ago in Barcelona. And none of that was helped any by the shroud of secrecy that seemed to have enveloped McLaren in the aftermath of the incident. But late yesterday the team issued an update on the champ's condition, addressing some of those rumors head-on. Firstly, McLaren is "pleased to confirm that... Fernando Alonso is making a solid recovery in hospital," and that's the most important part. The statement goes on to say that "he is being kept in hospital for further observation, and to recover from the effects of the medication that successfully managed his routine sedation yesterday." From there picks up the fight against rampant speculation. Though Working confirms that it has yet to determine the cause of the accident, it vehemently denies the rumor that Alonso passed out behind the wheel after having been shocked or inhaled toxic fumes from the hybrid powertrain's batteries. "Our data clearly shows that he was downshifting while applying full brake pressure right up to the moment of the first impact – something that clearly would not have been possible had he been unconscious at the time." The rumors were fueled by first-hand accounts, particularly from his arch-rival Sebastian Vettel, suggesting that Alonso was slumped over before veering suddenly off-track and hitting the wall. They weren't helped any by the veil that hid Alonso from view as he was removed from the wreckage to be taken first to the trackside medical complex and then loaded onto a helicopter to be taken to the hospital. But the evidence seems to point towards the strong and shifting winds as the culprit, as other drivers reported being tossed around by sudden gusts as well. "Our data also confirms that Fernando's car struck the inside concrete wall, first with its front-right wheel and then with its rear-right. It was a significant lateral impact, resulting in damage to the front upright and axle," McLaren described the incident. "After the initial impact, the car slid down the wall for about 15 seconds before coming to a halt. All four wheels remained attached to the car, but no damage was sustained by the bodywork or crash structure between the front and rear wheels." News Source: McLarenImage Credit: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Celebrities Motorsports McLaren F1 mclaren-honda

ATM customers push the Jenson Button to meet their Secret Santander

We all know the drill: you need cash, you go to an ATM, you push some buttons and out come the bills, deducted from your checking account. But some customers at European bank Santander got a bit of a surprise when they were asked to use a new type of automatic teller and push the Jenson Button. Putting the Santa in Santander, the 2009 Formula One World Champion hid inside an ATM in England and dispersed gifts from the bank to a fortunate few of its customers. It's a good gag, one that puts the bank in good light and spreads a bit of holiday cheer. In case you're wondering what Santander has to do with Button and F1, note that the Spanish-owned banking group has, since 2008, sponsored the McLaren team for which Button drives. Not unlike Marlboro, it started sponsoring the Ferrari team in 2010 when Fernando Alonso signed with the Italian team, but though Santander initially planned on severing ties with the British team when it switched to the Scuderia, it's stuck with McLaren over the years. And with Alonso now returning to Woking, we wouldn't be surprised to see the bank step up to an even more prominent role with the team. News Source: Santander via YouTube, Racer Celebrities Marketing/Advertising McLaren Videos santander