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Wolff: Honda will emerge as strong F1 force

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has no doubts that Honda will make a success of its Formula 1 return, despite the Japanese manufacturer's disappointing time last year. Honda endured a troubled return to F1 in 2015 as it struggled with reliability and a lack of power from its new turbo V6 hybrid engine. But having made gains over the campaign, and a significant revamp of key elements of its power unit over the winter, Wolff thinks that Honda is on course to deliver. "Honda is a huge organization with lots of resource, and they were the power unit with the most impressive development curve through 2015," Wolff said in an interview with his Mercedes team's YouTube channel. "Even if it was a very difficult year for them, it was still very good what they achieved in terms of how they progressed through the season. I have no doubt they will be a strong competitive in the future." Wolff's comments come despite Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell saying last week that he was not convinced that Honda's 'size zero' concept was the right approach for the current regulations. Manor step As well as predicting good things for Honda in the future, Wolff has predicted promising results for the Mercedes-powered Manor team in 2016. "Manor will make a big step up and not only because of the engine," said Wolff, who helped secure a drive at the Banbury-based team for Mercedes junior driver Pascal Wehrlein. "There is a good bunch of people coming together: impressive individuals, with the right budget and right attitude, and Pascal in the car. "I have confidence that the car and driver will have highlights and be a solid midfield runner." This article by Jonathan Noble originally appeared on Motorsport.com, the world's leader in auto racing news, photos and video. Related Video:

2015 McLaren 650S Spider Beauty-Roll

For those of you paying attention, we've really ramped up the Autoblog video game lately. Our new series Car Club USA joins Translogic, and The List, and there are more Daily Drivers and Short Cuts than ever. But sometimes, all you care about is the car. The Autoblog Beauty-Roll video series has one goal: bring you glossy video images of cars, and nothing but. We're collecting moving pictures of all the cars we test, inside and out. Each episode comes with a hit of engine sound – start-up and with a few revs – to round out the package. Set your resolution to max, kick it into full-screen, turn up the sound, and enjoy today's subject, the 2015 McLaren 650S Spider.

McLaren 675LT gets sideways and smoking

McLaren has officially started production of the new 675LT. So how is the British racing team turned supercar manufacturer marking the occasion? By releasing this video clip, soaked in adrenaline and octane and packed with lots of full-throttle, tire-smoking sideways action. The McLaren 675LT was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show just a few months ago as the ultimate expression (so far) of the company's essential Super Series. It's based on the same underpinnings as the 650S that forms the core of the McLaren range, but upgrades with a more powerful version of the company's ubiquitous 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8, now producing 666 horsepower and breathing through a titanium exhaust system. As a result, 0-62 is now quoted at a scant 2.9 seconds, with a top speed pegged at 205 miles per hour. It's also got revised bodywork inspired by the Longtail version of the legendary McLaren F1, offering improved aerodynamics and its LT designation, along with a more hardcore, track-focused setup. McLaren will only make 500 examples of the 675LT, all of which were already sold out within two months of its debut, before the limited-edition supercar is retired altogether. With assembly now kicking off at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, England, those 500 fortunate customers will soon be getting their hands on their new toys. The rest of us will just have to admire from afar, and admire it we will in this latest video.