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Fernando Alonso drives Senna's McLaren in latest promo clip

McLaren has put a lot of great drivers in the cockpit over the years. Several multiple World Champions in fact, from Ayrton Senna to Fernando Alonso. It may seem only fitting then that the latter should get a chance to sample the former's ride, and that's just what the team has done for this latest promo video. It's actually the trailer for a new clip called Don't Crack Under Pressure, celebrating 30 years of partnership between McLaren and TAG Heuer, filmed at Catalunya (Spain). Which is all well and fine, but the point is: Alonso, in Senna's car, the MP4/4 in which Senna won his first World Championship in 1988. And he's playing cat and mouse, no less, with Jenson Button in the new MP4-30, which is powered once again by Honda. Just like in the Senna days.

Geneva-bound Seat Toledo showcar is a concept in name only

The Seat Toledo Concept that we'll see at the Geneva Motor Show is the precursor for the Seat Toledo that will go on sale later this year in Spain - hence its description as a "close-to-production study." The "study" part is how Seat has integrated its IBE, IBX and IBL concepts into a production sedan, and how it plans to make that car "exceptionally good value for money."
This will be the fourth generation of the Seat, which, in its 20-year lifespan, has been both a trunked vehicle and a five-door hatchback. This "concept" splits the difference: it looks like a three-box sedan but it's actually a five-door hatchback. The liftgate at the rear helps it achieve a 500-liter cargo capacity.
As the Spanish brand's version of the Skoda MissionL concept, it will enter the range under the Ibiza and above the Leon and be built on the AO-plus platform from parent company Volkswagen. Prices are rumored to start at €13,000 to €14,000. Follow the jump for a press release with more details.

McLaren offers glimpse inside P1 GTR program [w/video]

Among the many things we were looking forward to seeing at Pebble Beach this year, the McLaren P1 GTR was near the top of our list. Invoking the spirit of the legendary McLaren F1 GTR that dominated sports car racing in the mid-1990s, the P1 GTR was unveiled in Monterey this past August in concept form, giving us an idea of what to expect. But now McLaren has given us a little more. Envisioned as a track toy for the wealthy who want to play racing driver, the P1 GTR is a further evolution – and a more extreme one – of the road-going P1. The GTR is being developed exclusively for use on track. To that end, Woking has stripped out the cockpit and installed a multifunction steering wheel said to be derived from the championship-winning MP4-23 grand prix car, allowing the driver to "fully adjust the setup and characteristics of the car without having to take their hands off the wheel." The racing buckets are modeled after a DTM touring car, equipped with six-point harnesses and affixed directly to the chassis. Outside you'll notice Pirelli slicks and a fixed rear wing with F1-style Drag Reduction System. The P1 GTR is about more than the vehicle itself, though, as McLaren – similar to what Ferrari offers with the XX client test-driver program – is launching a full driver support program to go along with it. Customers will have access to the advanced simulator at the McLaren Technology Centre (typically reserved for the team's contracted racing drivers) as well as the factory's coaches. The program will also include 10 to 12 track sessions each year, to be held at F1-certified tracks around the world, at which each customer will have his or her own garage and crew, all for the benefit of their enjoyment. The program is laid out in the video below, along with which McLaren has released a fresh batch of images showing the uncamouflaged prototype inside and out undergoing hot-weather testing at the grand prix circuit in Bahrain. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.