2017 Mclaren 570s on 2040-cars

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McLaren teases new Sports Series in development

Hot on the heels of confirming its upcoming "entry-level" model, McLaren has released a solitary teaser image of that new vehicle undergoing testing. Known until now as the P13, the McLaren Sports Series is set to take on the likes of the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 GT3. Like the rest of the F1-team-turned-supercar-manufacturer's lineup, it'll be built around a carbon monocoque with a V8 engine mounted amidships – widely expected to be a detuned version of the 3.8-liter twin-turbo unit that has already found its home in the 12C, 650S and P1, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Although the teaser image above only shows part of the car, and is wearing all manner of camouflage, it definitely looks like a modern McLaren. You can see the telltale swoosh-shaped LED headlights peering from behind the mesh cladding and ten-spoke alloys spinning away, with wing mirrors mounted to the doors (like on the P1) instead of the window frame (like the 650S). Beyond that there's not much to tell at this point, but you can see that the cockpit will (at least initially) feature a two-seat layout and not the 2+2 arrangement that could still follow – or, for that matter, the 1+2 central driving position of the legendary McLaren F1, an arrangement Woking ruled out for its modern fleet of supercars due to practical considerations like toll booths and parking gates. News Source: McLaren via Facebook McLaren Coupe Supercars mclaren sports series mclaren p13

British automakers take costly precautions as Brexit 'no deal' fears grow

LONDON — Carmakers in Britain have triggered some Brexit contingency plans, such as certifying models in the EU, and are working on redrawing production schedules and stockpiling more parts to defend against any loss of unfettered trade after Brexit. The moves are aimed at ensuring plants, which rely on the just-in-time delivery of tens of thousands of components, can keep operating after Brexit on March 29, but will add costs and bureaucracy which could risk their long-term viability. London and Brussels hope to agree a deal by the end of the year to avoid tariffs and trade barriers, but Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals have been criticized by both Brexiteers, who want a cleaner break from the bloc, and the European Union. McLaren Automotive is looking at having its cars certified by both a British and an EU agency to smooth sales. It is also planning to stockpile critical components and change shipments into the EU around Brexit if there is disruption. "I will sell a little more in January and February and plan to pick the volume up in May and give us a leaner period through the change point," Chief Executive Mike Flewitt told Reuters. BMW, which said last week it would move the annual summer-time shutdown of its British Mini plant next year to April, is looking for lorry parking areas and warehousing on both sides of the channel and is seeking to sign contracts to lease certain locations, a spokesman said. It is also investing in IT systems to handle any new red tape as carmakers estimate tens of thousands of new documents could be needed if tariffs and customs are imposed. The German carmaker's Brexit plans are costing millions of pounds, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. But Honda, which builds 10 percent of Britain's 1.67 million cars at its Swindon plant in southern England, is not in the market to buy "huge amounts of warehousing space," its Europe boss Ian Howells told Reuters. "It's been a very precise calculation or estimation of what components need to be brought in," he said, adding the firm could also alter its output to sell more into the EU at the start of next year. Waste of money? Many British carmakers have also asked suppliers to look into how they would handle delays at ports, executives told Reuters, as thousands of parts, engines and finished models move between Britain and the continent every day.

McLaren gets on track with 570S GT4 and 570S Sprint

McLaren may be producing road-going sports cars these days, but it hasn't forgotten its racing roots. So it should come as little surprise that each of its model lines has found its way from the road to the track: the Super Series with the 650S GT3, the Ultimate Series with the P1 GTR, and soon the Sports Series with the announcement of not one, but two new variants of the 570S. First up is the 570S GT4, a racing model developed jointly by the McLaren GT competition division and independent motorsport firm CRS GT Limited to comply with the lowest of the FIA's sports racing categories. It's based on the road-going model, but features a number of upgrades. The powertrain carries over unchanged, but bodywork has been redone to accommodate the wider track. It rolls on Pirelli racing slicks with center-lock magnesium alloys. The suspension has adjustable dampers and coil-over springs with an on-board air jack. The aerodynamics are more aggressive with a large rear wing, front splitter, and underfloor, a larger radiator up front, and more ducts to keep it all cool. The 570S GT4 is set to debut at the British GT Championship race at Brands Hatch next month before it's made available to privateer teams. With it, McLaren Automotive has hired Ansar Ali (formerly of Caterham and Lotus and founder of Zenos) to serve as its Motorsport Director, separate from the GT and F1 racing divisions in Woking. McLaren is also planning a 570S Sprint. It'll be similar to the GT4 model, but instead of having to fit under any specific racing regulations, the Sprint is being designed for private track enthusiasts – just like the 650S Sprint and the P1 GTR. That ought to make it a hoot to drive, and we're looking forward to its arrival as well "in the coming weeks." Related Video: THE McLAREN SPORTS SERIES EXPANDS TRACK APPEAL WITH 570S GT4 AND 570S SPRINT · Track-only 570S GT4 and 570S Sprint models to be added to the McLaren Sports Series · Ansar Ali joins McLaren Automotive as Motorsport Director · 570S GT4 to enter a season-long competitive development program in British championship with Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse Woking, UK (March 15, 2016) – McLaren Automotive has confirmed two new track-only models of the recently-launched Sports Series with the introduction of the 570S GT4 and the 570S Sprint, developed in conjunction with the motorsport division of the Woking brand, McLaren GT and GT racing specialists, CRS GT.