2020 Mclaren 600lt Spider on 2040-cars

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McLaren ceases production of 12C to focus on 650S

If you raised an eyebrow in suspicion when McLaren insisted its new 650S would join its lineup in tandem with – and not as a replacement for – the MP4-12C, we're with you. The 650S is, after all, based closely on the 12C, distinguishing itself essentially with a revised shape, updated equipment and more power. And with the Spider version having debuted alongside the coupe in Geneva, there's really little room left for the 12C at all. Keeping both around at the same time would be like if arch-rival Ferrari offered both the old California and new California T (or the 360 Modena and the F430 that followed) at the same time. Yet McLaren has remained adamant that the 12C isn't going anywhere despite the arrival of the 650S. Or is it? Well, yes and no. Reports coming in from the UK indicate that, while McLaren will continue to offer the 12C to customers who order it, the company has actually ceased production of the older, less expensive version for the time being in order to gear up for producing the newer 650S. Keeping both models on the order sheet will likely cease once McLaren's upcoming entry-level model, dubbed P13, comes along. Essentially replacing the 12C with the 650S at that point will allow Woking to open up a bigger price difference between it and the new model, helping to differentiate between the two. In the meantime, the House that Bruce (or Ron) Built appears to be taking a similar approach to Pagani, which kept the Zonda on offer long after the Huayra came along.

The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix flipped all the scripts

The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit and the Hungaroring fly the flag for processional races, yet Spain's Circuit de Catalunya is arguably as bad. Before this weekend, the pole-sitter won the race 19 times out of the last 25 years. The front row of the grid produced 23 winners in the past 25 years. The racing gods edited that script this year, when a first-lap crash and two mid-race strategy changes kept things open until the end of the 66-lap race. It started when Mercedes-AMG Petronas teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton took each other out on Lap 1. After Rosberg passed pole-sitter Hamilton into Turn 1, Rosberg's car slowed through Turn 3, somehow in the wrong mode. Hamilton closed in on Rosberg so quickly that once the Brit ducked inside for the pass, he couldn't back out. Rosberg, however, closed the door so suddenly that Hamilton had no choice but to drive onto the grass. When Hamilton spun, he collected Rosberg and both Mercedes' ended up in the gravel trap. The stewards deemed it a racing incident. The crash put Red Bull teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in the lead, followed by Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz and the Ferrari duo of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. Both Ferraris cleared Sainz by Lap 10, leaving 56 laps for them to haul in the Red Bulls. Ferrari loosely followed Red Bull's pit strategies. Ricciardo pitted on Laps 11 and 28, Vettel pitted on Laps 15 and 37. Verstappen pitted on Laps 12 and 35, Raikkonen pitted on Laps 13 and 36. Pirelli predicted a three-stop race as the fastest and that the medium tire could only go about 23 laps. Verstappen and Raikkonen didn't get those memos. So while Ricciardo and Vettel came in for third stops the Dutchman and the Finn stayed out, with Verstappen ahead of Raikkonen at the front of the race as of Lap 43. That's when Verstappen – 18 years and 227 days old – proved how good a driver he is, lapping perfectly as second-place Raikkonen closed the gap to a little more than half a second. The Finn still couldn't get past the Dutchman down the pit straight even with the help of DRS, nor under braking at the only real passing opportunity into Turn 1. At the end of Lap 66 Verstappen crossed the line ahead of Raikkonen, a victorious end to Verstappen's first race weekend after being promoted to Red Bull. Further back, Vettel and Ricciardo fought for scraps, the German staying ahead to finish third.

McLaren F1 may be resurrected as a three-seat, 700-hp GT car

Nearly 25 years ago, the McLaren F1 was unrivaled on the streets. A screaming BMW V12 pushed that three-seat car to a record-breaking 243 mph. The F1 was faster, more expensive, and more exclusive than any other production car of the era. Even today, few cars have eclipsed it. Now, McLaren is rumored to be working on a successor to what some consider the greatest road car ever built. According to Autocar, McLaren Special Operations, or MSO, is working on building the fastest GT car in the world. The car will draw influence and some cues from the original F1, but it won't be an exact recreation or retro-styled version of that car. The goal is to build the fastest vehicle in the world with three or more seats. It won't be P1 fast, but it also isn't meant to be. The MSO division works on bespoke vehicles for customers. It deals with custom designs, from unique paint colors to one-off models. Autocar reports that a number of customers have requested something a little softer and more luxurious than what McLaren currently offers, and some have asked after a three-setup like the on the original F1. While McLaren's current offerings are fast, they lack some of the more premium touches of some competitors. Since returning to the road-car business, McLaren has been met with both critical and commercial success. All of its vehicles use a shared carbon-fiber crash structure, modified slightly for each vehicle. All are powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8, tuned differently for each vehicle. All of their current cars have traditional a two-seat layout. The new F1 will make use the same 3.8-liter V8, without the hybrid system of the P1, cranking out more than 700 horsepower. That would make it McLaren's second most powerful vehicle. MSO has reportedly been tasked with adapting McLaren's basic carbon-fiber monocage/monocoque for use on a three-seater, with the driver placed directly in the middle. The suspension would be a shared McLaren system, though set a little softer than in other models. The interior, Autocar claims, will be unique to this car. Dihedral doors, bespoke switchgear, and a custom set of luggage will all be present. Every car is expected to be tailored to each owner's preferences. It's not clear when the vehicle would go on sale, though Autocar believes it will be before the end of the decade. Supercars take years to design, and McLaren has an ambitious plan for its future.