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McLaren gunning for Ferrari 458 Speciale with hardcore 12C

Since the launch of the MP4-12C back in 2011, McLaren has rolled out endless variations on the theme. The original coupe was followed by the 12C Spider, the GT3 racing version, the Can-Am hardcore track toy (pictured above), the GT Sprint mild track version and more special editions than we could count. But Woking isn't done yet. Not by a long shot. The latest word coming in from the UK has it that McLaren is preparing an even more focused version of the 12C to take on the Ferrari 458 Speciale. That should mean some trimming of the fat and upgrading of equipment to raise that all-important power-to-weight ratio. According to Autocar, the House that Bruce Built plans to boost the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 from its current 616 horsepower to around 650 – which shouldn't be too difficult since the same engine has already been optimized to produce 727 hp in the McLaren P1, even before the hybrid boost is taken into account. Standard carbon-ceramic brakes are expected to help keep the extra power in check, while some aerodynamic enhancements are said to be in the mix as well. The hardcore 12C is also tipped to get a new front-end treatment reminiscent of the P1 that's then slated to make the transition to other versions of the 12C to give the derivatively-styled supercar more personality and family resemblance. Featured Gallery McLaren MP4-12C Can-Am Edition View 10 Photos News Source: Autocar McLaren Coupe Performance mclaren mp4-12c mclaren 12c

McLaren celebrates 20 years of Mobil 1 with special livery for Australian GP

Sponsors come and sponsors go in Formula One, but they tend to stick around awhile at McLaren. The team ran under Marlboro title sponsorship for 22 years from 1974 to 1996, and Hugo Boss has been with the team for 33 years now since 1981. But it's the team's partnership with Mobil 1 which it will celebrate with the sinister livery pictured here. With Vodafone having left the team at the end of last season, McLaren is without a title sponsor for this season, and was expected to return to its heritage orange livery for this year's championship. But instead it's starting the season at the Australian Grand Prix with this silver and black livery to celebrate two decades of partnership with ExxonMobil. It may not be quite as sweet as the new Williams Martini Racing livery, but it is pretty slick. Whether it stands a chance of finishing on the podium this weekend, however, is another matter. While McLaren has won the Australian Grand Prix a dozen times – more than any other team – and Jenson Button is one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Aussie race, he and the team haven't been showing too well in pre-season testing. Mobil 1 and McLaren Celebrate 20-Year Partnership in Formula 1 As the 2014 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, ExxonMobil and McLaren will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their technical and commercial relationship. In honor of the major milestone, the McLaren Formula 1 cars will feature a special livery in Australia that will include both Mobil 1™ and Mobil™ brands." "To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mobil 1's relationship with McLaren, we are looking forward to showcasing a special branding scheme during the first race of the 2014 season," said Artis Brown, global motorsports manager, Mobil 1. "There is a lot of energy entering this race. Not only are we celebrating our 20th anniversary with McLaren, but we will be welcoming Kevin Magnussen to the team. When you combine these elements with the introduction of the new V-6 engine, this should be a very exciting weekend." Jonathan Neale, Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO of McLaren Mercedes said, "We are privileged to have worked closely with ExxonMobil over a very successful 20 years and counting. During 332 races together we have achieved four world championships, 78 wins, 229 podium finishes and 76 pole positions, which is testament to our powerful technology partnership.

Novitec McLaren Senna can hit 124 mph in 6.5 seconds

The McLaren Senna is quick. Really quick. Zero-to-124-mph-in-6.8-seconds quick. But rather than focusing on the achievement of that absurd number, the Novitec Group looks at the time between 0.0 and 6.8 seconds as a window of opportunity. That's the place where never-satisfied dreamers live, and Novitec has managed to whittle that opening down to 6.5 seconds with its just-announced tuning pack. The standard McLaren Senna comes equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that officially registered as the most powerful McLaren road car engine ever made. Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, M840TR, as it's internally known, produced a claimed 789 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. With Novitec's maximum tune, it makes 889 horsepower and 655 lb-ft of torque.  Put to use, the Novitec Senna can catapult from a standstill to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds, down from 2.8 seconds. Sprinting from zero to 124 mph takes 6.5 seconds, and it boasts a top speed of 208 mph, the same as the regular Senna. Like with its tuned McLaren 720S, Novitec offers three levels of tuning but does not specify the numbers for the two lower tiers. All three are accomplished by adding Novitec's plug-and-play Novitec N-Tronic module. This piece of technology adapts to the Senna's electronic engine control unit (ECU), re-maps the car's injection and ignition, and modifies the electronic boost pressure control. The car's experience has also been altered by a Novitec Race GTR high-performance exhaust system made of Iconel. The exhaust has two 3.7-inch pipes that can be finished in polished stainless or matte black. In collaboration with Vossen Wheels, the Novitec Senna has some new centerlock shoes, too. The forged MC3 wheels feature seven twin-spokes and can be ordered in 72 different colors. The specialty wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero rubber.  Check out Novitec's new beast in action below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.