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Seat bringing boatload of hot hatches to Lake Worthersee

GTI Treffen may have started out as a gathering for owners of Volkswagen pocket rockets, but by now it's blown into a full-on celebration of everything related to hot hatches and more. And though it remains a grassroots event by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, Volkswagen is wise not to ignore it. These days, it comes to the annual lakeside gathering in Austria with a handful of show cars in tow, and brings its sister-brands along for the ride, too.
Audi has already announced the Q3 Red Track concept destined for Wörthersee, and Skoda is coming with a pair of Citigo concepts - one made up as a DJ booth and the other as a rally car. Now their Spanish cousins at Seat have revealed the veritable motorcade of show cars it's bringing to the meet-up.
Seat will be showcasing the Ibiza Cupra Concept it unveiled in Beijing, but that's not all. It'll also display a customized Ibiza FR and Leon Cupra R, a Mii city car (that's the Spanish version of the Volkswagen Up!) imagined in sporty FR trim and, most enticing of all, a pair of racing models that are ready to hit the track.

McLaren confirms Sport Series Spider for 2017, another bodystyle due [w/poll]

While famous in motorsports and for the F1, McLaren is still building a name for as a major producer of modern supercars. Every year, the company just keeps adding more variants to the lineup, and now we're getting the scoop on some of the coming developments. In a recent latest financial announcement, McLaren tips its hand that two, new bodystyles for the Sports Series models are on the way for 2016 and 2017. Currently comprised of the 570S (pictured above) and 540C coupes, the Sports Series models are meant to challenge rivals like the Mercedes-AMG GT and Audi R8. Adding a convertible to the range isn't really a surprise, but now McLaren is verifying that's the case. "I can tell you that the new bodystyle for 2017 will be a Spider," spokesperson Wayne Bruce confirms to Autoblog. However, McLaren is clear in its announcement: "a second body-style will be introduced in 2016 followed by another in 2017." So what could next year's model be? Rumors suggest that the company might be working on an odd combination of GT and shooting brake for the Sports Series. While it isn't confirmed, leaks claim that the variant has a larger luggage compartment that runs on top of and possibly behind the engine, and this is somehow accessible from the side. Maybe the shape looks better in reality, than the description implies. Of course, that's not the only option. It's not hard to imagine McLaren doing a hardcore version of the 570S, like the relationship between the 675LT and 650S. Although for all we know right now, the company could even have a hyper hatch or tiny pickup to take on Australia's high-performance utes in the works. It's certainly fun to speculate. Let us know what you would like to see in the poll below. NEW MODELS DRIVE McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE TO RECORD RESULTS McLaren Automotive records second consecutive year of profitability just four years after opening its first retailer 2014 sales increased 18 percent over 2013, another year of growth Already a sustainable business investing in its future and people An expanding range of luxury sports cars designed, engineered and made in the UK...and intending to stay that way More than 1,200 people employed, most in the UK, with 50 percent of parts UK sourced, and 92 percent of output exported The incredible story of McLaren Automotive continues with the announcement of a second consecutive year of profitability four years since the company opened its first retailer.

2015 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix puts a dark horse in the desert [spoilers]

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen had said after Malaysia that Ferrari can challenge Mercedes-AMG Petronas purely on pace, beyond the scope of tire wear, in the dry. We didn't see that in China, where Lewis Hamilton easily kept everyone behind and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel only got close to Mercedes' Nico Rosberg when Rosberg slowed down to conserve his tires. But the Iceman's words seemed prescient during qualifying for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. At the front, nothing has changed so far this year: four races, four pole positions for Lewis Hamilton. Instead of teammate Rosberg next to him, though, he'll look over to see the scarlet Ferrari of Vettel, who took advantage of Rosberg's cautiousness to snatch second place on the grid. In Q2, Rosberg tried to conserve the tires he'd start the race on and said he couldn't get into a groove in Q3, putting in a time 0.147 seconds slower than Vettel. The second Silver Arrows will share his row with the second Ferrari, Raikkonen – yet again – saying he might have left some time on the table during his hot lap but getting around just one tenth off Rosberg's time. Williams is established as the best of the rest behind two teams this year instead of just one last year, Valtteri Bottas claiming fifth ahead of Felipe Massa. Daniel Ricciardo of Infiniti Red Bull Racing said he wants to fight with the Williams', he'll be helped with a good start off the line for the first time this year. Nico Hulkenberg got Force India into Q3 for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix last year and into eighth on the grid, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean putting in another excellent day's work for Lotus. Come race time, it turned into Mercedes power against Ferrari strategy. When Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle talks about the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team he often mentions how their engine advantage leads to other advantages throughout the car. Not having to use aerodynamic changes to make up for power unit deficiencies, for instance, means they can run the aero setup they want, which optimizes speed and tire wear throughout a lap. It equates to advantage on top of advantage on top of advantage. That's where Lewis Hamilton is right now, so fundamentally dialed in to his car and his racing that he run the races he wants to run. From the front spot, the Brit ripped off another perfect start and led the field into Turn 1, relinquishing the lead only during pit stops.