McLaren 675LT, page #6

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2015 McLaren 650S Spider Beauty-Roll

For those of you paying attention, we've really ramped up the Autoblog video game lately. Our new series Car Club USA joins Translogic, and The List, and there are more Daily Drivers and Short Cuts than ever. But sometimes, all you care about is the car. The Autoblog Beauty-Roll video series has one goal: bring you glossy video images of cars, and nothing but. We're collecting moving pictures of all the cars we test, inside and out. Each episode comes with a hit of engine sound – start-up and with a few revs – to round out the package. Set your resolution to max, kick it into full-screen, turn up the sound, and enjoy today's subject, the 2015 McLaren 650S Spider.

The story behind the Bruce Meyers racecar bed

It must have been quite a spectacle to watch as a full-size vehicle trailer pulled up in front of the Schorrs' suburban house and delivered a garish French Racing Blue sports car. But it might not have been all that odd. "My world was the car world, and my dad was the car guy," Stuart Schorr, now Jaguar Land Rover communications chief, recalls of his youth. His father Marty was the editor in chief of high performance car magazines during the muscle-car era of the '60s and '70s. "I was the only kid who had a Plymouth Superbird parked in the driveway, who got driven to school in a hot-rodded Corvette." Yet this vehicle was extraordinary, even by Schorr standards. Made of thick fiberglass, with four-spoke mags and racing slicks, it looked like a McLaren M6 Can-Am racer – wide, voluptuous, and impossibly low. But in place of niceties like the front intake, cockpit, and engine, it had a broad cutout the size and shape of a coffin. Also, it unbolted in the middle lengthwise. Workers hauled it into the house, one piece at a time, through the window, and bolted it together in Stuart's bedroom, finishing with a full-size twin mattress. "When Stuart came home from school, he found the McLaren bed in his room," Marty Schorr says. "I'm pretty sure he slept in that bed until he went away to college." (This may have been the most unusually effective form of teen birth control. "No female ever saw that bed," Stuart confesses.) One of the great mysteries of the bed was its provenance. "If you looked under the plastic tires, it had these stickers that said B.F. Meyers & Company." This was the imprint of Bruce Meyers, creator of the Meyers Manx: the flippant fiberglass wonder that ushered in – and was then summarily ushered out of – the Volkswagen dune buggy conversion market. Did Bruce Meyers build a kids' bed? And, if so, why? Bruce Meyers grew up near the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, surfing and diving illegally off the piers. "That's the kind of life I led as a boy," he says during an extensive interview. "It was one with a lot of intolerance for rules." A thorough iconoclast, he attended art school. He spent time sailing. He lived on a coral atoll in the South Seas and ran a pearl trading post. And then he returned to Southern California and worked in a shipyard. "Boat building at that time was moving over from wooden to fiberglass construction.

McLaren 675LT gets sideways and smoking

McLaren has officially started production of the new 675LT. So how is the British racing team turned supercar manufacturer marking the occasion? By releasing this video clip, soaked in adrenaline and octane and packed with lots of full-throttle, tire-smoking sideways action. The McLaren 675LT was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show just a few months ago as the ultimate expression (so far) of the company's essential Super Series. It's based on the same underpinnings as the 650S that forms the core of the McLaren range, but upgrades with a more powerful version of the company's ubiquitous 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8, now producing 666 horsepower and breathing through a titanium exhaust system. As a result, 0-62 is now quoted at a scant 2.9 seconds, with a top speed pegged at 205 miles per hour. It's also got revised bodywork inspired by the Longtail version of the legendary McLaren F1, offering improved aerodynamics and its LT designation, along with a more hardcore, track-focused setup. McLaren will only make 500 examples of the 675LT, all of which were already sold out within two months of its debut, before the limited-edition supercar is retired altogether. With assembly now kicking off at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, England, those 500 fortunate customers will soon be getting their hands on their new toys. The rest of us will just have to admire from afar, and admire it we will in this latest video.

Race recap: 2015 British Grand Prix is a testament to timing

In front of his home crowd, Lewis Hamilton actually had to work for pole position at the British Formula One Grand Prix. The World Champion couldn't get on top of the setup for his Mercedes-AMG Petronas on Friday, lapping behind teammate Nico Rosberg and the two Ferraris. Come Saturday, after a few alterations and a whole lot of wing to clamp down on understeer, Hamilton returned to his regular program at the front, taking pole position by just over a tenth of a second from his teammate. Williams, thought to be headed for another stretch in the weeds a few races ago, showed its best strength all year. The Grove team got both cars on the second row and in front of the Ferraris, Felipe Massa qualifying ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas, but they were eight and nine tenths behind the Mercedes'. Kimi Raikkonen out-qualified Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel for the second time this year, and only the first time in a straight-up battle with two healthy cars. But more than a second behind the two cars at the front, and with two nearly-impossible-to-pass Williams' in front, neither the Finn nor the German is happy with where they are. Daniil Kvyat claimed seventh, his side of the garage at Infiniti Red Bull Racing having got through the weekend to that point without a single complaint about their Renault power unit. Carlos Sainz, Jr. put a single Toro Rosso inside the top ten in eighth position, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg who did the same for Sahara Force India by slotting in ninth. The second Infiniti Red Bull driven by Daniel Ricciardo did have an unspecified engine complaint – his car kept "bleeding power" on the straights – but even so he managed to qualify tenth with his second-fastest lap. The stewards deleted his best lap because he ran three centimeters outside the track limits at Copse, an infraction that stung a few other drivers as well. Up in front, what would sting the Mercedes-AMG Petronas drivers the most was the start. That's when a dearth of grip struck both Hamilton and Rosberg, allowing Massa and Bottas to slide right up the middle between them and take the first two places. The leapfrogging was so surprising that it looked like the Mercedes drivers were giving the Williams drivers a head start. They diced through the first corners, Hamilton sliding past Bottas into second place halfway through the lap. And then the safety car reported for duty.

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.

McLaren honors Alain Prost with special P1 at Goodwood

McLaren is speeding off from Woking to Goodwood this year with an array of supercars specially outfitted by McLaren Special Operations. Each pays tribute to a legendary figure from the team's distinguished history. The assortment will include a number of different models from the company's lineup, but the key player featured here is based on the flagship McLaren P1. Done up in a white livery with blue and red details, this particular hybrid hypercar takes a decidedly different approach to the sinister red and black on the last one we saw. It borrows its livery from the iconic helmet design of Alain Prost, the world-famous French driver who won three of his four world championships driving for McLaren. (His fourth and final title was with Williams, in case you were wondering.) The Prost-inspired P1 will be joined by a 675LT that similarly borrows its livery from the Can-Am legend Denny Hulme's helmet design in white with twin black stripes and yellow headlamp lenses. Also on hand will be an orange 650S Spider in tribute to Bruce McLaren himself. The new 570S will be making its dynamic debut at the Festival of Speed, and there'll also be a P1 GTR and 650S Le Mans edition on site. History buffs, however, will likely be more intrigued by the silver F1 GT, one of only three road cars ever made to homologate the F1 GTR Longtail for racing. McLAREN MOMENTS TO HONOUR FAMOUS RACE-WINNERS AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED - McLaren 'Moments' honour a number of the iconic names to have raced for McLaren over the last 50 years - Comprehensive collection of McLaren models on display, statically and dynamically - Recently announced three tier model range all represented with commissions by McLaren Special Operations - To read more about the McLaren 'Moments' visit: cars.mclaren.com/featured-articles/flat-out-and-fearless.html This weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed will see a collection of McLaren models, displayed statically at McLaren House, adjacent to the famous Goodwood House, and in the Supercar Paddock prepared by McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The bespoke arm of McLaren Automotive has prepared models from the Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series, the three newly-announced model tiers. Each of these celebrate this year's Festival of Speed 'Flat-out and Fearless' theme, highlighting a milestone or 'moment' from the history of McLaren, and honouring some of the legendary drivers who have driven for the team over the years.

2015 Austrian F1 Grand Prix switches to alternating current

It's called the Red Bull Ring, guests are welcomed by a statue of a leaping bull, and dominating its layout demands powerful cars that can run it hard. Perhaps all that aggression is what led both Mercedes-AMG Petronas cars to run off the track in the final qualifying session on their final hot laps, a little too aggressive on the charge. Lewis Hamilton was first into the gravel at Turn 1 when he lost his car under braking, but he was still fast enough to get pole ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg, who spun at Turn 8. Rosberg started second. Or perhaps it wasn't the red bull but the scarlet horse that caused The Silver Arrows to muck it up: Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel had Mercedes' attention all weekend, and he'd line up in third just 0.355 off Hamilton's time. Williams truly rediscovered its power, Felipe Massa going fourth fastest, teammate Valtteri Bottas in sixth. Between them was newly-minted Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg, yet again – can we say that enough? – pulling the still-not-updated Force India to fifth place on the grid. Max Verstappen led the Renault-powered top-ten duo in his Toro Rosso in seventh, Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Daniil Kvyat behind him in eighth. Kvyat, however, would start down the order because of a ten-place grid penalty for needing a fifth Renault engine. After that it's back to Mercedes Ferrari power, Felipe Nasr in the Sauber in ninth, Romain Grosjean in with Mercedes power in the Lotus in tenth – but fellow Lotus driver Pastor Maldonado actually started in tenth because of Kvyat's demotion. Before we get to the race, can we take a moment to talk about the shenanigans and gaudy penalties? Kimi Raikkonen waved the Ferrari flag in Canada after a season that's been full of "We didn't get it right this time," and we thought he was back. But no. In Austria the refrain returned, the Finn kicked out of Q1 after another miscommunication with the team – he qualified 18th. If the scenario plays to form, we'll now wait for team boss Mauricio Arrivabene to issue a clarification that suggests Raikkonen missed a step. Daniel Ricciardo parachutes ten spots back for the same reason as his teammate Kvyat, needing a fifth Renault power unit, dropping him to 18th on the grid and forcing him into a five-second time penalty when he comes in to pit.

McLaren's Oliver Turvey to drive in London ePrix

The Formula E grid is set to see at least one more new face before the season is out. Following the recent announcements of Simona de Silvestro and Sakon Yamamoto lining up for the season finale in London, the series has revealed that Oliver Turvey will also be competing in the event. A longtime Formula One test driver for McLaren, Turvey has raced (and won) in a variety of motorsports disciplines, from GP2 to Le Mans (where he took the LMP2 class victory last year). He also won the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 2006. He'll be driving for the NextEV TCR team in the double-header London ePrix at the end of this month alongside current frontrunner Nelson Piquet Jr. Turvey is filling a seat previously occupied this season by Ho-Pin Tung, Antonio Garcia, and Charles Pic. Turvey gets NEXTEV TCR drive China|18 Jun 15 McLaren Formula 1 test driver Oliver Turvey will make his Formula E debut for NEXTEV TCR in the Visa London ePrix double-header on June 27/28. Turvey – a winner of the prestigious McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award – will race alongside championship leader Nelson Piquet Jr as the Brazilian aims to secure the inaugural Formula E title. Although Turvey has tested for McLaren already this season, his last race in a single-seater was in GP2 in 2011. Since then he has raced in GTs, Sportscars and the Japanese Super GT series alongside his F1 testing duties. Turvey, who was backed by the Racing Steps Foundation in his junior career, is the fourth driver to partner Piquet, following on from Ho-Pin Tung, Antonio Garcia and Charles Pic. Related Video: News Source: Formula EImage Credit: McLaren Green Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Motorsports McLaren Formula E

McLaren Special Ops cooks up a devilish P1

When you're paying a million bucks for a supercar, you earn the right to get it just the way you want. And this is how one British customer opted to have his (or hers) spec'd out. Outfitted by McLaren Special Operations, this particular McLaren P1 has been done up in a rather devilish black and red livery reminiscent of the scheme that the company's Formula One team is running on its single-seaters this season. The mostly black bodywork, as you can see, is accented by red nostrils, red fading into black along the fenders and doors, a red-framed roof, red aero, and red-accented black wheels. The theme continues on the inside, with glossy red inserts and contrasting red stitching adorning the black leather and bare carbon-fiber trim. It's certainly not for the faint of heart, but then a 900-horsepower hybrid hypercar seldom is.

Rowan Atkinson sells his McLaren F1 for $12 million

With little over a hundred produced (including prototypes and racers), there aren't a lot of McLaren F1 owners out there. Rowan Atkinson is among the most prominent, but he won't be any longer as reports from the UK reveal that he's sold his F1. The actor best known for his role as Mr. Bean bought his McLaren back in 1997 when it was still new for what was then a princely sum of GBP540,000 (about $830k). He drove it regularly over the nearly two decades since, putting some 41,000 miles on the odometer and crashing it twice – the most recent collision in 2011 cost his insurers a reported $1.4 million to fix. With values for the McLaren F1 skyrocketing, Atkinson put it on the market earlier this year. The consignment was handled by London classic and supercar broker Taylor & Crawley, headed by the same David Clark who sold Atkinson the car when he served as McLaren's sales director. Although the final transaction price has not been disclosed, the original asking price was GBP8 million – equivalent to over $12 million at current exchange rates. The supercar was reportedly purchased by another British enthusiast who intends to drive it as frequently as Atkinson did. Private treaty sales like this (where prices are not generally disclosed) notwithstanding, the Atkinson sale would eclipse the highest price paid to date for the iconic supercar at auction. According to Sports Car Market, the top price paid was at Pebble Beach in 2013, where Gooding & Co sold one for just under $8.5 million. The same event the following year saw one go unsold, despite a high bid of over $10 million. Related Video: