2019 Mclaren 720s on 2040-cars

Auto blog

This McLaren F1 replica was built from scrap by a Top Gear fanatic

If Field of Dreams had been made about an automotive enthusiast, its most famous line would need to have been, "If you build it, they will come... and then build their own replicas of yours." More evidence of that comes from Polish amateur mechanic Jack Mazur, who decided to build a copy of his dream car, the McLaren F1. Mazur spent eight years on it, using scrap metal and parts to fabricate everything from the chassis to the seats, spending 20,000 pounds ($31,297 US) to get it done. Mazur is no novice at such endeavors, either, having worked up a homebrew Porsche 911, a Meyers Manx dune buggy and at least three Lamborghini Countachs, among other creations. It sounds like his McLaren replica, however, is the only one with a special seat just for Top Gear co-host Richard Hammond. This video tells Mazur's story in his own words. News Source: Barcroft Cars via YouTube Auto News McLaren Coupe Videos replica poland replicar

McLaren refutes rampant Alonso rumors post-crash

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding Fernando Alonso after his crash at the Formula One test-session two days ago in Barcelona. And none of that was helped any by the shroud of secrecy that seemed to have enveloped McLaren in the aftermath of the incident. But late yesterday the team issued an update on the champ's condition, addressing some of those rumors head-on. Firstly, McLaren is "pleased to confirm that... Fernando Alonso is making a solid recovery in hospital," and that's the most important part. The statement goes on to say that "he is being kept in hospital for further observation, and to recover from the effects of the medication that successfully managed his routine sedation yesterday." From there picks up the fight against rampant speculation. Though Working confirms that it has yet to determine the cause of the accident, it vehemently denies the rumor that Alonso passed out behind the wheel after having been shocked or inhaled toxic fumes from the hybrid powertrain's batteries. "Our data clearly shows that he was downshifting while applying full brake pressure right up to the moment of the first impact – something that clearly would not have been possible had he been unconscious at the time." The rumors were fueled by first-hand accounts, particularly from his arch-rival Sebastian Vettel, suggesting that Alonso was slumped over before veering suddenly off-track and hitting the wall. They weren't helped any by the veil that hid Alonso from view as he was removed from the wreckage to be taken first to the trackside medical complex and then loaded onto a helicopter to be taken to the hospital. But the evidence seems to point towards the strong and shifting winds as the culprit, as other drivers reported being tossed around by sudden gusts as well. "Our data also confirms that Fernando's car struck the inside concrete wall, first with its front-right wheel and then with its rear-right. It was a significant lateral impact, resulting in damage to the front upright and axle," McLaren described the incident. "After the initial impact, the car slid down the wall for about 15 seconds before coming to a halt. All four wheels remained attached to the car, but no damage was sustained by the bodywork or crash structure between the front and rear wheels." News Source: McLarenImage Credit: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Celebrities Motorsports McLaren F1 mclaren-honda

VW CEO Winterkorn happy with rebounding Seat, Skoda

Martin Winterkorn is a happy man: Volkswagen is putting up big numbers in North America, its latest field of dreams, Audi, is breaking records every month, there are exciting cars in the pipeline - from Bugatti down to the XL1, Porsche's digestion continues, and now Skoda and especially Seat are turning in no-questions performance.
It seems Skoda has been on the ups for years, making the most of keen pricing and modern redesigns of the chassis and tech it gets handed down from big brothers VW and Audi. Winterkorn predicts the Czech brand will just about double its 2010 sales by 2018, going from 762,000 to 1.5 million.
Seat, on the other hand, wasn't just on the hotseat a year-and-a-half ago, phrases like "uncertain future" - code for "possible demise" - were rumbling in the background. A new CEO was brought in, new money and new models were thrown against the wall, and the efforts have stuck. The Spanish brand has hit three strong chords with Winterkorn, with increased sales, strong performance in China and anticipated models due. If this keeps up there won't be much left for him to do but, a la Alexander the Great, break down and cry with no worlds left to conquer.