2019 Mclaren 720s Performance on 2040-cars

Auto blog

McLaren CEO says Apple takeover talks happened but didn't go anywhere

Back in September, we reported that Apple was in talks to buy McLaren, as per a report in the Financial Times. A McLaren spokesperson flatly denied the rumor at the time, but it turns out that perhaps the truth of the matter is a little more complex than that denial encompassed. In an interview with Reuters, McLaren's acting CEO Mike Flewitt confirmed that there were talks with Apple, but that they never reached the stage where Apple made a bid. "There wasn't a bid from Apple," Flewitt told Reuters. "They visited. We talked. We talked about what they did. We talked about what we did. They toured. It never matured to a definitive proposition." Even if Apple had made a bid, it seems like the people who run McLaren might not have been in the mood to take it. As you might remember, long-time CEO Ron Dennis was ousted recently from his position after a 35-year run. A BBC report made it sound like the dismissal had to do with management style, but Sky News reports that it was Dennis's backing of a Chinese takeover bid that precipitated his departure. Apparently the stockholders weren't keen on selling, whether to a Chinese consortium or anybody else, and so Dennis got the boot. It's not as if Dennis will be completely uninvolved from this point forward. The man still has a 25 percent stake in the company, and will remain on the board of directors of both the McLaren Technology Group as well as McLaren automotive itself. In other news, Zak Brown, a former racing driver and sports marketing executive, has decided to take Dennis's vacated position, reports Sky News. Related Video: News Source: Reuters, Sky NewsImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images McLaren Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance mclaren automotive

Top Gear season 25 opens with a V8 roadtrip through America

Great news for fans of BBC Top Gear: the first episode of season 25 is here. Viewers of BBC America will catch the season opener on March 3, and for the American audience this episode is definitely suitable watching. The episode has been dedicated to V8 sportscars almost in its entirety, as it's been wrapped around a Western roadtrip with a motorsport bias. The three hosts get to choose three V8 sports cars, with the basic idea of finding the best all-rounder. Matt LeBlanc goes for a Hennessey-tuned GT350R, Rory Reid chooses a Jaguar F-Type SVR, and Chris Harris shakes up the pack by selecting a McLaren 570GT. It's a nicely varied trio, with V8 power still showing what it's good for. There are various challenges along the way, just like there should be on a Top Gear roadtrip episode – even if the road surface itself isn't always ideal. But things smoothen out, all the way to a NASCAR oval and an airport runway; the flooded Bonneville salt flats aren't suitable for shenanigans, so substitutes have to be found. The trio also hit dirt roads, and have to evade a buggy-driving Ken Block during a "moonshine run to the border." Fans of Sabine Schmitz will be pleased to find her piloting a chain car racer, which consists of two American junk cars with a Honda CRX chained in the middle. It must make sense to someone. The Star In A Reasonably Priced Car segment has been retained for this season. This time it's the British actor Rob Brydon driving the Toyota GT86, on a very wet lap around the show's Dunsfold Aerodrome track that must be a cult classic by now. All in all, the season 25 opener is exactly what it says on the tin. There's nothing out of the ordinary, but it still has excellent cinematography, V8 roar and some nice landscapes. Classic Top Gear. Cowboy duels, Sabine Schmitz chain car racing, @RobBrydon, a @kblock43 car chase and #TheStig The latest episode of #TopGear is available on @BBCiPlayer now. Outside the UK? See local listings here: https://t.co/HPPhbUErDu pic.twitter.com/87F53C8oYb — Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) February 26, 2018 Related Video:

McLaren 675LT aims at the track with more power, less weight

Rumor had it as the McLaren 650S GTR, but it's actually the 675LT – "LT" being for Long Tail – that will come to the Geneva Motor Show. This will be the track-honed, road-legal version coupe in the Super Series, getting 666 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from its 3.8-liter V8. Combined with a weight loss of 220 pounds for a 2,711-pound dry weight, the hard-charger gets from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 205 mph. Changes outside include a large carbon fiber front splitter at the base of a new front bumper, end plates ahead of the front wheels, an extra cooling intake nested in a larger door blade, and twin titanium exhaust pipes in back below a longtail airbrake that's larger yet 50 percent larger than the one on the 650S. Inside will come carbon fiber buckets inspired by those in the P1, and a "stripped out" interior. In addition to McLaren Orange, five brand new exterior hues will be available: Silica White, Delta Red, Napier Green and Chicane Grey. If the 650S had you on the fence, this might be the not-so-gentle nudge you've been waiting for. The press release below has more details. McLAREN 675LT: POWER, WITH MINIMAL WEIGHT, IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING - 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds; 0-124 mph in 7.9 seconds - 220 lbs weight savings makes the 675LT the lightest in its class, and gives a power-to-weight ratio of 4 lbs per bhp (549PS per ton) - 33 percent of parts are different from the 650S, which it sits alongside in the McLaren Super Series - Five unique 'By McLaren' hero specifications to be offered - Global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015 on stand 1240, at 12.15 CET (11.15 GMT / 6:15AM EST) The McLaren 675LT will make its world debut at the 85th Geneva Motor Show, with a clear focus on outright performance, weight reduction and ultimate levels of driver engagement – all key attributes of a 'Longtail' McLaren. Offered as a Coupe only, the 675LT will be the most track-focused, yet road legal, model in the McLaren Super Series, with a power to weight ratio that eclipses established rivals. The sprint from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) takes just 2.9 seconds, with controlled torque delivery ensuring optimized traction off the line. Acceleration continues at a relentless pace with the 124 mph (200 km/h) barrier broken in 7.9 seconds, on to a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). The first images of the car show a darker side of the McLaren brand than has been seen before.