2022 Mclaren 765lt Spider on 2040-cars

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New Tesla, McLaren, and Ferrari models added to Takata recall list

UPDATE: A McLaren spokesperson confirmed to Autoblog that "a number" of McLaren models in the US, Japan, and South Korea will be recalled to fix non-dessicated airbag inflators. However, the recall only affects passenger airbags, as all driver's-side inflators use a different technology and are not affected. The timeline is still being determined. It's been more than two and a half years since the Takata airbag recall first made waves. Despite knowing which airbags were at fault and the exact cause of the failure, manufacturers like Audi, Ferrari, McLaren, and Tesla have been building and selling cars with defective airbags. Although it takes several years for the airbag to degrade to the point of failure, all of these new cars will eventually have to be recalled for replacements. It appears that time has come, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now issued a recall on some of these new models. Models from Tesla and McLaren have been added to NHTSA's recall list for the first time. Tesla is recalling every 2012 - 2016 Model S while McLaren is bringing back every model it's made since relaunching its road-car business in 2012. Not even the P1 is free from failure. Other automakers have expanded their affected-vehicle list. All of Ferrari's 2016 - 2017 lineup now falls under the recall and joins a number of previously recalled models, while Audi is recalling the 2017 R8. Since the recall started, dozens of automakers have recalled millions of affected cars to replace potentially fatal and highly flawed airbags that can deploy bits of metal at occupants. Eleven deaths in the United States are directly related to the faulty airbags. Before the recall, Takata held a sizable share of the airbag market. When the failures began to occur, some automakers were left with no alternative suppliers. As it takes a few years for the airbags to fail, automakers without other options faced a choice: they could either build cars that would be recalled in the future or stop building cars altogether until a secondary supplier could be found. These recalls seem to be happening so frequently that owners may not know what to do or where to check to see if their car is potentially affected. NHTSA is keeping a comprehensive list of all affected models. Their website can help owners determine if they have a potentially problematic airbag installed and the steps to take to replace it.

McLaren envisions future of Formula One racing in 2050

We're seeing a lot of change in the car industry with the rise of electric vehicles, autonomous driving features and ever more connectivity, so much so that the car world will probably look pretty different 30 years from now. But what about in motorsports? Well, McLaren expects some pretty radical changes, too, and it put together an elaborate vision of what its bread and butter, Formula One, will look like in 2050. The race cars will still be open-wheel racers with elaborate active aerodynamics. The company describes flexible side pods that can retract for high speeds up to 310 mph, and can then expand for additional drag when braking and cornering. Downforce will come more from diffusers and undercarriage designs than external wings. The cars will be fully electric, and charging will come from induction coils placed in the ground with receiver coils in "self-repairing composite" wheels and tires. McLaren expects the cars to recharge 10 to 50 percent of battery capacity in 10 to 30 seconds. Traditional pit stops may give way to charging lanes or zones that provide different amounts of power depending on your speed, adding more strategy. With faster cars, McLaren suggests that track designs could be reimagined. They would include steeper banking in corners to keep speeds up, allow even tighter turns, and expand the tracks for the higher top speeds. Street circuits could even expand to encompass entire cities for more places to view the cars and more interesting courses. The driver will have some impressive technology at hand, too. To combat the high speeds and g-forces, especially on those hypothetical banked tracks, drivers will need fighter pilot-style suits with inflatable air bladders to keep from blacking out. An AI system will be on-board to help develop racing strategy, and make adjustments to the strategy and car to accommodate the driver's shifting emotions. This technology will have to be supported by drivers working on strength training, and crew mates that race the tracks virtually to develop strategies and racing lines that can be used in the race. It's a wild view of the future. And it's tempting to write some of this off as pure fantasy. But a lot can happen in 30 years. Just look at cars from now compared with those of 1989. We'll certainly be excited to see what does happen and how accurate McLaren's vision is. Related Video:

McLaren reveals that its next Ultimate Series car is indeed a roadster

It turns out the rumor was true, the next McLaren Ultimate Series car, which is the group of cars including the Senna, Speedtail and P1, will be a roadster. The company revealed the preview rendering above, though it hasn't announced a name. Of course one of the most distinctive parts of the car is the complete lack of both a roof and a windshield. The styling is clearly McLaren with small headlights and a highly curvaceous body. Thankfully, the design looks closer to the Speedtail and GT than the over-styled Senna. Part of what will make this car worthy of the Ultimate Series moniker is the claim that this will be the lightest McLaren road car to date. For reference, the Senna is one of the lightest cars in the McLaren lineup right now at just under 2,900 pounds. On the topic of the Senna, the new roadster will use "the same twin-turbo V8 engine." So it likely will make the same 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque as that supercar. McLaren says the goal of this car is to provide the most involved, connected drive of its top-tier supercars. McLaren will reveal more details and photos of the car at its official debut sometime in 2020. It should finally have a name then, too. Prospective buyers will want to act quickly, as only 399 examples of the car will be built.