Track only McLaren P1 in the Works

According to the latest report from Autocar, McLaren is working on a track only version of the P1 which might simply be called "McLaren P1 Track". This even more extreme version of the hybrid hypercar will feature an aggressive aero package, a new suspension as well as a reduced weight. The power train might receive some upgrades too even though 900+ Hp sounds enough. The P1 Track will be the direct competitor of, you've guessed it, the upcoming LaFerrari XX.

10:48 PM Read More +

Why Mercedes Will Very Possibly Dominate the Whole 2014 Season [VIDEO]

Not what the actual power unit looks like.
Mercedes-Benz might have created a revolutionary power unit that might even have a huge impact on future road cars. The idea is simple, so simple that no body has thought of it before! And due to the new regulations, other teams won't have the ability to copy Mercedes because there's an engine freeze before the season. And even if they could, it will take them a huge amount of time, since the new solution requires a lot of changes to the chassis and the aero of the car.

I was going to explain the thing in my own words, but the Sky Sports video after the jump gets the job done so perfectly.

9:51 PM Read More +

Inside The Koenigsegg Factory with The One [VIDEO]

After the first very successful series of /INSIDE KOENIGSEGG where Christian Von Koenigsegg himself speaks about the development of the Agera R, /DRIVE comes back with a new exciting series about the world's first "Mega" car, the Koenigsegg:One.

In this first episode, Christian Von Koenigsegg introduces his new masterpiece and talks about the preparations for last month's Geneva Motor Show. Interestingly Christian says that the car did not undergo any track testing yet so maybe we'll get a glimpse of that in the upcoming episodes. He also pointed out that the production model might end up weighting 30 kilograms less than the model displayed at Geneva.

Stay tuned for the next episode!

12:03 PM Read More +

Porsche 919 Hybrid Fully Revealed

We did not get the Martini livery on the Porsche 919 Hybrid which would have been fantastic. But the new official livery features the words "Porsche Intelligent Performance" written all over its body. And that's also cool. For those who are waiting for the Martini livery, don't be so sad. Williams F1 is cooking something for you.

Porsche finally unveiled the 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car in all its glory at the Geneva Motor Show and here's how it looks (more after the jump):

10:39 AM Read More +

This is How Complex This Year's F1 Power Units are

Watch this very complete presentation to understand how complex this year's Formula 1 power units have become. We can only hope that we won't have too many race retirements due to technical issues now that the power units are packing up more technology than ever.

Very interesting season ahead..

11:22 PM Read More +

Lumma Design CLR i8 Concept

Lumma design is working on two styling kits for the existing BMW i models. The first package is intended for the BMW i8 model and it includes a redesigned front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper with a diffuser, all made from carbon fiber and also bespoke wheels. The second package is available for the i3 model and it also includes a redesigned front bumper, side skirts, a rear bumper as well a new carbon fiber front hood made of high-strength and ultra-light carbon fiber. Stay tuned for more.



[Source: Lumma design]

2:19 PM Read More +

McLaren P1 Night Glow by German Special Customs

It seems that even the most expensive and most rare hypercars aren't out of reach anymore for tuning companies. We already know that DMC is working on a more extreme LaFerrari FXXR and we've already seen the first McLaren P1 to wear aftermarket wheels. Now German Special Customs announced that they are working on the McLaren P1 Night Glow which has a new aero kit and even some engine tweaks that will push the power figure to more than 1,000 Hp!

Besides the modified front bumper, rear diffuser and side skirts, the car also gained an adjustable rear wing and a roof scoop. Also part of the package is the new bespoke exhaust system with 100mm pipes.

Is it a good idea to modify the aerodynamics of a McLaren P1? More details in the press release after the jump.

3:06 PM Read More +

Audi Quattro Concept Updated With Laser Lights For CES2014

Audi released new pictures of its Quattro Concept car which might not look different at first glance. The updated model came in fact to showcase Audi's new laser lights system at the 2014 CES show. The Ingolstadt car maker is not the first to announce laser lights for its future models. And the reason for that is that laser lights are more compact and also more effective than LEDs. There's no word on the power train since but we do get the chance to see some interior shots.

But the real question is, are there any chances that the Quattro concept gets produced? More pictures of the beautiful Audi in the gallery below.

2:39 AM Read More +

The BMW i8's Design Story [VIDEO]

Cars like the BMW i8 and the Porsche 918 Spyder have changed our vision of hybrid vehicles. They are no longer those boring looking cars and it's a good thing because it seems that this time they are here to stay. In this short documentary, BMW looks back at the development of the i8 model from a design point of view.

In case you forgot, the BMW i8 is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine producing 231 hp working along with a 131 hp electric motor sending its power to the front wheels to offer a hybrid four-wheel drive sports coupe with a combined output of 362 Hp. The i8 can travel on electricity alone for 35 km (22 miles). The car will go on sale next year with a starting price of $135k.

Video after the jump.

7:50 PM Read More +

Chris Harris Gets a Drive in The Porsche 918 Spyder [VIDEO]

It's definitely a new era for Porsche. A new Le Mans racer and a new Hybrid supercar and who knows what's still to come.

Chris Harris got the chance to drive the new Porsche 918 Spyder around the circuit and we are glad he did! As always, lots of driving, engine screaming and power sliding in a $845,000 supercar.

As a refresher, the Porsche 918 Spyder is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 combined with two electric motors to produce 887 Hp. It is able to run on electricity alone for 20 kilometers (or 18 miles which is about 28 kilometers according to Chris in this test) and has an estimated fuel consumption of 3 liters per 100 km (78 mpg). It can also go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds and it can lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:57 once the hot lap mode is activated.

Video after the jump.

5:09 PM Read More +

Fully Functional Air Powered Life Size LEGO Car!

We've featured several amazing LEGO projects in the past few years like this Porsche 917K or this RC Pagani Zonda and we've always used the expression "fully functional" to describe the level of details that these LEGO geniuses achieved with their creations. For example, the 917K had a centrally mounted flat twelve engine, just like the real deal. It also had a 4-speed gearbox that you could operate manually. The Zonda could even be remote controlled.

But this life size LEGO made hot rod makes our perception of the expression "fully functional" sound absurd. Because you can actually get behind the wheel of this car and drive it, very slowly.

The project involves a guy from Melbourne who came up with this crazy idea and a gifted guy from Romania who took care of the mechanical aspect. The result is a 500,000 LEGO piece hot rod powered by a compressed air tank that operates four orbital engines with 64 piston each.

video after the jump!

10:24 AM Read More +

In-Wheel Electric Motors Being Developed By Volkswagen and Protean

Protean in-wheel electric motor
Volkswagen and Protean Electric, an American company specialized in developing in-wheel electric motors, are teaming up to develop a rear wheel drive electric Volkswagen Bora. The in-wheel electric motors are claimed to produce 100 Hp each. Which means that with a pair of motors mounted inside the rear wheels, you get a RWD compact sedan producing a healthy 200 Hp.

The best part is that, as explained in the diagram above, the power electronics (which are the electronic components needed to convert the Direct Current of the battery into a wave form suitable to drive the electric motors) are located inside the wheels too. Which leaves plenty of room and possibilities to store the battery and have a good weight repartition.

The concept might be closer to reality than we think and the car could go into production as soon as 2014. Stay tuned for more information.

8:58 AM Read More +

McLaren Confirms "Sub-7 minutes" Ring Time with Style

I have two theories when it comes to McLaren refusing to confirm/specify the ring time of its P1 hypercar: 1) McLaren gives too much importance to Nürburgring lap times but refuses to admit it. So they released an epic clip showing that their hybrid hypercar is capable of a sub-7 minutes lap time to silence the doubters. 2) McLaren is so obsessed with the Nürburgring lap time that they refuse to release their official lap time before knowing what LaFerrari has achieved.

Now time for a little bit of math: the Nürburgring Nordschleife has an exact length of 20.81 kilometers (12.93 miles). If we associate this to McLaren's claim of an average speed that is faster than 178.637 Km/h (111 mph). We will have a lap time of less than 0.1164 hours which in terms of minutes is equal to 6.98 which means that the lap time is less than 6:59.375.

In the meantime, Porsche confirmed its 6:57 lap time long ago and has now moved on. Epic. Epic video after the jump.

2:14 PM Read More +

Testing The Sports Car of The Future [VIDEO]

Successful auto journalist is a very tiring job. You have to take some of the most exclusive, fastest and most technologically advanced road cars like the 887 Hp plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder, drive it around a test track and tell people how it feels. Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar Magazine had to endure this for a day. Here's what he had to say, video after the jump.

8:08 AM Read More +

The Porsche 918 Spyder Looks Absolutely Stunning in Yellow!

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a wonderful piece of technology. It is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 combined with two electric motors to produce 887 Hp. It is able to run on electricity alone for 20 kilometers and has an estimated fuel consumption of 3 liters per 100 km (78 mpg) (when it's not driven like a race car). It can also go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds and it can lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:57 once the hot lap mode is activated.

Porsche describes its hybrid supercar as the sports car of the future. And we totally understand them, because with its astonishing performance numbers and its price tag of $845,000, it's definitely ahead of its time.

But that's not even the best part about the 918 Spyder because besides being one of the most technologically advanced road cars, it's also one of the most beautiful. Especially wearing this bright yellow that makes an awesome contrast with the rest of the carbon fiber body elements. More pictures of this stunning piece of technology in the gallery below.

4:14 PM Read More +

Report: McLaren P1 Sold Out

It's not really a surprise since McLaren was originally planning to produce as many as 500 units but ended up producing 375 after some clients expressed their concern about the exclusivity of the hybrid hypercar.

As a refresher, the McLaren P1 is powered by a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 combined with an electric motor to offer a total output of 903 Hp. The British hypercar is able to hit 100 Km/h in 2.8 seconds, the 0 to 200 Km/h in 6.8 seconds and 0 to 300 Km/h in 16.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 350 Km/h.

It also might have lapped the Nürburgring in 6:47 but it seems that McLaren have no intention of making this time official. The British supercar maker has a different point of view when it comes to the race to the fastest ring lap time. But we're sure McLaren will find a way to make the lap time confirmed "unofficially" (or did they already do it?).

12:20 PM Read More +

Yellow LaFerrari Caught at Mugello [VIDEO]

Marchettino, one of our favorite car spotters had the chance to film a yellow LaFerrari at Italian Mugello circuit during the the Finali Ferrari Challenge event.

If you'd like to know everything about LaFerrari, click here. Even better, if you'd like to see this yellow beauty in motion and hear the symphony of the most technologically advanced Ferrari V12, click past the jump.

7:42 PM Read More +

The McLaren P1 Makes its First Official Top Gear Appearance [VIDEO]

We all know that Jeremy Clarkson got a drive in the almighty McLaren P1 at the Spa Circuit in Belgium. And we all can't wait until the next series of Top Gear begins to see what the P1 was able to achieve at the Top Gear test track. But for those of you who can't wait, the car is already featured in this month's Top Gear issue and the article is written in Jezza's own words. Best quote: "The McLaren P1 makes everything else look like the past".

Here's glimpse of Clarkson's drive.. stay tuned for more.

9:37 PM Read More +

Toyota FCV Concept Previewed for Tokyo

Toyota will bringing a new fuel cell powered vehicle to the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. Simply dubbed FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle), the car will have a 482 Kilometers (300 miles) range and cost between $50,000 and $100,000. Toyota says it expects the car to go on sale in 2015 and believes it will become the next Prius.

More pictures in the gallery below and a short press release after the jump.



[Source: Toyota]

3:22 PM Read More +

No iSUV for BMW

A new report indicates that BMW is not planning an SUV for its iRange. BMW's hybrid lineup is definitely going in the right direction. A big heavy electric SUV wouldn't make any sense at all, at least for now. However, the Bavarian automaker is planning to extend its range of hybrid vehicles and a new i5 crossover might be in the works to join the i3 and i8.

[News source: CarAdvice via World car fans]

11:24 AM Read More +