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Watch Chris Harris in the electric VW ID.R waste a McLaren 720S

The Volkswagen ID.R doesn't have much in common with a McLaren 720S, other than the fact that they are both performance-crazed cars. One gets its power from batteries, the other from gas. One uses electric motors, the other a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. One is a halo prototype vehicle, the other is a road-legal supercar available for purchase. So when Chris Harris and "Top Gear" decided to "race" the two against each other, it was more of a demonstration of the VW's unreal capabilities than any sort of real competitive faceoff. In episode five of Top Gear's 28th season, which just aired February 23, the trio of Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness welcomed Youtuber KSI on the show and ventured out on a luxury sports car road trip with an Aston Martin, Porsche, and Ferrari. Separately, Harris took to the track to test out Volkswagen's golden egg of the moment, the ID.R. As VW fully launches into its electric-vehicle push, the ID.R is meant to exhibit what battery-electric technology is capable of. With two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, the 2,425-pound ID.R has four-wheel drive and makes a claimed 670 horsepower. As Harris notes in the video, the ID.R. was not built for a specific regulation-bogged racing organization or competition, and thus, it's only held back by the rules of Mother Nature and Father Physics. Since the car's debut, it has been annihilating records around the world, including at Pike's Peak, Goodwood, the Nurburgring, and Heaven's Gate. Chris Harris didn't set any records in the ID.R., but he certainly showed how outrageous this machine is. The 710-horsepower 720S can go from zero mph to 62 mph in less than three seconds, and the ID.R has a sizable lead within that same time. Again, this wasn't an instance of test-and-conclude, it was a show of perspective. The ID.R is a race car, so even though the 720S is one of the best supercars in the world, it never stood a chance. See for yourself above. Related Video:    

Relive Bruce McLaren's amazing story in new documentary

In the past few years, we've been privy to some excellent racing films, including the Senna documentary, and Ron Howard's Rush. It looks like the streak will continue with an upcoming documentary about Bruce McLaren, the man whose team still competes in F1 to this day. The film is directed by Roger Donaldson, who also directed The World's Fastest Indian. Based on the trailer for the film, we'll learn the story of McLaren's motorsports career from his humble beginnings to his fatal crash from the people he worked with. Woven among the period footage are words from his crew members, and, presumably, his family. Not only that, but famed racecar drivers Mario Andretti and Jackie Stewart have words about the man. It looks like the film will have more than just interview and period footage, as well. In the trailer are much more recent clips of a McLaren Can-Am racer, painted in the company's official orange color. The teaser is definitely worth a watch, and we eagerly await the release of the full documentary, whenever that may be. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Justin Bell wrings out McLaren F1 GTR at Mid-Ohio

A supercar as raw as the McLaren F1 needs a talented driver to get the most out of it. All the more so for the racing version. Fortunately Justin Bell is just such a driver. The son of five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is a proven race winner in his own right, taking GT2 class titles in the FIA GT championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In fact he came third overall (teamed up with his dad and '88 winner Andy Wallace, taking second in the GT1 class) at Le Mans in 1995 behind the wheel of the McLaren F1 GTR. And thanks to BMW (whose engine powers the McLaren) and GoPro, he's been reunited with the beast at Mid-Ohio, one of the finest road courses America has to offer. Because this video is a GoPro promo, the action-cam company strapped its devices on all over the legendary supercar-turned-racer from Woking, inside and out. The resulting footage is sports car racing like you've never seen it before. Check it out in the video below. Just don't mind Justin's grunting and occasional NSFW language. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: GoPro via YouTube McLaren Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos gopro mid-ohio mclaren f1 gtr