2019 Mclaren 570 Spider Convertible 2d on 2040-cars

Auto blog

McLaren adding hardcore GT4-based 620R model to the range

The McLaren 570S has provided a versatile and ever more powerful platform for the English brand. In early 2016, McLaren launched the 570S GT4 (pictured) to compete in global campaigns of the FIA racing series, and a 570S Sprint that was a track-only, unrestricted GT4 car for customers who wanted stimulation free of FIA regulations. In early 2018, McLaren Newport commissioned 10 examples of the MSO X, a road-going version of the 570S GT4 Le Mans wearing a livery reminiscent of that on one of the McLaren F1 GTRs. Then came the 600LT, a lighter, longer, more powerful version of the 570S. Autocar and PistonHeads report McLaren will take the Sports Series range even further, with a forthcoming 620R model bearing traits from each of those forebears. Road-legal but with the visual purpose of a track car, the 620R will be based on the 600LT. As the name hints, power from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 should increase to 620 metric horsepower, or 612 of our horses, a step beyond the 592 hp in the 600LT. The aero package looks taken directly from the GT4, and then some. Note the front splitter and angled strakes, aero flics at the corners, hood intakes, floor-widening sill extensions, and rear wing all from the GT4. The exhaust location retains the GT4 layout at the corners of a GT4 rear diffuser, a switch from the top-exit exhaust on the 600LT. PistonHeads suspects the 620R adopts the GT4's coilover springs with adjustable dampers, and perhaps the race car's wider track, too. The modifications go further than the race car with the addition of a roof-mounted intake, found on the dealer-commissioned 570S GT4 Le Mans. Autocar managed to get spy shots of the 620R's exterior, but the interior remains a mystery. The cabin will likely be stripped of fripperies, though, as seen on the MSO X. McLaren confirmed the 620R to Autocar and said, "This IS a car that will be offered to select customers by invitation only." The customers invited to order should expect a price premium over the 600LT, which started at $224,000. We'll know how much of a premium whenever McLaren goes public. 

Pontiac and McLaren once hooked up, and it was rad

Most of us would bend over backwards to have a chance to own a McLaren car, but few can afford such extravagance. That said, there’s a way you can get behind the wheel of a legitimate McLaren without breaking the bank. For 1989 and 1990, the Pontiac Grand Prix was offered in a limited-edition ASC-McLaren variant that featured tuning and updates from the iconic British automaker. Examples of this rare coupe rarely surface for sale, so itÂ’s surprising to see this low-mile 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix ASC-McLaren on eBay. The car is the result of a partnership between American Specialty Cars-McLaren (ASC-McLaren) and Pontiac. WeÂ’re not talking about the McLaren Formula 1 team or even the iconic McLaren road cars here. The McLaren connection comes from an arm of the automakerÂ’s powertrain engineering department. The Grand PrixÂ’s standard 3,1-liter V6 got a massage and a turbocharger, adding 65 horsepower for a total of 205 ponies and 225 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels. That output is modest by todayÂ’s standards, and it wasnÂ’t outrageous even by 1990 standards, but the car returned a decent 0-60 mph time of around 7 seconds. The $5,000 ASC-McLaren package added a load of cool 1980s tech to the Grand PrixÂ’s interior, some of which is surprisingly advanced for the time. The car got a head-up display and a digital display on the dash. The steering wheel should be delightfully familiar to anyone who remembers a top-end Pontiac of the era, with the entire center of the wheel filled with buttons instead of the airbags we see today. The car had insanely padded bucket seats front and rear(!) with a distinctive pear shape.  Many sources peg production numbers between 2,500 and 3,500 units, so the car is relatively rare compared to its mass-produced Pontiac counterparts. This oneÂ’s got just 17,746 miles on the clock, too, and appears to be in excellent condition. ItÂ’s had just two owners and no reported accidents. The seller notes a little surface rust from the car being in storage so long. This era of GM cars tended to deteriorate quickly, so a bit of surface rust shouldnÂ’t be a huge issue. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

New Zealand's Taupo circuit renamed after Bruce McLaren

New Zealand's most prominent racing circuit is being renamed after one of the country's most prominent racing drivers and constructors. That, of course, would be one Bruce McLaren, founder of the racing team and supercar manufacturer that bears his name, and an accomplished driver in his own right. Previously known as Taupo Motorsport Park (after the town where it's located), the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park is the only circuit in New Zealand certified to FIA Grade 2. The complex started out as a shorter track of 0.87 miles, and was overhauled in 2006 to its current layout at the cost of over $8 million. It hosted A1GP races in 2007-09, and still brings in various touring car, GT, drifting, and superbike events. Current F1 driver and reigning Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg set the lap record around the circuit's 2.17 miles and 14 turns at 1:14.072 on his way to the checkered flag in 2007 A1GP race there and the championship title that season. The renaming of the circuit was undertaken with the blessing of Bruce's widow Patricia and daughter Amanda. Their late husband and father won four Formula One grands prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968, and two Can-Am championships. And those are just his own personal achievements as a racing driver. The cars that bear his name have won 182 grands prix, eight F1 constructors' championships, and twelve drivers' championships, plus five consecutive Can-Am titles, three Indianapolis 500 victories, a Le Mans win in 1995, and a smattering of other accolades. Bruce McLaren sadly perished at the age of 32 in a Can-Am crash at Goodwood in 1970, but as you can plainly see, his name lives on as a veritable racing legend.