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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.

This never-registered 1997 McLaren F1 is for sale, if you have the cash

As many of you readers may know, when it comes to Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, they're always worth more over time if they remain in their protective packaging – especially rare or unusual models. Clearly the person that ordered this 1997 McLaren F1 had that mindset, and we wouldn't be surprised if the same principle will apply to this car. This 1997 McLaren F1, previously reported on by Autoweek and being sold by U.K. dealer Tom Hartley Jnr, is remarkable because it has just 148 miles on the odometer, which the dealer claims is the lowest of any F1 in the world. Apparently the owner didn't even register the car for driving on the road. Not only that, but the car is basically in the condition it was in when it left from the factory. Everything on it is well-preserved because nothing has really been used, and everything is still carefully wrapped up in its protective packaging. The dashboard, floors and seats are all lovingly (obsessively?) taped up in foam and plastic. The floor mats are still in their plastic wrap, never having been used. The same goes for the car's fitted luggage and specially ordered F1 LM-style exhaust and F1 GTR-style suede removable steering wheel. Of course other trinkets remain with the car, too, but have since lost their protective trappings. The car comes with the matching Tag Heuer watch with the car's serial number on it, the complete tool cabinet, on-board tool roll and build book. The car was built for a buyer in Japan. Amusingly, this car is listed as a "right-hand drive" model for that market, which is irrelevant considering the car's center driver's seat. One other custom touch to the car besides the exhaust and steering wheel is the carbon fiber seat with yellow center accents. Tom Hartley Jnr does not have a price listed for this F1. We're willing to bet that the dealer will be expecting some extraordinary offers, though. Recently, the first McLaren F1 imported to the U.S. went for the whopping cost of over $15 million. That car was likely boosted by provenance and the inclusion of unique U.S. homologation parts, but it also had seen plenty of use with an odometer that had clicked over 9,600 miles. Though this yellow model doesn't have special history like that one, the fact that it's effectively a new car as delivered from the factory should make it extremely valuable. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.