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McLaren testing an EV, but challenges remain to electrify a hypercar

There are new details on McLaren's ongoing quest to build an all-electric supercar. Autocar reports that the specialty carmaker has been testing an EV mule to evaluate driver engagement and has discovered it's still a big leap to fully electrifying a track car. The biggest stumbling block remains the battery technology and the enormous energy demands of track racing. "Let's say you want to drive on a track for half an hour," Dan Parry-Williams, McLaren's engineering design director, told Autocar. "If that was an EV, that car would have over 500 miles of EV range, and it would be flat as a pancake at the end. The energy required to do really high performance on track is staggering. And then you have to recharge it." He notes that the technology is improving but adds that "there's a lot more investment" going into range-extending energy-dense batteries than into the kind of power density needed for supercar performance. McLaren has been talking about making fully electric versions of its cars for a while now, but it sounds like a pure EV hypercard is still a ways off. Meanwhile, expect it to focus on hybrids: McLaren plans to have half of its fleet feature hybrid powertrains by 2022. Its P1 already has a hybrid powertrain, as will the forthcoming BP23. "You can potentially manage (a flat battery) with a niche car," Parry-Williams told Autocar. "If you exhaust the battery but then have to do one recharging lap, that strikes me as being OK. But if you haven't got an on-board generator (and) you've got a full EV, you haven't got the luxury of doing that."Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. McLaren 720S First Drive | Autoblog

Last of 500 allocated McLaren Sennas sells at auction

If you held any hope of obtaining the last available McLaren Senna, abandon it now: The last of the 500 build allocations has sold at a private auction for McLaren customers. It raised GBP2 million ($2.67 million) for the Ayrton Senna Institute, the nonprofit non-government organization named for the late three-time Formula One world champion. The company announced the sale three days after the supercar's official unveiling and four days after it was leaked during an early reveal party. Excluding taxes, the winning bid from an anonymous buyer was more than three times the U.K. list price for the car. Originally dubbed the P15, McLaren says the Senna is the "most extreme" road car it has ever created, with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 generating 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It's also the lightest, at 2,641 pounds. It boasts a RCC II RaceActive Chassis Control hydraulic suspension and unique features like a Jetsons-esque glass greenhouse and glass panels in the doors. Ayrton Senna won three F1 world championships driving for McLaren. The auction for McLaren customers was attended by his sister, Viviane Senna da Silva Lalli, and Bruno Senna, her son, also a race driver and McLaren ambassador. The Ayrton Senna Institute provides education to underprivileged children in Brazil. View 25 Photos Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery McLaren Senna auction Image Credit: McLaren McLaren Auctions Coupe Luxury Performance Supercars supercar mclaren senna mclaren p15

McLaren Senna revealed as company's 'most extreme' road car yet

UPDATE: All the leaked figures and specifications are accurate: 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, delivered through a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox; 2,641-pound curb weight; 500 units total for sale (all already allocated) at a million-dollar-plus price tag. Active suspension and aerodynamics promise to keep the McLaren Senna glued to the road or track. The company says it's designed "to deliver the most intense circuit experience of any road McLaren." The long-awaited and recently-teased McLaren P15 hypercar has finally been revealed, but a little sooner than McLaren expected. It appears that the company hosted an early reveal party today and maybe wasn't clear enough about how and when people could share photos from the event, since there are a whole bunch on Twitter. Or maybe McLaren's fine with this, we're not entirely sure. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. One thing we are sure of is its name, and it's not P15. McLaren ditched its usual alphanumeric naming scheme and simply called this car Senna, which you should know as the last name of McLaren-Honda F1 ace Ayrton Senna. Another thing we know for sure is that this car is extremely... distinct. We're not sure whether we like it or not, but you won't mistake its extremely long overhang, flying saucer-looking greenhouse, or the massive wing sitting far forward at the back. Other interesting design cues include the neat glass panels in the doors, and headlights that look extremely similar to those on the 720S. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The car will of course be limited production, and be extremely fast. One Twitter user noted that just 500 will be built. Each will also have 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, and will weigh just 2,641 pounds. Additionally, it will cost just over $1,000,000. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Another user posted a press release that shows the very last one will be auctioned off to benefit the Ayrton Senna Institute charity. That car can be customized however the winning bidder likes with any standard options, while custom McLaren Special Operations (MSO) additions will be extra cost. The winning bidder will also get a replica of Ayrton Senna's helmet signed by Bruno and Viviane Senna.

Game on as Formula One fields teams for virtual eSports competition

HORLEY, England — Grand prix teams could be racing each other in the virtual world as well as the real one next season, and fighting to sign up the hottest gamer talent, as Formula One wakes to the power of eSports. Darren Cox, the man behind McLaren's "World's Fastest Gamer" competition who also saw one of his drivers win Formula One's first eSports series in Abu Dhabi last month, feels a tipping point has been reached this year. The former Nissan motorsport boss, who runs the eSPORTS+CARS virtual team, can also see the day dawning — in maybe three to five years' time — when top gamers are earning more than the lowest paid drivers on the real F1 starting grid. In a wide-ranging interview at a simulator center where his drivers train near London's Gatwick airport, Cox told Reuters that he expected Formula One teams to become involved in next year's eSports series. "If you look at what the NBA (basketball) has done ... they engaged the teams right at the beginning. So 17 of the NBA teams have got franchises for the virtual side of the sport, and there's a draft like in the real world. "So expect something like that to come out of (Formula One owners) Liberty," added Cox. "It's happening now. Those conversations are being had. "This absolutely will be a big priority for them (Liberty), and I believe they have made it clear to the teams that they will be involved, in some way. "And then I guess it's down to the teams about how involved they want to be." Kitchen porter turns champion Formula One's first eSports series was won by Brendon Leigh, an 18-year-old kitchen porter who had never previously been out of Britain. Leigh, who drives for Cox's team and emerged triumphant from 63,000 initial hopefuls, is likely to go professional. Some gamers in other arenas are already earning more than $1 million a year, and Cox said the rewards in motorsport were growing all the time. "If you go back 18 months, these guys were winning an X-box and a free subscription, not any cash. The cash has suddenly come, and I think that will ramp up," said the man who has been dubbed the "Godfather of virtual racing." Cox dismissed as irrelevant the debate about whether eSport is a sport. "It's here, it's got millions of viewers, it's got a commercial backbone that is strong. It doesn't matter if someone in sport thinks it's a sport or not. eSports don't care." He expected all the big F1 teams to end up partnering with outfits like his.

McLaren's official winter tire package makes your 570S a weather beater

We're just about to December, the temperature is dropping all around the country, and at least here in Michigan, we've even seen some snow flurries in the past month. That means it's time to squirrel away the fancy expensive sports cars in favor of some safe, boring box until warm weather returns and salt departs, right? Wrong! If you have a McLaren 570S, 570GT or 570 Spider, you already have your winter car, because McLaren has a winter tire package for it. The company partnered with Pirelli to offer a set of MC Sottozero 3 winter tires designed specifically for the Sports Series McLarens, which includes the whole 570 line in the U.S., as well as the 540C overseas. The tires come pre-mounted to a set of forged, gun-metal finish wheels for quick installation. The company says they provide substantially better performance than normal tires at temperatures under 44 degrees Fahrenheit, and the chunkier tread is better for displacing water and snow. We're not sure how many McLaren owners will take the company up on this new option, considering how protective people are over their supercars, but we sure hope some will. We certainly would enjoy being able to drive a McLaren all year long. It would even be a fairly smart choice for winter duty, particularly in salt-happy regions, since the carbon fiber body and chassis are naturally rust-proof. Related Video: Featured Gallery McLaren Sports Series Winter Tires Image Credit: McLaren McLaren Driving Convertible Coupe Supercars mclaren 570s mclaren 570gt mclaren 570s spider

Sunday Drive: Still thankful for supercars

The Thanksgiving holiday meant that last week was pretty short on stories, but apparently our readers are still thankful for supercars. The biggest news of the week was the new Aston Martin Vantage, which is clothed in a new look that Autoblog readers are still very much unsure of. It's a radical departure from past Aston Martin models, and while everyone seems to agree that the profile is lovely, the squinty headlamps are a particular source of contention. Its 503 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque cannot be argued with ... oh, and a V12 may be coming soon. Moving along is a nearly new 2006 Ford GT for sale that's expected to fetch around $300,000 at auction. It's so unused that it still has plastic wrap covering the leather interior. The Ango-American theme continues with the McLaren 720S, though not in road-going form. Still, renderings of the upcoming 720S GT3 racer round out this supercar-rich recap. As always, stay tuned to Autoblog for all the latest automotive news that's fit to print. All-new Aston Martin Vantage turns up the volume This 10.8-mile Ford GT could be yours McLaren 720S GT3 race car shown off in renderings Aston Martin Ford McLaren Coupe Luxury Racing Vehicles Performance Supercars aston martin vantage recap sunday drive

'World's Fastest Gamer' competition winner lands McLaren F1 simulator job

LONDON — A Dutch sales manager whose teenage hopes of a motorsport career ended when the money ran out won an eSports competition on Tuesday to become a McLaren Formula One simulator driver. Rudy van Buren, 25, a once-promising junior go-karter, came out on top at the end of a "World's Fastest Gamer" competition that started in May and drew more than 30,000 entrants. In the all-Dutch two-man showdown, after a week of tests and virtual races that started with 12 finalists at McLaren's headquarters in Woking, England, Van Buren beat 20-year-old Amsterdam student Freek Schothorst. Van Buren had started karting at age 8, winning a Dutch junior championship in 2003, but he quit at 16 due to a lack of money. "Every boy that starts karting dreams about F1, and at a certain point that dream just vanishes," Van Buren said in a McLaren statement. "Now by winning World's Fastest Gamer, I can relive that dream." McLaren, the team of double world champion Fernando Alonso and past greats like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, were seeking to tap talent from virtual racing to help them develop their real car. Finalists were subjected to fitness and mental assessments as well as racing virtually on a variety of tracks, from Indianapolis to Interlagos. The 12, whittled down over the course of the week, included a Danish doctor, a 41-year-old French father of two, and a 23-year-old Briton who had yet to pass his real-world driving test. Van Buren was one of those with a strong resume from the world of eSports. "To think that I came to the McLaren Technology Centre for the very first time last week but am leaving here today as McLaren's newest employee is mind-blowing," he said. The competition is the brainchild of Darren Cox, whose Nissan GT Academy initiative took gamers out from behind a console and on to the real racetrack with professional works drives. "Rudy is a worthy winner and his story of being lost to racing, then rediscovering his passion though gaming and having his talent recognized by an F1 team is almost a fairytale," said Cox. McLaren, who have had a troubled three years with Honda in the real world and are hoping to rejoin the frontrunners with Renault power next season, see virtual racing as a growth area commercially. "With more than 10 million people viewing the competition, we've demonstrated the real value of eSports within F1," said McLaren's newly-appointed director of eSports Ben Payne.

McLaren 720S GT3 race car shown off in renderings

Just as McLaren 650S had its racing version, the 650S GT3, its 720S successor will be joined by a 720S GT3. McLaren announced the new race car and provided renderings of the finished product. Compared to the road car, the 720S GT3 will have a much larger front grille along with vents in the top of the hood and front fenders. At the back, the rear grille will also expand, and the dual exhaust outlets will migrate to the car's center. Naturally, the race car will have all manner of canards, wings and diffusers to aid aerodynamics, too. As for the mechanicals, McLaren didn't reveal too much. It will have a race-prepped version of McLaren's twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. It's connected to a six-speed sequential transmission and powers the rear wheels. The body and chassis are made with liberal amounts of carbon fiber, and it has an adjustable suspension. The car will make its racing debut in 2019, and will be available through select McLaren dealers. In North America, those include dealers in Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, Newport Beach, Calif., and Scottsdale, Ariz. McLaren also announced some new racing programs, the most interesting of which is the Pure McLaren-GT one-make race series. It will take place at European race tracks and is open to owners of McLarens with International D driving licenses. Those owners don't need race cars, either, as McLaren provides the cars, maintenance and prep work. The series starts in 2018. The other program McLaren announced was a driver development program to help advance young drivers in their racing careers. The company signed on four drivers to race in GT4 events. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Motorsports McLaren Coupe Racing Vehicles mclaren 650s mclaren 720s mclaren 650s gt3

McLaren unfurls bespoke black-and-gold inscribed 720S for Dubai

Here's a unique regional spin on a supercar: It's a bespoke McLaren 720S designed by McLaren Special Operations done in Zenith Black paint with satin finish and gold accents, including an inspirational quote from the company's founder on the rear wing done in Arabic lettering stylized to echo the Dubai skyline. It's showing at the Dubai International Motor Show, after which the unnamed new owner will take delivery. McLaren says achievement was a key theme behind the commission, both for the British luxury carmaker itself and the United Arab Emirates and Gulf states themselves, which form a key client and shareholder base for the company. The quote on the rear wing reads "Life is measured in achievement, not in years alone," part of a longer quote from Bruce McLaren's 1964 memoir "From the Cockpit." A plaque inside the car identifies it as a "1 of 1" MSO commission. Offsetting the satin black finish are gold accents, such as gold-colored alloy wheels, a 24-carat (!) gold engine heat shield and gold-colored interior components. Also added were carbon fiber exterior packs encompassing the front splitter and air intakes, rear bumper and roof panel. Inside, the trim is a mix of black leather and black Alcantara complemented by MSO Defined carbon fiber sill panels, fascia vents and steering wheel, plus a regular carbon fiber interior upgrade pack. The gearshift paddles are satin gold-painted, and each door inner panel gets a satin gold-colored applique. The car is equipped with the 720S's standard 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that goes 0-124 mph in 7.8 seconds and boasts a top speed of 212 mph. McLaren says the personalization added more than 120 hours to the production process, including 30 hours alone to complete the rear wing stencil graphic. Featured Gallery Bespoke McLaren 720S Dubai View 9 Photos Image Credit: McLaren Aftermarket Design/Style McLaren Coupe Supercars supercar mclaren 720s dubai motor show

McLaren sets release date for next hypercar, confirms track focus

We don't have long before we finally get to see McLaren's next hypercar, an addition to the Ultimate Series, meaning it will have performance comparable to the P1. Specifically, we have less than a month to wait, since the car, supposedly called P15, will be revealed on Dec. 10. The company also released its second teaser for the car. It shows a very slender taillight with a large slatted vent above it and a mesh covered vent below it. Combined with the triple-exit exhaust we've previously seen, it should be quite aggressive-looking. McLaren is staying fairly tight-lipped outside of these small details, but it did confirm one thing that was rumored. The company said that this will indeed be an extremely track-focused car, more than any previous McLaren, with "daily usability sacrificed to give the most intensive driver experience around a circuit." This should also provide some contrast with the other hypercar in development, the BP23, which McLaren describes as being a "Hyper-GT," which seems to imply that it will be more comfortable and practical. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: McLaren McLaren Coupe Future Vehicles Supercars mclaren p15