9/30/12

McLaren P1



Although billed as a concept, in reality, the P1 is a pre-production teaser of the road car that will hit McLaren's glitzy showroom floors just before the end of 2013.

Deemed by many as the spiritual successor to the great F1 of the 1990s, McLaren says the P1 was designed with one simple goal: "to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track".
We will have to wait for the production model to find out whether the McLaren P1 can live up to its promise, but in the meantime, we can ask your opinion about the hypercar's design and if it hits the right notes.

The styling of the P1 is the result of the collaborative efforts of Chief Design Engineer Dan Parry-Williams and Design Director Frank Stephenson (his previous work includes the modern day Mini, Fiat 500 and the Ferrari F430), and their respective teams.

"The collaboration was one of the great things about the project and that allowed us to reach such a complete package," Parry-Williams said.

Stephenson agrees with him: :"We have ended up with a car that looks as futuristic as a concept car – except that it will go into production – and with similar aerodynamic properties to a sports racing car. I believe it is a terrific achievement."

According to Parry-Williams, the McLaren P1's styling prioritizes function over pure style, while Stephenson adds that he wanted a car that was "striking but also functional, a real statement of intent. I wanted a genuinely beautiful and dramatically honest “supersports” car, in keeping with McLaren’s heritage but also at the forefront of automotive design".

While McLaren's people have their own reasons to like and appreciate the design of their latest creation, we would like to ask what you think about the P1. You can cast your vote below and explain your choice in the comments.














9/28/12

Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive



Mercedes supercar features four electric motors positioned close to each wheel, for a total combined output of 740HP (750PS, 552kW) and a stunning maximum torque of 1,000 Nm (737.5 lb-ft).

With that kind of power under the hood or shall we say, near the wheels, it’s no wonder that the SLS AMG Electric Drive accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds and tops out at an electronically limited 250 km/h (155 mph).

“Our new electric SLS symbolizes the dynamism of the Mercedes-Benz brand in a particularly impressive fashion”, said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz at the launch of the all-electric SLS.

Adding to the impressive fashion is the €416,500 (US$538,500) price tag that the electric SLS carries – which is more than double the sticker price of the internal-combustion engine SLS AMG GT Coupe.
















2013 Seat Leon Compact Hatch



The five-door hatchback is 4,263mm long, 1,816mm wide and 1,459mm tall, while the distance between the two axles is 2,636mm.

In spite of being 52mm shorter than its predecessor, Seat says the 58mm longer wheelbase ensures that it has "more cabin space, with improved knee, head and shoulder room for front and rear occupants". Its boot capacity has also been increased, from 340 litres to 380 litres.
Under the bonnet, there are several diesel and petrol engines to choose from ranging in power from an 85hp (85PS) 1.2-liter TSI to a 182Hp (184PS) 2.0-liter TDI.

Along with the presentation of the car in Paris, Seat also announced prices across Europe including the United Kingdom where the Leon starts at £15,670 OTR (see full pricing and engine specifications in the list that follows below).