Video: Inside the McLaren Technology Centre

Tags: McLaren, McLaren Racing

Mercedes-Benz To Offer AMG Version Of GL Crossover SUV

There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to 2013 models and Mercedes-Benz. Some of then are making their debuts now (like the popular SL550 Roadster) and others have already started to grace our showrooms. (Such as the all-new ML-Class SUV and the SLK Roadster) Certainly, the excitement never ends in our industry, and when it comes to the popular Mercedes-Benz GL Crossover SUV, we’re hearing news that there is something extra special to ignite attentions: An AMG model – the GL63 AMG, due to arrive early next year.

The GL63 AMG does it with a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine that puts out 550 horsepower, coupled with a seven-speed transmission. It also is said to sport a fuel-efficient ‘start-stop’ system that shuts the engine off at stoplights to conserve fuel. (and pennies at the pump) The model includes the signature AMG stainless-steel running boards, floor mats “sports pedals” and steering wheel.

Tags: AMG, GL-Class, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz SUV

Volvo Self-Drive Convoy to Herald New Age Of Relaxed Driving

A Spanish motorway played host to a convoy of self-driven cars on a 125-mile journey, in the first public test of such an endeavor.  Each car was linked via a wireless connection, in groups – mimicking a manned vehicle as the group ‘lead’.  Volvo, who developed this ‘road train’ is convinced that it will be widely available in the very near future – heralding a new age of ‘relaxed driving’; Volvo says drivers “can now work on their laptops, read a book or sit back and enjoy a relaxed lunch” while driving.

Read more on BBC news

Tags: Future Concepts, Self-Driven Car, Volvo, Volvo Self-Drive Convoy

Wired Magazine Reviews The 2012 McLaren MP4-12C

Wired Magzine editor Basem Wasef drove and reviewed the McLaren MP4-12C recently and posted an intricate recap of his experience with the car:

Following the excursion on public roads, I arrive at the track. I bring the 12C to a steady halt as my co-pilot, a McLaren engineer, walks me through the launch control procedure. After flipping the requisite switches and pressing firmly on both pedals, releasing the brake ignites a weirdly efficient takeoff with almost no wheelspin, and a jowl-flattening whoosh of acceleration that viscerally delivers on its promised sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds.

Read more about his experience, comparisons to other luxury super cars, and the performance of the MP4-12C: for the full article, click here to read on Wired Magazine.

Tags: McLaren, McLaren MP4-12C, Vehicle Reviews

Mercedes-Benz mbrace2 Brings Popular Apps and Technology To The Cabin Of Your Car

Mercedes-Benz is known for innovation and technology, and now, with mbrace2, it’s truly at your fingertips. With mbrace2, an array of apps and usable tools are built right in the interior design, utilizing the latest internet access capabilities.  You’ll now be able to access navigation tools from Google Local Search app, connect with your social networks, and even find and review entertainment with Yelp.

Tags: mbrace, mbrace2, Mercedes-Benz, Social Media, Technology

Porsche Begins Testing Ultra Fuel Efficient Super Car – 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche started testing the 2014 918 Spyder at secret locations and recently released photos and final specs for the ultra-high performance hybrid super car.

With a price tag around $850,000 – this car is setting a new set of standards standards with a predicted top speed of 202 miles per hour – and a maximum fuel efficiency of 78 miles per gallon.

Development is now in the late stages, and Porsche claims production will begin in September. Porsche also confirmed that the first customers will receive their car in 2013.

Tags: Porsche 918, Porsche Hybrid, Porsche Spyder, Porsche Super Car

Bugatti – Over 100 Years Of Passion and Performance

With his youthful character, Ettore Bugatti seemed eccentric to many; but nearly always stood out from his contemporaries with his youthful air, and for dressing in unconventional and expensive suits.  The era of the automobile had just begun and the race was on; businesses starting, growing and engineering and building their first motor vehicles.

Bugatti was creating and perfecting an automobile of exclusive performance and beauty, without formal engineering or technical education, at a very young age considering others designing in the growing automotive world.  Pioneers like Daimler and Maybach were already well into their forties, and formally trained as engineers. Today, we might say that Ettore Bugatti was cutting edge.

Ettore Bugatti followed his dreams with much persistence, and others often evaluated his designs for technical feasibility. The end result, however, was always a perfectly proportioned automobile, both ‘technically feasible’ and aesthetically incomparable.

Bugatti took the greatest invention of the early 20th century, the automobile, and fused with it a distinctive artistry and beauty, luxury, and technical performance.  Certainly, a masterpiece such as a Bugatti automobile, each produced by hand, would require quite an impressive cost to produce.  Ettore Bugatti was never concerned with these economic details, and never opted for the more efficient, cost-effective production methods of the emerging industrial manufacturing. He was more interested in the final product – that it was a perfect coupling of performance and aesthetics.

Bugatti was constantly testing his own technical innovation on the roads and racetracks. He would often adjust the technical specifications or look for a mechanical solution, but often only after one of his cars failed to take first place. Unlike his competitors, Ettore Bugatti was not willing to compromise the overall aesthetics of the Bugatti vehicle (including the engine itself) for some sort of ‘edge’ on speed.

What makes the brand so fascinating and exclusive – is that it’s still here today, and is still the combination of passion, technology, performance and beauty – that it was when it was first conceived by Ettore Bugatti. Because he was never concerned with the cost, and because he never compromised his vision for the end result, he often found his brand in economic difficulty. Still, Ettore Bugatti consistently found ways to keep the dreams alive, and made ends meet with other jobs throughout his career. Bugatti build airplane engines, and also developed and built carriages for the French railway. This large project played a large role in he and his 800 employees surviving the Great Depression and worldwide economic crisis preceding World War II.  The fundamental values of the Bugatti brand – artistry, beauty, performance and technical innovation – are alive today in the sleek designs of the Bugatti automobiles -  as they were 100 years ago.

Bugatti celebrated their one hundredth anniversary in 2011.

Tags: Bugatti, Bugatti Veyron

World’s Fastest Hybrid Semi Truck – Volvo’s Mean Green

Volvo’s Mean Green Hybrid Semi truck proved victorious in setting a new land speed record (subject to Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, or FIA recognition) at the Historic Wendover Airfield in Utah (just a short drive from the famous Bonneville Salt Flats) last month. The Swedish Viking Speed Records Team led by racing driver Boije Ovebrink set two land speed racing world records; piloting the Volvo Hybrid Semi Truck “Mean Green” to an average speed of 236.577 km/h (147.002 mph) through the Flying Kilometer (2/3 mile) and ran 153.252 km/h (95.245 mph) from a standstill over the same Kilometer.

Mean Green features a highly tuned Volvo D16 engine cranking out 1900 horsepower and an electric motor good for 200 horsepower and an amazing 885 lb-ft. of torque to bump the combined power total to nearly 5,000 lb-ft.

Tags: Volvo, Volvo Hybrid, Volvo Mean Green

The Bentley Continental GTC 6.0 Litre W12

Taking cues from its 6.0 litre W12 GT coupe sibling, the Continental GTC builds on the highly successful foundation of the previous cabriolet, which premiered in 2006. Bentley’s design and engineering teams have improved virtually every aspect of the iconic convertible with an uncompromising focus on quality.

While the original Continental GTC was elegant and understated, the sharper radii and assertive stance of the new model deliver a more contemporary and muscular presence. Advanced manufacturing techniques produce aluminium front wings without the need for seams or welds creating the look and feel of a coachbuilt car. Twenty-inch wheels are now standard with three styles of 21-inch wheel, a first for GTC, available as an option, reinforcing the distinctive, sporting stance of the new Bentley.

The four-seater luxury convertible features a new, even more spacious and sumptuous hand-crafted cabin, with soft-touch leather hides, an extensive range of wood veneers, cool-touch metals and deep-pile carpets. There are 17 standard soft-touch leather hide colours with six colour split combinations, complemented by a range of seven veneers, all produced by Bentley’s talented craftsmen and women.

The GTC’s renowned coupe-like refinement is also enhanced. The tailored, multi-layered fabric hood is complemented by acoustic glass and under-body panels, for optimum noise isolation.

Superb everyday practicality for a luxury convertible was a hallmark of the original GTC and much valued by its customers. The cabin of the GTC is even more practical, with additional rear legroom, new storage solutions and innovative features such as touch-screen infotainment, automatic seat-belt presenters and a Bentley-designed Neck Warmer for comfortable roof-down motoring whatever the temperature.

A wider track, front and rear, sharper steering and retuned suspension provide a more exhilarating and class-leading drive. Bentley’s advanced all-wheel drive system features a new 40:60 rear torque bias (compared with 50:50 of the original GTC) minimising understeer during hard cornering and allowing the spirited driver to manage the car’s line and balance via precise throttle control.

This compelling dynamic package is combined with a more powerful 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine as well as a new QuickShift transmission enabling faster gear changes than ever before. Power output is raised from 560 PS to 575 PS (567 bhp / 423 kW) and the famed Bentley ‘wave of torque’ has been increased by a further 50 Nm to 700 Nm (516 lb ft).

“The GTC has always been the most emotional model in the Continental range and a showcase for Bentley design. With its tailored soft top, the GTC is a pure British convertible true to those classic Bentleys of the past. However, the technology, performance and overall design excellence invested in this model means that we are now writing a new chapter for the Bentley convertible driver.”  Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.

Read Full Release From Bentley Media

Tags: Bentley, Bentley Continental, Bentley Continental GTC

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes takes silver medal at 2012 Edison Awards

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes joins a host of international brand leaders, all of whom earned recognition from the Edison Awards judging panel for their ongoing commitment to technical innovation and excellence.  Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: “I’m delighted that our ongoing efforts to manage and improve our carbon efficiency have been recognised by the Edison Awards judging panel. This is a fantastic achievement for the whole team.

“The nominees’ list at last night’s ceremony in New York read like a Who’s Who of the great and good in the world of inspirational technical innovation, and I’m immensely proud that our team has been recognised on that list.

“While our silver medal is further validation of the steps we’ve made, and certainly helps showcase our efforts on a global level, it is still merely the starting point for an ongoing and concerted mission to ensure that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes conducts its business in an environmentally conscious and responsible way.”

For the full announcement, visit McLaren.com here.

Tags: Edison Awards, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz Awards