The thought of having one of these V12 Vantages with a manual transmission makes me salivate profusely. We caught this intensely red one at the Concours of the Americas in Michigan, and luckily, we were on the grass.
-Nick
Tag Archives: British Cars
Autocar tests the new McLaren 720S
McLaren’s first total model refresh. Let’s see how they’ve done!
-Nick
Chrome Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato at Lime Rock
Motor Trend drives the Aston Martin DB11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVjb__p0K4
Twin Turbo. V12. Aston Martin. Nuff said…
Motor Trend pits the Jaguar F-Pace S against the Porsche Macan GTS in the snow
Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead spotted in Greenwich, because of course
You can buy many very nice things for half-a-million dollars. Most people think of that as a comfortable house, but in Greenwich, CT they think of it as just another car.
We spotted this Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead in traffic, and it was like a parade unto itself. We love seeing all those massive and majestic pre-war luxury cars at concours events, and Rolls Royce is the only company who still builds such cars today.
Amongst normal cars in traffic, this Phantom Drophead is quite a sight.
-Nick
An Aston Vantage with a nice stance
This handsome Aston was at First Class Fitment this year. It’s amazing how the right wheels and a drop in ride height can make a car look 10x better. It also sounded great as it left too.
My take on the 2017 Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva Motor Show happened this week, and every year it’s like Christmas has come for the car industry.
Here are the highlights for me, and my thoughts on each…
Ferrari 812 Superfast
The front-engine V12 Ferraris are by far my favorite Ferraris. They have always been the ultimate expression of what a grand touring car can be, and their lineage goes all the way back to the beginning of Ferrari road cars in the early 1950s.
The 812 Superfast takes the insanity of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, and takes it up yet another notch. With damn near 800hp on tap from its still-naturally-aspirated-V12 engine, the 812 Superfast is now the ultimate GT car (really more of a supercar) that money can buy. I also think it looks absolutely manic, yet somehow still in an elegant sort of way.
Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
Do you think anyone ever imagined this when the Toyota Prius first came out? Hybrids were once pathetic little econo-boxes, but here is a 680hp Porsche Panamera with a hybrid system developed from the 918 hypercar. This is exactly how hybrid technology should be used. I want a 680hp bullet that can still get decent MPG when I’m not thrashing it. If nothing else, isn’t technology all about having your cake and eating it too?
The Range Rover Velar Looks Incredible!
I think this is the best-looking SUV on sale, and by a decent margin. BMW and Mercedes need to take notes, this is how you make an SUV look properly sleek. You don’t need some awkward “Coupe SUV” thing like the X6 or GLE Coupe. Instead of chopping off the rearward roof section, Land Rover’s designers chose to give the teardrop treatment to the entire SUV shape. It’s absolutely beautiful.
Even better, underneath, the Range Rover Velar shares its platform with the lovely-to-drive Jaguar F-Pace. The Jag handles great, and is a ton of fun on back roads, and I hope this Range Rover will retain that trait. Engine-wise buyers can choose between a turbo gas 4 cylinder, a diesel 4 cylinder, or the fun model with the 380hp supercharged V6.
The Range Rover Velar slots between the Range Rover Evoque and Ranger Rover Sport, competing with the Mercedes GLC, Audi Q5, and BMW X3/X4. It’s up against some decent competition, but with looks to kill, the Velar may have a leg up on the Germans. I was blown away by the style of the Evoque when it came out, but this takes the design past the next level.
I can’t wait to see the Velar in person because it will probably look even better than in photos.
-Nick Walker
Is the Range Rover Evoque Convertible cool?
Johnny and Carlos from Motor Trend take us for a spin in this topless off-roader to debate if it might just be cool.
I saw an orange one go by a few weeks ago, and I’ll be honest, I was digging it.
-Nick
Lotus Seven at the Philly Auto Show
Simplify and add lightness…
-Nick
A bright red McLaren F1 in the paddock at Laguna Seca
This is it, the McLaren F1, and in many ways it has remained the most insane hypercar ever made. Sure, it’s top speed of 240.14 mph has been beaten by a few other cars now, but it took the industry ten years to accomplish that. Even still, no one has been able to beat the McLaren without a boosted engine, and it’s likely the F1 may remain the fastest naturally aspirated car of all time.
Even if we forget about its monumental performance, the McLaren F1 is one of the most unique and clever designs ever to grace an automobile. 3 seats, with a central driver, two trunks on each side of the car right behind the doors, and gold plating lining the engine bay to reflect heat. It is an incredible experience getting to see an F1 up close, and pour over its every detail.
For the car’s 25th anniversary, McLaren has released unseen footage from the F1’s world record 240 mph run. See it below, and enjoy the rest of the photos!
Continue reading A bright red McLaren F1 in the paddock at Laguna Seca
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