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Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance: McLaren F1

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Mclaren F1 at Amelia Island
McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 is a legend among legends. Even at an event like the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, where legendary cars are all around you, the F1 leaves a strong impression. It was the fastest production car in the world for more than a decade, and still holds the top speed record for a car without forced induction. On top of that record, the racing version, the F1 GTR, was extremely successful, and even won the Le Mans 24hrs outright in 1995. Gordon Murry’s brilliant, compact design is still quite ingenious by modern standards. With its 3 seat (center driver) layout, and dual storage compartments aft of the doors, the McLaren F1 remains far more practical than most modern supercars.

There hasn’t been anything quite like the F1 since it’s day. Of all the cars that have claimed to be an “Formula One car for the road”, the McLaren probably offered the closest experience to a Grand Prix car of its time. It is a true driver’s car, with no traction/stability control helping you to manage its 6.1L BMW V12. A mighty 627hp is sent to the rear wheels, and the car weighs just 2425lbs. The F1 is a car to be driven, not merely seen in, so Hollywood poseurs need not apply (Go get a Bugatti like everyone else).

This is only the fourth McLaren F1 I have had the pleasure to see in person. Its legendary status has surely grown over time, and will continue to grow as only 106 examples (road cars and race cars) were ever built. The F1 was the first car to cost over one million dollars brand new, and now it is worth three or four times that much. It’s value likely will only continue to appreciate, because it has a historical significance adding to its objective value as an incredible performance machine. Enjoy the gallery, and think to yourself, “Maybe one day…..”

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris shows us the all-new Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

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On this episode of Drive, Chris Harris shows all of us not only his spectacular driving skills behind the wheel of AMG’s newest monster, the SLS Black Series, but also the lengths that Mercedes-Benz went to lighten up the big supercar to make it more athletic and more fun on the track.  Take ten minutes off and watch this video–it’s ten minutes well worth your time.

-Albert S. Davis

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Bentley Brooklands, Amelia Island, FL

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Bentley Brooklands

On our way into the Concours event on Sunday, we came across this fantastic looking Brooklands sitting all alone in a bank parking lot. There is something special about seeing a car worth more money than most homes just sitting all alone in the real world, covered in morning dew like it were any other object. The Brooklands is a Bentley among Bentleys, the flagship model from 2008-2011, and just 550 examples in existence. Its 6.75L V8 packs 530hp, and a mighty 773ft/lbs of torque. This particular car was immaculately appointed, with a two tone, black and gray, color scheme, a red leather interior, and a red pinstripe along the side.

This is a very Bilderberg type of car, the sort that makes back door arrangements with other big-wigs, and pretends to adopt orphans for fun, just to see the desperate looks on their faces as they drive away without them at the last second. If the “Top 1%” had a team mascot, the Brooklands could certainly be it. The Continental GT is surely the Bentley for sensible money, whereas the Brooklands is for the “just because I can” types. So, if you are seeing this, and you are sad because you don’t have a Brooklands, just take solace in knowing that at least everyone won’t automatically hate you at first sight.

That said, I do love this car, just not the stigma that comes with it. It is the ultimate in “baller status”, which is both a good and bad thing. Enjoy the pics.

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Opinions

This is it: The Ferrari LaFerrari

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Ok, so yes, the name is a little weird, but it’s better than it being named after a Ford pickup truck. The basic details are 963hp, 600 ft/lbs of torqe, around 2900lbs, 0-60 in under 3 sec, and a top speed of 205mph. So it seems all of the same people who criticized the Mclaren for being “slow” will probably hate this because “The Veyron is faster, maaaaan”. For those of us who actually can appreciate real things about cars, we can all revel in the fact that the LaFerrari has taken a hefty 5 seconds off of the Enzo’s lap time at the Fiorano test track. I can’t wait to see, and hear, more about this car, but it definitely seems mighty impressive. Way to go Ferrari!

-Nick

Opinions

Everything you wanted to know about the new 2014 Porsche 991 GT3

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Evo Magazine gets the inside scoop on the new Porsche 991 GT3 at the Geneva Motor Show ahead of the car’s official debut. They asked all the right questions, pertaining to Porsche’s decision to the new GT3 PDK only, and other aspects that will affect how the car drives. The answers to all of the questions were pretty convincing, and I now have some high hopes for the new GT3 to be a fantastic, new age driver’s car.

-Nick Walker

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Because Batman Zonda……

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This Pagani Zonda F has been custom painted with most people’s favorite caped crusader, Batman. Nothing more really needs to be said.

-Nick

Opinions

Pagani Top Gear tire controversy: I call it great preparation

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Pagani Huayra with suspect tires

So this whole controversy has erupted over whether Pagani “cheated” to get the Top Gear lap record. In the first episode of the new season the Pagani Huayra managed a lap time of 1:12.8, the fastest they’ve ever had. Now, in order for the lap to count, a car must be road legal. Clarkson defines this as “being able to get over a speed bump”, but it also applies to a car having street legal tires. People noticed that, during the lap, the Huayra’s tires had a different tread pattern than those you see above, and indeed the tires do look sort of similar to the track spec tires seen on a Zonda R.

Jalopnik reached out to Pagani for comment. Because Pagani is full of good people, unlike other companies, they responded nicely, and admitted that two separate tires had been used for the Top Gear shoot. Pagani maintained that the tires used for the lap are indeed street legal, though. Pagani has a very close relationship with Pirelli, and helps them to develop new tires. The general consensus, at this point, is that the Huayra was on street-legal versions of the Zonda R’s racing slicks, tires that were custom made for Pagani. So yes, Pagani did use better than standard tires for the winning lap, but they were street legal, if only just.

Actual racing slicks on a Zonda R
The normal Pirelli tires found on the Huayra

My opinion is that, so long as the tires used were street legal, then the lap should stand. Quite plainly, it is the responsibility of any automaker sending a press car to a big show, like Top Gear, to ensure their car is prepared in a manner that will give the best showing possible for their audience. Pagani was really just doing their job here, and doing it well, I might add. They pushed the rules, but they didn’t brake them, and they wound up with the fastest lap time. That people, is how competitions have been won throughout all of time, and I applaud them for their thoughtful preparation. More to show us all that Pagani possesses an uncompromising commitment to excellence in their work, and not even press car logistics are allowed to be a routine motion. This is exactly why Pagani is my favorite.

Also, the way people are talking about this, you’d think it was some big, important scandal. Everyone is acting like its the F1 World Championship, and the winning driver cut a corner for a pass on the final lap. People, Top Gear is purely entertainment, and this is hardly any sort of serious legal matter. If the tires are legal, the time counts, if they’re found not to be, then I’m sure they will remove it. In the end, it was just a great episode, and a great moment when the Huayra won the top spot. Can’t we all just leave it at that?

-Nick Walker

 

Opinions

Let’s discuss the Mclaren P1

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Mclaren released the details, and photos, of the production version of their new P1 hypercar today ahead of its official debut at next week’s 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In short it is a hybrid with a combined output of 903hp, it will do 0-60mph in sub 3 sec, 0-124mph in sub 7 sec, and its top speed is limited to “only” 217mph. I emphasize the “only” because one of the first comments I read about the car on Jalopnik was “1.3 mill and its “limited” to 217.  Thanks.  Pretty much told us its not as fast as the Veyron”. That, right there, people, is the problem I have with both a car like the Bugatti, and your typical superficial sort car enthusiast. Keep in mind, a Formula One car is “slower” than a Veyron as well, yet you don’t see the Bugatti setting lap times even remotely close to the times of Vettel and Hamilton at any circuit. It is this ignorant, one-dimensional mindset, that I can’t stand, and that gives me a big reason to love the Mclaren P1.

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Opinions

Just gonna leave this here… Aston Martin Rapide Bertone Jet 2+2

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This Rapide wagon will be a one off, commissioned by a wealthy collector…. obviously. It is a Bertone design, and was made to commemorate the long relationship between Aston Martin and Bertone. This Rapide Bertone Jet 2+2 is based on the new Rapide S, so underneath it is familiar, but just take a few moments and digest the visual beauty of this stunning machine.

 

 

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Ferrari 458 Spiders, Zurich, Switzerland

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These were my first encounters with 458 Spiders while in Switzerland last summer. They had just hit the streets, and I’d assume Switzerland is one of the first places in the world to see its orders filled, given its proximity to Italy, and their immense wealth. Enjoy.

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Drive: Koenigsegg, and the future of internal combustion

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This is really, and I mean really, significant. I had heard the idea of replacing camshafts with individual electronic actuators for each valve in an engine a few years ago, but the folks at Koenigsegg have developed a tangible prototype. This video from Drive’s Inside Koenigsegg series shows the system close up. Christian Von Koenigsegg claims the finished system should see an increase of 30% for horsepower, torque, and fuel economy on a gasoline engine. So, look out in your driveway and do the math on your own car, and just think how badly you can’t wait for this technology to be in widespread production.

-Nick

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

And now, for all our viewing pleasure…a drifting Enzo.

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Someone who shot this video must be quite the music and car buff. For today, we have a Ferrari Enzo drifting around a bunch of dirt trails, set to the background music of Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, “Ode To Joy”. This is most definitely an ode to joy–it’s a drifting Enzo. I bet a lot of people are cringing at the sight of someone thrashing an Enzo, but this still some spectacular driving and camera work–even if one cameraman drops his camera at the very end. If you’ve got two minutes or three, watch this video–it’s a few minutes well-spent.

-Albert S. Davis