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Would Apple really buy supercar maker McLaren? (update: Lit Motors too)
Apple's automotive plans might not be as grand as they used to be, but that isn't ruling out some bold moves. Financial Times sources claim that Apple is considering a major stake in supercar maker McLaren, whether it's a "strategic investment" or a full-blown acquisition. It's not certain what Apple's exact strategy would be with this deal, but it's reportedly eyeing McLaren for its engineering talent, technology and patents. And while there's no guarantee that the talks will lead anywhere, the tipsters say they started several months ago -- this isn't just a casual fling, if true.
McLaren uses 20-year-old laptops to maintain its first supercar
You've no doubt heard of organizations clinging to ancient technology to keep their businesses running, but probably nothing like this. A Jalopnik tour has shown that McLaren relies on a roughly 20-year-old laptop, a variant of Compaq's LTE 5280, to maintain its classic F1 supercar. Simply put, the automaker made the mistake of chaining itself to very specific technology: it needs a custom card in the computer to interface with the F1 and find out what's wrong. That's crucial to buyers who may have spent millions and would rather not see their vehicular pride and joy become a giant paperweight.
Rimac's electric hypercar will be shown off in March
It feels like forever since Croatian car manufacturer Rimac announced its Concept_One electric hypercar. Five years after we first saw the vehicle, the company is finally ready to show off the production model at next month's Geneva Auto Show. It'll be the first of eight Concept_Ones the firm will build and sell to the public, although you'll suddenly think that a Tesla is a bargain when you see the price. According to Autoblog, picking up one of the vehicles will cost you the better part of a million dollars.
Porsche chief is no fan of self-driving cars
Porsche might be embracing electric cars and hybrids, but it's not about to welcome autonomous driving tech with open arms. Company chief Oliver Blume has utterly rejected the prospect of a self-driving Porsche, arguing that its owners are the sort who want to drive themselves. The executive doesn't pull any punches, either -- he says it's about enticing as using a "Rolex for boiling eggs," and adds that an iPhone (or rather, its technology) belongs "in your pocket, not on the street." Tell us how you really feel, Oliver.
Rinspeed's latest concept is a self-driving sports car
Most prototype self-driving cars are designed for comfort, not performance. After all, wouldn't you want to take the wheel if you really wanted a thrill? Rinspeed thinks there's a case to be made, though: it just teased the Σtos, an autonomous sports car concept. The vehicle still has a steering wheel for those hands-on moments, but the controller automatically retracts into the dashboard when you're content to let the car do all the hard work. Two curved widescreen displays also move closer into view in this mode, and there's even a drone (complete with a landing pad) that could deliver goods or record your adventures on camera.
Bugatti's 'Gran Turismo' concept car hints at life beyond the Veyron
Bugatti's monstrous 1,000HP-plus Veyron supercar may be riding into the sunset, but you won't have to wait long to get a hint of what the exotic automaker is planning next. The company has taken the wraps off of its own Gran Turismo virtual concept car, the not-so-cleverly-titled Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. This in-game prototype is a direct hint at both the brand's "future design language" and the kind of performance it's aiming for in an ideal world. Not surprisingly, that means something supremely quick. On a simulated Le Mans track, the VGT is powerful enough (thanks largely to its W16 engine) that it can reach 250MPH four times each lap -- ultimately, it's about as fast as the speediest real-world Le Mans prototypes.
Audi's R8 e-tron electric supercar can now drive itself
Slowly but surely, Audi is getting closer to realizing Will Smith's wildly futuristic motor from I, Robot. At CES Asia, the company has revealed an updated version of its R8 e-tron electric supercar with self-driving capabilities. A bevy of sensors have been rigged up inside, including a laser scanner, video cameras, ultrasonic and radar sensors. All of the environmental data is then fed through Audi's "zFAS" driver assistance system, which ultimately dictates how the concept car behaves on the road. It's not the first time Audi has experimented with autonomous and electric vehicles, but it's still hard to ignore this beautiful combination of the two. If you need a reminder, Audi's R8 e-tron wields two 170 kW electric motors capable of pushing it from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. With a top speed of 250 km/h and a two-hour charging time, it's certainly no Nissan Leaf.
Ferrari's hybrid commits sacrilege, rolls in electric-only mode
Pop quiz, hotshot. How much horsepower do you get with a 789HP V12 and 160HP electric motor? Any Ferrari fan knows the (insane) answer: 949. That's the total output from the $1.69 million hybrid LaFerrari, and Ferrari has always said that both motors would always work as one to produce it -- no electric-only mode. But a new video has shown the limited-edition supercar rolling out of its garage as silently as a cat before the V12 comes alive. It's mighty strange to see a dead-quiet Ferrari (especially considering its past stance on EVs), even if it was just for a few hundred yards. We're not sure if that means it'll now do that in stop and start driving like your hippy uncle's Prius, though Ferrari has promised a 5-mile EV-only mode on future cars. Not that it's going to help the EPA numbers -- it is a 217MPH car, after all.
Italy's first electric supercar comes from a brand you've never heard of
Italian supercar makers are willing to embrace hybrids, but they're reluctant to develop pure electric cars -- not surprising when they're virtually defined by their sweet-sounding gas engines. They may have to reconsider that strategy pretty soon. Tecnicar, a startup whose main claim to fame is a city car, has revealed plans to build the country's first super-fast EV, the Lavinia SE. The finished vehicle is expected to produce the equivalent of 800HP, or enough to take it to 62MPH in 3.5 seconds. That's just behind a Ferrari 458 Italia, folks. It should also be nimble thanks to both a lightweight carbon fiber body and high-performance ceramic brakes, and the 186-mile range will be enough for a blast through the countryside, if not much more.
Lamborghini's 910HP plug-in hybrid goes 30 miles on a charge (hands-on)
Lamborghini knows what you want -- ridiculous, excessive power. But hey, if you need to pick up some groceries, the Italian automaker can do that too. We just got a look at the concept car that proves it, the Lamborghini Asterion, at the Paris Auto Show. It can run in three modes: the first two use either the rear-drive 610HP V10 gas engine or "eco-friendly" 300HP front-drive electric motor system. And if you really need those groceries now, both can join forces to bring an unholy 910 combined horsepower. For those times when you'll settle for 300HP on the battery alone, you can even drive it up to 30 miles if you charge it up using the plug-in mode.
Americans now have an electric supercar to call their own
It's not hard to find electric supercars, but finding one that's truly American is a challenge. Even Detroit Electric's SP:01 borrows a British car body. Relief is in sight for patriotic EV buyers, however -- Renovo has just unveiled the Coupe, billed as the first "all-electric American supercar." It combines a Shelby CSX9000 chassis with eco-friendly guts, making it an odd blend of '60s-era sports car looks with modern responsibility. That still makes it a pretty fearsome beast. Its twin electric motors put out the equivalents of 500HP and 1000lb/ft of torque, which is enough to catapult it to 60MPH in 3.4 seconds -- that's quicker than most exotic gas guzzlers, and substantially faster than American performance EVs like the SP:01 and Tesla Roadster (both of which take "just" 3.7 seconds). It's quick to recharge, too, and can use a fast charger to top up in half an hour instead of the usual five.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive breaks Nurburgring EV lap record
There's no question that the SLS AMG Electric Drive is faster than most EVs. However, Mercedes-Benz wants to prove that the car is fast in any category -- and it just broke a Nurburgring record to underscore its point. Merc's 751HP clean machine recently ripped through the track's Nordschleife section in 7 minutes and 56 seconds, beating a production EV record set last year by Audi's R8 E-tron. While that lap time won't rival the absolute EV record, let alone those of faster conventional cars, it puts the electric SLS firmly ahead of its peers. That may be all that matters for buyers picking up their cars this month: when you've dropped half a million dollars on a new ride, some bragging rights are in order. Video of the run awaits after the break.
GRID 2 Mono Edition: buy a £125,000 racing game, get a supercar for free
While we like our collector's edition games, there's no question that even the better bundles are full of knick-knacks we'll use just once or twice. No one will say the same for Codemaster's GRID 2: Mono Edition, though. The UK-only bundle includes the GRID 2 racing game, a PS3 to play it on... and a very real BAC Mono supercar. Whoever buys the £125,000 ($188,700) kit will get to both pick up the 280HP single-seater as well as customize it at the BAC factory, including the racing suit for those inevitable track days. With just one instance available for GRID 2's May 31st release, the Mono Edition bundle is more of a promotional stunt than a business strategy -- but it might be the only special edition where the extras are more exciting than the game itself.
Porsche shows 918 Spyder in production form
Porsche isn't about to let the LaFerrari steal the hybrid spotlight: it just unveiled the finished design of the 918 Spyder, which is expected to ship as a 2015 model. The look won't shock anyone keeping up with their spy videos, although Porsche's formal unveiling helps firm up the specifications that customers will get if they've dutifully shelled out $845,000. The performance is even more intimidating than it was in 2011, we know that much: there's 887HP of combined V8 and plug-in electric power, a 0-62MPH time of 2.8 seconds and up to 18 miles of gas-free driving. About the only disappointment (price notwithstanding) is the lack of options beyond a weight reduction package. We doubt many Spyder buyers will complain when they can even outrace a 911 GT3.
Lamborghini Egoista Concept centers entirely on its very fortunate driver (video)
Many automakers talk of building driver-focused machines; for its 50th birthday, Lamborghini is taking that idea to its logical extreme through the Egoista Concept. The commemorative supercar centers on a cabin that only allows room for the driver and a bare minimum of instruments, eliminating pesky distractions such as passengers and stereos. Lamborghini isn't exaggerating when it likens the interior to a jet fighter's cockpit -- the pilot gets a heads-up display as a matter of course, and has to climb over the car body just to crawl inside. We'd certainly like to give the narrow-purpose vehicle a spin when there's a 600HP, 5.2-liter V10 involved, although that's sadly unlikely. As hinted by the self-centered name, the Egoista Concept is built to let the company toot its own horn, and won't be sold -- anyone who gets a test drive will be part of a very exclusive (and likely ecstatic) club, as you might gather from the video after the break. We'll just have to make do with an Aventador, then.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive test-driven, quietly tears up the track (video)
Sure, Mercedes-Benz is building all-electric vehicles for the daily grind, but none can deny the 750-horsepower SLS AMG Electric Drive is by far its most exciting EV. One lucky test-driver -- Chris Harris from YouTube channel DRIVE -- recently had the opportunity to point the overtly shiny beast round a track, and filmed it for his online passengers. He's initially unsure the car will turn petrol-heads on, and talks torque, cockpit layout, driving modes and some behind-the-scenes tech before giving in to the sheer insanity of what's happening on the track and under the hood. Then he picks the brains of a project manager at MB, discussing E-Cells, the chassis, electric motors and how they're all responsible for the silent but deadly ride he's just experienced. If you've got close to 20 minutes to spare (it is Friday, after all), we highly recommend you buckle up for the full video below.
Rolls-Royce Wraith picks gears using GPS, keeps your Spirit of Ecstasy soaring (video)
Many Rolls-Royce drivers are used to effortless speed between the big engines and smooth suspensions. The automaker's new Wraith coupe could iron out what few of those wrinkles are left through a clever use of GPS for the transmission. Its eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox relies on positioning to pick gears in advance, gauging the situation down to the exact stretch of road: it can see the need for a shorter gear at the upcoming corner, for example. Other tech upgrades aren't quite as fresh, although we're sure that less traditionalist Rolls drivers won't mind a heads-up display, voice command support and the infotainment system's multi-touch trackpad. The Wraith's €245,000 ($318,745) price and late 2013 availability will likely be too much to endure if all you're looking for is seamless shifting -- they may, however, provide some consolation for missing out on that LaFerrari.
Ferrari outs 949HP LaFerrari hybrid, gives FF drivers iPad minis and Siri (video)
Everyone knew Ferrari was cooking up its first hybrid, and that it would be very quick when it was pegged as an Enzo successor. Still, we didn't quite expect the sledgehammer that is the LaFerrari. Never mind the very redundant naming scheme: there's a 789HP V12 mated with 160HP of electric power, the 949HP combination of which takes the supercar to 62MPH in less than 3 seconds and makes it the overall fastest Ferrari to date. There's a nod to eco-friendliness with relatively low emissions, but the hybrid component mostly powers a KERS system that fills out the few weak points in the torque band. You won't have the chance to buy the LaFerrari -- all 499 units of the €1 million ($1.3 million) flagship are spoken for -- but there's already talk of future hybrids that will run solely on electric power some or all of the time. Don't be too forlorn if you have money to burn on a tech-centric Ferrari, though. The Maranello crew is also showing the very first results of its Apple collaboration through an upgraded FF. The four-seater GT now has Siri voice integration and ships with a pair of iPad minis to keep backseaters entertained when the 652HP V12 somehow isn't exciting enough. Ferrari hasn't said how much the upgraded FF costs, although we imagine that the iOS-linked costs are drops in the bucket next to the vehicle itself. Chairman Luca di Montezemolo hints that it's just the start of the Apple relationship, too, as Ferrari will be "more precise" about the union in the months ahead.
Apple exec Eddy Cue joins Ferrari board of directors, raises hopes for truly high-tech exotic cars
Ferrari loves to extol the advances found in its drivetrains, but the unspoken rule is that its interior technology leaves something to be desired; unless you're thinking of a 458's manettino, even a less expensive car like the Tesla Model S is virtually in another league. The automaker may be narrowing that gap by putting Apple online lead Eddy Cue on the Ferrari board of directors. Without giving too much away, Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo points to Cue's experience with the "dynamic, innovative world of the internet" as the motivation -- as good a sign as any that the Maranello team wants to take connected cars seriously. Whenever the Apple Senior VP's experience comes into full effect, we may see one of the few supercar lineups whose cabins are as advanced as the engines. Just don't look for any tight integration with Ferrari-badged Acer gear in the near future.
