One of my favorite aspects about racing video games is that fact that I can customize my own vehicle. Whether it’s a supercar or SUV, it’s always fun to design and drive your own virtual car. But, what’s more fun than that is designing and driving your own real supercar. And, thanks to online configurators, that is possible.
McLaren’s configurator for the 570S is a perfect example of being able to customize your own supercar. From the paint to the trim, just about everything can be customized within this configurator. Looking to customize your 570S even further? That’s where MSO will come in and get the job done.
So how does one configure a 570S? Here’s the step-by-step process.
There are loads of colors to choose from. Personally, I went with Fire Black.
Wheels and Brakes
Within the Wheels and Brakes section, you can change the shoes of the 570S. You can select the wheels, wheel finish, brakes and calipers (as well as the caliper finish) and tires.
Exterior
The Exterior section is where you can change just about every bit of trim on the outside of the 570S. For me, it’s carbon fiber everything.
Interior
You’re going to spend a lot of time inside your 570S, so you might as well get it to your liking. Luckily, McLaren provides a vast array of options for your to choose from when it comes to the cabin of the 570S.
Safety and Security
If you’re going to buy a new 570S, you might as well protect. It’s within the Safety and Security section that you can select which options will help you protect your car, like a Volumetric Alarm and Parking Sensors.
Practical
Just about everything in this section I checked off, except for an ashtray. In the Practical section is where you’ll find all the extra that will make driving your 570S even more convenient than before.
MSO – McLaren Special Options
As mentioned before, McLaren MSO branch will take your 570S to the next level through customization. However, you will need to consult MSO in order to get the custom designs you desire. However, the time spent working with MSO to design a perfect 570S is well worth the time.
You’re Done!
You did it! Now you can download a PDF that describes your 570S that you just built. You can also choose to Register Your Interest or find your closest McLaren Retailer to inquire further.
Jay Kay’s LaFerrari in Mysterious Pure Electric Mode
You wanted proof and we have found it. The LaFerrari is capable of cruising around without awakening the V12 engine. McLaren and Porsche are clear to state their hybrid hypercars have EV mode, but Maranello has been mum on the subject. Officially the 163 hp electric motor is not programmed to operate independently, but many enthusiasts believe dealers have updated the software for certain owners. Musician Jay Kay has obtained the cheat code for electric mode as it was spotted by TheTTFJ being loaded at Joe Macari Performance Cars.
McLaren’s P1 has an electric range of 19 miles and the Porsche 918 is rated at 18 miles. The primary motor/generator is connected to one of the main shafts of the seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, and the smaller secondary unit is on the front of the engine in line with the accessory drive. We’re not sure how far the lithium-ion batteries could take you, so if anyone would like to loan me their LaFerrari, I will bring it back with a full tank of Florida’s finest ethanol diluted 87 octane.
If you find yourself near London, Joe Macari has an inventory that will take your breath away.
WHEN I joined Autocar magazine as a 21-year-old road tester, I was handed a list of dos and don’ts by the veteran motoring writer Peter Robinson. Chief among them was the dictum: “Every car is rubbish until proven otherwise.”
This sage advice came back to me last week as I climbed behind the wheel of the Ferrari 488 GTB. Over the years, Italian companies have made some lousy cars, but the prancing horse on a steering wheel is still one of the most evocative symbols in motoring. McLaren makes some fantastic machines, but its upside-down swoosh logo just doesn’t come close.
The 488 GTB has the unenviable task of replacing the seminal 458 and has the added complication of turbocharging, a sop to emissions regulations and a first for Ferrari. It marks the start of a new era, but not necessarily one full of goodwill and hope. There was much to reflect on as I journeyed north from my home in the southeast to Donington Park and the final round of the 2016 Caterham Supersport championship. I have used a different supercar to travel to each race in the series, gaining an unparalleled real-world experience of the Audi R8, BMW i8, McLaren 650S and other highly covetable machines.
Back to the 488, though. When I first glimpsed it at the 2015 Geneva motor show, I wasn’t convinced. Under the harsh show lights, it looked contrived – as though the aerodynamics engineers had locked up the stylists and run riot. In the wild, though, the 488 looks magnificent. Yes, it’s a collage of all the scoops, intakes and spoilers needed to provide stability at the 205mph top speed, but there’s real beauty too. The styling around the lights, for example, is exquisite. There’s a sense of theatre, of a car built, as the Italians say, con amore.
Inside, we find some Italianate eccentricities. A lot of the controls are on the steering wheel, which is supposed to evoke an F1 car, but on the M1 it’s just a bit baffling.
There was also an irritating electronic gremlin in the car that muted the radio every time I indicated left. Ferrari’s build quality has improved hugely since the 1990s, but it’s still not up to Porsche standards. The 488 is not as practical as a 911 either, but the luggage bay in the nose is usefully large and supplemented by a shelf behind the seats.
In the course of my career I’ve driven every V8 Ferrari since the 360 Modena and a few of the earlier cars too. The 360 wasn’t Maranello’s finest, but the 430 was better; then the 458 made a giant leap forwards. The 488 isn’t such a mighty jump from that, but it is a decent step.
“The outrageous scream of the 458’s engine is missed but Ferrari has still managed to produce the best-sounding turbo engine in production”
The McLaren 650S I drove to the Anglesey round of the Caterham Supersport championship only really felt special at high speed. The 488, by contrast, conjures a sense of occasion at any speed and on any road. The steering is so sharp and responsive that it demands intense concentration, but that’s no bad thing – a supercar is supposed to be for driving.
The double-clutch transmission is faster and smoother than ever, and improvements to the electronic damping serve to combine a comfortable ride with superb body control. On the undulating country roads around the Donington Park circuit, being able to soften the damping makes a huge difference. The only thing that really holds the 488 back is its width. In the interests of stability, supercars are getting ever wider, but no one has bothered to widen the roads.
The journey from Premier Inn to circuit (not a traditional Ferrari experience) offered an opportunity to explore the engine’s repertoire. The outrageous scream of the 458’s naturally aspirated engine is missed, but Ferrari has still managed to produce the best-sounding turbo engine you’ll hear, even if it’s deeper than before and more muffled. And there’s no denying that the additional mid-range shove from the turbo improves the performance.
The 488 is comically rapid. For the record, the mid-mounted 3.9-litre V8 produces 661bhp and 561 lb ft of torque. To put that into context, Ferrari’s most iconic turbo V8, the F40, produced 478bhp. Ferrari says the 488 will do 0-60mph in just 3.0sec, and I believe them. It’s a lunatic in Dior sunglasses.
Over the course of the year, I’ve populated the paddock with some interesting exotica and it’s been fascinating to watch the reaction of my rivals, many of whom own supercars. The McLaren 650S drew admiring glances as, to a surprising extent, did the Audi R8.
None attracted the attention of the 488 though. There’s still something about a new Ferrari that gets even cynical grown-ups extra excited. In truth, Ferrari doesn’t need to build cars as good as the 488 to make a profit, but the fact that it does is a tribute to the commitment and passion of their team. This is a superb car.
Beyond the simple joy of driving a car as fast as possible, I race because it gives me an adrenaline hit I can’t replicate elsewhere. On race day morning, I can genuinely feel a nervous energy that builds to a crescendo on the green flag lap that precedes the start. Mad though it sounds, that’s a huge part of the appeal of going racing for me. It’s stress relief par excellence.
If it rains as it did at Donington, these sensations are heightened. In the wet, the level of danger increases dramatically. Grip levels on the circuit are drastically reduced, the painted kerbs might as well be made of ice and if there’s a grass run off area, you won’t slow until you hit something. Then there’s the spray. Only the leader can see where they’re going and everyone else drives on muscle memory.
It’s a different kind of experience and one I’ve always enjoyed, but as you’ll see on this video, it’s not easy…
Look out for my review of the year, ranking each of the supercars I’ve driven.
If you need more vitamin M, BMW’s performance division is looking to become a global force in performance cars. In an interview with Motoring.com.au, Vice President of sales Peter Quintus has alluded to expanding the lineup into the i Series cars. Purists will decry a dilution of the venerated M badge, but who wouldn’t like more power? Not known for jumping into unproven technologies, BMW takes ample time ensuring the quality of their engineering before it is unleashed to the public. Case in point, we have been teased with the M2 for years and the waiting list keeps growing. He then went on to say that all of the building blocks are in place for electricity to become a part of the M Brand, but weight will need to be kept to a minimum.
As the Ultimate Driving Machine, the best power to weight ratio is still achieved with traditional performance builds. Using the lessons learned on the 7 Series, the use of carbon fiber will be limited to smaller components along with aluminum and steel. Big changes to the popular models could alienate a dedicated customer base, or this could be an elaborate disinformation campaign to keep the competition in the dark. The i8 is a quick coupe that is capable of 28 mpg on a bad day, so an M version might tarnish its clean reputation. On the other hand, the boxy i3 could use a few hundred additional horses to be the ultimate sleeper. Battery boosted Bavarians could be in the works, so stay with us for all your BMW news.
Looking to add over 1,000 horsepower to your garage? Then look no further. Available at O’Gara Coach Beverly Hills is an exquisite 2008 Bugatti Veyron that has rarely been seen. In fact, if you search the internet for a red and black Bugatti Veyron and you’ll hardly a handful of images of this exact car.
Inside of its body is a black and gray two-tone interior that is as stylish as its exterior. It currently has less than 7,000 miles clocked on its odometer, making it a low-mileage example of the French hypercar. What’s more, it comes loaded with options that make the car more appetizing than before.
The Bugatti Veyron itself will go down in the history books as one of the cars that changed the automotive industry. Its quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine is capable of producing around 1,000 hp and 922-lb-ft of torque. These numbers, especially in the early 2000’s, were and are absolute insanity. But, what makes the Veyron special is that even though it is capable of reaching well over 200 mph, it still provides an elegant and comfortable drive.
For those looking to own a piece of automotive history and possibly test their own limits, click the button below to learn its price and more information.
Remember the days back when “The Fast and the Furious” was all about tuning cars and winning pink slips? Well, we’ve come a long way, because the latest film in the automotive movie series is absolute insanity.
Being called “The Fate of the Furious”, the new films sees one of the biggest stars (Dom) turning on his friends. Is he being controlled by someone? What’s going on? The exact details are unknown, but we do know that Charlize Theron makes quite an awesome villain. In the first official trailer for the film, we get to see Dom turning on his friends, epic car chases and gratuitous action.
Also, check out the image above. See that orange Supra? That might just be an homage to the late Paul Walker and the Supra he drove in the movies.
How will the movie turn out? What the heck is up with Dom? We’ll find out on April 14, 2017 when the film is released.
Five years after its unveiling back in 2011, the Lamborghini Aventador is getting a refresh. According to Autocar.co.uk, who received an invite for the unveiling of the car, posted an article yesterday that talks about the upcoming Aventador S.
They wrote that the invite they received describes the car as having a “new design, superior power and a mix of advanced technologies.” The car’s launch will happen at the Ricardo Tormo Formula 1 track in January of next year. The invite noted that this track would allow Lamborghini to display the car’s “active technology”.
Unfortunately, power numbers for the car were not given, but Autocar suggests that it will likely have a tune that’s along the lines of the Centenario. This means we could ballpark the power at around 760 hp, but this is just pure speculation.
Stay with Autofluence for more information on the Lamborghini Aventador S as it’s released.
