Okay, so blogging has been one of the furthest things from my mind lately, but I can no longer neglect this space. In an effort to make it up (to myself, that is), I’ve decided to do a write-up on one of the most anticipated cars of the decade. Without further ado, I [...]]]> Okay, so blogging has been one of the furthest things from my mind lately, but I can no longer neglect this space. In an effort to make it up (to myself, that is), I’ve decided to do a write-up on one of the most anticipated cars of the decade. Without further ado, I give you the McLaren MP4-12C super car… (Read on and don’t forget to check the accompanying photo gallery…)

In Toronto recently, I got to check out a pre-production version of the new McLaren supercar, the MP4-12C. But, before they officially pulled the wraps off one during the press luncheon, I’d been drooling over the 12C’s impressive carbon MonoCell chassis (seen above) that underpins the mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat supercar.

The obsessive engineers made the body from a mixture of lightweight aluminum and low density carbon composites, shaving weight everywhere conceivably possible. The floor structure of the passenger compartment weighs just 176 pounds (80 kg) and is a fully-enclosed, under-panel design incorporating both a front splitter and rear diffuser.

An open rear grille, deck venting and side-mounted air intakes take care of airflow to and from the M838T V-8 behind the passenger cell. And, like every other component of this car, the all-aluminum twin-turbo DOHC compact V-8 is pure McLaren. It features dry sump lubrication and makes 592 hp at 7,000 revs and 443 lb.-ft. of twist at 6,500 rpm and is said to propel the 2,866-pound bullet from zero-to-60 mph in less than four seconds.

A seven-speed seamless shift dual-clutch gearbox (SSG) pre-selects the next gear when the paddle shifter(s) is touched even the slightest bit. With further-prodding, the changes happen instantaneously. There are four distinct driver modes: normal, sport, winter and track, with a dedicated launch control function and airbrake.

It’s a bit unintuitive to compare this car against its predecessor, but it is worth pointing out the new engine makes in the area of 155 bhp per litre of displacement. The original McLaren F1 road car gets approximately 103 bhp per litre from its six-litre V-12, which is capable of low- to mid-three second bursts to 60 mph via a six-speed tranny.

The 12C has a top speed somewhere above 200 mph, though McLaren reps aren’t yet saying or don’t yet know just how fast this thing is. It took six years before McLaren finally got the F1 road car up to it’s then-world record Vmax of 241 mph, so we can only guess when, if and how fast? Don’t expect a record setting attempt anytime soon, at least not with this engine is my guess, but McLaren will build a far greater number of these (12C’s) than the earlier car.

The Formula One expertise is even more evident in the 12C’s highly-advanced suspension setup designed to keep the 12C poised and balanced whether negotiating high or low speed corners, during direction changes, under heavy or light braking and on increasing or decreasing corners.

McLaren calls it Proactive Chassis Control. Basically, the suspension is based on double wishbones with coil springs. The dampers are interconnected and controlled hydraulically to provide adaptive responses depending on both road conditions and driver preference.

The system features adjustable roll control, which replaces the need to have mechanical anti-roll bars, and also makes use of McLaren’s Brake-Steer system that was originally used on the 1997 MP4/12 Formula One race car. In fact, the whole kit and caboodle was developed and tested using the firm’s simulator technology, which is regarded as the best in the world.

Moving to inside, McLaren’s dihedral door arrangement for the 12C uses a single hinge point that offers plenty of leg sweep area for easy entry and egress to the low slung exotic. The touch entry door system is off the hook too! There are no handles to fumble with; simply touch the underside of the sculpted body work (with the key fob on you) and the door opens automatically. Not only that, the interior handles are easier to reach than the Mercedes-Benz SLS ones are, and a touch lighter to pull down and shut.

The F1 road car, of course, also came in a three-seat, centre-drive layout, but the new cockpit is more ergonomic and laden with numerous telematics and convenience features.

You get the normal stuff like airbags, leather, carbon fibre, cup holders, a premium Meridian stereo with AM/FM/USB/Bluetooth and a large portrait touchscreen GUI with 40 GB hard drive and media player for pictures and video. Even the vehicle owner’s manual has been integrated into the onboard electronics, which has the ability to self-diagnose problems and call McLaren’s headquarters in the UK to suss out those it can’t quite figure out.

McLaren also has its optional “IRIS” system – a fully-integrated PC featuring a with a 80 GB HDD, more speakers and and voice-controlled satellite navigation system and even a WLAN connection that lets you check e-mails and even transfer files back and forth from a home or office computer. Now that’s cool!

Along with future models within the range, the 12C will challenge the world’s best sports cars through Formula One-inspired engineering, a revolutionary carbon MonoCell chassis (the fruit of over three decades of carbon fibre pioneering), and an absolute focus on efficiency and quality. It is 100 per cent McLaren; from unique engineering to bespoke design where everything is for a reason.

With an anticipated summer 2011 launch in North America, the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C is the first in a range of high performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive.

Pricing will be somewhere between $225,000 and a quarter-million, depending on where you live. In Canada, Pfaff Automotive in Woodbridge, Ontario (north of Toronto) will arrange to ship you yours wherever that might be. Whereas there will be nine McLaren shops to pick from in select U.S. cities including Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Tampa Bay.

Initially, the automaker expects to build 1,000 cars a year rising to 4,000 per year when those future models start coming down the barrel. Hopefully, along with bigger, more powerful engines, they’ll come with better names than MP4-12C. As for this one, I would’ve named it the Banshee. It sounds much scarier!

PHOTO GALLERY

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2012 McLaren MP4-12C
North American Specifications

Exterior & Styling
Two-seat, mid-engine coupe with dihedral door design and a carbon fibre MonoCell chassis
Aluminum alloy bonnet, front wings and roof. Other panels are low density SMC
Fully enclosed, under-panel design incorporating front splitter and rear diffuser
Open rear grill and deck venting with side-mounted air intakes
McLaren Airbrake system
Bi-Xenon headlamps, front/rear LED running lights
Touch entry door system

Engine
M838T 90° V8 3.8 liter all aluminum twin-turbo DOHC compact engine design
Dry sump, high specific output with low CO2 emissions
Rear, mid-mounted engine
Rear-wheel drive
Fully catalyzed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass
Compression ratio: 9:01
Max power: 592 hp @ 7000 rpm
Max torque: 443 ft lbs @ 6500 rpm
Acceleration: 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds
Max speed: More than 200 mph

Transmission
7-speed, Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) with Pre-Cog functionality
Formula 1-style diecast aluminium rocker shift that pivots in the center of the steering wheel
Four driver modes: Normal, Sport and Track
Launch control
Open differential using brake steer to reduce under steer and improve cornering speed

Dimensions
Length: 177.52”
Width: 75.12”
Height: 47.2”
Wheelbase: 105.12”
Weight (dry): 2866 lbs
Distribution: 53/47 front/rear

Brakes
Two-piece discs – aluminum and iron rotors
Front ventilated iron discs: 370mm, 4-piston calipers
Rear ventilated iron discs: 350mm, 4-piston calipers
Bosch ABS/ESP with EBD
Electronic park brake assist
Hydraulic Airbrake system first used in the McLaren F1
Carbon ceramic discs and rotors (option)

Suspension
Front and rear fully independent double wishbones
Kinetic hydraulic interconnections between dampers
Teneco multi-mode dampers, adaptive and roll control
Four modes: winter, normal, sport and track
No anti-roll bars used. Rear “Z Bar” for extra heave control

Steering
Rack and pinion, power assisted
Hydraulic electric variable pressure

Wheels and Tires
Wheels: Front: 19” x 8.5”
Rear: 20” x 11”
Tires: Pirelli P Zero (McLaren spec)
Front: 235/35 R19
Rear: 305/30 R20

Interior
Interior designed around the driver: optimum driver position, visibility and pedal placement
Portrait screen infotainment system with Meridian sound
HVAC controls separated on doors/dual zone
Active dynamic control panel
All unique McLaren-designed switches and controls
Steering wheel modeled on McLaren’s Formula 1 drivers’ hand grips

Safety & Security
Alarm (doors, engine cover, and luggage compartment)
Tilt sensor, electronic immobilizer
Driver/passenger airbag, knee airbags, side head airbags
Hill Hold, ABS-EBD, ASR, ESP
Brake pad wear sensor
Emergency fuel shut off device
First aid kit
Comfort & Convenience
Dual-zone climate control
Electric handbrake
Follow-me-home lights
Trip computer, service indicator, oil level gauge
Lithium-ion battery, battery level gauge
Keyless go, electric folding mirrors, electric adjustable mirrors
One-touch electric windows
Rear defroster, rain sensing wipers
Cruise control, external temp display

Infotainment
Seven-inch portrait touch screen monitor
2-channel, 4-speaker Meridian sound system
40 GB hard drive with media player, am/fm radio and Bluetooth
USB, PDMI and audio jack ports for media player connectivity
Electronic integrated vehicle owners’ guide
IRIS System (option)
80 GB hard drive with satellite navigation system (option)
7-speaker Meridian surround sound with Digital Signal Processing technology
Voice Control
Wireless local area network (WLAN) connectivity, home file transfer
Picture/video viewer and email
Track data display featuring three onboard cameras and data acquisition capability (option)

Fellows testing the Cragar Wheels C6 Corvette at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch

About a month ago, I was back in Pahrump, Nevada to attend the 2010 Canadian AMG Performance Tour at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. I’d first come here to drive [...]]]> Today is my birthday, but my present came early this year…

Fellows testing the Cragar Wheels C6 Corvette at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch

About a month ago, I was back in Pahrump, Nevada to attend the 2010 Canadian AMG Performance Tour at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. I’d first come here to drive the Nissan 370Z coupe when it launched.

So, while I was here to drive an exclusive collection of current AMG models, including the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, on the facility’s most technical 1.5-mile race track, Canadian-born racecar driver Ron Fellows was out testing his yellow #2 Cragar Wheels Corvette on a longer section of the same tarmac ribbon.

Spring Mountain is actually home to the Ron Fellows Corvette Racing School where average Joe’s can learn to tame the ZR1, C6 Z06 and C6 Z51 with the man himself. Rest assured, the only thing getting schooled in these photos is the car itself.

At the end of the day, before my group’s chartered shuttle delivered us back to the Las Vegas strip and our hotel, a small group of enthusiasts (myself included) stood in wonderment behind the wall near this turn.

The supercharger on this thing is just beastly and the car can be heard loud and clear from quite a distance away. It screams like a Star Wars X-wing fighter under braking in this tight right-hander. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was Ron or not, but if you look closely above the door, you’ll see his John Hancock plain and clear.

Fellows testing the Cragar Wheels C6 Corvette at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch

If you’re looking for something to do on the May two-four long weekend this year, why not check out the World Challenge GT, GTS and Touring Championship race at the Mosport International Raceway? Ron will be there.

More info on Spring Mountain can be found on its website.

Featuring AAM Competition GT800-R twin turbo upgrade package and lots more...

In the meantime, a candid photo of car and model at Performance [...]]]> The full digs on this JDM-inspired dream machine are coming soon to a Sun Media paper near you. I’ll let you know where and when, after I find out.

Featuring AAM Competition GT800-R twin turbo upgrade package and lots more...

In the meantime, a candid photo of car and model at Performance World 2010 by the PAS Nation booth.

A shot from a recent Audi event.

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has announced the results of its annual Canadian Car of the Year competition yesterday at the CIAS in Toronto. Just as I had suspected, the 2010 VW Golf GTI gets the nod.

John White, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. commented, [...]]]>

2010 VW Golf GTI

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has announced the results of its annual Canadian Car of the Year competition yesterday at the CIAS in Toronto. Just as I had suspected, the 2010 VW Golf GTI gets the nod.

John White, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. commented, “We are very proud to win this very prestigious award… GTI is the heart and soul of Volkswagen. To have the Golf GTI named Canadian Car of the Year today by Canada’s automotive media is a very proud moment for us.”

I was doing live updates for Autonet.ca, which you can check out here along with some of my colleagues work. For exclusive photos and more info…

I didn’t get a ton of shots unfortunately. Nor did I see much of the show this year. I was using my trusty Nikon CoolPix 4500 for convenience and although I’ve only got one battery for it, it takes some half-decent pics still. Here are some random pics I took on the 2010 Canadian International Auto Show floor during the media preview day yesterday. Enjoy!

VW UpLite compact concept car

Top Tuner 4 - ProStreet Chevrolet Camaro

Top Tuner 4 - ProStreet Chevrolet Camaro

Carroll Shelby Exhibit

Carroll Shelby Exhibit

Carroll Shelby Exhibit

Carroll Shelby Exhibit

Stillen Nissan GT-R

Ferrari 599XX

Posing with the Chevy Cruze

Models Poses with Chevy Cruze

A shot from a recent Mitsubishi press event.

I’ll always remember my week with Bumblebee. Seems everywhere we went–and we’re talking almost 1,000 kilometres, including a scoot from Toronto to Detroit and back–people gawked, stared, pointed, made comments and asked all kinds of questions.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

To be [...]]]> And, unfortunately, I had to return it earlier today

I’ll always remember my week with Bumblebee. Seems everywhere we went–and we’re talking almost 1,000 kilometres, including a scoot from Toronto to Detroit and back–people gawked, stared, pointed, made comments and asked all kinds of questions.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

To be expected I guess, driving around in an icon like this. A few motorists even tried to carry on a conversation with me between traffic lights. And, for one week, I felt pretty special. Well, more special than usual at least.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

For example, I drove it to Hyundai Sundai–an owner’s meet and show and shine–at the Korean automakers Canadian HQ last week. The Toronto Hyundai Club has been organizing the event for several years now. Anyway, the day after on their online forum, there was one guy who posted something like… ‘Hey did everybody notice Bumblebee’s appearance in the yellow Camaro–was like it was watching over us. LOL! Just thought I’d let it out.’ Made me laugh anyway! Truth is, I heard that a lot throughout the weekend, mostly from little kids who’d obviously seen this eye-jabbingly hot car in Transformers (the movie) 1 and 2.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Anyway, the long weekend is starting and I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I only wanted to post a few pics. But, stay tuned for a more in-depth report on my week with the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS. I’ll let you know where and when.

A note on the post below, today I see there is an update to 2.8.2 available? So soon? Oh well, guess I’ll try out the upgrade automatically feature and see how that goes. Apparently, earlier [...]]]> One giant leap for mankind. That was the big headline 40 years ago today! Happy Apollo day everyone!

A note on the post below, today I see there is an update to 2.8.2 available? So soon? Oh well, guess I’ll try out the upgrade automatically feature and see how that goes. Apparently, earlier versions had trouble getting it done so hopefully I won’t regret this.

They don’t drive the same at all, but they nailed the exhaust note and [...]]]> A couple weeks ago, I got to drive the real deal in the Nevada desert near Las Vegas. This week, I took the new 2009 Nissan 370Z for a virtual rip in Need For Speed Undercover for the Xbox 360.

They don’t drive the same at all, but they nailed the exhaust note and car design. Even better is that any car in this free-roaming chase-and-race game can be customized infinitely with aftermarket parts you can buy in the game.

Here’s a few screenies I took while in the game and uploaded to NeedForSpeed.com. Beware: the first two are possible spoilers, but you are a Z fan aren’t you? I’m trying out a new Lightbox 2 WordPress plugin and still searching for more time to devote to working on this site.

Today is somewhat of a snow day where I live. Enough talk…

Spoiler Alert: This is the Z you drive to get away from the police in the very first scene.

A different angle...

Not sure of the diameter, but these Lowenhart BR5s are at least 21 inches with plenty of lip.

Using a light silver-green base, I've applied a purple pearlescent layer.

Using the AutoSculpt feature. I've narrowed the nose, extended the fascias and, lengthened the front chin spoiler. Also added a sport pack-style rear lip spoiler.

Just check out that deep dish. You've gotta love how I stretched the rubber over these humungo wheels.

Cheers over the holidays people!

Today I drove the all-new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 MR premium edition near home. Mitsu Canada had invited a handful of auto journs and photogs to check out this wicked cool driving enthusiast pleaser. The roads near me are nothing like those in California’s “Canyon Country” earlier this year where I drove the [...]]]>

Today I drove the all-new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 MR premium edition near home. Mitsu Canada had invited a handful of auto journs and photogs to check out this wicked cool driving enthusiast pleaser. The roads near me are nothing like those in California’s “Canyon Country” earlier this year where I drove the new Evo 10 GSR, so today’s excursion was a lot more sedate with roads that are mostly flat and level.

Both cars have a 2-litre Mivec turbo four that makes about 290 hp and 300 torque, super all-wheel drive and several different transmission and traction settings ranging from mild to wild to enjoy the car with. The main difference between the two models is the GSR has a five-speed manual tranny while the MR comes only with a six-speed TC-SST manual with auto modes (that’s twin clutch super sequential transmission by the way) and different wheels.

Both cars have gobs of traction but I actually prefer the manual gearbox, which makes the car feel more predictable and thus easier to control, even though it’s really loud on the highway. There’s no such annoying exhaust drone on the MR edition, however, there is a sport sharp mode on the TC-SST that I still must (really) put through its paces in few week on the track at AJAC’s annual car Test Fest. On long cruises or even day-to-day driving though the latter trans is really, really nice. Gear shifts are some of the fastest around too. That’s because each clutch pre-selects the next gear ahead of your next shift – it almost feels telepathic.

At the end of the day, I was tossed the keys to a 2009 Eclipse Spyder and drove home. Hopefully the rain will stay away for the next week so I can get the most out of it. It has a new exhaust system yielding a couple more ponies, some minor changes to the front and rear fascias as well as a six-speed manual, which I can’t stop wanting in the Evo. Hopefully, Mitsubishi gets enough requests for it because I think it would make this car even better than it already is.

A few more pics I took…

“…The final 60 kilometres of two-lane highway cements the notion that the GT-R is the new benchmark for everyday super cars if such a thing even exists…”

See photos and read more about my first encounter with the 2009 Nissan [...]]]>

2009 Nissan GT-R: A better every day super car

“…The final 60 kilometres of two-lane highway cements the notion that the GT-R is the new benchmark for everyday super cars if such a thing even exists…”

A legend is reborn

See photos and read more about my first encounter with the 2009 Nissan GT-R – A better everyday super car – at AutoNet.ca.

Also, I got to ride shotgun with none other than legendary Nissan factory driver Steve Millen for a few HOT laps around the Reno-Fernley Raceway in a red pre-production GT-R last week. Hard it was to hold the camera steady, but I made out just fine. Enjoy the video!

Millen has more than 30 years experience in various racing series’. He is the winningest driver in IMSA GT history and perhaps most famous for his colourful and successful #75 IMSA GTS 300ZX race car.

Related:

Photos from Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto
Press release (Oct 2007)
Nissan GT-R Back Under Wraps (Mar 2006)

Plus, here’s some bonus coverage from the 2004 WRC Rally Italia [...]]]> These are some shots I took in October 2004 while on tour with O-Z Racing at the 2004 WRC Rally Italia Sardinia. Come walk the narrow streets of Venice and tour the beautiful island of Sardinia with me. Check out Venice and Sardinia.

Plus, here’s some bonus coverage from the 2004 WRC Rally Italia Sardinia. Specifically, a PDF of my original article in Modified Luxury & Exotics (RIP) entitled “Ultimate WRC Experience” and featuring an O-Z Racing wheel factory tour.

Plus, we stopped to watch some second stage action in the mountains where I shot a few quick video clips from amongst the hordes of rally-hungry fans in attendance. Check it out on YouTube or simply press play below.