All posts in “2017 geneva motor show”

The Pagani Huayra Roadster is legitimately different than the coupe

“I’m in love with the whole shape of it. Especially the fact that it doesn’t share any body panel with the Huayra Coupe but it’s still a Huayra.” – Horacio Pagani

Horacio Pagani is an obsessive. This trait manifested itself during his time as an engineer at Lamborghini, where he was responsible for the outrageous Countach Evoluzione, a 1987 concept that not only shaved an incredble 1,000 pounds off the weight of the standard Countach through the use of carbon fiber and Kevlar, but also became a rolling test bed for advanced systems like antilock brakes, four-wheel drive, and a computer-controlled adjustable suspension.

When Lamborghini wouldn’t follow his suggestion and purchase an autoclave for making production carbon-fiber parts, he left and founded his own company. In the promotional materials introducing his latest supercar, the $2.4-million Huayra Roadster, he claims inspiration from no less than Leonardo Da Vinci, who sweated the details “down to the most minute component of the design.”

His compulsion is evident everywhere in the new vehicle. But where does this infatuation find its deepest resonance? After he unveiled the new car at this week’s Geneva Motor Show, we stopped by to chat with Horacio, and he explained his car’s most belovedly maniacal details.

On the silhouette: “First of all, I’m proud of the car itself. It’s sculptured by the wind and it was the biggest and hardest challenge we’ve ever undertaken. I’m in love with the whole shape of it. Especially the fact that it doesn’t share any body panel with the Huayra Coupe but it’s still a Huayra, you can definitely recognize it, [which] testifies how much work has been involved into the project.

The engine: “Mercedes-AMG made the engine bespoke and together with us, this is quite an honor and something that makes me proud. It is truly something special to have one of the oldest and the most important car manufacturers in the world making an engine specifically for you.

Aero: “The active aerodynamic system also. We brought this technology into the automotive industry back in 2011 with the Huayra coupe, and I’m happy to see it applied by a lot of manufacturers all around the world nowadays in many different projects and type of cars.

Materials: “The carbon fiber and composite material in general have always been one of the key features in our projects. The Pagani Huayra Roadster is the first roadster lighter than the coupe thanks also to the carbo Triax HP52, a new type of composite material which is 52-percent stiffer than the one we used in Huayra Coupè.

Inside: “The interiors also give me smile every time I sit in them – and the fact you can drive it without the roof gives me goose-bumps. Italy is the most beautiful country, so I imagined the Huayra Roadster as the perfect companion for traveling this open-air museum.”

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Aston Martin has another mid-engine supercar in mind

It seems Aston Martin is really gaining some valuable knowhow from Chief Technical Officer Max Szwaj, who has moved in from Ferrari. Having worked on mid-engine Ferraris for years, Szwaj is now focusing on mid-engine Aston Martins, such as the upcoming Valkyrie. The limited-edition car, its name revealed at Geneva, is co-developed with Red Bull. But it likely won’t be the only mid-engine future Aston.

Talking to Autocar in Geneva, Aston’s CEO Andy Palmer said the Valkyrie is “important in establishing Aston as a credible maker of mid-engined models.” The Valkyrie is the first since the one-off Bulldog prototype built in 1979. It could spawn a mid-engine companion in 2021, a rival to the Ferrari 488 GTB and McLaren 720S, and would possibly receive valuable engineering input from Red Bull’s Adrian Newey, a famed F1 engineering legend.

The Valkyrie would remain a limited-production halo car, as only 175 will be built and each will cost $3 million – but it seems lessons learned from it would be used to craft a significant mid-engine supercar. What is especially remarkable about the Valkyrie is that its development has been completely virtual up until now, and the first prototype cars will commence road testing later in the year.

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The Huracan Performante is still a supercar steal, regardless of ‘Ring time validity

When Lamborghini released video of its new Huracán Performante lapping the Nürburgring in a stunning 6:52, not everyone was convinced the record was honest. As a result, Lamborghini’s director of research and development provided some data to Roadshow to shore up the lap time claim. He addressed the tire issue by telling Roadshow that the car used the optional Pirelli Trofeo Rs. And he noted that it was quicker than its more powerful brother, the Aventador SV, because it cornered and accelerated faster. He even provided VBox data of the lap.

The thing is, none of this really matters in the end, particularly for the Huracán. Let us explain.

For one thing, if you’re going to question the Performante’s time, you should question all of the times. All of these records are presented by the manufacturers, so there isn’t a truly impartial party measuring the results and inspecting cars. Even with a company presenting plenty of data and explanations, it’s hard to be 100 percent sure everything is on the level without an unbiased third party inspecting the cars before and after the lap, and keeping timing.

But besides the issue of impartiality, the times themselves aren’t really important. As interesting and fun as it is to compare lap times at the Nürburgring, they’re really only relevant for rich owners and car companies to brag, and for less-rich fans to bench race. That’s not a bad thing, but to look at the lap time of one single track doesn’t really give a full picture of a car’s performance. A car that’s fast at the Nürburgring could be really slow on a tight course like Streets of Willow Springs. There’s also the issue of who’s driving the car. The manufacturers put their top drivers out on the ‘Ring to set times. If you’re not a factory test driver, you’ll probably never go that fast even if you did get your car to the track. It’s all a bit like the silly “blind” or two-wheeled car records. They don’t actually provide much info on what the car is really like, or how you could drive it.

Even if you’re not on board with this explanation, and trust all the ‘Ring records except this Lamborghini, we still have a reason why it doesn’t matter. You see, even if you’re convinced that there’s no way the Huracán could best the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Aventador around the Nordschleife, it’s still a screaming supercar bargain. The Porsche is a million-dollar car, and the Aventador, just the base model, is $125,000 more than the Huracán Performante. A healthy skepticism about the validity of the Performante’s lap (or lap times in general) won’t diminish how impressive that is.

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McLaren already has a special version of the just-out 720S

McLaren hasn’t wasted anytime showing a special variant of the 720S. Just a day after the standard model was shown at Geneva, it rolled out a custom version built by McLaren Special Operations. It’s the McLaren MSO 720S Velocity, and is one of five custom 720S models built by the company. The Velocity is the only one on display at Geneva, though, and its other models, the GT, Pacific, Track, and Stealth, are just shown on screens at the McLaren booth.

According to McLaren, the Velocity and its counterparts are meant to show buyers how the MSO division can customize a 720S to their specific tastes. The Velocity specifically features a paint job consisting of both a light pearl red and a darker shade. The light red covers the tail and sides, while the dark red covers the front and top portions of the car. The two reds fade into each other, and the dark red even fades into a red-tinted hood from MSO. Other MSO carbon fiber parts adorn the exterior, too, and custom-painted bronze wheels contrast with the red.

Inside, the interior is swathed in black Alcantara with bright red leather accents and stitching. And of course, more exposed carbon fiber bits from MSO decorate the cabin. If all of this looks good to you, McLaren would be happy to build one just like it, or something completely original, for you. The company estimates the cost of a car like the Velocity at £335,000, which is about $407,500 at current exchange rates. The final pricing for the standard 720S hasn’t been released yet, but even if it’s a bit higher than the 650S, which retailed at $265,500, the MSO version commands a steep price. But for people who absolutely must have a one-off car, it might be worth it.

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Ferrari 812 Superfast: It looks like it sounds

Ferrari has been on a roll with its recent mid-cycle refreshes. Last year at the Geneva Motor Show, the prancing horse brand unveiled the significantly updated replacement for the FF and named it the GTC4 Lusso, reviving a name last used on the 1971-72 365 GTC4.

Now, at this year’s Geneva show, the Maranellites lifted the silk on a revised version of their omnipotent F12 Berlinetta and rechristened it the 812 Superfast, utilizing a suffixed moniker that originated in a proto-muscle car Enzo concocted back in 1957 when he stuffed a big V12 into a car originally meant for a smaller one and baptized it the 4.9 Superfast. At least the capitalization and compound wording in this honorific finally makes sense, giving respite to the Spell Check programs worldwide.

“The name Superfast belongs to the Ferrari history,” says Flavio Manzoni, head of the Ferrari Design Center. “When we finish a project, we always create a list of names and this one just seemed to fit.”

Ferraris have always, or almost always, been lovely objects to behold, but it still amazes us that a brand that so often nails its design language the first time around finds means and actualization for improvement when it comes time to spruce things up. We were obsessed with the appearance of the first FF, but the heart-stopping GTC4 Lusso wiped our memory of that hatchback like some process out of a Philip K. Dick story.

Similarly, this 812 Superfast obviates our Total Recall of its predecessor, and not just because the slightly larger naturally-aspirated V12 in its aquiline front makes nearly 60 more horsepower. The design is less encumbered that that of the F12, with smoother flow, fewer disruptive channels and voids, and additional streamlining that give the new car a more balanced profile and proportion. A thicker, and more sailing C-pillar in the back also raises the tail, providing an elegant and functional (Super)fastback design that echoes famed Ferraris of yore.

“Compared to its predecessor, we have made huge steps in performance, so it is necessary to develop very strong aerodynamic solutions or the car wouldn’t reach our objectives,” says Manzoni. “The rear reminds us of the Daytona, not because of the shape but because of the form. The cut volume at the tail is typical of many Ferraris of the Sixties, like the 250 Lusso, the 275 GTB4, the 288 GTO. And the return of the double taillight is typical of Ferrari as well.”

This car may represent the end of the line for Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated V12 engine as the sole powerplant of its front-engine grand touring and super sports cars, a tradition dating back to the founding of the road car brand 70 years ago this year. (An electric battery pack is expected to supplement the next-generation cars in 2020.) Electric power provides its own liberations and challenges for designers. How will this affect the appearance of future cars?

“If you consider that a Ferrari is always a form that follows a function, of course hybridization will have an impact on design,” says Manzoni. “A Ferrari must always be honest, have an aesthetic franknesss. The basic code of Ferrari is that it’s design is intrinsically connected to its essence.” He shrugs and smirks. “It is not possible to say how hybridization will produce different shapes. It will have to be a surprise.”

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Aston Martin launches AMR line with ultra-exclusive Vantage and Rapide

Aston Martin has taken to Geneva to launch a new line it calls AMR. According to the British automaker, this brand is designed to connect the company’s racecars and road cars. In this quest, the models will feature performance and design upgrades to provide some of the look and feel of those racecars. Every model in the Aston family will get an AMR iteration, but the company will start with the Rapide AMR and the Vantage AMR Pro.

The milder of the two, unsurprisingly, is the Rapide AMR. As with all future AMRs, the car was developed by the main branch of Aston, while the AMR Pro cars will be developed by the Aston Martin Advanced Operations department. Among the Rapide’s updates is a massaged 6.0-liter V12 with a new exhaust that produces 592 horsepower. That engine will propel the car to a top speed of 210 mph.

The car also features a new front bumper with a very tall grille. This look is shared with the Vantage AMR Pro, and it makes both cars look as though they’ve been told something astonishing, but it works. And, to be fair, the standard Rapide already had a tall grille. The nose is accompanied by 21-inch wheels, a new front splitter, side skirts, rear spoiler, and rear diffuser. Inside there is plenty of dark gray Alcantara with gray and lime green highlights throughout. These match the Stirling Green and lime green paint scheme on the outside of both cars. The cabin also has carbon fiber seats, center stack, and center console.

The Vantage AMR Pro kicks everything up a few notches. It’s a track-only car, powered by a version of the V8 found in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 race car. In the AMR Pro, it produces 500 horsepower. The engine sits beneath a hood that is the same as what Aston uses on the World Endurance Championship cars. The rear wing is also taken from those racers. Other body modifications include a new splitter, fenders, side skirts, and rear diffuser. The car has additional performance upgrades in the form of an adjustable suspension, and center-lock wheels with Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires. Inside, the car has most of the same upgrades as the Rapide, but it also gets a roll cage.

Aston didn’t release pricing, but it did say how many of each car will be built. Not surprisingly, there won’t be many of each. The company will build 210 Rapide AMRs, but just 7 Vantage AMR Pros. So if you want one, you’d better act fast. Otherwise you’ll have to wait for AMR versions of other Astons.

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Spyker C8 Preliator to run Koenigsegg V8 engine

Supercar fans, get ready for your heads to explode. The Spyker C8 Preliator will run a Koenigsegg V8 engine. Talk about strange bedfellows. But in an automotive world where the Ford F-150 Raptor and Chevy Camaro ZL1 use versions of the same 10-speed transmission, why not?

Spyker and Koenigsegg announced the deal Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show, where the Preliator C8 Spyder debuted. Rated at 500 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine will replace the Audi V8 originally used in the first batch of C8 Preliator coupes; they will now switch to the Koenigsegg unit. The engine will team with a six-speed manual transmission.

Spyker will make only 100 copies of the Spyder, which has an automatic soft top. Preliator, which translates to fighter in Latin, is a throwback to Spyker’s first iteration as an aircraft maker in World War 1, and the Spyker logo evokes a spinning propeller.

The C8 Preliators use a Lotus suspension, a carbon-fiber body, aluminum hood and deck lid, and prominent aerodynamic treatments. They also feature an infotainment display with connectivity for Spotify and Apple Music and can be operated with hand gestures. The Spyder will launch by summer 2018. The coupe and convertible will be built next to each other in Coventry, England.

Spyker founder Victor Muller called the new V8 the “single-most important advancement” in his company’s history. “I have always admired the amazing technologies developed by Christian von Koenigsegg and his dedicated team creating one of the most sophisticated cars and engines on the planet, and I am convinced our Spyker C8 Preliator clients will tremendously enjoy the huge performance leap,” Muller said in a statement.

Though the engine deal might seem unconventional at first, Spyker and Koenigsegg appeal to different kinds of enthusiasts. Both of the boutique supercar makers occasionally make splashy reveals at European auto shows. This year, they teamed up for one in Geneva.

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McLaren 720S: First look at the new hot-blooded Englishman

“Well, they’re very committed and passionate,” that’s how a spokesman described McLaren’s engineering team. Trouble is, English passion tends to be marked by a raised eyebrow, Elgar’s understated Nimrod, and elegant motorcars finished in midnight blue. Italy trumps that with arms flung wide, Rossini’s operas, and blood-red cars howling down the endless straights of Emilia-Romagna.

Perhaps that’s the problem for McLaren, which seems to have so far built cars appreciated by race drivers and finicky poindexters, rather than those who like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or a Maserati because of the shape, the style, the passion, and the operatic exhaust noise.

Geography doesn’t help (nor do engines that sound like leaf blowers). Woking in Surrey was never going to roll off the tongue quite like Sant’ Agata, Bolognese, or Maranello. All this might be about to change this afternoon, however, with the launch of the second-generation of the Super Series car, the 720S, at the Geneva Motor Show.

Super Series is the middle of a hierarchy of three similar McLaren car ranges: all mid-engined with carbon-fiber tubs sharing similar hard points for the aluminum, carbon-fiber, and Sheet-Moulded-Composite (SMC) coachwork and sharing the same Ricardo-built V8 bi-turbo and seven-speed twin-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels. Known as ‘entry, core and high’ by engineers, it starts in the Sports Series, runs through Super and into Ultimate. (Of which there has only been one example, the 2013 P1, although the new “Hyper GT” is promised in 2019.)

These cars are largely based on McLaren Automotive’s inaugural car, the 2011 MP4-12C. But the 720S marks a new generation and is claimed to be 90 percent all-new.

The more it changes, the more it stays the same, wrote novelist Jean-Baptiste Karr, whose 19th-century musing applies to the 21st-century McLaren. Stuff that’s essentially the same: The carbon-fiber tub, though it trades the predecessor 650S‘s aluminum superstructure for carbon fiber. The engine is the familiar Shoreham-made, 90-degree, quad-cam, dry-sump, twin-turbo, but it’s been stroked from 3.8 to 4.0 liters, with two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries twin-scroll turbochargers, similar in concept to those used in the P1. These should be capable of providing more boost lower down the rev range, answering criticisms of the old car being too peaky. Haydn Baker, vehicle line director for the Super Series, reckons the new car even sounds better than its much criticized predecessors.

Peak power rises from the 650S model’s 641 horsepower to 710 at 7,250 rpm, and peak torque goes up from 500 pound feet to 568, though we’re not told at what revs this occurs. Carbon-dioxide emissions are down, which is often an indication of a slightly more flexible power unit.

Performance, never a weak spot for McLaren, has been improved for the 720S. Compared to the 650S coupe, the 0-62 mph time is down from 3.0 to 2.9 seconds, 0-124 mph is down from 8.4 to 7.8 seconds, and 0-186 mph (should your state’s authorities deem it legal) is reduced from 25.4 to 21.4 seconds. Top speed increases from 207 to 212 mph, and the standing quarter-mile time is down from 10.5 to 10.3 seconds.

Weight has been shed, too, down 40 pounds from the 650S to 2,829 pounds dry and 3,128 fueled. Not explicitly stated is the extent of what is called ‘all-new geometry’ for the new lighter aluminum upper and lower wishbone suspension. “I wanted to tell you, but they wouldn’t let me,” says Baker.

Pirelli P Zero tires are wider at the front (245/35/ZR19), but with slightly smaller carbo-ceramic brake rotors inside and AP Racing six-pot calipers. At the rear, the tires are 305/30/ZR19 Pirellis with a slightly wider track.

The 720S looks different, yet has visual links to all the other McLarens. There’s a perception of a low-drag Le Mans-style tail and that lower front looks mighty vulnerable to high curbs. The roof seems more rounded, and that double curvature on the rear wheel arch looks like a nasty bruise picked up on a football field. Otherwise, there’s a disarming lack of adornment when seen from the sides, and you start to wonder how they have contrived to cool the big V8 behind the seats.

Move toward the front or back, though, and the air channels become visible, running like Roman aquifers along the tops of the doors and into the rear wings and the high-temperature radiators. It’s a clever design device, as are the ‘socket’ headlamps, which draw oncoming air into another set of low-temperature radiators on each side of the front.

The coachwork apparently achieves its target of doubled aerodynamic efficiency by combining coefficient of drag, downforce, and lap times. Just as important, however, is the space around the underbody hard points the engineering team gave design chief Rob Melville, which has allowed him to create a shape, that while recognizably a McLaren, is also interesting and attractive, if not conventionally beautiful. What’s more, the whole vehicle was designed and mostly engineered on computers, with not a single experimental prototype constructed, though Baker admits, “we did have 20 prototypes as a test fleet.”

In the cabin, there’s a perception of more space in spite of a width reduction. This feeling can be partly explained by the narrow roof spars, particularly the bare carbon-fiber windscreen pillars. With roof lights in the doors and sectioned windows in the rear, the cockpit feels more like sitting in a World War II fighter aircraft, or an Elizabethan house. There’s even a bit of luggage space behind the seats, but since the tailgate doesn’t open, you’ll have to wrestle those airline carry-ons past the seats and under the roof. Getting into the cockpit, however, is a lot easier, with roof cut-outs for the scissor doors just like the original Ford GT40s.

McLaren claims the new 720S will offer most of the track credibility and lap speed of the outgoing 675LT, but with road manners akin to the Sports Series 570GT hatchback. That seems to be key as this small but profitable firm gets more comfortable in its skin. McLaren cars have so far offered highly centered track performance, but road presence, exhaust noise and low-down torque haven’t been as peerless. While undoubtedly faster than its predecessor, the 720S is attempting to close a more subtle gap with the opposition. “Those road manners were very dear to my heart,” says Baker. “We’ve debated this car for over four years and put a lot of work into it.”

No prices yet, but expect an increase on the $265,500 price of the 650S. It remains to be seen whether McLaren’s second-gen Super Series will rattle the breakfast tables in Maranello, but the first signs are promising.

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RUF is bringing something special to Geneva

RUF has something special coming for the Geneva Motor Show – something the company claims is different from every car it’s built before. As you probably know, RUF mainly builds cars from Porsche bodies-in-white, which are then modified extensively and given RUF serial numbers and model names. They’ve been doing that for years, as well as modifying customer cars.

Lately, RUF has been branching out a bit. The CTR3 of the mid-2000s, for example, used some Porsche structure up front but a rear subframe (which the company endearingly refers to as the “birdcage”) out back, allowing it to have a mid-engine layout despite not being based on the Cayman/Boxster twins. The bodywork, while looking somewhat like a mashup of 911 and Cayman styling cues, was bespoke and made out of a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. There’s still a lot of Porsche in it, though.

At Geneva, RUF is hoping to reset a bit. The car it’s teasing (no image at this time, unfortunately) will have a totally unique structure, an in-house carbon fiber monocoque chassis to be specific. That’s a big departure for the company. The last time it tried something like that was in the early 2000s, with the semi-mythical R50 prototype. That didn’t go anywhere, for reasons we aren’t privy to. Apparently things have changed; perhaps manufacturing costs have come down (probably a factor), the market for low-volume supercars has gotten sweeter (definitely), and any engineering challenges that the R50 faced have been overcome (likely as well). Will it have a flat-six from its long-time friends in Stuttgart? No official word, but it’s likelier than not.

RUF also claims it’ll be a car inspired by the most famous RUF of all: the original CTR, better known as the Yellowbird. What that means remains to be seen, but the Yellowbird is pictured above. Back in 1987, it was turning the supercar world upside down and shaking the lunch money out of it. It, and the NSX that followed not too long after, rattled the traditional supercar players who subsequently upped both their performance and refinement games. It’s the most important part of RUF’s legacy, and so tying the new car so closely to the Yellowbird is a smart play.

We’ll find out more about this car in Geneva. Until then, enjoy this classic Yellowbird promotional film featuring a truly classic Nurburgring segment.

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The latest Fittipaldi EF7 teaser image shows serious aero pieces

By now you probably know that F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi is developing a futuristic supercar with famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina. New teaser images are constantly trickling out, and they paint a picture of a very interesting vehicle, one that is supposed to take advantage of Emerson Fittipaldi’s track knowledge.

The Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo will be properly unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7. For those unable to either make it to the Geneva event or lay their hands on a Pininfarina-built Fittipaldi special, the supercar will be able to be experienced in Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo video game, as the name implies. Or as the creator of the Gran Turismo game, Kazunori Yamauchi, put it: “Emerson Fittipaldi’s vision, Pininfarina’s design aesthetic and HWA’s engineering capability, the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina boasts a collective of some of automotive’s best partners and is a project we’re honored to be a part of.” Interestingly, there will also be a FIA-certified eSports Gran Turismo Championship, for virtual racing, and the fact being mentioned in conjunction with the EF7 introduction gives some reassurance that it will take part in the eSports championship.

Today’s teaser shows a better view of the massive rear wing on the supercar, as well as what appears to be a multi-level rear diffuser. It appears the car is mid-engined, and there is some reinforcement visible through the window over the powertrain. What we’ve seen so far looks very serious.

Pininfarina speaks fondly of the EF7. “The result is an exciting car that embodies Pininfarina’s DNA in terms of style and innovation, Emerson’s long-lasting experience and HWA’s engineering skills. Our collective team was able to turn a dream into a driving machine,” says Pininfarina Chairman Paolo Pininfarina.

As well as the EF7 receiving shapely flanks and aggressive spoilers courtesy of Pininfarina, its powertrain will be overseen by AMG’s offshoot HWA, named after Hans-Werner Aufrecht, one of AMG’s founders. “The realization of the dream of a multiple Formula 1 World Champion in building a supercar is an exciting new challenge for us. As a development partner, we achieved together with Emerson Fittipaldi and the renowned Italian automobile designer, Pininfarina a vehicle, that combines racing technology and breathtaking design with drivability and the highest safety requirements,” said Aufrecht. HWA has been building racing cars for half a century, and it has a number of DTM championships to its name.

We’re likely to see more of the EF7 before it is unveiled next week. Pininfarina will be having a busy show, as it will also debut a concept version of an electric luxury sedan being built for a Hong Kong company. That car is called the H600 concept.

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The Lamborghini Huracan Performante lapped the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes

Lamborghini just released new footage of its Huracán Performante at the Nürburgring, and along with it some big news. The car managed to lap the ‘Ring in a stunningly quick time of 6:52. That time puts it ahead of the Porsche 918 Spyder’s record of 6:57 by a massive 5 seconds. It’s also just 4 seconds shy of the Radical SR8LM, which barely qualifies as a street-legal car.

Though the Huracán Performante isn’t the first Lamborghini to crack the seven-minute mark at the Nürburgring, it’s done it by the largest margin. The Aventador LP750-4 SV was the first Lambo under 7 minutes with a time of 6:59.73. Lamborghini hasn’t released specifications for this new Huracán, but it reportedly produces 630 horsepower from a V10 engine, which is substantially less than its slower 740-horsepower Aventador SV sibling. Odds are it was helped on the track by lighter weight, and the reported active aerodynamics on-board.

Check out the video above in its entirety. And then check back during the Geneva Show to see the full reveal of this monstrously fast Lambo.

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The McLaren 720S’s gauge display folds away so you can concentrate on the road

Information is a good thing, but sometimes too much information can be overwhelming. One of those situations might be when trying to wring the most out of a high-horsepower mid-engine supercar like the new McLaren Super Series model, the 720S. W’re guessing here. So at the press of a button, the driver can hide most of the gauge screen and clear some of the view out the windshield.

This Slim Display Mode ought to come in handy when the car’s new Variable Drift Control is put to the test. When drifting, visual cues outside the car are a little more important than what song is playing at the time or your fuel economy. When the large gauge screen is folded down, a smaller display strip shows the gear, tachometer, and speed. Simple enough.

When the big screen is in place, the full trip computer, a round tach, and helpful gauges like fuel and temp show up. This foldy screen (McLaren calls it the Folding Driver Display) is one part of the new McLaren Driver Interface, which also includes a new 8.0-inch center screen with a revised interface to control audio, navigation, and settings. There are some hard buttons as well, although we’re not sure what they control and McLaren didn’t release photos of the touch screen or center stack.

And yes, we’ve already seen the new McLaren 720S thanks to an Instagram leak, but full details on the car won’t be revealed until next week at the Geneva show.

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The new Ferrari 812 Superfast has a 789-hp V12, is self-explanatory

You’re looking at the replacement for the F12 Berlinetta. Gorgeous, right? While in keeping with the recent styling success of Ferrari cars, this one bucks a trend. Unlike the last three updated models from Maranello – the GTC4 Lusso, California T, and 488 GTB – the 812 Superfast doesn’t use turbos. Instead, it continues with a naturally aspirated V12. A bigger, more powerful one.

And of course, this front-engine supercar GT will be super fast. The 812’s twelve-cylinder displaces 6.5 liters, up from the F12’s 6.3. Power stands at a round 800 CV, which translates to 789 horsepower, while torque is up to 530 pound-feet. For reference, the 6.3-liter in the F12 makes 731 hp and 508 lb-ft, while the F12 Tdf‘s massaged version puts out 769 hp and 520 lb-ft; the LaFerrari’s engine made 789 hp, which was boosted further with the addition of an electric motor. So this 6.5-liter is tied for the title of most powerful Ferrari road-car engine, and it makes this the most powerful front-engine Ferrari ever, which is neat. It’s supposed to reach 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 211 mph. Yep, super fast.

Max power is again made at a screaming 8,500 rpm and the torque peaks at 7,000. More displacement means more output, but Ferrari also switched to a higher-pressure fuel system and variable-geometry intakes to squeeze even more out of its big V12. The company’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission gets its own gear ratios to handle the power in this application.

One big change is the car’s switch from hydraulic to electric power steering. It’s the first Ferrari road car to use EPS, and the company assures us just makes things better by working with the other chassis systems, like Side Slip Control. The 812 Superfast also gets the second version of Virtual Short Wheelbase, Ferrari’s name for rear-wheel steeriung.

Ferrari says the updated design is supposed to be reminiscent of the 365 GTB4 from 1969. We say it’s just plain pretty either way. There are active flaps at the front and some kind of new air bypass at the rear to improve downforce, and which sounds a lot like something out of Formula 1. The launch color seen here is the special Rosso Settanta, which is in celebration of the company’s 70th anniversary.

The interior has been updated a bit as well, with a reshaped dash top (featuring one fewer air vent) and new controls on the steering wheel. The optional display in front of the passenger, which can show your co-driver just how fast you’re going, appears to have been updated to a touch screen to give them their own set of controls.

The car makes its debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the marque. and we expect some sort of celebration at the show.

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