Geneva

McLaren P1 Performance Figures Revealed

February 26, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

The new McLaren P1 is to become the flagship of the Formula One turned supercar manufacture at its official reveal in Geneva. Slowly the media has been drip-fed tantalising details about the car that replaces the fabled F1. Today the numbers we have all been waiting for have been announced and they are nothing short of astonishing.

From the top. The McLaren P1 is to be powered by a 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine that is mid-mounted. The total power output for the car including an electrical power boost is 903BHP. Now things get interesting… 0-62MPH is completed in under 3 seconds and the P1 will go onto a top speed of 218MPH. 0-124MPH is vanquished in under 7 seconds and 0-186MPH in a mind boggling 17 seconds! Only 375 P1’s will be produces at a cost of £866,000.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, British, F1, Geneva, McLaren, motor show, P1, supercar

Volkswagen e-Golf isn’t as SHOCKING as You Might Think

February 21, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Though sales have been slow, the electric car continues to temp consumers with the promise of low cost motoring. With very few moving parts, virtually no servicing and a full charge costing pennies in these times of horrifically high fuel prices they do make sense. VW has faith in the electric motor as it reveals the e-Golf.

The all-electric VW Golf claims to have a range of 109 miles and can be charged from a standard socket in five hours. Offering all of the usual Golf practicalities and refinement, its 114BHP motor silently hums away. Top speed is only 84MPH and that is when it is in normal mode. Range mode reduces the power of the car, turns off the air-conditioning and limits the top speed to 59MPH in a bid to save electricity.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, e-Golf, electric, environment, Geneva, german, hatchback, motor show, VW

VW Golf GTD Unveiled

February 21, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

VW’s biggest seller, the Golf, is now in its 7th generation and is as complete a package as ever. Practical, reliable, durable, efficient are all words you could use to describe the Golf and with a wide range of model variants there is something for everyone. For those craving something with a bit extra performance but require great fuel economy, Volkswagen have the perfect MK7 for you.

Powered by VW’s all-new EA228 diesel engine, the Golf GTD offers much of the sporty aesthetic of the up and coming GTI but in a package that will achieve 67.3MPG. The 2.0 litre car produces 181BHP and 280lb-ft of torque. This reaches the front wheels via a 6 speed manual or a six speed dual clutch box. 0-62MPH is cover in 7.5 seconds and the GTD’s top speed is 143MPH.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2.0 litre, 2013, diesel, Geneva, Golf, GTD, hatchback, motor show, VW

New Bentley Continental Flying Spur

February 20, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

So you are the sort of chap who has a few bob. You require a car that looks every bit as tailored as the suit you are wearing but it will be Jeeves doing all of the driving whilst you sink into some of finest cowhide money can buy. Bentley has a car that might just tick all of the boxes for you in its all-new Flying Spur.

Still powered by an all consuming W12 engine, the 2.5 litre until will now produce 616BHP. Capable of 0-62MPH in just 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 200MPH, this stately home on wheels can hardly be called sluggish. Equipped with luxuries such as on-board Wi-Fi, a unique form of leather upholstery and ample amounts of walnut wood this is pure luxury. Despite all of this the car weighs 50KG less than its predecessor and is able to achieve 19.2MPG.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, Bentley, British, Continental, Flying Spur, Geneva, luxury, motor show, W12

903BHP McLaren P1 Steps Out of its Fathers Shadow

February 20, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

The McLaren P1 will be one of the cars that will define this decade of automotive achievement. The successor to the legendary F1 supercar has some big shoes to fill as well as having the added pressure of going toe to toe with Ferrari’s next-generation flagship. There were concerns that maybe the P1 had been over hyped and that the only realistic outcome would be disappointment. I am glad to say that after opening an E-Mail from McLaren this morning disappointment is one of the very few things this car can’t do.

McLaren have revealed the beating heart of the P1 to be a 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine. This mid-mounted unit produces 727BHP but is also paired to a 176BHP electric motor. This total output for the McLaren P1 is a mighty impressive 903BHP. The KERS inspired IPAS button boosts the cars power instantly increasing performance. It is capable of running on electric power alone for up to 6 miles. McLaren have also equipped the car with Formula One derived DRS that can reduce drag at high speeds by 26%. All of this incredible performance comes from a car that emits less than 200g/km of CO2.

Official benchmark figures will be revealed at the Geneva motor show.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, 3.8 litre, British, DRS, engine, Geneva, KERS, McLaren, motor show, P1, Specifications, supercar, twin-turbo, V8

Alfa Romeo Gloria Concept Set For Geneva

February 16, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Giving an Italian a pencil and a blank sheet of paper is like teaming a knife with butter. It just works… It has to be said that Italy is the design capital of the world and their cars are almost always mobile works of art. Alfa Romeo have produced many pretty cars over the past 100 years and their soon to be launched 4C reinforces my point. Also coming to Geneva is the Gloria Concept.

This car is the result of twenty IED design student working in tandem with Alfa Romeo designers. The project is pure concept so don’t expect to see this shape on the roads anytime soon. Sporting heavy references to the brands past, with leather bonnet straps and well defined grill, the Gloria is a handsome machine to behold. I think it is interesting that Alfa have chosen to show this car on a platform much larger than anything in the showroom today, perhaps hinting at their future model expansion.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, Alfa Romeo, concept, design, Geneva, IED, motor show, saloon

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG is Faster Than Porsche 911

February 13, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Mercedes AMG line has become an integral part of the firms DNA over the past few decades. Seen as the ultimate in performance for the three pointed star, this division has produced many cars of late that have given the legendary BMW M cars something to worry about. Merc’s all-new A-Class is a seductive little hatchback offering great attention to detail. The German firms new baby has just got back from spending some time with the AMG boys and the result is something very special indeed.

This is the A45 AMG, a £36,000 A-Class that is as fast as the latest Porsche 911. That means a 0-62MPH time of just 4.5 seconds! Powered by a turbocharged 2.0 litre four cylinder engine, this little menace packs 355BHP. That makes it the most powerful engine of its type in the world, yet, it will still get over 40MPG. All of that performance is channeled to all four wheels completing one of the least conspicuous performance packages that has ever touched tarmac.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, A-Class, A45, AMG, Geneva, hothatch, Mercedes-Benz, motor show

McLaren P1 Shows Off Cockpit

February 12, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

The McLaren P1 is one of the most anticipated cars of 2013. The twin-turbo V8 successor to McLaren’s legendary F1 supercar is promised to go every bit as fast as it looks. Aiming to be the fastest road legal performance machine on any race track, the British firm has packed it with Formula One technology. The interior of the car has been kept secret up until today.

Revealed for the first time, we can now see from the perspective of prospective P1 owners. The carbon fibre drenched cockpit is minimalist but still offers creature comforts such as air conditioning, sat-nav and a media system. The carbon is missing a layer of resin that McLaren say saves 1.5KG. Also in the interests of saving weight the car has no sound deadening what so ever. Its glass canopy allows for plenty of natural light to fill the drivers safety cell. Seating can be pitched at highly raked angles to allow for better visibility when wearing a helmet.

The McLaren P1 will be shown in full at the Geneva motor show.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, Geneva, interior, McLaren, motor show, P1, supercar, V8

Alfa Romeo 4C Revealed

February 12, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

There is just that indescribable something about Alfa Romeos. An atmosphere that you absorb as someone who can appreciate a car for being more than just a means of transport. They talk to you, communicate in a way no other car does when you drive it. Alfa Romeo for the past few years have lacked a car that does this in an obvious manor. Sure, their hatchbacks are nice but when you have a badge that descends from Grand Prix royalty it is mind boggling to think that they lack a true sports car from their range. Well let your mind boggle no more… This is Alfa’s triumphant return!

First seen two years ago in concept form, the Alfa Romeo 4C is a beautiful sculpture on wheels. The attention to detail in every curve, light and vent is pure automotive art. Beneath its carbon fibre body sits a mid-mounted 1.8 litre turbocharged four cylinder engine. The power to weight ratio of this little coupe is a staggering 4KG/HP, thanks to the carbon monocoque. Alfa’s new toy gets its power to the ground via a twin clutch automatic transmission.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 4C, Alfa Romeo, Geneva, Italian. 1.8, motor show, sports car, Turbo

VW Golf R Cabriolet Goes Topless

February 8, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Volkswagen’s Golf Cabriolet was welcomed with open arms last year as it had been a while since you could have some topless fun in the popular hatchback. Alfresco motoring is loved by many in the UK, despite all of the rain, and so it wasn’t long before the convertible loyalists wanted something a bit spicier from the Germans. Enter the VW Golf R Cabriolet.

This is the fastest open-top Golf that has ever been produced offering not just the ability to feel the wind rush through your hair, but also the potential for a good deal of hooning about. Powered by a 261BHP four cylinder engine, this Golf R can dispatch 0-62MPH in 6.4 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155MPH. The swapping of cogs is done via a 6 speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. The roof can be lowered in 9.5 seconds and raised again in 11 seconds providing the car is traveling at under 18MPH.

The Golf R Cabriolet is to cost from £38,770.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2.0 litre, 2013, cabriolet, Geneva, german, Golf, hothatch, motor show, R, VW