Mclaren p1 2016

2016 Porsche 918 Spyder

It took Porsche years to develop a worthy successor to the vaunted Carrera GT supercar, but at last, the 918 is here—and it’s a plug-in hybrid! With a combined 887 hp and 944 lb-ft of torque from its mid-mounted V-8 and electric motors—one at each axle—the 918 delivers Bugatti-like acceleration, tenacious handling, and a 211-mph top end. And of course, it’s every bit as exotic-looking as any near-million-dollar supercar should be, with a low-slung, targa body, and ultra-futuristic cabin.

Funnyman Louis C.K. does a widely known bit summed up by a phrase uttered early in the performance: “Everything is amazing and nobody’s happy.” (Go ahead and Google it now, but promise you’ll come back to us. Beware the YouTube wormhole!) He’s talking about personal technology, but the perspective applies to today’s car industry, too. Take a moment to count your blessings as a car enthusiast in today’s world, and you’ll quickly realize you’re going to need a longer moment.

We have Miatas and Brz/FR-Ss, GtIs and Focus Sts, 300-hp V-6 Mustangs(and 400-hp V-8s), 495-hp Jaguar roadsters, 11-second Mercedes-Benz station wagons, and a handful of exotics (and sometimes even near-exotics) in the 10s. There are also 200-mph sedans, beautiful things, Weirdthings—in short, there’s no shortage of something for everyone. This, plus forums to talk about these things, eBay and Bring a Trailer to buy them, and a mind-blowing generation of video games that let us realistically experience the dreams we can’t afford. Yet the mood in the automotive sphere tends to be a little dreary. We yearn for the good old days or, more often, fear the bad ones to come. Diesels and hybrids and EVs are the future, and they’re going to ruin it all.

Except they won’t, so you can put away your sad trombone. On top of all that other great stuff comes a curious new phenomenon: The million-dollar, 900-hp hybrid hypercar. Want even more evidence that things are going well? In the past decade, several companies have quit making minivans, yet now three different automakers build these insane hybrids. We’ve yet to drive the Ferrari LaFerrari or McLaren P1, but we just clambered out of Porsche’s 918 Spyder, and it turns out that hybrids can be pretty awesome.

 There’s no family-hybrid-esque Atkinson-cycle four puttering away beneath the 918’s perforated engine cover. Think, instead, high-output V-8 bristling with modern engine technology. Porsche says the engine was derived from that in the Le Mans class-winning RS Spyder, but you really need to stretch the definition of “derived” for that to be the case. In large part, the only commonalities between the RS Spyder’s 3.4-liter and the 918’s 4.6 are that they both have flat-plane cranks and 90-degree vee angles, and saying that 90-degree vees on two eight-cylinders implies shared roots is like claiming you and Billy Joel must be cousins because you both have goatees.

But if the 918’s engine shares little with the racing car’s mill, it also shares little with those of any lesser Porsches. For starters, it breathes in reverse. Air enters from the outside of the heads and is exhausted in the valley of the vee. Then, rather than wind their way to the back of the car, the spent gases simply exit skyward from a pair of gaping cannons mounted immediately aft of the occupants’ heads. There’s not room for much muffling before this happens, which is fine by us—not to mention a boon to driver alertness. The block and the heads are aluminum, the connecting rods are titanium, and the exhaust system is Inconel, a lightweight and super-expensive nickel-based alloy. Keeping the internals light and the crank flat means the V-8 can rev to 9150 rpm, a speed at which it emits a scream of such intense, pure rage that we felt obliged to apologize. (The V-8 continued screaming nonetheless.)

The V-8 makes 608 horsepower, three more than in Porsche’s previous limited-edition flagship, the Carrera GT. But the 918 then adds roughly the output of another old flagship, the 930 Turbo, via two electric motors. One wedges in between the V-8 and seven-speed PDK transmission; the other sits aft of the front cargo hold.

The battery pack sits low behind the passengers within the carbon-fiber monocoque. Total system output from the engine and motors sits at 887 horsepower and a maximum of 944 lb-ft of torque. (For even more details on the 918’s powertrain and its operation, check out technical director Don Sherman’s prototype drive here.) We weren’t able to gather instrumented test data, but figure on a 0-to-60-mph time of 2.6 seconds and a quarter-mile time of about 10 flat. And in case you missed it, the 918 Spyder is the first production car ever to break the seven-minute barrier at the Nürburgring. Not only that, but Porsche’s drivers say they were told to exercise caution and insist they could do better than the 6:57 they stamped into the record bo

It’s a good thing the seats back up to a bulkhead, because under full throttle, the 918 feels as though it might rip them clean out of the floorboards. Every time you floor it, you get a preview of your first (or next) face lift. The pull is relentless. With two different types of electric motors spinning at two different speeds, a gas V-8, and Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox all operating in concert, this is among the most sophisticated powertrains on the road. But occupants feel no transition of power flow between motors and engine. To the end user, it simply feels incredibly fast and unbelievably seamless.

If Porsche were actually concerned with keeping the seats moored, it would have had to hem in its lightweight buckets on all sides, because this car generates stupefying g forces in all directions. What’s truly amazing, though, is how approachable this car’s supernatural powers are. We lapped Spain’s 2.5-mile Circuit de Valencia behind a 911 Turbo S—no slouch itself, logging a 7:27 on the Nürburgring—piloted by Porsche’s own test driver. While the 911 savant in the Turbo S manhandled his mount around the track, wringing every millisecond from his lap time, we flounced along behind, a little bored by the lack of effort required to stay on his bumper.

All-wheel drive is a major factor in the 918’s stability, but the motor on the 918’s front axle hits its 16,000-rpm redline and disengages at 165 mph, so keep that in mind before executing any rapid directional changes at ludicrous speeds. A center of gravity right around the wheel bearings contributes to the 918’s having all the roll and dive of a parking block. The steering is of course electrically assisted, but we almost don’t believe that this helm, so heavy and direct and alive, could be. Rear-wheel steering helps the 3750-pound (or 3650 with the weight-shaving and über-expensive Weissach package) 918 turn in as immediately at low speeds as would a much smaller car, while it lends the stabilizing sensation of a longer wheelbase above 50 mph.

And when you want it all to stop, the 918’s brakes are some of the strongest we’ve experienced in a production car. The brake pedal here is ever so slightly squishier than the benchmark pedals in other Porsche sports cars but still better than about everything else on the market. And, yes, the brakes incorporate energy recuperation—up to 0.5 g of braking, at which point the honking, 15.4-inch carbon-ceramic rotors finally get bit by the Acid Green calipers. But as with the powertrain, any trade-off is imperceptible to the driver. To the sole of your foot, the pedal just feels firm and progressive.

HSV Maloo 2016

Rear 3/4 images of Maloo R8 are fitted with optional SV Rapier forged alloy wheels in Dark Stainless and Pitch Black Style.

With its distinctive identity, the HSV GEN-F range of vehicles feature a sophisticated, modern and integrated design.

2016 BMW S1000RR

With an unabashed display of Bavarian bravado, BMW entered the liter-class supersports category with a bang in 2010. The S1000RR raised the performance bar with all the subtlety of a V2 rocket, blowing away the establishment with awesome power and advanced technology previously unheard of in a mass-produced superbike. And now, for 2015, the onslaught continues, with the latest S1000RR losing 9 lb. while gaining a host of refinements and other features directly derived from BMW’s race development

The 999cc liquid-cooled inline-four, reworked in several areas, has gained 6 hp and peak output is now a claimed 199 hp. On the intake side are reshaped ports, revised cam profile, lighter valves and shorter velocity stacks drawing from a larger air box. An all-new exhaust has eliminated the previous model’s under-engine canister, pairing some 6.6 lb. while the new muffler placement has shifted the CG slightly higher and rearward, closer to the swingarm pivot.(96.5mm), and a 3mm lower swingarm pivot, is aimed at improved front end feel, overall handling, and rear grip. The revised frame now allows more flex in the swingarm pivot area for further improved feedback and rear grip.. BMW has refined the software controlling each RR ride mode, resulting in much more seamless and subtler DTC and wheelie control intervention. Also, the ABS/anti-rear-wheel lift has been recalibrated to deliver greater braking stability. As before Rain, Sport, and Race modes come standard, while the Pro mode upgrade unlocks Slick and a new mode labeled User that allows selection of defined parameters (throttle response, peak power output, engine braking, traction control sensitivity, Race ABS, and linked rear brake/anti-rear lift strategy) that are fixed in the preset modes.

While the DDC suspension adjusts dynamically to changing conditions, it’s calibrated differently in each ride mode—it’s softest in rain, firmest in Slick. It also employs an adjustment interface with 7 +/- steps for fork damping (both compression and rebound) along with discrete compression and rebound shock adjustability for further fine tuning.

After briefly sampling Road and Sport modes, I spent much of my time in Slick and User, primarily playing with different DTC levels. The afternoon also saw a change from the standard fitment Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP to Pirelli race slicks. The sticky tires delivered an even greater confidence in front-end feel and grip, with only an occasional flash from the DTC light on the dash once I ventured into a negative sensitivity setting. Subtle controlled rear drifts on corner exits and floating power wheelies onto the track’s main straight were now the norm.

Of all the S1000RR’s improvements and new features, I’ve saved my favorite for last: HP Gear Shift Assist Pro, which provides silky smooth clutchless upshifts and also performs perfectly executed clutchless auto-blip downshifts. Charging a corner entry has never been simpler! As you keep the throttle closed and focus your attention on maintaining steady front brake pressure, a simple dab of the shifter results in a sweet downshift with the precision of a Bavarian clock.

A winner of superbike shootouts the world over and  the BMW S1000RR, now more than ever, has a way of making mere mortals feel super in its saddle.

2016 SRT Viper GTS

Turn up your automotive emotions to a new level each time you engage the starter on the 2015 Dodge Viper models.

Each new Viper model generates 645 horsepower, an increase over previous models, and twists out 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most of any naturally aspirated sports car engine on the planet. Each engine is rigorously dyno-tested before being approved for installation. The all-aluminum mid-front 8.4-liter V10 delivers the best power-to-weight ratio available. A Unique “cam-within-a-cam” design allows cleaner exhaust, improved fuel economy and better engine smoothness. Yes please, turn it up.

The Dodge Viper includes a single mode high performance suspension or driver-selectable suspension featuring Bilstein DampTronic Select shock absorbers with street and track settings. A five-mode Electronic Stability Control System allows drivers to maintain safe control of the car under any operating condition. Balance it all with nimble and precise steering, standard 295 mm front and 355 mm rear Pirelli P Zero Z-rated tires that combine for the widest tire patch in the business, and you’ve got your hands full of something special. It just feels right.

The look of the 2015 Dodge Viper SRTis iconic. The Viper has always been designed for maximum aerodynamic efficiency and high-speed balance while retaining many of the characteristics that made it an American legend.

The familiar lines of broad-shoulders, carbon fiber hood, roof and Decklid blend with new-to-Viper aluminum door panels. The enormous Clamshell hood of Viper is among the world’s largest automotive parts made from a single piece of carbon fiber. Timeless form, classic performance, and countless double takes.

Every corner of the 2015 Dodge Viper SRT features a robust four-piston Brembo brake system with fixed aluminum calipers and 14x1.3inch vented/slotted rotors. Braking is firm and confident even under extreme track conditions.

The calipers are among the stiffest available. All surfaces are machined for full weight optimization. Slotted and vented two-piece StopTech rotors are available on certain models.

Tesla Model S Electric. 2016

Dual Motor Model S is a categorical improvement on conventional all-wheel drive systems. With two motors, one in the front and one in the rear, Model S digitally and independently controls torque to the front and rear wheels. The result is unparalleled traction control in all conditions.

Conventional all-wheel drive cars employ complex mechanical linkages to distribute power from a single engine to all four wheels. This sacrifices efficiency in favor of all weather traction. In contrast, each Model S motor is lighter, smaller and more efficient than its rear wheel drive counterpart, providing both improved range and faster acceleration.

McLaren Mercedes SLR 2016

As we floored the accelerator in the Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren, There was a brief snap of Wheelspin before the electronic stability control stepped in to balance the sudden tidal wave of torque against the grip of the car's 295/30ZR-19 rear Michelins. After that it was just a matter of listening to the deep staccato beat of the 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 hurtling the SLR down the relatively short runway at Malmsheim, near Stuttgart (Where Mercedes organized this Performance test for American magazines), and then tapping the shift button on the steering wheel each time the tach reached for its 7000-rpm redline.

Do that with any degree of proficiency, and you are Rewarded with 0-to-60-mph sprints in just 3.6 seconds. The quarter-mile is Dispatched in 11.6 seconds at 125 mph, and even that result might improve on a warmer surface. c/D's test session was the last of four and took place in the late afternoon, when October temperatures were on the Decline.

skilled testers can equal the launch performance of the SLR's stability-control system (ESP in Mercedes-speak) by switching to its second, less intrusive position and finessing the gas pedal for traction, but they can't beat it. In the normal ESP mode, you have very effective launch control, and since the SLR has 575 pound-feet of torque from 3250 rpm, that system is worth its weight in gold-plated connectors. It was also reassuring to know that the huge ceramic brake rotors and equally substantial calipers would quickly slough off speed at the end of each 130-mph run on the relatively short Malmsheim airstrip.

Dig into the loud pedal any time out on the road, and you'll be gob-smacked by the sheer ferocity of the AMG engine's response. It might involve a downshift to do it, but a big dig at the throttle produces the kind of thrust that had everyone in our group shaking their heads in awe. Just check out our 30-to-50 and 50-to-70 times, which at 1.7 and 2.4 seconds are the best pair of top-gear acceleration times we've ever recorded for a production car.

In any situation other than a dry day on a straight road, a deep prod at the throttle will likely be answered by the activities of both engine and electronic watchdogs. The engine wants to give its all while the electronic systems are trying to save your life. Even then, we had a couple of occasions in traffic when a stab at the pedal produced a brief twitch of the tail.

That explains why Mercedes will not allow the ESP to be switched off completely. In fact, while we were pondering this strategy during a break at the test session, someone asked why one even needs 617 horsepower in a streetgoing car. The answer came from another writer: "To reach 207 mph."

Exactly. If a company with a long Motor sports history wants to flaunt its heritage in a car that evokes both the 300 SLR of old and the Formula 1 McLaren of right now, it needs to breech the 200-mph mark in the same way Ferrari's Enzo does. To push a big car like the SLR through an increasingly resistant atmosphere to the 200-mph mark-particularly when it has a flat bottom, front and rear diffusers , and a tail spoiler designed to provide downforce at speed-you need big horsepower.

Mercedes performance partner AMG knows where to find it. AMG knows how to package it, too. Looking at a fully dressed AMG SLR engine, one can readily appreciate the unit's compact size. The 5.4-liter V-8 in the SLR wears single-overhead-cam three-valve heads that are remarkably compact. The twin-screw blower resides in the valley between the cylinder banks, where it takes up very little space. A dry-sump lubrication system allows the V-8 to be housed lower than with a conventional oil pan.Even the side-pipe exhaust system, with its vertical mufflers, helps keep the mass centralized. The engine sits comfortably amidships, well behind the front axle line, and contributes to the car's nearly perfect weight distribution. That lends the SLR some special handling benefits, including a front end that hangs on well after you expect understeer and a chassis that accepts additional steering lock in mid-bend without complaint. Indeed, the SLR pulls an impressive 0.97 g on the skidpad, despite tires that appear to be, at least on paper, less generous than what Dodge might apply to a mere 500-hp car.

Turns out the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 hoops specially constructed for this car work exceptionally well, given their rain-or-shine duty brief. The car does not offer particularly strong feedback at slow to middling speeds, but it steps up the information flow when it begins to work hard, lending confidence to the driver for further dynamic exploration. The only problem here is that you're already traveling at high speed when the car comes truly alive in your hands.

Don't be misled. The SLR has less of the syrupy layer than most normal Benzes exhibit. Its steering is much more direct, as are throttle response and all ride sensations. But the ride is pretty cushy as 200-mph super cars go, and there is a thin gasket of luxury between mechanicals and nerve endings, all of which was intentional. The car, we were told repeatedly, was always envisioned as a fast GT. And that would explain the generous trunk space compared with other cars of the genre, the three interior storage compartments, the automatic climate control, the high-end stereo system, and the custom-fit leather seats. (Cushions of various thicknesses are fixed to the carbon-fiber seat shells to tailor each owner's fit to this $455,500 rocket.)

Therein lies the great paradox. Mercedes has tried to balance the SLR somewhere between all-out supercar and civilized grand tourer. This within a swoopy carbon-fiber monocoque chassis that has an unequal-length control-arm suspension at all corners, gullwing doors, an active rear airbrake/spoiler, side-pipe exhausts, and an engine that expresses power with every revolution. Yet all these sporty flourishes are in combination with an automatic transmission, various and sundry luxury trappings, and a substantial 3858-pound curb weight.

Clearly, this is a vehicle intended for a flexible role. Luckily for us (and owners with the means), technology allows car designers a lot of leeway these days, enabling less compromise than was possible just a few years ago. A smooth ride and precise handling are no longer mutually exclusive; nor are creature comforts and high power. You can indeed have your cake and eat it, too.