Shelby GT350- worth sulking over?

As regular readers will know, the new 2015 Ford Mustang will be coming to the UK. Which is a good thing. Until I realised that Shelby doesn't agree with the new Mustang's foreign policy. The track-ready version of the gorgeous new Mustang- the Shelby GT350-will be the only version of the Mustang that we won't be receiving (but don't worry because we will get an Eco-boost version! It's so good to be British). But it looks so nice I thought I had to write about it, if only to tell you what you are missing out on. 

The Shelby GT350, contrary to what the name suggests, doesn't produce 350 BHP. Thats just a call-back to the 1965 GT350 (which only had 306BHP. Seriously, what is the point of that name?). No, the GT350 will produce over 500BHP (the name thing is just there to confuse everyone) from the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 in its history. All being delivered through a very old-school 6 speed stick. The 0-62MPH time will certainly be lower than the normal car's 4.4 seconds. And the looks you see below are all designed to improve aero to increase the overall performance-while making it look amazing. Plus it gets adaptive damping, and Ford's best brake system ever, and it is stiffer than the normal car. Please Ford, pretty please?

Nev

Button +Alonso+Honda= formula one dominance next year?

So Mclaren have finally made up their mind about which driver they want. Did they pull the name out of a hat?! In my opinion their choice was the right one: Jensen Button has more to give than the rookie Magnussen. And the decision from Alonso to move to Mclaren, while very brave and (according to some) bound to fail, will strengthen the Mclaren team no end. But can Mclaren and Alonso keep it together this time? For those of you who don't remember last time Alonso was at McLaren he left after year one of a 3 year contract because of a dispute between himself and the team principal Ron Dennis. So what will make this time different? 

The return of the Japanese Giants Honda to formula one is another factor that may determine who will control the podium next year. After a long absence from the grid Honda have decided to make a comeback and suppy their engine to McLaren, who will break off their long partnership with Mercedes in order to hopefully gain an advantage over them on the grid. This is a risky strategy that will only pay off if Honda still have the engineering expertise that they were so famed for back in the day and still are in their road cars.

And obviously you can't win a constructors championship with just a car. That is why McLaren have picked a line up of experienced and talented drivers many regard as the best on the grid. With a combined 4 world titles and drivers widely regarded as the most experienced drivers on the grid I can really see McLaren rising back to their form of a couple of years ago. Both the drivers are hungrier than ever for a title and I just hope McLaren (and Honda) can give it to them. Lewis Hamilton and his team at Mercedes better watch out if they want to keep their title because McLaren are hungry for victory in 2015.

Nev

Lamborghini Asterion: the future of Lamborghini's?

And so, the inevitable has finally happened. The last vestige of V12-only lunacy has been breached. This is the new Lamborghini concept, a car that will almost certainly make production. But it is a hybrid. Now that Lamborghini sees no way out of the choke of EU emissions regulations with its hungry V12/10 monsters, it turns (reluctantly) to hybrid power. 

But is it as bad as you undoubtably think it is? I have given the issue a lot of thought and have decided that it is not quite as bad as you initially think. For starters, it is called the Asterion, which shows that the people at Lamborghini haven't given up completely. Indeed, the team are working harder than ever so that this car will not be the one to destroy their reputation forever. Another redeeming feature is the keeping of the fire-breathing V10, just mated to an electric motor.  And the V10 is the 5.2 litre V10 from the Huracàn. This combo results in a not-unexciting total of 910BHP an 0-62mph in 3 seconds. And (maybe not entirely accurate) a claimed 282MPG, 98g/km CO2, full-electric range of 30 miles and no congestion charge in London. The looks are not as exotic as the Aventador but it is still unmistakably a Lamboghini. Although the hefty batteries and motor do enlarge the weight, so the top speed is 185mph, which is obviously soooo slow. So, Lamborghini trying to stay true to its values while also embracing the future. It's just a shame the future isn't a solo V12 engine screaming into the distance

Nev

So is this the right direction for Lambo to go? Comments would be appreciated in the comments box. Thanks.

Lexus RC-F: German super saloon rival?

So, new cars have been released and so my blog has returned after a long absence.

As you may remember, there was a car called the IS-F. It came from a boring brand called Lexus who many people criticised for being expensive Toyotas. They weren't very good and weren't made particularly well. Nobody really cared about any new models they brought out. Until the IS-F. It was based on the boring IS saloon but was made to rival the BMW M3. And it blew it into the dirt. But still people didn't buy it as the brand image remained. But people remembered. So now there is a successor. The RC-F. And it looks like a cross between the super LFA and the blistering IS-F. It once again tries to take the fight to the German super saloons but this time hopes to increase sales as well. It definitely matches the price of its German counterparts, at £59,995. As well as its space age looks, it boasts a 5.0 litre V8 producing 471BHP and 0-62 in 4.5 seconds, which definitely isn't slow. It features a lot of driver aids and has the purpose of being "driver-friendly", and, using normal Lexus knowledge, manages 28.2 MPG from its big V8 and hefty 1,765KG weight, which is quite impressive in my opinion.  But it won't match the new BMW M4. But it may still achieve more sales than the IS-F. It deserves them.

Nev

Ferrari F40: the greatest Ferrari ever?

Over the last couple of months, when the car industry has been very quiet and I have no new cars to think about and fantasise about ownership, I always think about the best cars ever. Not the newest, not the fastest, not the prettiest, but just the best. Vague, I know, but there are some cars that, to me anyway, are just undoubtably the best. Lamborghini Muira? Check. Audi Quattro? Check. Shelby Cobra? You bet. Ford Mustang Mach 1? Yep. But to me at least there is one car that I always come back to in these times of automotive pondering. The Ferrari F40. The best Ferrari accolade is a very tough one for anyone to give. Especially if they value their life. So let's consider the evidence for the F40.

The F40. The last car to be approved by Il maestro himself: Enzo Ferrari. It was also the first production car to pass the magic mark: 200mph (albeit only by 1mph). Powered by a twin-turbo V8, it generated a not-very-mighty-in-today's-world 471bhp but did have 426 torques and only weighed 1100kg's. It subsequently hit 62 in an amazing-for-1987 4.1 seconds. And had pop-up headlights. Seriously, if that doesn't change your mind I don't know what will. With a low and sexy shape and an eyebrow-raising rear wing, it's no wonder that it's value today can get to astronomical value of £750,000. That's more than a new Porsche 918. And if a car from 1987 is still worth more than a brand new hypercar, it must be good. The best? Absolutely

Nev

Mclaren P1 GTR

For those of you who already thought the Mclaren P1 was hardcore. Get a load of this. The Mclaren P1 GTR. Descendent of the Mclaren F1GTR, the car that won Le Mans on its debut in 1995. This car is the track-only version of the already hardcore P1, this car will cost double the normal car's already eye-watering price tag. Which means the GTR will cost an astronomical £1.98 Million.

So what makes it worth the price? Well, the massive rear wing replaces the "discreet" retractable one on the road car. This generates even more downforce, and coupled with its upgraded electric motor and tweaks to the engine meant that it should generate about about 986bhp, roughly the same as the original Bugatti Veyron but quite a bit lighter, equivalent of a Caterham seven lighter in fact. This means that it will obviously out-drag  the road car and sprint to 62 in under 2.8 seconds.the front of the car is wider and the body has been reprofiled for more aerodynamics. Anyone lucky enough to own one gets access to the F1 teams simulators and can take part in six exclusive track days per year. Most of the details are unavailable at the moment as it is still in development but the message still comes through. Be. Very. Afraid. Could this car be in retaliation to pictures of a Laferrari XX? Over to you, Ferrari.

Nev

The Italian Grand Prix

Last week was the turn of another historic race track to appear on the calender: Monza. With its historic banking no longer used on the track but still shows how tricky the circuit is. Qualifying on Saturday saw Lewis Hamilton edge Rosberg to take pole, with Bottas bagging Williams a second row start.

The race itself was very eventful. Ricciardo failed to gain a hatrick of victories because his Renault power unit failed to give him enough speed to catch the leaders. Surprisingly, Fernando Alonso-the only driver to have gained points in every race so far-had a power unit failure midway through the race which brought his record to an end. In the end Lewis Hamilton led the race comfortably to win the Italian Grand Prix, With Nico Rosberg finishing in second and Filipe Massa gaining his first ever podium for Williams. The next race is in Singapore, next week.

Nev