McLaren GT McLaren bosses say an SUV is (still) out of the question, but note there will be room in the lineup for new technologies, like hybrid hypercars capable of zero-to-96-km/h times under two-and-a-half seconds.When Car and Driver recently prodded him on the prospect of building an SUV, McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt says trucks are still a non-starter for the British brand.Why would we? he says. We dont have to.Wed never get a return on it, Flewitt says. The cost of designing a brand-new platform would cost well over $1 billion, and besides that, were all getting sick of thoroughbred supercar manufacturers building SUVs just to make a profit.Instead of trying to fit more people in the back of its vehicles, McLaren is trying to fit more power, and thats why there will definitely be another hybrid model, as well as a pure EV, although it is less keen on those. Flewitt says current batteries are too heavy, too expensive and not dense enough to meet the brands standards.As for the hybrid model, its already in the works. Riding on a next-generation platform set to be unveiled in the spring of 2020, the vehicle will rock a hybrid powertrain with all-wheel-drive.The target zero-to-60-mph (96 km/h) time is in the realm of 2.3 seconds, since launches will be aided by an electric front axle. The model will be the first of an eventual all-hybrid lineup, which will gradually subsume the gas-only car range over three or four
Origin: McLaren: no-go on SUVs, but yes to hybrids that do 96 km/h in 2.3 seconds
seconds
Original ‘Eleanor’ Mustang from newer ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ for sale
One of the 11 screen-used Eleanor Mustangs from the 2000 film Gone in 60 Seconds specifically the main Dream Car is scheduled to cross the auction block early January, and will likely clear US$1 million.The car was built for the movie by none other than Chip Foose, and it has just about every now-typical resto-mod touch on it, but its this car that has the distinction of being the inspiration for many of those tweak ubiquitous in hot rods now.Being the hero car or Dream Car of the 11, theres nothing fake about this Shelby-inspired 1967 Ford Mustang every component on it works, even the NOS system. This isnt some shell of a car used to model some CGI around, its a real, driveable hot rod.The Dream Car was used for exterior and interior shots, as well as chase scenes through the shipyard, city and along the Los Angeles River. Its the vehicle that likely would have been on-screen the longest. Not all of the 10 or 11 other vehicles used in filming had such cushy roles, or made it out in one piece.The last time this Mustang sold was at Mecum Auctions in Indianapolis, for US$1,000,000 coincidentally the budget of the original 1974 version of the film.The winner of this upcoming auction, held by Mecum in Kissimmee, Florida at the beginning of January 2020, can pretend to be Nicolas Cage, like all the other guys whove resto-modded their vehicles to look just like this one! Except now at car shows, youll have to explain this is one of the originals actually used by Disney to ruin H. B. Halickis legacy.(Okay, yes, were fans of the 74 film, you caught us.)Dont forget the real Eleanor from the old movie is a 1971 Mustang with a 1973 Mustang grille, painted with school-bus-yellow
Origin: Original ‘Eleanor’ Mustang from newer ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ for sale
News Roundup: How to steal a Tesla in 30 seconds, what Lambo’s most powerful car looks like and more
Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.Here’s what you missed while you were away.Tesla thieves fool key fob system to make away with vehicleIt looks ridiculously simple. Two men walk into the yard of a home in a town near London, England, one holding a home-made wire antenna above his head, the other standing near the driver’s door of the Tesla. Less than 35 seconds later the two are off the property with the car. So what kind of top-secret hacker voodoo did these two employ to pull off this efficient heist? Actually, thanks to the fact Tesla and many other vehicles rely on key fob tech that actively transmits a signal that can be picked up by the right antenna in the right place, they probably didn’t use anything you couldn’t pick up at your local electronics store.Learn more about why you should always store your key fob in a safe space. Report suggests next-gen Subaru WRX STI will arrive fall 2020 with new 315-hp engineAccording to reports by a Japanese car site, Subaru plans to have the 2021 WRX on streets by next fall. The fifth-gen sedan will allegedly ride on a new platform – the same to be used on all Subaru vehicles moving forward, including the upcoming WRX STI, Japan’s WRX S4 and the Levorg wagon – and use a new direct-injected FA20 four-cylinder with 315 horsepower in place of the current turbo-four EJ25 in North America. A reveal has yet to be announced.Hennessey’s latest kit for the 2020 Mustang GT500 makes 1,200 horsepower The 2020 Ford Mustang isn’t even out yet and Hennessey Performance Engineering has already come up with three aftermarket kits to make the pony buck with a little extra spunk. The Hennessey GT500 Venomis the latest kit announced by the famous, horsepower-crazed tuning brand. It slaps twin turbos to the Mustang engine, bringing the total output up to 1,200 horsepower, some 200 more than Hennessey’s previous kits. It also get the appropriate “Hennessey” and “Venom 1200” badges, an improved intercooler system, upgraded transmission and other internal bits and bolts. New Lamborghini hybrid Sián is the brand’s most powerful piece to dateMeet the Lamborghini Sián, the famed Italian automaker’s juiciest vehicle ever, at least in terms of outright power. Using a combination of a V12 engine alongside a 48-volt e-motor tucked into the gearbox, the Sián promises 819 horsepower, which will push it to 96 km/h in 2.8 seconds.Lamborghini claims the car is the first to use a supercapacitor in a hybrid powertrain. Look for more of the Sián at the 2019 Frankfurt IAA Motor Show.Toyota Canada still won’t explain its sometimes months-long parts delayCanadian Toyota drivers who have been waiting for weeks or sometimes months for parts for their vehicles are getting fed up with the brand. The delay, which Toyota claims is the result of “Systems Transformation,” has meant that some Toyota owners have had their vehicles in the shop for far longer than they anticipated. In a report by the CBC, drivers from Nova Scotia to Ontario to B.C. sound off on the frustrations of being left in the lurch by one of the world’s largest automakers.
Origin: News Roundup: How to steal a Tesla in 30 seconds, what Lambo’s most powerful car looks like and more
Roush’s terrifying 650-hp Ford ‘Nitemare’ nails 96 km/h in under 4.0 seconds
Roush unleashes a 650 horsepower supercharged 5.0-litre V8 on the 2018 F-150 Roush has made its name on souping up Ford platforms mostly Mustangs but recently its been putting its own special sauce on the F-150 by supercharging the engines and blacking out the grilles.Now the tuner has got a new concoction mixed up: the Nitemare.The company pulled the covers off the thing last Halloween, but just recently released some performance figures for the truck.Hows zero-to-96 km/h in 3.9 seconds sound? The regular cab pulls off those supercar-adjacent times, with the SuperCrew just behind at 4.1.Roush says that makes it the worlds quickest production truck, but we think for that title to officially stick, it has to be something installed on an assembly line, and not by a third-party aftermarket.Hows it do it? The 5.0-litre V8 has been gifted a supercharger in the form of a Roush TVS R2650, which bumps the power up to 650, and torque up to 610 lb-ft. It howls through a tuned performance exhaust that utilizes the companys special valvetrain technology.A console-mounted dial lets you tune what sort of noise you want to hear out of those pipes, with four sound options: Touring, Wide-Open, Sport and Custom (the final option gives you even more specific control via the Roush Active Exhaust app).To truly haunt your dreams, the grille has been swapped out for a custom all-black unit with integrated accent lights; and hockey stick graphics will match nicely with the hockey mask for your Freddie Kruger costume. The truck rides on 22-inch custom Roush wheels, with Continental Crosscontact LX20 285/45R22 tires.The package costs US$19,150 on top of the base price of an F-150. Dual exhaust tips, Off-Road Utility kit, Black and Carbon Leather Seat upgrade, Console Vault and tonneau cover are available as extra-cost options. Canadian pricing has not been announced
Origin: Roush’s terrifying 650-hp Ford ‘Nitemare’ nails 96 km/h in under 4.0 seconds
All about car 