All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

McLaren SUV

McLaren has been talking about an SUV model for many years, and at the end of last year a teaser was released that pointed to such a thing. Now, with the arrival of the new Chief Executive Officer, Michael Leiters, the story could become a reality.

Photo: Autocar

“I developed an SUV at Ferrari. I developed an SUV at Porsche, so I love SUVs. But we won’t do it for me. Yet I think it’s a really important market. It still is, and it continues to grow. It’s very attractive as a market segment,” said Leiters.

With its first SUV, McLaren would join Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Lamborghini. Given the high demand for SUVs, it would be a good move for a company that has been in a financial crisis for a long time. Leiters was involved in the development of the Porsche Cayenne and Macan, so his experience could play a key role.

McLaren announced that the decision has not been made, but that an SUV is one of the options. McLaren is definitely not capable of doing something like this on its own, so it needs a partner. Rumors say it could be German companies, Audi or BMW. Anyway, technology is one thing and finance is something completely different. “And if you find both in one, that will definitely be the best. But it has to be the right partner. We have to maintain our DNA; I’m not interested in any partner which gives me only ‘me too’ technology. So the question is to find the right partner; the question is not to find a partner,” said Leiters.

Whatever the decision may be, it seems that McLaren has taken small steps towards an SUV. The question remains, will the McLaren SUV be a hybrid or a fully electric car?

Source: Autocar

News, Tuning

2022 Maserati MC20 with 714 HP

In the first half of 2022, Maserati presented the new generation of the MC20 model. It’s a powerful mid-engine supercar with 621 hp, but German tuner DMC thinks it can take its performance to a higher level.

DMC has equipped the Maserati MC20 with a carbon body, modified suspension and springs that bring the car an additional 30 mm closer to the ground, openings on the front fenders, a large rear wing and additional openings for better engine cooling, and a set of black 20 and 21-inch aluminum rims made by PUR Wheels.

When it comes to propulsion, the upgraded Maserati MC20 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine with 714 hp (525 kW) and 645 lb-ft (875 Nm) of torque. That’s a significant increase in power considering that the standard MC20 has 621 hp (457 kW) and 538 lb-ft (729 Nm) of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and reaches 62 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 201 mph (323 km/h).

Will we see a tuned MC20 Cielo soon?

The MC20 Cielo is powered by a 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine, which also powers the MC20 Coupe, with 621 hp (457 kW) and 538 lb-ft (730 Nm) of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. It hits 62 mph in about 3 seconds, which is almost the same as the MC20 Coupe which reaches the same speed in 3.2 seconds. The company claims that the top speed this supercar can reach is 320 km/h.

Source: DMC

Hybrid, News

2023 Zenvo TSR-S

The Danish company Zenvo Automotive has announced the arrival of its new extremely powerful hypercar Zenvo TSR-S, which will be powered by a V12 engine. According to the company’s statements, the car should arrive on the market next year.

The company has released photos of the car, although it is still under development, so changes are possible. Speaking to the public, company CEO Jens Sverdrup said that the TSR-S will feature a new modular carbon chassis, a new gearbox, a modular V12 engine and an electric drivetrain, all of which will be produced by Zenvo.

The car is made for the track, but it is also road legal. It will be equipped with carbon fiber innovative aerodynamic solutions such as the patented Centripedal rear wing, which will increase downforce to withstand the power of the V12 engine. It will be powered by a 5.8l twin-supercharged engine with 1,200 hp (882 kW) and an electric motor with a total output of 1,800 hp (1,324 kW). Zenvo has said it is considering a hybrid GT with an electric motor mounted on the front axle (AWD).

“I’m proud to lead the global [Zenvo] commercial team, of who will be present, located at a private house within The Quail Lodge resort, and attending events during the Car Week celebration, including Exotics on Broadway – one of my favorite events – of which Zenvo is headlining. We will be showcasing two TSR-S’, uniting the USA- and Canada-based teams for the first time, who will be working alongside our commercial and sales leads inside the house and at major events throughout the week. We are looking forward to showing a sneak peek of what the future holds for Zenvo during digital previews,” said Jens Sverdrup.

Source: Zenvo Automotive