Latest news with #supercars
Top Gear
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Supercars: your most-Googled questions, answered
Top Gear Advice Here's what the internet wanted to know about supercars. We (perhaps unhelpfully) answered Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Unfair question. Supercars don't depreciate badly. They depreciate spectacularly well, with jaw dropping pace. A truly top tier supercar can blast from £250k to £80k in the time it takes its Lotto winning new owner to dent all four corners while driving it off the forecourt. When were supercars invented? In 1946, when Corporal Peter Supercar accidentally dropped a Crusader tank onto his Austin 10. Sadly Cpl Supercar never profited from his creation, having failed to patent it, and also having been thoroughly squashed by the Crusader tank. Advertisement - Page continues below Depends what kind of doctor. If it's a junior doctor in a British A&E department, then no. But if it's, say, Dr Oetker, the famed German food scientist behind the multibillion euro international cake company, then yes. Apart from the fact he died 100 years ago. Can dentists afford supercars? Really hung up on the 'which professions can afford supercars' thing, huh? We're guessing the reason you're asking this is because... your dentist recently started driving a supercar? In which case, time to ditch your dentist. That dude is charging too much for your scale 'n' polish. You might like OK, bored of these ones now. Do supercar drivers get paid? Yes. In special negative money, because they're big special important people. Advertisement - Page continues below Because their custodian helmets won't fit under the low roofline. Are supercars difficult to drive fast? Yes. Not because modern supercars are twitchy at the limit, but because generally speaking they're locked in humidity controlled garages in the vain hope that they won't depreciate catastrophically. Why do supercars have low ground clearance? It's popularly believed supercars sit close to the ground in order to lower their centre of gravity and also generate downforce. This is not the reason. It's because low ground clearance forces supercars to slow for urban speed bumps, thus allowing the driver to accelerate obnoxiously thereafter, thus alerting everyone within a 500 metre radius that there's a big special important person in the area. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Car and Driver
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Corvette ZR1 Is the Quickest RWD Car to 60 MPH We've Ever Tested
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is now the quickest rear-wheel-drive car we've ever tested, reaching 60 mph in just 2.2 seconds. That is one-tenth quicker to 60 mph than the McLaren 750S, and two-tenths ahead of the Ferrari 296GTB. The Corvette ZR1 continues to pull ahead as speeds rise, eclipsing 150 mph a full second ahead of the McLaren, which costs over $200K more as tested. Welcome to Car and Driver's Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We've been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here). The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has one-upped the McLaren 750S while costing over $100,000 less. The 750S had become the quickest rear-wheel-drive car ever tested by Car and Driver last year, snatching the crown from the Ferrari 296GTB. But now the latest Corvette ZR1—propelled by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 emitting a whopping 1064 horsepower—has completed the sprint to 60 mph even quicker, blasting to the mile-a-minute mark in just 2.2 seconds. Michael Simari | Car and Driver That puts the Corvette ZR1 one-tenth of a second ahead of the McLaren 750S, which itself beat the Ferrari by a single tenth. While the 296GTB utilizes a hybrid powertrain that pairs a turbocharged V-6 with an electric motor, the 750S keeps it simple with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. The McLaren is an immensely potent car, the eight-cylinder engine producing 740 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque, but it pales in comparison to the Corvette ZR1's 1064-hp and 828-pound-foot output. The Corvette's horsepower advantage helped the American supercar overcome its significantly higher curb weight, with the ZR1 tipping the scales at 3831 pounds. That is 299 pounds heavier than the Ferrari and a massive 625 pounds heavier than the McLaren. But power makes up for a lot of sins, and the ZR1 is still comfortably on top when it comes to power to weight, with each of the LT7's ponies ferrying 3.6 pounds of Corvette compared with both the McLaren and Ferrari at 4.3 pounds per horsepower. Another key factor was the Corvette's rubber, with the ZR1 riding on sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires with a 275-millimeter section width up front and an insane 345-mm section width at the rear. The McLaren, meanwhile, made do with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires measuring 245 mm wide and 305 mm wide at the front and rear, respectively. While the Corvette was only one-tenth of a second ahead of the 750S at 60 mph, that gap expanded as speeds rose. The ZR1 hit 100 mph in just 4.5 seconds, three-tenths ahead of the McLaren, while 130 mph arrived in 7.1 seconds, giving it a 0.6-second lead. The Ferrari, for context, reached 100 mph in 4.7 seconds and 130 mph in 7.3 seconds, sneaking back ahead of the 750S by each of those marks. Michael Simari | Car and Driver The ZR1's numbers only get crazier. The Corvette dispatches the quarter-mile in 9.5 seconds, crossing the line at 149 mph. The McLaren, meanwhile, needed 9.8 seconds at 145 mph, and the Ferrari completed the run in 9.7 seconds at 150 mph. Speaking of 150 mph, the Corvette reached that speed in a mere 9.7 seconds, a full second ahead of the 750S, although the 296GTB matched the Corvette's time. When the McLaren 750S beat out the Ferrari 296GTB for the title of quickest-accelerating RWD car tested by Car and Driver, there was a slight caveat. The McLaren only took the win in the sprint to 60 mph, losing out to its Italian rival in the dash to 100 mph, 150 mph, and over a quarter-mile. But the Corvette ZR1 unequivocally is now the king, triumphing over the McLaren and Ferrari in just about every acceleration metric. And the American monster did so while costing significantly less, with the ZR1 carrying an as-tested price of $205,265, versus $538,399 for the Ferrari and $449,790 for the McLaren. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Top Gear
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
How to do a 300mph+ top speed run: Bugatti's Andy Wallace reveals his secrets
Supercars Andy Wallace has many Bugatti accolades to his name, here's what the king of speed has taught us Skip 4 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Only one man has blasted past the magical 300mph barrier in a production car, lived to tell the tale and kept his lunch down. Andy Wallace is a titan of top speed runs, a vanquisher of vmax and one of the nicest blokes you'll ever meet. Here's everything he's taught us. 1. Jump to it Suppose you could call this bit 'expect the unexpected' because Ehra-Lessien (the venue for the Chiron Super Sport's 304.8mph record run) was 'repaved halfway round the bit where you do vmax, and there's a join between the new surface and the old bit', Andy explains. 'I was coming back and saying to the engineers 'Oh, the car's quite stable over the jump' and they were getting quite annoyed, saying 'What jump are you on about? It can't be off the ground'. They looked at the data and came back saying 'Oh, you're right – it's a jump'. That was at about 270mph.' Advertisement - Page continues below At 304mph the tearing force acting on the tyre is 7,000kg – three and a half Chirons. The gyroscopic mayhem caused by 4,100rpm wheels locks out the front steering geometry and scrambles the steering's ability to self-centre. Apply too much lock and you might not be able to pull it back straight. To be fair, aeroplanes normally fly at this kind of speed, so you'd expect some unusual handling traits. 3. Fit for purpose The record car was no ordinary Chiron. The Super Sport 300+ Prototype was 250mm longer with a significantly lower ride height to reduce drag. At the rear, the longtail had a reduced cross section (to aid aero and minimise drag), while the rear wing and air brake were removed, replaced with a static unit. You might like The Guinness speed record rules are as follows. The car must achieve the speed in two directions on the same road within 60 minutes, with the average of the two speeds the result. Andy only ran the speed in one direction. Bugatti says the main reason for this is that, after decades of cars pounding over its surface in the clockwise direction, the tarmac structure has rolled that way. Run it in the opposite direction, and you're working against the grain, causing huge heat build up in the tyres. 5. Balance is everything While you want to keep the car on the ground, you can't just throw downforce at it. Downforce means drag, which requires more power, and greater heat through the tyres. What you want is a balance between two tonnes of lift and two tonnes of negative lift (downforce); in essence, four tonnes of force trying to rip the chassis in two. However, if balanced properly, vmax sees merely the static weight of the car keeping it on the ground, reducing tyre load, tyre heat and the chances of a crash. Advertisement - Page continues below Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Property Finder fuels real estate success: putting top agents in the driver's seat
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Property Finder, MENA's leading property portal, is celebrating top-performing agents with a high-octane reward. Ten standout real estate agents will receive branded supercars for an exclusive three-day driving experience. It's part of a unique programme by Property Finder to recognise and celebrate excellence. The vibrant red supercars, branded with Property Finder's distinctive logo, will be presented to SuperAgents in ten premier agencies including Betterhomes, Allsopp & Allsopp, haus & haus, Driven Properties, fäm Properties, MD Properties, Engel & Völkers, Treo, Provident Estate, and Metropolitan Premium Properties. By spotlighting top talent, Property Finder is not just rewarding excellence, it's reinforcing its commitment to raising standards in the industry. About Property Finder Property Finder is a pioneering property portal in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, dedicated to shaping an inclusive future for real estate while spearheading the region's growing tech ecosystem. At its core is a clear and powerful purpose: To change living for good in the region. Founded on the value of great ambitions, Property Finder connects millions of property seekers with thousands of real estate professionals every day. The platform offers a seamless and enriching experience, empowering both buyers and renters to make informed decisions. Since its inception in 2007, Property Finder has evolved into a trusted partner for developers, brokers, and home seekers. As a lighthouse tech company, it continues to create an environment where people can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the transformation of real estate in MENA. For more information, please contact: Gambit PR & Communications propertyfinder@
Auto Car
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Here's how to design a 300mph hypercar, according to Hennessey
Designer of one of the world's fastest cars explains how designs can bend the laws of physics Hennessey Venom F5 is aiming to reach a top speed of 310mph-plus Close Ever wondered why so many supercars claim a '217mph-plus' top speed? The McLaren P1, LaFerrari and Lamborghini Revuelto are just a trio of heavy-hitting examples. An easy, clean conversion to a mite under 350kph is one possible reason. Another explanation, however, is aerodynamics. 'There's an exponential increase in difficulty and complexity beyond 220mph,' says Nathan Malinick, Hennessey's director of design. 'Most hypercars can do that no problem, but 250mph and above remains very, very difficult. You have to know what you're doing.' His most dramatic work so far is the Hennessey Venom F5, its target to be the fastest production car in the world. Its theoretical 310mph-plus top speed (itself a neat 500kph) will outstrip Bugatti and Koenigsegg should it come to fruition, but Malinick is only too familiar with the soaring aerodynamic challenges as you try to surpass the triple-ton – at which point you're covering a mile every 12 seconds and pushing tyre technology to its very margins. Handily, his CV includes work in the aerospace industry. 'We are a comparatively small company and we have to be extremely efficient. If our target was closer to 200mph then the requirements would be totally different. That's still fast, but it's nothing like 300, which is getting more into the aerospace side of things versus automotive,' he says. 'There is quite a bit of crossover. From an aesthetic and philosophical standpoint, the F5's interior is relatable to some of the cockpits that I was working on in my previous role. Simplicity drives a lot of what we do; on the exterior, it drove things in maybe unusual ways. One instance would be a lack of active aerodynamics, because we didn't want to have an aspect of the car that would be susceptible to a failure at such high speeds. 'You're not going to see the flicks and blades of an F1 car on an F-35 or F-22 jet. Likewise, you're not going to see them on our car because they contradict its purpose of top speed.' Supercars mostly sell on glamour, so how easy is it for Malinick to ensure his team's designs are beautiful enough to be coveted by the collectors with the requisite millions to buy one? 'We're lucky to have creative engineers who recognise the value of design and want to support it, because ultimately people buy with their eyes,' he says. 'The kind of people we're talking to already have one of everything. Our car needs to pull on their heartstrings. 'Our design and engineering teams work hand in hand. It's not like we progress a design element and then say: 'Hey engineering, take a look and see what you think.' Feedback is in real time. We might need to stop and take something into CFD [computational fluid dynamics], or rapid-prototype something in the wind tunnel to ensure there's no time lost. 'The engineers are helpful in saying 'this area of the car is not as significant, so do whatever you want here'. But sometimes our design will be dictated by function. Some of that is neat: a purely engineering-driven detail underneath the car that you're not going to see unless it's jacked up on a lift.' Despite its lofty goals and Malinick's aerospace past, the Venom F5 can still thank pencil and paper for its design. 'I do a ton of sketching,' admits Malinick. 'It's my favourite part of the process. I probably have thousands and thousands of sketches, whether it's F5 or what we're moving onto next.' It's bait I can't resist taking: what is coming next? He says: 'If the F5 is all about performance, the next car is about driving interaction. It's not going to be as powerful; it doesn't need to be. "The feedback we've had from customers and dealers has been really strong. It's very much the antithesis to the digital age of cars we find ourselves in.' Does that mean it's a manual? 'If the customers come back and say 'we want a DCT', okay, that's fine,' he says. 'But as of now, I'd say it's analogue to the nth degree.' Which suggests it will be free of the Venom's turbocharging. 'We're still determining that,' says Malinick, 'but we're leaning towards something free of forced induction for the purity of it all. "We want something very, very high-revving.' Sounds like a noble target to us. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.
