The News for January 30th, 2015

alpine-vision-gtlead
Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of some of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. I just throw in a little opinion of mine because I can. This week:

  • McLaren is bringing Longtail back

  • Volkswagen reveals a super diesel wagon

  • Alpine shows off their crazy Vision Gran Turismo concept

  • Ford Shelby GT350R allegedly beats Z/28 on the ‘Ring

  • What was your automotive news?

McLaren 675LT

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwkFqbGTNHY[/youtube]
McLaren is at it again this week with the announcement of yet another new addition to their venerable lineup. This new model will be called the McLaren 675LT and it will be a part of McLaren’s newly named McLaren Super Series range which already contains the current 650S.
The 675LT will be revealed in full at the Geneva motor show along with a few other new McLaren models you’ve already read about here. McLaren hasn’t given us everything yet, but they did release some key info that will give us a good idea of what the 675LT is going to be.
It’s going to be a monster.
We know that because McLaren was nice enough to decode that name for us. “675” stands for the car’s metric horsepower (PS) rating, which translates to an ominous 666 horsepower (or 665.75, for those about to Google the unit conversion). I can only assume that this was 100% intentional and that someone ordered that new 667 horsepower twin-turbo V8 to be detuned by exactly 1 hp.
The next part of the name is where it gets really interesting. “LT” stands for “Longtail” – a word that McLaren enthusiasts have been dying to see return. Longtail originated from the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR which saw various aerodynamic upgrades over the previous F1 GTR that gave it a distinctly longer silhouette than usual, especially at the rear. The car was nicknamed “Longtail” as a result and the name has stuck ever since.
Keeping with the Longtail ethos, the 675LT will feature optimized aerodynamics, enhanced downforce, more driver engagement, more power, less weight, and a silhouette that had better be longer than usual. The 675LT will only be available as a coupe and will start arriving in showrooms late this year.
[Source: McLaren]

Volkswagen Golf GTD Variant

gtdvariant
At Volkswagen, “GTD” stands for Gran Turismo Diesel. That basically means any Volkswagen with a GTD badge plastered onto it needs to be a quick diesel, such as the Golf GTD, a diesel-powered GTI of sorts. That GTD badge is about to be applied to a new car and it practically has “buy me, Hooniverse!” written all over it.
The Volkswagen Golf GTD Variant will debut at the Geneva motor show in March with five doors, bespoke GTD styling features, and an awesome little diesel motor. The car is meant to be an efficient, sporty, and practical long-distance cruiser which unfortunately won’t be cruising on American roads any time soon.
gtdvariantlead
The centerpiece of the Golf GTD Variant is the 2.0-liter diesel four-banger which produces about 181 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque.  0-62 mph is taken care of in 7.9 seconds and the car will consume just 4.4 liters per 100km (or about 53 mpg, according to Google).  Styling on the already attractive Mk.7 Golf Variant is made sportier thanks to GTD-specific bumpers and the familiar honeycomb grille. The whole car rides on seventeen-inch Curitiba alloy wheels and does so fifteen millimeters lower than the regular Golf Variant. Sportiness is enhanced by progressive steering which can sharpen the steering when needed. The interior also features everything you’d need in a sporty Golf, including the golf ball shift knob.
European readers can order one right now at a base price of 31,975 euros.
[Source: Volkswagen]

Alpine Vision Gran Turismo

alpine-vision-gt1
Remember these guys? Alpine, perhaps one of France’s most beloved car manufacturers, has revealed an interesting new concept as part of Gran Turismo’s Vision GT program. This program was intended to allow the world’s major automakers to create radical digital concept cars that anyone with Gran Turismo 6 and an internet connection could drive. Brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Infiniti, Chevrolet, and a dozen others have already contributed, but there was one brand that a lot of players in the GT community were waiting for.
And it’s this one. The Alpine Vision Gran Turismo is a lightweight, agile, barquette-type  car inspired by Alpine’s A450 Le Mans program. For the car’s design, Alpine held an in-house competition among its designers out of which this one was chosen. Victor Sfiazof penned the winning design out of fifteen entries. Sfiazof claimed inspiration from not only the A450 Le Mans racer but also the A110 for the front and the A210 and A220 for the rear. Sfiazof is also an aviation enthusiast and incorporated some aviation styling as well.
alpine-vision-gt2
The digital power plant makes the car as fast as it looks. A 4.5-liter V8 produces 450 horsepower and 428 lb.-ft. of torque, a seven-speed sequential gearbox powers the rear wheels, and it can speed all the way up to 199 mph. The car is built around a carbon monocoque and rides on a fully adjustable pushrod suspension. It also “weighs in” at under 2,000 pounds.
Most Vision Gran Turismo cars are completely digital without a real-world counterpart to show for it, but in this case, Alpine executives liked the design enough to order for a real one to be built as a show car. It is on display at Hotel des Ivalides in Paris now until it’s shipped off for the 2015 Retromobile show at Porte de Versailles.
Anyone with GT6 and an internet connection can get the car in March.
[Source: Alpine]

Ford Shelby GT350R ‘Ring lap time

shelbygt350r-09-hr-1
An interesting report from Evo suggests that the not-yet-released Ford Shelby GT350R has already posted a lap time at the infamous Nürburgring Nordschliefe. The reported time is a blazing 7:32.19, which according to Nürburgring Lap Times would put it in some damn good company, like the Porsche 911 Turbo S and the Pagani Zonda F. Most importantly though, that time would make it over five seconds faster than the Chevrolet Camaro Z/Z8. Ford has not yet made the car’s ‘Ring time official though, so take this with a grain of ‘MURICA.
[Source: Evo and Nürburgring Lap Times]

What was your automotive news?

[I don’t have a picture this week]
That’s all I’ve got this week. Now it’s your turn. If you saw, drove, bought, sold, fixed, broke, or otherwise did anything notable that you’d like to share with your fellow hoon, now’s your chance.
My week involved drinking to the Rolex 24 stream and replacing my front tires which had gotten worn down to the point that I almost had cords showing. That’s about it for me.
 

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  1. 1977chevytruck Avatar
    1977chevytruck

    Alpine = Shmalpine. I like my Renault-based sports cars with a side of Canadian-ness.
    <img src="http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/manic1.jpg&quot; width="600"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manic_GT” target=”_blank”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manic_GT

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      "She's got style"? Not with THAT belt buckle…

  2. Rover_1 Avatar
    Rover_1

    At first glance, hardly any connection in appearance to previous actual Alpines, but then does it have to?
    <img src="http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/renault-confirms-400-hp-alpine-sports-car-concept-45289_1.jpg&quot; width="660">
    It does if you include Renault Alpine Le Mans winners, not just production cars.
    <img src="http://www.autoconcept-reviews.com/cars_reviews/renault/renault-alpine-a442-v6-gordini-le-mans-winner-1978/wallpapers/renault-alpine-a442-v6-gordini-le-mans-winner-1978-4.jpg&quot; width="660">.
    And of course, that's one in the eye for all PRV V6 detractors.

  3. Scout_dude Avatar
    Scout_dude

    My news is I payed $1.78 for regular by far the lowest I've paid in ages. Premium was under $2 too at $1.98.

    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      Paid $1.57 a couple weeks ago. Never thought I'd see that again. Diesel still up there at $2.65 yesterday though…

      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        You know what, I paid $1.57 for gas this morning, too – for the first time for years. But that was per litre, not per gallon…so it's $5.94 which is still fantastic in Norway. When I returned from work, the gas price for regular ROZ 95 had jumped to $1.89 per litre. Same circus every monday, with monday morning being the definitely cheapest time of the week.