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. There’s also just a little opinion of mine because I can. This week:

• McLaren debuts 600LT, another track ready supercar

• Dodge gives their most powerful Challengers and Chargers even more power

• 2019 Honda Pilot and HR-V receive new features, updated styling

• New Hyundai Santa Fe gets loads of new features, price only jumps $500

• Gunther Werks begins first 400R conversions for customers

• Other coverage from the week

• What’s your automotive news?

McLaren 600LT

It’s been a few months since McLaren last revealed a higher power and limited run version of something and that’s clearly been a few months too long. Just as everyone started to wonder if McLaren was on its way out, they came back from the dead swinging with one of those things again. They’ve just introduced the 600LT, the new top-of-the-line Sports Series which currently includes the 570S and 570GT among a few other variants. LT used to mean ‘Longtail’ back in the days of the F1 GTR, now it just means ‘make everything more expensive’.
This is one of those cars where you can make assumptions and turn out to be completely right, so let’s see how close you got.
The twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 gains a decent amount of power from upgraded cooling system, reduced back pressure thanks to new exhaust which exits out the top, and some other stuff to produce 592 hp and 457lb.-ft. Other things like the forged-aluminum double-wishbone suspension, quicker steering, and bigger and more responsive brakes from the Super Series cars sharpen up the car and make it more suited for the race tracks it’ll never see.

The most noticeable changes are all on the outside which gets a bit of an overhaul. Much of the bodywork is carbon and all new extremities, from the splitter to the rear spoiler and a bunch of stuff in between, are all carbon fiber as well. Adding downforce and reducing weight is the name of the game.
The expanded use of carbon fiber inside and out, swapping leather for Alcantara, and adding the super short exhaust system do wonders for saving weight as the 600LT sheds 211 pounds over the lightest 570S on which it’s based. That brings it down to 2,749 pounds dry, meaning if you were to defy physics and drive your 600LT without any oil, gas, or other fluids, you’d benefit from an impressive 474 hp/ton. But you won’t because that’s impossible, so this figure is stupid and useless.

It’ll be fast and great to drive and it represents a significant improvement over the standard 570S, but most importantly it “has all the physical hallmarks of a true McLaren ‘Longtail’. It’s a “true Longtail” that only grows 2.9 inches in length thanks to the new front splitter and rear diffuser. That’s about the same length as an average golf tee. The F1 GTR Longtail grew by 25 inches.
The car will be built in very limited numbers and pricing will be astronomical.
So… how close did you get?
[Source: McLaren]

2019 Challenger & Charger Hellcat

It’s no coincidence that this was announced a week prior to the 4th of July.
Dodge has revealed a slew of updates for their most potent muscle cars that you can still buy, including the Challenger Scat Pack, Charger and Challenger Hellcats, and even a new variant. Among the changes are several new safety features, various refinements to the chassis for improved ride comfort and vibration reduction, and enhanced interior comfort with new premium entertainment features.
Kidding. They’re all just making even more power now.
All Hellcats get at minimum a small bump in power so they now produce 717 horsepower and 656 lb.-ft. of torque in standard form. That beast of a motor sits beneath a new dual-snorkel hood for Challengers as a throwback to cars like the 1970 Dart Swinger and 1971 Demon. The Charger Hellcat and R/T Scat Pack models get extra intakes too, but those are embedded in the grille. And speaking of Scat Pack, checking that box on the Challenger now adds the widebody kit that originated from the Challenger Demon.

 
Those are the updates to the existing models worth mentioning, but there was one model that we’re seeing for the first time. On Challenger Hellcat models, you can now opt for the Hellcat Redeye which sort of fills the void left by the Demon after its limited production run was up. The Redeye is an otherwise normal Hellcat but it borrows the same supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 found in the Demon. It offers up 797 horsepower and 707 lb.-ft. of torque which makes it the most powerful production V8 engine in the world. 0-60 mph takes 3.4 seconds, it runs the ¼-mile in 10.8 seconds at 131 mph, and reaches a new top speed of 203 mph.
Why? Because they can.
[Source: Dodge]

2019 Honda Pilot & HRV

The 2019 model year will see dozens of new features and improvements for the Honda Pilot and HRV. Both see refreshed exterior styling, more safety features, and a variety of new features.
What’s new on the Pilot in particular is sportier exterior styling and significant refinements to its 9-speed automatic transmission. Most of the updates though are in the tech department: it gains an available hands-free power tailgate, 4G LTE in-car WiFi, a larger Rear Entertainment System with Blu-Ray and streaming video capability, Honda’s CabinTalk in-car PA system, and a new Display Audio touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

The HR-V gets some love too with two new premium trims, lightly updated styling, and some of the same tech that was just introduced to the Pilot. Its biggest new addition though is “Honda Sensing”, their driver safety and assistance suite that’s making its way to the HR-V for the first time. That includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control.
The 2019 Pilot goes on sale July 16th and the HR-V books open on July 24th.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Pricing

Hyundai has a new Santa Fe on the way and it just got a price tag of $25,500 for the entry-level SE 2.4 model. That represents a $500 increase over the previous model but that seems like nothing considering all they’ve changed.
The list of new standard features on a 2019 Santa Fe priced as shown above includes a new eight-speed automatic gearbox, idle stop and go, Rear View Monitor with parking guidance, Android Auto and Apple Car Play support, dual front and rear USB charge ports, and a bunch of safety features ranging from Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist to Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go. That’s on top of the new “bold” exterior design and more spacious cabin the 2019 model year offers.

Not bad for $500. If you want to go crazy, the range-topping Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T with all-wheel drive starts at $38,800.
[Source: Hyundai]

Reminder: Gunther Werks’ 400R is epic, enters production

Remember the Gunther Werks 400R, that fully rebuilt and enhanced Porsche 993 that won hearts earlier this year? Gunther Werks has just started work on 400R conversions for customer cars and we’ll see them hit the road by Q3 this year.
They call the 400R a remastered Porsche 993 and here’s why:

Each 993 that comes in for a 400R conversion is fully disassembled down to the frame and inspected. Once the initial inspection is completed the frame is media blasted and primered. Gunther Werks then installs the custom carbon fiber panels that create the distinctive sculpted body of the 2,700 pound 400R. Custom valved JRZ coilovers and a number of tailor-made suspension components are installed. These modifications increase the front and rear track width by over six inches, creating a 63 inch square track inspired by many iconic Porsche race cars.

Rothsport Racing’s Jeff Gamroth, an acclaimed Oregon-based engine builder with more than 30 years of Porsche building and racing experience, creates the heart of each 400R by assembling and dyno testing each naturally aspirated 4.0-liter power plant while creating bespoke gear ratios for the six-speed transmission. Each motor produces more than 400 horsepower with an astonishing 7,800rpm redline.

A carbon-bodied 993 with pro-tuned suspension and a gorgeous motor sounds like it would be awesome, and according to our friend Matt Farah, it is. Maybe a bit on the expensive side, but awesome.
[Source: Gunther Werks]

Other Coverage From the Week

Seriously, if you haven’t read about the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, do it. It’s cool. Jeff for some reason broke rule #87 of the Rule of Hoon by including pictures of the fitted luggage set, but it’s cool nonetheless. Check out our coverage here.

What’s your automotive news?

That’s all I’ve got for you this week, so now it’s your turn. If you saw anything, fixed something, broke everything, or otherwise did anything even remotely car related that you want to share with your fellow hoon, sound off in the comments.
Have a good weekend.
[Image © 2018 Hooniverse/Greg Kachadurian]