British Cars

McLaren’s 2022 Formula 1 car the MCL36 has broken cover with pullrod front suspension and a different sidepod structure to those seen so far.

After returning to winning ways in F1 last year, McLaren hopes the new technical regulations introduced this season give it an opportunity to make a bigger step to being regularly at the front of the F1 grid again.

It has finished in the top four of the constructors’ championships in each of the last four seasons and the car tasked with continuing its recovery is the MCL36, which is the first completely new McLaren designed under technical director James Key’s leadership.

The MCL36 has been revealed with some parts of the car obscured, Key has admitted, but other parts are very much the real thing.

Like Aston Martin, McLaren has opted to present both a real car and digital renders, with the car physically presented in its televised Friday evening launch being the one that will go to Barcelona in two weeks for pre-season testing.

Its new car has pullrod front suspension, which has not been used in F1 for several years, and pushrod rear suspension – reversing the style of previous seasons.

It also has a completely contrasting approach to the design of the sidepod to Aston Martin’s AMR22.

The MCL36 sports a significant evolution of its papaya livery, tweaking that colour to a fluorescent shade and incorporating more blue and black.

It has echoes of the one-off Gulf livery McLaren ran in Monaco last year, and those colours have also been incorporated into one half of its IndyCar line-up and its new Extreme E challenger – all of which were revealed alongside the MCL36 on Friday evening.

Amid all the changes, there is stability in terms of key personnel. Drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo remain for a second season as team-mates while McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, team boss Andreas Seidl and Seidl’s management team have all signed new long-term contracts.

“Our Formula 1 team continues to make great progress year-on-year with Andreas Seidl at the helm, and this new era of regulations represents a real opportunity for the team,” said Brown.

“I’m excited to see Lando and Daniel get behind the wheel of the MCL36 and take it to the competition this year.

“Lando made great progress in 2021, scoring four podiums, and Daniel’s sensational victory in Monza reminded the team what it feels like to win again.

“As we head into 2022, we’re looking to build on that progress and further close the gap to the teams at the front.”

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Most people who aren’t necessarily car people associate Aston Martin with being the kind of car that James Bond drives, as Aston Martin models have appeared in seven Bond films since 1964 when the DB5 was one of Sean Connery’s secret weapons in Goldfinger.

The latest Bond film, No Time to Die, has appearances from four different Aston Martin models, including the DBS you see here.

Aston Martin will be forever linked to James Bond, but for us racing enthusiasts the name also brings to mind the marques involvement on the track, most recently in Formula 1 as well as in sports car racing with the Vantage GT3 and GT4 models.

The DBS doesn’t have a racing version, but it may be the model that best represents the traditional Aston Martin values of blending performance and luxury.

There are five models in the Aston Martin lineup, with the DBS at the top of what could be called the ‘normal’ models, which include the DBX SUV and the Vantage, DB11 and DBS cars.

The only model above the DBS in the Aston hierarchy is the super-exclusive Valkyrie, which has 1,140 hp and will only have 150 produced.

It may not have over 1,000 hp like the Valkyrie, but the DBS puts up some serious numbers of its own.

Photo: David Haueter

The 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 under its hood produces 715 hp and 663 lb.-ft. of torque, which is on tap from 1,800-5,000 rpm. That prodigious power output is significantly more than the DB11 (528 hp) and Vantage (503 hp) models and can take this two-ton plus car to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

Given enough room, it can hit a top speed of 211 mph.

The DBS also has the kind of supporting hardware you would expect for a 715-hp car, with huge carbon ceramic brakes, dynamic torque vectoring, electronic brakeforce distribution and a limited slip differential.

A double-wishbone suspension up front and a multilink setup at the rear are carried over from the DB11, but the track has been widened by 10 mm at the front and 20 mm at the rear to improve handling, along with a larger anti-roll bar.

An 8-speed automatic that is rear-mid mounted (that allows the car to have a weight distribution of 51/49 front to rear) is the only transmission.

Aston Martin has always made beautiful cars, but in my opinion the DBS is the best-looking car in the entire lineup. It manages to look menacing and elegant at the same time, with that traditional Aston grill and a taut body with aggressively wide fenders.

Photo: David Haueter

There are some racy elements to the body as well, with carbon fiber used for the hood, trunk, front splitter and rear diffuser. It’s a car that you’ll look back at every time you walk away from it.

There are also some interesting aerodynamic design elements on the DBS. There are air vents behind the rear windows that carry air through the trunk lid and out through an opening on the trunk to improve downforce. The unique front strakes on the front fenders draw air from the front wheel arches to reduce lift and improve high-speed stability.

Inside, the DBS is rich with the smell and feel of high-quality leather but the impression that you get is less impressive than the feeling the outside of the car gives you.

Everything works well enough, but it feels pretty ordinary for a car that has a sticker price of over $300,000 and the controls are not as intuitive as much more mainstream cars like the BMW 8 Series.

The back seats are best used for storage rather than humans, but the front seats are supportive and comfortable. The DBS is also as easy to get in and out of as any other sports coupe, which is appreciated.

Photo: David Haueter

One really quirky feature on this car is the hood release process. Instead of pulling a handle to open the hood like almost every other car, you have to pull wire loops on each side of the DBS under the dash to release the hood catches before you can lift the hood.

They’re not nicely finished straps you pull, but literally two wire loops that also seem like they could break easily. Oddly, the hood is self-closing – you just close it gently and little motors pull it the rest of the way shut.

Driving the DBS is a great automotive experience. The car is wickedly fast when you open up the taps and the sound from the V12 when you’re hard on the throttle is fantastic.

It’s supercar fast, but the cool thing about the DBS is that its also just as easy to drive every day as your typical Audi, BMW or Mercedes sports coupe.

The brakes have the stopping power to handle all that horsepower pushing all that weight, and the transmission works well with the engine, though gear shifts car sometimes feel a bit abrupt even in GT mode.

Photo: David Haueter

The DBS has a comfortable and nicely controlled ride in GT mode, which softens up the suspension for daily driving, but put it in Sport mode and the handling is precise and well-balanced, even with that big heavy engine out in front.

There’s also a Sport+ mode that firms things up more, but it’s a bit too jiggly for all but the smoothest roads. The steering is a bit on the heavy side but has decent feedback and communication.

With an MSRP of $316,300, the DBS competes head-to-head in price and performance with cars as varied as the Ferrari 812 Superfast and the Bentley Continental GT.

It may not have the brand cache of the Ferrari, but the DBS is more user-friendly, has a more attractive design and is just as exclusive.

It also has the luxury to go head-to-head with the Bentley but is more exciting to look at and drive. With it’s blend of beautiful design, performance and user-friendliness, the DBS may just be the best all-around luxury GT car on the market if you can afford it.

Photo: David Haueter

David Haueter (@InfoTrends_DH) has been an automotive writer and photographer for the past 20 years. His writing and photos have been published in Roundel, Bimmer, Forza and Excellence and SportsCarInsider.com as well as other automotive and racing magazines.

However, there remains a firm conviction that, when the new F1 cars are unleashed in battle for the first time in Bahrain, the new regulations will hit the target of allowing the racing to be better.

And, while it is inevitable that some details will have to be cleaned up over the long haul, there is a degree of confidence that F1 is not set for a repeat of the 2009 scenario – when new rules aimed at helping overtaking failed to hit the mark.

What went wrong in 2009?

The last time F1 rewrote the regulations in an effort to improve the racing and generate more overtaking was 2009.

Whilst much of the work that was done by the Overtaking Working Group (OWG) for those rules did help improve things, there were also some major unintended consequences that meant their efforts were quickly undone by the teams.

The 2009 season is one best remembered for the phoenix out of the flames story of Brawn GP, of which one of those unintended consequences is intrinsically linked.

Along with Williams and Toyota, the rebranded team arrived at pre-season testing with a double decker diffuser.

Flirting with the wording and intent of the regulations, the rest of the grid were up in arms and demanded the design be banned. But, the FIA gave it the go ahead and everyone else was forced to follow suit.

Ferrari F60 (660) 2009 front view comparison with F2008

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The premise of the 2009 regulations was to cut back on all of the ancillary aerodynamic devices that had grown up around the cars in the previous era.

They also sought to shift the focus of the front and rear wings, with a taller, narrower rear wing set to deal with wake in a slightly different way. It was hoped this would help cars follow each other better.

With the front wing, the FIA not only made the wing wider in order that it interacted with the front wheel and its wake differently, but it added control over a neutral central section.

It was intended that this 500mm area would prevent teams from using the central portion of the front wing to create downforce as they had in the past.

However, this move indirectly created a breeding ground for what commonly became known as the Y250 vortex. This became an incredibly powerful tool that the teams leveraged to feed into flow structures downstream and improve the overall performance of the car.

It helped make cars even more sensitive to turbulence ahead, as any disturbance meant the Y250 flows were not working as well as they did in clear air.

The 2009 regulations also permitted teams to use a driver adjustable front wing device that teams had spent resources developing but quickly became redundant. It was replaced in 2011 with the rear wing DRS that is still employed today.

A large majority of teams hid the mechanism required to operate the front wing adjustability within their endplate, but this resulted in them being unable to have an increased level of complexity when it came to the endplate’s design.

McLaren MP4-24 2009 front wing flap adjuster cutaway view

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

If we compare the McLaren MP4-24 (above) with the Brawn GP BGP001’s front wing (below), we can see the adjuster is housed on the inboard end of the flap, giving them more flexibility in terms of the design of their endplate and thus a greater opportunity to create outwash.

Brawn BGP 001 2009 Spa front wing

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The OWG had also originally expressed an interest in removing the bargeboards from the car too, as it was obvious how much aerodynamic power they possessed. However, teams lobbied for them to stay and they got their way.

McLaren MP4-24 2009 new bargeboard

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Getting it sorted for 2022

The work done on the 2022 regulations is underpinned by the fundamentals of those changes made in 2009.

But, whereas those regulations failed to be prescriptive enough and were in a similar format to the outgoing regulations, these new rules have been written from the ground up.

PLUS: Unpacking the technical changes behind F1 2022’s rules shakeup

This, along with a tighter grasp on certain design aspects that will now be the same across the board should increase their chance of success.

But the truth of how much teams have got around the original intention in the quest for performance will not be known for a little while yet.

Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s head of single-seater matters, is confident enough time and effort has been put into the framing of the rules to ensure that teams do not end up derailing the positive intention that prompted the overhaul.

F1 2022 car

Photo by: Formula 1

Asked about the prospects of a repeat of 2009, Tombazis has faith that things will be better this time.

“There are two or three things which, with hindsight, we would have done a bit differently but I won’t tell you [what they are],” he said about the current framework.

“But with the 2009 work, fundamentally, clearly much less detail went into it, but the key things learned during that work were correct. They did think about it quite well, in how to understand what the phenomenon [that prevented cars following each other] was, and what should be done.

“But, where it failed was afterwards, the rules were just full of so many freedoms that within a few weeks of windtunnel testing, and obviously I was sitting on the other side of the fence [working for a team], we had totally negated all the good things that had been thought of.

“The rules were written in such way that, if you wanted, you could make a car that would be easy to follow, but it would be quite slow. Or you could make a fast car that would totally ignore all of these things [to improve the racing].

“We’ve tried to learn from that and to make rules that are inevitably more restrictive, but hopefully, where there’s not so much divergence.

“But I’m sure there will be areas where we conclude that we may have made a mistake or we may need to make some adjustment.”

Drivers group photo with the 2022 F1 car

Photo by: Liberty Media

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Helen Mirren, who has appeared in action movies like F9: The Fast Saga and RED, explains why she loves and respects the action genre so much.

After her appearance in last year’s F9: The Fast Saga, Dame Helen Mirren goes in-depth about her love of making action movies. At 76, Mirren has a long list of acting credits under her belt, including prestigious films like The Queen and a number of highly acclaimed theater productions, but the actor is now also well known for her roles in various action movies. Mirren portrayed a dangerous assassin in RED and RED 2, but has also now featured in three movies in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Mirren’s Fast & Furious character is Magdalene “Queenie” Shaw, mother to Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw. Mirren had small roles in The Fate of the Furious, Hobbs and Shaw, and most recently, F9: The Fast Saga. The most recent movie even lets Mirren’s character partake in some of the racing action the franchise is known for, featuring Shaw driving a Noble M600, a very rare British supercar, through the streets of London. With another two Fast & Furious films confirmed to be in the works, it’s not yet clear if Mirren will be reprising her role.

Related: Vin Diesel Uses Helen Mirren’s F9 Cameo To Fire A Shot At Dwayne Johnson

In a new interview with THR, Mirren explains her love of action movies and showers praise upon the hardworking stuntpeople and special effects experts that are so crucial for making action movies work. Mirren reveals that she loves seeing the craftsmanship that goes into creating action sequences and even advocates for stuntpeople to get their own category at the Oscars. Check out Mirren’s full comment below when asked about what drew her to roles in movies like RED and F9: The Fast Saga:

“Well, there’s no real difference to the work. The periphery is different, you know, the number of trailers or the sets or the amount of time you’ve got to shoot a scene. But, fundamentally, it’s exactly the same thing. But I love the special effects world. And the stunt world. I really believe stuntpeople should be nominated for Oscars. They’ve become such an intrinsic part of filmmaking now. You look at these big action movies, and it’s 75 percent stunts, really. I love working and watching the art, the craftsmanship and the expertise of these people. The whole digital side of things, the special effects, is just extraordinary. Every time I go on set, the technology has advanced to another level.”

The Fast & Furious movies are extremely stunt-heavy, featuring large explosions and intricate car sequences that often defy the laws of physics. Although more reliant on practical effects in earlier entries, F9 boasted a lot of digital effects work, something that Mirren clearly recognizes as its very own cinematic art form. RED and RED 2, as well, while not utilizing quite as much CGI as the Fast & Furious franchise, feature a number of special effects-driven sequences and stunt work, including one memorable scene of Mirren’s character taking out an enemy convoy with a machine gun.

Mirren’s comments highlight the prevalence of stunt work in modern movies and make clear that she respects the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into making action sequences. The sentiment that stunt performers should have their very own Oscars category certainly isn’t new and Mirren’s comments reinforce the idea that, due to the dangerous and complex nature of stunt work, performers should receive awards recognition. Although Mirren is older than the average action star, her recent performances in movies like F9: The Fast Saga suggest that she’s still more than capable of holding her own during intense action sequences, something that will be put to the test once more in next year’s Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods.

More: How Helen Mirren Bullied Vin Diesel To Land Fast & Furious Role

Source: THR

Everyone’s Been Saying Denzel Washington’s Name Wrong

About The Author

Storing a luxury car collection in one’s garage, however sleek or well-ventilated, never feels quite right. This owner who commissioned this showroom – simply called The Library – probably agreed, since this lavish showroom is nothing like your usual garage.

A Work of Substance is the design agency behind the sumptuous 520sqm space in Hong Kong, where the agency is headquartered. It occupies the first two levels of a six-storey building (itself dedicated to the storage and car of supercars), with enough room for both the owner’s collection of eight vehicles and automobile memorabilia; as well as a lounge, study and bar.

(Related: The Peak Interview: Business On The Fast Track)

The first-floor entrance, dominated by twin stainless steel car elevators and bare concrete walls, is markedly utilitarian. The second floor, however, is where it’s at. Wall-to-wall timber paneling, subtle lighting fixtures and sumptuous leather and canvas furniture ooze masculine charm without taking away from what’s important.

That is, the memorabilia adorning the wooden shelves around the room illuminated by lanterns; as well as the owner’s car collection, which includes a Ferrari F40, Porsche 911 Carrera RS and Aston Martin DB5.

(Related: Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament gets a new look)

Design cues from these vehicles have been incorporated into the space – not just in their svelte forms and angles that so define cars from that era, now reflected in the building’s structures and panelling, but direct design elements, including “cabinetry handles inspired by the ones adorned on a Zagato” and “lounge chairs that pay homage to the Ferrari Dino”, says the press release. There are even stools reminiscent of spark plugs, if you’re not fond of lounging on a hand-stitched leather armchair. There’s even room for a racing simulator – this is for petrol heads after all.

Says the press release, “As a curated library of vast automotive treasures, it is designed with the intent of strengthening the thread that cultivates the avid spirit for driving. Fuelled with endless motion and the purest exhilaration, this place introduces an aura of stillness. Capturing moments of excitement within a split second and honouring it in all its glory.”

(Related: Test drive: The entry-level Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD supercar)

Completed in 2021, it’s yet another notch in the cap for A Work of Substance, which also has offices in Paris and Bali. But more than that, it’s a library that we’d love to spend a quiet afternoon in – drink in hand, as we bask in the presence of automobile greats from the 20th century.

For more from A Work of Substance.

Presented by RM Sotheby’s.

When unveiled to the global public at Monaco’s Sporting Club on 28 May 1992, the McLaren F1 was heralded as the ultimate development of a roadgoing supercar. Collectors and critics alike fawned over the F1’s distinctive design, revolutionary construction, and record-breaking performance. Nearly 30 years on, the McLaren F1 is still the undisputed pinnacle of any collection fortunate enough to retain one of its 106 examples produced between 1992 and 1998.

Yet technology is constantly progressing, and a company like McLaren certainly cannot afford to rest on its laurels; to do so would not be in its character, to say nothing of its long-term interest. Drawing on the spirit of the F1, and incorporating everything the Woking, England-based automaker has learned in the intervening decades, the 2020 McLaren Speedtail once again pushes the automotive envelope. Limited to just 106 units, the same as its predecessor the F1, the futuristic Speedtail is an exclusive offering on the cutting edge of 21st century hypercar performance.

REINTERPRETING A LEGEND: FROM F1 TO SPEEDTAIL

Like the F1, the Speedtail is built around a lightweight carbon fiber tub. This time, the composite material is reinforced with titanium strands and sculpted into a more dramatic “teardrop” shape surmounted by a one-piece glass canopy. The F1’s signature three-person seating configuration and vertical-dihedral doors have also carried over to the 2020 design, this time making full use of lighter materials unavailable to McLaren in 1992.

Despite the reverence for its predecessor, the Speedtail is unreservedly a car of the 21st century. Nowhere is this revelation more evident than its hybrid powertrain. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine is an evolution of the McLaren P1’s engine and features a revised piston design along with enhanced cylinder head cooling, enabling it to produce over 750 horsepower. The Speedtail’s electric motor and battery, meanwhile, are both units developed by McLaren’s Formula E technology group. The motor smooths out power delivery at low engine speeds, providing an additional 312 horsepower; the dielectric cooled and insulated 1.647-kWh battery was, at its debut, the most power-dense unit ever fitted to a production vehicle. The innovative inductive charging pad charges the battery system wirelessly from underneath the car. Total system output is a formidable 1,035 horsepower, propelling the Speedtail to a reported top speed of 250 mph.

The Speedtail’s sleek, elongated carbon fiber bodywork is underpinned by an adjustable, multi-link suspension composed of aluminum alloy. This system works in tandem with the Speedtail’s cutting-edge active aerodynamics (which include remarkable deformable carbon fiber ailerons), distinctive static wheel covers, bespoke Pirelli tires, and carbon ceramic brakes to keep the 16.8-foot-long vehicle glued to the ground. The design’s incredibly low drag coefficient maximizes the Speedtail’s fuel efficiency, especially when paired with its regenerative braking system.

As with the F1, the central driving position of the Speedtail offers an uncompromised driving experience unlike anything else on the road. From the central seat, the driver has an unobstructed view of their surroundings; with both A-pillars out of their line of sight, they can more accurately place the car on the roadway. A defining feature of the F1, this central driving experience is uniquely implemented by McLaren and feels entirely natural. In addition to offering optimal visibility, the central driver’s seat allows for two additional passengers to enjoy the exhilarating ride of the Speedtail.

Further, the Speedtail replaces side mirrors with hideaway cameras, which retract back into their respective panels during activation of the Speedtail’s exclusive “Active Velocity” mode—which lowers the car several inches and changes the aerovane configuration, thus streamlining the silhouette for extreme stability at high speeds. The mode was on full display on 19 December 2019, with a McLaren Speedtail prototype reaching 250 mph over 30 times during testing at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds—part of the NASA’s Space Shuttle Landing Facility in Orlando, Florida.

All told, the Speedtail is the fastest, most aerodynamic, and most technologically advanced McLaren ever made, pushing the frontier of what is possible in a road car. On public roads, its futuristic design and length of 16.8 feet give it a presence like nothing else. More than its exclusivity or any styling similarities, it is this that makes it a true successor to the legendary F1.

SPEEDTAIL NUMBER 087

This Speedtail offered here is the 87th example produced, and it is finished in the striking MSO color combination of Heritage Gloss Steel Blue over Semi-Aniline Metallic Blue Silver leather. It was ordered new by the consignor via Miller McLaren of Greenwich, Connecticut in March 2020, and was the second Speedtail imported to the United States.

The car’s accompanying sales order shows an original MSRP over just £2 million, with nearly £262,000 in bespoke optional equipment from McLaren Special Operations. In a fitting tribute to the Speedtail’s place as the spiritual successor to the F1, this car’s stunning exterior color is a direct homage to F1 chassis number 036, which was originally commissioned by former McLaren majority shareholder and company director, Mansour Ojjeh.

A comprehensive suite of polished Zircon trim, aluminum, titanium, and visual carbon fiber flourishes add a uniform appeal to this Speedtail’s unique exterior and interior themes. As highlighted by its accompanying order form, the set of silver painted brake calipers are housed within the matching set of Gloss Silver-finished wheels. The distinctive “speed covers” on the front wheels are fashioned of 1,000-strand gloss visual carbon fiber, which exactly matches the appointment of the engine bay surround and rear contrast panel. The car’s exterior badging is handsomely rendered in machined aluminum, as is most of its elegant brightwork.

Inside its next-gen cabin, the carbon fiber steering wheel is appointed with a touch of contrasting McLaren orange leather; it fronts a suite of five digital displays, and the two elements are interceded by a pair of billet titanium paddle shifters. Included with Speedtail number 87 is a five-piece fitted luggage set finished in carbon fiber and leather matching the interior theme of the car.

It is safe to say that the revolutionary Speedtail’s saga is only getting started; like its predecessor the F1, the Speedtail is predicted to capture the public’s attention for decades to come. With each of the 106 examples being purchased by pre-selected customers before the model’s announcement, the availability of this Speedtail, number 87, offers an exciting opportunity to partake in the most advanced roadgoing vehicle that McLaren has built to date. The Speedtail is an engineering triumph combining the best of McLaren’s past with extraordinary technology of the present. Its moment in the spotlight has just begun.

This vehicle will be offered at RM Sotheby’s 23rd annual Amelia Island sale, held in conjunction with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, on 5 March 2022. Held at the stunning oceanfront grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, RM Sotheby’s will offer some of the world’s finest cars in this can’t-miss event.

The recipe for the perfect sports car is a lightweight body, short wheelbase, eccentric exterior design, manual gearbox, and a fun outgoing personality. However, it’s not necessary for a lively sports car to have unhealthy amounts of power, but it should be able to harness all of its horses properly, like the Japanese-built Mazda Miata for example. Unlike Japanese auto manufacturers, European car brands tend to always do things differently, especially with their older cars, and that’s partially the reason why these teensy sports cars have such unbelievable power figures.

Adding a grandiose amount of power to a sports car won’t ensure it to be any better than its less powerful alternatives, but these carmakers went and did it anyway. These are the most powerful small Euro sports cars with monstrously powerful hearts that give them their go.

11

10 Caterham Seven 620 R

Caterham has been around since the dawn of time, and they used to fine-tune Lotus Seven race karts. Fast-forward a few decades and Caterham is still dabbling in overpowered Sevens, but in 2018 they released their most powerful vehicle yet, the Seven 620 R.

Unlike other naturally-aspirated Caterhams, the 620 R had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a supercharger stuck onto it to wind out 310 hp. Along with its power increase came virtually no driver aids, a 5-speed manual gearbox, and a ton of weight-saving components resulting in a curb weight of no greater than 1,400 lbs.

9 BAC Mono R

Tiny road-legal go-karts is a niche automotive segment that all automotive enthusiasts adore, and the competition is tougher than ever. So in an attempt to break their way into this market, BAC equipped their 1,250 lb exoskeleton kart called the Mono R with a naturally-aspirated four-banger that emitted 340 hp.

Keep in mind, an average go-kart used for indoor racing only produces around 10 hp, so having something similar with more than 30 times its power is a death wish… a fun death wish be it.

Related: 10 Reasons Why We Love The BAC Mono

8 Audi TT RS

Unfortunately, Audi has announced that the TT has reached the end of its lifespan, and will probably be replaced with a more eco-friendly hybrid or full-blown electric model. However, there is a slight silver lining to this dark cloud, see they arranged a proper send-off for the TT with the final version of its RS variant.

It had a Quattro all-wheel-drive system, a bonkers turbocharged five-cylinder engine, and overall some even consider it to be a baby R8. Its 2.5-liter inline-five managed to squeeze out almost 400 hp and resulted in a sub-3.5 second 0-60 time.

7 Audi RS3

The new 2022 Audi RS3 is the epitome of what a pocket rocket is. Its turbocharged five-cylinder engine manages to pump out more than 400 hp, and since the RS3 comes standard with Quattro all-wheel-drive, this compact sports sedan can reach 60 mph from a standstill in as quick as 3.4 seconds.

Previous generations of the RS3 have all been blisteringly quick, but not only is the new one light on its feet but also fun to drive as it now offered an option to switch to rear-wheel-drive on command, also known as drift mode.

Related: 11 Things To Know Before Buying The 2022 Audi A3

6 Lotus Exige Cup 430

Lotus has created some blistering little sports cars, but they also were seen more of a Miata rival, than say an M3, but this 2,400 lb Exige Cup 430 is the fastest road-going Lotus ever and thrashes around tracks like there’s no tomorrow.

Powering the rear wheels was a mid-mounted 3.5-liter V6 right out of the bigger Lotus Evora, and its model designation, 430, is quite referring to its unbelievable 430 hp output.

Related: 5 Cheap Mid-Engined Sports Cars Every Gearhead Should Own (5 That Are Best Avoided)

5 BMW M2 CS

Firstly the M2 was too bland, then the crowd got used to the M2 Competition’s brutality, so BMW made one last attempt at thrilling sports cars enthusiasts worldwide, and it’s called the CS. The M2 CS hid an astonishing S55 twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six that generated 444 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, that’s nearly 40 more horsepower than the M2 Comp.

The CS was only offered in four colorways, black, white, silver, and its one-of-a-kind blue; all fitted with gold or black alloy wheels, and it came standard with a proper six-speed manual. Only 200 of these busy Beemers were ever made, and their values are already rising above what they were sold for when new.

4 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS

If you’ve ever wondered what a more compact Porsche GT3 would have been, Porsche has heard you loud and clear. So here it is, the brand spanking new Cayman GT4 RS.

At first glance it might just look like a Cayman GT4 with some added aerodynamic parts for faster lap times, but tucked in the rear was now a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six borrowed from the 911 GT3. This engine produced almost 500 hp, and since it had a red-line of 9,000 rpm, there was never a dull moment in this stickshift track-orientated Porsche.

Related: Why We Love The 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

3 Ariel Atom 500

We have no idea whose idea it was to put a wicked 500 hp 5.0-liter 500 hp V8 into what is basically a roll cage on wheels, but we do salute him or her for their bravery. The Ariel Atom 500 weighed just 1,210 lbs, and that meant its frame could be catapulted from 0-60 in just a par of 2 seconds, deeming it one of the quickest accelerating gasoline cars the world has ever seen.

Be warned, if you were to get hold of one of these limited-edition Ariel Atoms, you won’t have much of a face left after driving it, nor will you have a clean pair of pants.

2 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

Leave it up to the Brits to go far and beyond everyone’s expectations to create a small supercar that packs a 6.0-liter V12 which produces more than 560 hp. Not only did you have to be a skilled driver to control that heap of power, but since it could reach speeds greater than 200 mph, there was no tame way to handle the V12 Vantage S.

Aston Martin definitely hit the ball out of the park with their last first-generation Vantage, and it will forever remain one of the most elegant and mighty vehicles the world has seen.

1 Jaguar F-Type SVR

For a sports car that weighs 4,000 lbs, it sure doesn’t sound like it could be classified as a small sports car, but since the F-Type SVR’s wheelbase is only 103 inches long, there must be another reason for its bulky weight – that supercharged 5.0-liter V8 of course.

It brings 575 brutal British horsepower to life, has a raspy tone more aggressive than any other sports car, and when you keep your foot planted down this cat can surpass 200 mph. It breaks our hearts to say, but this might be the most aggressive F-Type we’ll ever receive as emission laws get stricter by the day.

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