Quadcammer

And what are you guys doing with a 710bhp vehicle on the street? 4 seconds of acceleration from a dead stop and you're exceeding every speed limit in the country. Doesn't seem like that much fun, and I've had more powerful cars than the 720.

Nizer

This bad boy was at Goodwood....
.

changster123

What?! Really? Is that the salesman answer or is that the honest impartial car geek answer?

How come Henry's Drivetribe review of the car describe it like an awesome Turbo S? He missed the 675's track type behavior and personality.

You think the 720 is faster around a track than 675LT on track?

randr

Henry has a mountain bike and drives a Golf GTI.

There are many ways to appreciate a McLaren

(1) As a piece of sculpture or modern art
(2) As a design and engineering marvel
(3) As a car that can be driven as a daily through to a track monster with the flick of a few switches.

Having a car like a 720S and belting it round a track for pleasure or in a sprint series will deliver the same sense of feeling and awe as climbing a mountain.

Challenging and rewarding in equal amount. This is certainly something that speaks to me in volumes and to drive a fast car fast is freedom.

C.J. Ichiban

I prefer cars with killer instincts like the CGT and 675LT, if you have read any of my "review" type posts you would know.

The 675LT's fuel cut shift is the best thing going. But the 720 is torquier, and absorbs the road better and has more grip. Interior is not even close- 720S is miles ahead. A great step. So in 7 of the 10 categories, the 720 is a better car.

Power 720
Torque 720
Interior 720
Sound 675
Road-ability 720
Trackability 720 (variable drift control, new tires)
Steering 675 (very heavy and i like that)
Infotainment 720
Exotic-ness 720
Brakes tie

dark knight

I still wonder if Mclaren would have ever made street cars again if it wasn't for the unfilled demand of disappointed Porsche GT3 GT4 customers. The cars are beautiful and they say competition improves the breed. The original F-1 seemed to be a no holds barred, well thought out magical toy. I think thats what made it special and so valuable today, it was kind of Mclarens 959. Today we have faster 911s but the 959 is still magical, do Mcalren people think the same way about the F-1 and modern Mclarens?

C.J. Ichiban

I can assure you that the F1 is magical and although the P1 is leagues faster in practice, the titanium and carbon everything make you feel a lot more special than any 911 or 959. More like a CGT.

kingjr9000

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...performance-p1

CAlexio

This p15 should be very interesting at the track if the weight is kept down vs P1... first images look like it's going to be quite extreme looking, not curvy and sinuous like the p1 was.

kingjr9000

McLaren Patent Application 20170101140, Adjustable component cooling device for controlling downforce generated by a vehicle
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided: an automobile comprising: a flap provided on the underside of the automobile, the flap being deployable from a first position in which, when the automobile is in motion, the flap extends minimally into the flow of air beneath the automobile up to a second position in which, when the automobile is in motion, the flap extends maximally into the flow of air beneath the automobile so as to reduce the downforce generated by the automobile; and a control unit adapted to receive one or more inputs that indicate the dynamic state of the automobile and select a position of the in dependence on the said dynamic state so as to control the downforce generated by the automobile, the control unit being configured so that if the inputs indicate that the automobile is undergoing braking the position of the flap is selected so as to counter the tendency of the automobile to dive due to braking.

Suitably the flap is positioned in a position between the first and second positions.

Preferably the flap is positioned in front of the front wheels of the automobile.

The inputs could include one or more of suspension load, automobile speed, lateral g-force, steering position, brake pedal force, brake pedal position, forward acceleration of the automobile, or the position of one or more active aerodynamic devices of the automobile.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided: an automobile comprising: first and second flaps provided on the underside of the automobile, the first and second flaps being positioned symmetrically about the centreline of the automobile, wherein each flap is deployable from a respective first position in which, when the automobile is in motion, each flap extends minimally into the flow of air beneath the automobile, up to a respective second position in which, when the automobile is in motion, each flap extends maximally into the flow of air beneath the automobile so as to reduce the downforce generated by the automobile; and a control unit adapted to receive one or more inputs that indicate the dynamic state of the automobile and select positions of the first and second flaps between their respective first and second positions, the positions of the first and second flaps being chosen in dependence on the said dynamic state so as to control the downforce generated by the automobile, wherein if the inputs indicate that the automobile is cornering, the positions of the first and second flaps are selected so as to counter roll of the automobile.

Suitably the control unit is configured to select the positions of the first and second flaps such that the flap on the outside of the corner is extended to a greater degree than the flap on the inside of the corner.

Suitably the control unit selects the first position for the flap on the inside of the corner.

Preferably the first and second flaps are positioned in front of the front wheels of the automobile.

The inputs could include one or more of suspension load, automobile speed, lateral g-force, steering position, brake pedal force, brake pedal position, forward acceleration of the automobile, or the position of one or more active aerodynamic devices of the automobile.

Suitably, if the inputs indicate that the automobile is undergoing braking, the positions of the first and second flaps are selected so as to counter the tendency of the automobile to dive due to braking.

Suitably the positions of the first and second flaps elected between their respective first and second positions in dependence on the one or more inputs.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an automobile comprising: a cooling duct arranged to channel cooling air to a component of the automobile when the automobile is in motion, the cooling duct extending to underneath the automobile; a restriction located within the cooling duct, moveable from a first position in which airflow to the component is substantially unimpeded, to a second position in which the airflow to the component is substantially impeded, such that, when in motion, the automobile generates more downforce when the restriction is in the second position than when the restriction is in the first position; and a control unit configured to, if the temperature of the component is below a predetermined level, select the position of the restriction so as to control the downforce generated by the automobile and, if the temperature of the component is above the predetermined level, select the first position for the restriction.

Preferably the restriction comprises movable louvres.

Preferably the automobile comprises a front splitter, and the duct extends from a region above the front splitter to underneath the automobile.

Preferably the duct extends to a wheelarch of the automobile.

The said component could comprise the braking system of the automobile.

The said component could be a radiator.

The said component could be an engine compartment of the automobile.

The automobile could further comprises a second duct arranged to channel air from a region which is at relatively high pressure when the automobile is in motion to a region underneath the automobile, the second duct comprising a resilient elastic restriction arranged to substantially close off the duct, the duct being configured such that motion of the automobile generates a pressure difference across the elastic restriction, the elastic restriction being configured to open when the pressure difference approximately exceeds a predetermined value so as to allow air to flow from the relatively high pressure region to underneath the automobile and reduce the downforce generated by the automobile.

The region of relatively high pressure could be the cooling duct.

The region underneath the automobile could be in front of a front wheel of the automobile.

The resilient elastic restriction could be arranged to be substantially flush with a surface of the cooling duct when it substantially closes off the second duct.

The automobile could further comprise a flap positioned on the underside of the automobile, the flap being deployable from a first position to a second position such that there can only be an airflow from the relatively high pressure region to the relatively low pressure region through the second duct when the flap is deployed from its first position.

http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20170...0170101139.php
http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20170...0170101140.php

squid42

I sure hope that patent gets rejected.

kingjr9000

why?

Guest89

CJ,

What is the McLaren "Influencer" Program?

Saw a post on your Chicago store's IG this AM that made me curious.

squid42

Trivial bull**** that, if given patent protection, holds back competition needlessly. They say it's special to have two flaps under the car and move it with a computer based on various dynamic facts known to the computer?

C.J. Ichiban

It's like when Oprah gave people cars but we collect them back