McLaren is pulling rabbits out of hats in terms of esablishing historical provenance for the new P1 and P1 GTR, while Aston Martin is tearing up the glossy brochure and trying to relight the brand wildfire.
Two contrasting strategies on full, proud display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The wildcard in this slugfest is the McLaren F1 GT Longtail — which bridges a link between then and now, plus P1 and the sold-out 2015 675LT.
All will be revving hard up Goodwood hill.
But they wont be alone. LaFerrari’s and even the FXX K will be vying for HDR memory among showgoers.
Who will win the day’s draw?
We vote McLaren on these preview images alone. The Vulcan is great to see out and about since touring the UAE.
But its paintwork wrap (perhaps just in Aston’s expensive photos) is so jacked up, it almost looks like it was applied by lumpy brushstrokes. Not sure wtf is going on this Vulcan’s spackled and 3D lunar-landing surfaces.
Good of Aston to actually release some official images of the vehicle, of course. That usually helps move metal.
Or not, in some cases.
While we are displeased with Aston briefly, we have a note for the AM team. And it starts with WTF.
Aston has a new website and it is theworst.
Try finding the 2015 Goodwood coverage from Astonmartin.com. Try it.
There is, in fact, a 2015 page, but it is shoulder-deep in submenus.
Go on now. Find it from the homepage, you clever devils. =]
You never will.
And once you stumble on astonmartin.com/fos, you’ll find a lousy mix of clunky slideshows and tiny photo formats less than 900-pixels wide. Thanks… for nothing there Aston.
Aston Martin VULCAN vs McLaren P1 Prost
ASTON MARTIN VULCAN LIGHTS UP GOODWOOD
- Global dynamic debut for limited edition, track-only, 7.0-litre V12 supercar
- Motorsport-derived technology delivers extreme on-track performance
- Demonstration runs up Goodwood Hill thrill Festival of Speed crowds
26 June 2015, Goodwood: Months of anticipation for Aston Martin enthusiasts around the world are, today, brought to a close with the exciting global dynamic debut of the Aston Martin Vulcan – a track-only supercar and the British luxury brand’s most intense and exhilarating creation to date.
Patrons attending today’s session of the 23rd Goodwood Festival of Speed in the grounds of historic Goodwood House, West Sussex, have been treated to a historic occasion of their own – with the first public running of the Aston Martin Vulcan following its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.
The 800-plus bhp, all-carbon fibre, Aston Martin Vulcan today delivered on its promise of truly extreme performance with a series of spine-tingling sprints up the famous hill climb with Aston Martin Racing works’ driver Darren Turner at the wheel. Before its inaugural run, the new model was showcased on the Michelin stage in the Supercar Paddock.
Powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturally-aspirated, 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine, the Aston Martin Vulcan is predicted to be capable of sprinting from rest to 60 mph in less than three seconds, and achieving a top speed of more than 200mph.
The brand’s CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, was on hand to witness the momentous occasion. He said: “Seeing the Aston Martin Vulcan unleashed at Goodwood today is a memory I will cherish for many years. We wanted to give this car its debut on ‘home soil’, and where better than at this hugely popular and globally renowned event.”
Engineered to excel
The new car’s 800-plus bhp powerplant has been developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing and the front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car draws extensively on the brand’s rich GT motorsport experience.
Comprising cutting edge engineering the car features a carbon fibre monocoque and body constructed by Aston Martin’s long-term specialist body engineering and manufacturing partner Multimatic, integral limited-slip differential, magnesium torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft and Brembo racing calipers acting on carbon ceramic racing disc brakes which measure 380mm in diameter at the front and 360mm at the rear.
Drive is channelled to the 345/30 x19 rear wheels and Michelin race specification tyres through a race-bred rear mid-mounted Xtrac six-speed sequential shift gearbox.
Track-derived pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry is complemented by Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars front and rear, driver-adjustable anti-lock braking, and variable traction control.
The ultimate in track day thrills
The new supercar is limited to just 24 examples worldwide and has been designed to allow owners the opportunity to precisely tailor their track day experience through a graduating scale of detailed power and dynamic performance adjustments.
Dr Palmer added: “As we have seen at Goodwood today, this is a sports car for true sports car lovers. I believe the Aston Martin Vulcan – and the unique ownership programme that sits behind it – sets a whole new standard in the ultra-high luxury supercar class.”
McLAREN MOMENTS TO HONOUR FAMOUS RACE-WINNERS AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED
- McLaren ‘Moments’ honour a number of the iconic names to have raced for McLaren over the last 50 years
- Comprehensive collection of McLaren models on display, statically and dynamically
- Recently announced three tier model range all represented with commissions by McLaren Special Operations
- To read more about the McLaren ‘Moments’ visit: cars.mclaren.com/featured-articles/flat-out-and-fearless.html
This weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will see a collection of McLaren models, displayed statically at McLaren House, adjacent to the famous Goodwood House, and in the Supercar Paddock prepared by McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The bespoke arm of McLaren Automotive has prepared models from the Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series, the three newly-announced model tiers. Each of these celebrate this year’s Festival of Speed ‘Flat-out and Fearless’ theme, highlighting a milestone or ‘moment’ from the history of McLaren, and honouring some of the legendary drivers who have driven for the team over the years.
The Ultimate Series is represented by the McLaren P1™, prepared by MSO, with inspiration drawn from the patriotic French livery of the helmet worn by four-time Formula 1 world champion, Alain Prost. Colour-matched to the famous design, the carbon fibre bodywork of the Prost-themed McLaren P1™ is white with blue graphics and red highlights. Representing the Heritage division of MSO is one of the rarest McLaren roadcars ever built, the McLaren F1 GT. Kindly loaned to McLaren for display at Goodwood, chassis #58F1GT is one of only three examples, designed and built to homologate the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ for GT racing during the 1997 season. The livery echoes the famous monochrome design of the Formula 1 team during the late 1990s, driven to back-to-back world titles by Finnish racing driver Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999.
The Super Series models at McLaren House honour one of the most successful racing partnerships of the 1960s; that of Denny Hulme and the company’s founder Bruce McLaren. The pairing enjoyed success together in Formula 1 and the Can-Am series, which became known as the ‘Bruce and Denny Show’ as a result of their dominance. Denny Hulme is celebrated with the design of the limited-run 675LT. The Formula 1 and Can-Am champion’s iconic helmet design is the inspiration for the livery with two black stripes, running front to rear, over contrasting Silica White bodywork. Yellow tinted headlamp lenses echo Hulme’s visor.
The 650S Spider completes the model line-up on static display within McLaren House. As the core model in the Super Series, it is fitting that this honours the founder of the team, Bruce McLaren. Finished in the iconic heritage McLaren Orange to match his M7A Formula 1 car in which he claimed the first Formula 1 win for the team in 1968, at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
The McLaren F1 GTR victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 is the subject of the fifth and final ‘McLaren Moment’, and the two models on public display in the Supercar Paddock pay homage to the two podium finishers. The limited edition 650S Le Mans is inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR, #01R, driven by Yannick Dalmas, JJ Lehto and Masanori Sekiya to overall race victory. Finished in Sarthe Grey, the development example of the coupe-only model, named ‘XP1’, includes a roof-mounted snorkel, front wing louvres and a wheel design which draw inspiration from the iconic race winner. Lining up alongside the 650S Le Mans will be the McLaren P1™ GTR, wearing the iconic yellow and green livery reminiscent of McLaren F1 GTR chassis #06R, which finished third at the hands of British trio Derek Bell, Justin Bell and Andy Wallace. The two models will be joined by the new McLaren 570S which makes its global dynamic debut on the famous Goodwood Hill over the course of the weekend.
About McLaren Automotive:
McLaren Automotive is a British manufacturer of luxury, high-performance sports cars, located at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, Surrey.
Following the global launch of McLaren Automotive in 2010, the groundbreaking 12C was launched in 2011, the 12C Spider in 2012, and the limited-run McLaren P1™ went into production in 2013. In keeping with its plan to introduce a new model each year, the company unveiled the 650S, in coupe and Spider form in 2014, and has announced the Sports Series among the models to be introduced in 2015. The brand continues to expand, and McLaren posted a profit during 2013 – only the third year of vehicle production. This was followed in 2014, by a third consecutive year of growth in sales with a record 1,648 vehicles delivered via a dedicated global network of retailers in every major automotive market.
McLaren Automotive Partners
To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative and highly acclaimed sports cars, McLaren Automotive has partnered with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise and technology including, AkzoNobel, ExxonMobil, Pirelli and SAP.
Designed for the track; Developed for the road
The connection between Formula 1 and road cars at McLaren is a natural process of experience, knowledge, principles and process transfer. Through the integration of 50 years of Formula 1™ racing expertise and knowledge, and over 20 years of heritage in producing landmark sports cars, McLaren Automotive designs, develops and builds a range of technologically advanced and groundbreaking high performance sports cars which are designed to be a no compromise drive on both road and track.
McLaren has pioneered the use of carbon fibre in vehicle production over the past 30 years, and since introducing a carbon chassis into racing and road cars with the 1981 McLaren MP4/1 and 1993 McLaren F1 respectively, McLaren has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis.
Visit cars.mclaren.com for more details.
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.