Last week, Top Gear debuted its second episode of the new season, featuring a mile-long drag race between two of the most sought after supercars in recent history.  Behind the wheel of the 1001 horsepower Bugatti Veyron: Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond.  Behind the wheel of the 627 horsepower McLaren F1: The Stig.  The race took place on a very dry, closed stretch of road in Abu Dhabi.

Watch the full video here and let us know if the race turned out the way you thought it would!

ASMA Design reckons they have perfected the art of tuning, a Mercedes-Benz SLR 722. ASMA calls this black supercar the Perfectus SLR. Using carbon fiber material for the body and a 5.4-litre V8, ASMA has been able to draw out a maximum power output number of 515kW (700hp) out of the SLR. Torque is 885Nm made at 3,300rpm. McLaren Mercedes-Benz themselves could only manage 478kW (650hp) from the same powerplant out of the SLR 722 Edition.

The standard 5-speed automatic gearbox is connected to the Perfectus with performance figures stated as 3.5 seconds for the 0 - 100km/h sprint and 348km/h for the top speed. ASMA says the car will return an average fuel consumption of 19.8 litres per 100km.

The custom carbon fiber bodywork has been used to the effect of not only keeping weight down but also showing how the material can be sculpted with sharp lines and slits particularly at the front. These bodylines are apparently F1-inspired,  but in what way - we don’t know…

Mercedes-Benz has released a video showing the SLR Stirling Moss ahead of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The video clearly shows how past and present come together in this car. The car is named after the legendary British racing driver Sir Stirling Moss, and the new SLR shows a remarkable resemblance to the classic racer.

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- click picture for the McLaren P11 spy shots -

The British car firm is getting ready to redefine the supercar class with the new P11. This is McLaren’s new baby supercar, transferring the excitement of the legendary original F1 road model into a smaller and less expensive package.

The car is due on sale in 2010, aiming for Ferrari’s F430 and the Lamborghini Gallardo with a price tag of between £150,000 and £200,000.

It’s not a joint venture,  the car is the work of engineers at the Formula One team’s factory in Woking. The P11 will weigh around 1,250kg  and a mid-mounted 6.2-litre V8 sourced from F1 engine supplier Mercedes will produce at least 500bhp.

[Source: AutoExpress]

This official video introduces the Volcano, based on Mercedes-McLaren’s SLR. If you ask me, unfortunately Hamann may have just managed to make an ugly car even uglier. Have a look, and see what you think.

[Source: YouTube]

The new Macca is still at least 18 months away from production and won’t be launched before 2010, we hear. That leaves time for McLaren to finish its SLR project, which it co-developed with Mercedes-Benz and is now in its twilight years.

The final SLR will be built in 2009 and the project wound up – leaving space and time for the launch of the P11. We’ll see the final, run-out SLR version – the speedster codenamed Z199 and scooped here – at the 2009 Detroit motor show, concluding the triumvirate of SLR models.

McLaren is turning to partner Mercedes-Benz for a roadgoing V8. Merc has a shareholding in the McLaren group, so it makes sense to look to Germany. We’re still not certain which engine will be used, but the AMG 6.2-litre V8 is top of the list. One source suggested it could even be turbocharged.

The P11 will stick to the supercar-pure mid-engined, rear-drive layout and there will be plenty of emphasis on the links from F1 to road. We know the new McLaren will use ceramic brake discs, for instance.

[Source: Car Magazine ]