My FH5 Log: Bottom-dollar Papayas

Racing is McLaren's religion. Every racing disciple from Le Mans to Formula 1 is part of McLaren's daily routine. So are the supercars that made them. When McLaren created cars like the comfort-oriented McLaren GT and the V6 PHEV powerhouse Artura, how did these cars affect McLaren's reputation?

Well, that's for me to find out. These bottom-dollar papayas from the McLaren fleet may not be as well-known as its greatest hits, like the 720S and the Senna, but when it comes to performance, they are in a class of their own.

The McLaren GT is a serious super grand tourer that's all about refinement on the road. It's separate from every other McLaren supercar because it uses its own monocoque body structure developed specifically for this car. It's also a hundred kilograms lighter than its closest rival and can accommodate up to 570 liters of boot space. Under the hood, the McLaren GT uses a specially-made 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine producing 620PS of power and 630Nm of torque. Mated to a 7-speed SSG transmission, it can do 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 203mph.

The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar. It injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles. Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.

To see which of the bottom-dollar papayas was the superior one, I went to the main festival site to conduct this unnecessary experiment. Let's roll the tape!

And here are the results...

McLaren GT - 1m12.973s

Artura - 1m09.620s

The Artura is better than the McLaren GT. While the McLaren GT's comfort-oriented dynamics are out of character on the track, the Artura still packs McLaren's racing DNA even in its unorthodox powertrain. It's no wonder the Artura was chosen for GT4 Class duty.

McLaren's GT and Artura are considered "bottom-dollar Papayas" in the McLaren fleet. However, both cars performed well on the track, showcasing their potential to be part of the fleet.

Well, now that my quick log about the two unsung papayas is over, it's time for my little aftershow where the McLaren GT and the Artura are taking centerstage and with that, it's off to the dressing room floor!

Miss Amane Sumeragi, you're off to the Secret Garden! It looks like my McLaren GT is ready for its Eternal Revue.

Rinrin Shinomiya is a member of AISMIRIN and Quartet STAR, and her specialty is data analysis. Since driving the Artura can be as much fun as wrestling a brown bear, I've brought her in to analyze the data from my test drive. If her data is accurate, we're in for a long run. Wow, looks like I've completed the Quartet STAR design collection. Why not take a look at them sometime?

Donning their respective roles that match their dynamics, the two McLarens are ready to tackle two EventLab masterpieces. The McLaren GT takes on another re-enactment of a certain racetrack from a certain racing game while the Artura takes on an EventLab re-enactment of the Road Course segment of Mobility Resort Motegi. Take it from Rinrin, she has studied these EventLab creations completely, and looks like we're good to go. VTR, start!

Eternal Revue or Bear Bear Bear? Amane or Rinrin? Which one will you go for?

The McLaren GT and the Artura are already worthy of respect, but recent updates will make them even more praiseworthy. These updates will enhance their performance and handling, making them even more fun to drive.

Looking forward to more from these "bottom-dollar" papayas.

My GT7 Log: Legendary Rivalry

The rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari has become a significant part of Formula 1 history. As the 2024 season finale approaches, it will determine which team will be crowned Constructors' Champion. Their Vision Gran Turismo concepts offered in Gran Turismo 7 will help predict which team is likely to claim the title.

Before my little prediction over the duel between the Papaya and the Prancing Horse, let's get to know these two Vision GT concepts envisioned by the two legendary rivals.

First off, let's get to know the McLaren Vision Gran Turismo. This concept imagines what motorsports might look like in the future. Apart from its center-positioned driving layout and futuristic cockpit surrounding the driver, its turbocharged 4.0L hybrid powertrain produces 1134HP of power and 627ft-lb of torque. There's a well-known fact that this concept spawned the track-only Solus GT, making it the first Vision Gran Turismo concept to spawn a production equivalent.

Now, let's get to know the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo Concept. Unveiled at the 2022 GT World Series Finals, the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo celebrates 75 years of the Italian sports car maker while envisioning the future of motorsports in Ferrari's terms. Running on a 3.0L V6 hybrid powertrain through all four wheels, it produces 1363hp of power and 664.2ft-lb of torque.

With the introductions of the VGTs complete, let's focus on the intense rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at the Suzuka Circuit, a racetrack known for the memorable battles between the two drivers. 

There's a well-known story about the decisive battle in this track. During the finale of the 1989 F1 season, Senna and Prost, the two McLaren drivers, collided in a decisive showdown. Although Prost retired from the race, Senna managed to finish, but he was penalized for corner-cutting after the crash, which dashed his title hopes and ultimately awarded the championship to Prost.

In the 1990 season, Senna sought revenge by crashing Prost, who switched to Ferrari, out of the race. Both drivers were forced to retire, but this incident allowed Senna to secure his second World Championship title.

Long story short but you get the point. It's time to decide which one stands tall as I search for the answer in this high-octane crystal ball. Roll the tape.

And now the results...

McLaren VGT - 1m50.147s

Ferrari VGT -  1m49.317s

Somewhere, Alain Prost is likely smiling. The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo narrowly defeated the McLaren Vision Gran Turismo by less than a second, suggesting a small possibility that a Ferrari driver (I’m betting on Charles Leclerc) could outpace a McLaren driver (I’m betting on Lando Norris) by such a slim margin. I understand that neither team holds a clear advantage in today's Gran Turismo World Series finals, but our VGT machines offered us a remarkably close prediction for today's Formula 1 finale.

James Hunt vs. Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna vs. Alain Prost, Lewis Hamilton vs. Kimi Raikkonen, and Lando Norris vs. Charles Leclerc—these rivalries have become legendary in Formula 1 history. The competition between McLaren and Ferrari is particularly infamous. With my prediction in place, whether it turns out to be right or wrong, I believe this upcoming duel will be the most exciting of the new era.

I wish them good luck to the two motoring factions.

My FH5 Log: Emira's Horizon Macabre

From cars like the Elan, the Elise, and the Exige, Lotus championed itself by creating sports cars that value dynamics over performance in the name of lightness.

In the age of the new normal, Lotus presented the greatest sports car ever made.

From Forza Horizon 5's Horizon Racing Car Pack comes the Lotus Emira, the last-ever pure ICE-powered Lotus sports car.

So, what's it all about the Emira?

The Lotus Emira is the last-ever pure ICE-powered Lotus sports car that replaces the trio of sports cars such as the Elise, the Exige, and the Evora. With styling inspired by the all-electric Evija, the Emira runs on Lotus' new Sports Car Architecture and comes with two chassis and suspension settings ranging from a comfort-oriented Tour setting and the preferable Sport setting from the optional Lotus Drivers Pack.

The First Edition, seen here, is powered by the same Toyota-sourced 3.5L V6 supercharged engine from the Exige but produces 400hp of power and 430Nm of torque while mated to either a 6-speed MT or AT with the latter capable of hitting 180mph of top speed. Aside from the V6 variant, the entry-level Emira Turbo variant is powered by the 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder sourced from the Mercedes-AMG A45, packing up to 360hp of power.

As I stick with the Emira First Edition specifications, let's find out if the Emira is as good as one of its predecessors, the Exige, around the Emerald Circuit venue. There's the E to that, mind you. Anyway, let's roll the tape.

And now, the results...

Exige - 1m04.164s

Emira - 1m02.830s

Nearly one-and-a-half seconds apart between the Exige and the Emira. I guess Lotus was right about creating the culmination of its sports car lineage.

As the final Lotus sports car to operate solely on internal combustion, the Emira marks a significant moment, especially in today's era of electric vehicles. However, it represents the peak of Lotus' rich sports car heritage, which includes iconic models like the Elan, Elise, and Exige.

Well, I guess that's everything about the Lotus Emira but...the macabre's just begun as I prepared something special for the Emira's hard work in the festival. But first...

What do you think? The Emira's looking sharp in Ren Hazuki's attire...for sentimental reasons.

With Ren Hazuki as her special guest, today's Emira's Horizon Macabre proudly presents...an EventLab presentation by Papi Gamer7597. Hang on, is this what the roads of Mt. Aso look like? It doesn't look like the one from the Kaido Battle games but never mind. Let the macabre begin!

Ain't the Mt. Aso I'm familiar with but the Emira barely performed decently. Well done.

I am incredibly honored to drive the Lotus Emira in Forza Horizon 5. This car represents the pinnacle of Lotus' sports car lineage, and I truly respect its dynamics and performance, which are characteristic of a Lotus.

Thank you, Lotus.

Winners of the Top Gear Awards 2024

No Top Gear, no life, you say? Relax, Top Gear is still around with digital content for the fans, and the 2024 Top Gear Awards is one of them. 

Winners of the Top Gear Awards 2024
Image: BBC

The Top Gear Awards features questionable but unique titles, which is nonsense to some, to be given to the cars as featured by Top Gear. Unlike most automotive awards, the folks from Top Gear went to a more unscripted approach to determine which is the best car of the year. And now, the winners...

SUV OF THE YEAR - Hyundai Santa Fe MX5

MPV OF THE YEAR - Volkswagen ID.Buzz 7-seater

CROSSOVER OF THE YEAR - Kia EV3

CAR WE"RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DRIVING IN 2025: Lamborghini Temerario

PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR: McLaren 750S

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: Toyota

SUPER GT OF THE YEAR: Aston Martin Vanquish

PERFORMANCE SUV OF THE YEAR: Porsche Macan

TRACK WEAPON OF THE YEAR: McMurty Speirling

LUXURY FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR: Volvo EX90

SMALL CAR OF THE YEAR: Suzuki Swift

RETRO HERO OF THE YEAR: Electrogenic Mini

DESIGN OF THE YEAR: Rivian R3

ALL THE CAR YOU'LL EVER NEED OF THE YEAR: Dacia Duster

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Gordon Murray

CAR OF THE YEAR: Renault 5

URL: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/2024-topgearcom-awards/best-cars-year-meet-winners-2024-topgearcom-awards

Congratulations to the winners of this year's Top Gear Awards!

Ferrari 12cilindri v Aston Martin Vanquish III

Ferrari's newest masterpiece, the 12Cilindri, is a fitting tribute to the company's 12-cylinder masterpieces spanning from the Testarossa, the 575M, the 599, the F12, and the 812. Let's get to know more about Ferrari's final pure 12-cylinder ICE half-a-million-euro masterpiece.

2025 Ferrari 12Cilindri

2025 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider

The 12Cilindri comes in coupe and open-top Spider configurations and honors Ferrari’s hard work on iconic 12-cylinder masterpieces. As a car, this model embodies the heart and soul of the brand. The 12Cilindri is the last pure V12 ICE masterpiece.

2025 Ferrari 12Cilindri interior

The Ferrari 12Cilindri was designed with inspiration from past models. The 12Cilindri's fastback styling harks back to the Monza model. The front view is a tribute to the 365 GTB4. The rear design was inspired by the triangular shape of the Testarossa. The interior, meanwhile, dons Ferrari's dual-cockpit layout from the Roma and the Purosangue to make it more driver-focused. Complimented with the handcrafted materials in the making of sports seats and trim, the 12Cilindri shows its true colors as contemporary art on four wheels.

Powering the 12Cilindri is the 6.5L V12 engine with Direct Injection lifted from the 812 Competizione. It produces 830PS of power and 678Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed F1 DCT and weighing nearly one-and-a-half tons, it does 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and flat-out at 340kph. That's supercar quick in Super GT standards.

Being a road-focused GT car, going through the open roads is the main specialty but for the 12Cilindri, that's not the case because while being an excellent road car, it incorporates Ferrari's F1 know-how to make it vaguely usable on the track. It takes a Charles Leclerc-level driver to get a good grip on its dynamic character and with notable track-honed gizmos such as the brake-by-wire, ABS Evo, and the new SSC 8.0, among many other useful gadgets in store, the 12Cilindri is too addictive to be ignored or fully satisfied.

From the road to the track, the Ferrari 12Cilindri is the ultimate V12 Super GT ever made thanks to its addictive features too impossible to miss, especially for those who ended up with the keys to the old 812 Competizione. However, by the time the 12Cilindri made its inception, this is no longer the ultimate V12 Super GT in the world because of this...

2025 Aston Martin Vanquish

2025 Aston Martin Vanquish interior

Yes, Aston Martin managed to resurrect the Vanquish as the ultimate V12 Super GT in the world. The nearly half-a-million-pound Super GT is the must-have for the 2024 Autumn Season.

For the Vanquish's third outing, what the folks from Aston Martin did is make a mashup between the DB12 and the rear view of the non-existent Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake from 2017, don the familiar DB12 interior, make it macho, and Bob's your uncle. This is the Vanquish's third coming the world anticipated and by the looks and feels of it, the Turn 10 Studios people should better think twice before turning a cold shoulder on it.

Powered by an all-new 5.2 V12 Twin Turbo engine, it produces a historical 835PS of power and 1000Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed AT, it has a 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 214mph. The Ferrari 12Cilindri should be slightly worried about taking this one on.

With its bonded aluminum structure, front double wishbones, rear multilink suspension, a heavily advanced ABS, and Corner Braking 2.0, among other sport-tuned dynamics outlandish for Super GT standards, it takes a Fernando Alonso-level driver to master the Vanquish on the track but no need while on the road because it drives extremely beautiful. Dynamic as expected but like the 12Cilindri, it's too addictive to be ignored to be fully satisfied.

The 12Cilindri and the Vanquish are two of the top V12 Super GTs on the market. It's hard to choose between the two, but the Vanquish is probably the clear winner. The Vanquish features a bonded aluminum structure, front double wishbones, rear multilink suspension, and Corner Braking 2.0. All of these amazing features make for one fantastic car.

Photo: Ferrari/Aston Martin

My FH5 Log: Gone Lagonda

Forza Horizon 5's Back to the 90s Winter Season Playlist introduced us to an Aston Martin sedan we are unfamiliar with, the Aston Martin Lagonda.

We, Forza babies, don't know about this ancient Aston Martin saloon. The only Aston Martin saloon we remember is the Rapide. Anyway, long story short. Let's get to know about the Aston Martin Lagonda, the sedan.

First launched in 1974 and designed by William Towns, the Aston Martin Lagonda is the company's second attempt at creating a premium sedan and served as the successor to the ancient Lagonda Rapide. The first model was originally a saloon version of the Aston Martin V8. Still, later updates gave the Lagonda sedan a squarish and edgier shape, something unheard of on premium sedan standards. 

Seen in FH5 is the final version of the Lagonda, the Series 4. Featuring a more rounded but slab-sided styling compared to the Series 3, the Series 4 Lagonda is powered by a 5.3L V12 engine producing 289bhp of power and 321ft-lb of torque.

Until production ended in January 1990, only 105 units of the Series 4 Lagonda were made.

The Lagonda managed to last until the start of the final decade of the 20th century. But do you know something that came out before that? The comedy-horror movie Beetlejuice came out in 1989. That's why I've sent the ancient Lagonda to GT Deny's reenactment of Lydia Deetz's neighborhood in time for Halloween celebrations. Ready for a little tour around the hood? Let's roll the tape.

Nostalgia is all part of the game, more or less.

What are your thoughts on the ancient Aston Martin Lagonda sedan? Do you think the car looks good? Is the Lagonda a good car? Are there any particular features of the Lagonda that you like or dislike? Let me know what you think of the Aston Martin Lagonda.

Anyway, enjoy your new ride!