Old tyres can be turned...
Old tyres can be turned into ink for computer printers! So say three inventors from Matlock, Derbyshire, who have worked out how to extract the ingredient which makes the rubber black. They say they can reclaim the valuable carbon after the tread has become illegal for road use. It can then be used to refill inkjet printer cartridges.
The Mac is back. This...
The Mac is back. This is McLarenò€™s new baby supercar, which distils the excitement of the legendary original F1 road model into a smaller and less expensive package.
Due on sale in 2010, the incredible machine is gunning for Ferrariò€™s F430 and the Lamborghini Gallardo with a price tag of between Ò£150,000 and Ò£200,000.
Auto Express is the only magazine in the world to have spied the McLaren on the road, and weò€™ve used our exclusive pictures to produce these amazing images, showing just how the newcomer will look. Codenamed P11, this is the spiritual successor to the F1, and has been designed and built completely in-house.
Unlike the Mercedes SLR McLaren, itò€™s not a joint venture. Instead, the car is the work of engineers at the Formula One teamò€™s factory in Woking. And it was just outside the Surrey base that Auto Express reader Steve Taro caught the first prototype undergoing testing.
As you can see from his spy pictures, the development mule wears a heavy disguise, but we have peeled that back to reveal the car underneath. And itò€™s clear that the designers have taken inspiration from the F1 ò€“ look
at the side window shape, the high tail, the short overhangs, plus the bold headlights and large bumper air intakes.
Elsewhere in the design are nods to McLarenò€™s logo in the side air intakes. But overall, the P11 has enough visual strength to mark a totally new direction for the company.
While firm details on the newcomer are scarce, it is likely to use as much grand prix-related technology as possible. McLaren will be keen to draw parallels between the P11 and its F1 track models, so it will sit on a strong yet light carbon fibre chassis.
The body will also be made from advanced composites, and as a result the P11 will weigh around 1,250kg. A mid-mounted 6.2-litre V8 sourced from F1 engine supplier Mercedes will drive the rear wheels via a semi-automatic transmission, complete with steering wheel paddleshifters.
Boosted by a turbocharger, the AMG-tuned powerplant will produce at least 500bhp. And thanks to the carò€™s low kerbweight, itò€™s expected to accelerate from 0-60mph in less than four seconds and post a top speed of 200mph. Carbon brakes will make sure it stops as well as it goes.
As was the case with the F1, McLaren will give customers the chance to personalise their car, so a long specification list is likely. There is set to be a whole host of interior trim options and paint colours.
The cabin itself will be very modern, with a unique feel and appearance. The dashboard and steering wheel draw inspiration from the firmò€™s racers.
Once McLaren has finished the last run of SLR Roadsters and special-edition roofless SLR Speedsters, work will begin on building the P11. And while production of the roadgoing F1 ended after only 64 examples, volumes for the newcomer are set to extend into four figures. The first customers will take delivery of their cars in 2010.