Heat Cycles
Man, I love the look of tortured tires. Not only is there something extremely interesting in a fractalized sort of way about seeing the actual tire compound transform from smooth to stippled, it’s also a clear indication of the amount of energy put through them–energy that can only come from spirited driving.
In this context, it’s also nice to see these tires because I know they’ve been recycled. We get plenty of take-offs from track-used cars, like the set you see here. Instead of sending them to the big tire fire in the sky, we slapped them on our demo 650S to essentially get some “free” miles out of them. Another benefit, if you’d like to look at it that way, is that the car moves around a bit more on the ‘normal’ P Zero compared to the stickier P Zero Corsa that are a no-cost option on the 650S. Grip is great, but so is sliding around…the trick is to find the balance. Easier said than done, for sure.
The Color Gray
The C6 Corvette. You see them all over the roads or, well, at least I do here in California. Most of them are narrow-bodied, tan on the inside, with only two pedals. But that’s okay, because even in stock form they’re svelte-looking and plenty potent from a performance standpoint. Plus, the voluptuous Grand Sport is a fairly common sight, and the Z06 isn’t particularly rare either.
But the ZR1? Even in the land of supercar daily drivers they’re an incredibly rare sight. In the five model years it was sold, they built 4,684 of them, all for the USA. But I still never see them. Maybe they’re all being babied and preserved, like this one; 7800 miles and it’s still wearing tires made in early 2008.
It’s not just rarity that lends extra appreciation; it’s the performance. The standard 6.2L LS3 is already potent, and the Z06’s 7.0L LS7 is a big lumpy monster. But the supercharged 6.2L LS9 in the ZR1 is just wild; power and torque figures that rival a McLaren 650S, for a fraction of the cost. And don’t make the mistake of seeing “leaf springs” in the spec sheet and assuming this is some outmoded American beast. It’s an American beast alright, but one with incredible handling and brakes to match its rubber-roasting torque output. And did I mention it has quite possibly the finest feeling manual transmission and clutch ever fitted as stock to a production car?
Gray is a color without color, an intermediate neutral gradient on the way from black to white. Or so they say, anyway. GM’s Cyber Gray Metallic tends to look a bit weak in photos to my eyes, but when I saw it in person, I was shocked! It’s multi-layered, richly-hued, and color changing. Plus it has a treasure trove of blue and gold flakes that really make the color pop.
Most Corvettes have a pretty silly looking ride height. Driven by the needs of consumers who don’t want to rip their bumpers off on every steep American driveway, most Corvettes depart from Bowling Green with enough space in the wheel-wells to warrant checking the tops of your tires for stray cats every time you set off. But the ZR1? Carbon fiber lips be damned–this is performance-optimized. And hey, it happens to look pretty damn good, too.
So why didn’t they sell more of them?
Ninety Degrees
I very rarely take photos in portrait format; it seems to me that cars are best shot in landscape. But here’s a photo of my car in the street at a time when I felt like it was appropriate to turn the camera on its side.
Sometimes you have to stop in the middle of the street and take a picture. It helps when the street is wide enough so cars can drive past in both directions, too.
Warts and All: Fresh Eggplant P1
It’s an understandable request, but still frustrating anyway. Every once in a while a new McLaren arrives with a note: DO NOT DETAIL. Although the cars roll out of their covered carriers in impressive condition, they’re still not immaculate; our cleaning crew puts the finishing touches on each car to make them showroom-ready. But if you’ve ever wanted to know what a McLaren P1 looks like fresh out of the wrapper, you’re in the right place…
Car and Driver recently posed an interesting question to McLaren in their test of the P1; how many people who have the means to afford to buy a P1 also possess the driving skills to fully exploit its performance?
“Well, Jenson Button’s getting one,” a McLaren test driver noted.
Although I can’t reveal where this car is going, rest assured: it will be in good hands. You’ll notice minor swirls, smudges, and dust in these photos. They’ll be taken care of.
And what about the 903hp, sticky Pirelli tires, and active aerodynamics that endow this car with incredible performance? Sure, the car is beautiful, but will it ever get driven properly?
I can’t confirm that this car will be driven properly, only that I’m sure it could.
When I initially uploaded the photos for this car, I called it “Purple”. Almost immediately my phone lit up with a text; I was told to change it to Blue.
What do you think? The sun reveals hidden hot pink tones on top of a blue base, but shade and fluorescent lighting bring out purple tones.
It’s definitely a sophisticated shade, but the biggest shock is that it’s completely non-metallic. Once upon a time nothing except show cars had metallic flake paint, and nowadays we expect even a Hyundai to sparkle in the sun.
One thing is for sure though: that interior is purple.
A few combos have been through here, but this one is my favorite, with the purple leather perfectly accenting the black alcantara and sea of carbon fiber.
Go eat an aubergine!
Star Road 