The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo.
The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG
(Ferrari Images)
This is the Ferrari F80, the replacement for the 2015 LaFerrari. The 3.0-liter Twin-Turbo 120° V6 F163CF engine of the F80 produces a peak power of 900HP, for a specific power output of 300HP/l, to which the electric front axle (e-4WD) and motor (MGU-K) of the hybrid system add another 300HP. The architecture of this engine and many of its components are derived from the powerplant of the 499P which won the 2023 and 2024 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Read all about it here. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Ironically enough, the F80's performance numbers aren't as impressive as the 2025 Corvette ZR1 (see below), but it is undeniably H-O-T looking. How much? I'm guessing at least five times as much as the Corvette. -PMD. Watch the official Ferrari intro video here. And, watch Top Gear's video here.
(Corvette images)
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is now officially the fastest car ever built by an American auto manufacturer. General Motors President Mark Reuss drove a 2025 Corvette ZR1 at 233 mph, at a test track in Germany, setting a top speed record unrivalled by any current production car priced under $1 million. The Corvette team set this two-way average speed on the northbound and southbound straightaways of the High-Speed Oval Track at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg, in a recent test in Papenburg, Germany.
“Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally,” said Reuss. “With the current generation’s switch to mid-engine, we knew the outstanding performance and balance made this a real possibility. To go over there and get it done is a testament to the power of ZR1, and to the incredibly talented team that developed and built it.”
The ZR1 features the most powerful V8 engine ever produced in America by an auto manufacturer. Corvette shifted to mid-engine architecture in 2020, unlocking new levels of performance and innovation. Chevrolet engineers leveraged GM’s deep software, modeling, and hardware development knowledge to set a new speed benchmark for American automakers.
Facts about Corvette ZR1’s record-setting run:
“Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally,” said Reuss. “With the current generation’s switch to mid-engine, we knew the outstanding performance and balance made this a real possibility. To go over there and get it done is a testament to the power of ZR1, and to the incredibly talented team that developed and built it.”
The ZR1 features the most powerful V8 engine ever produced in America by an auto manufacturer. Corvette shifted to mid-engine architecture in 2020, unlocking new levels of performance and innovation. Chevrolet engineers leveraged GM’s deep software, modeling, and hardware development knowledge to set a new speed benchmark for American automakers.
Facts about Corvette ZR1’s record-setting run:
- The ZR1 coupe which set the record had a standard chassis and aero package, with a standard spoiler with short wicker, carbon fiber ground effects, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and aluminum wheels.
- Chevrolet engineers developed Top Speed Mode, exclusively for closed course use, which adjusts chassis control systems for maximum speed.
- The ZR1 reached 233 mph with the engine at redline in sixth gear.
- During testing, including Reuss’s record run, an engineer was in the passenger seat analyzing data in real-time.
- The 233-mph run was not a one-off performance. Five engineers and both ZR1 development cars onsite exceeded 230 mph across multiple runs.
- Papenburg provided optimal conditions, such as temperature and air density, for a high-speed test. Chevrolet engineers have previously set top speeds for the sixth and seventh generation Corvette ZR1, and the sixth generation Camaro ZL1 at this facility.
- The ZR1 is the fastest car GM has ever produced.
(Audi images)
Audi wants us to get excited about the debut of Q6 Sportback E-Tron models (a reminder, we do not adhere to Audi's tedious l.c. naming ritual. It's dumb. -WG). The Q6 Sportback E-Tron quattro and SQ6 Sportback E-Tron "benefit from the strength of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture in terms of performance, range, efficiency, and charging, and are yet another example of the scalability of the all-new platform," according to Audi PR minions. Audi unveiled the Q6 Sportback E-Tron quattro to the global public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show 2024 (There was a Paris Auto Show? Who knew? -WG). The new Audi EVs feature a battery with a gross capacity of 100 kWh (net: 94.4 kWh). The 187.9” long, 76.3” wide, and 65.2” high Q6 Sportback E-Tron quattro is expected to achieve an EPA estimated range similar to that of the Q6 E-Tron quattro, at around 300 miles. The Q6 Sportback E-Tron will arrive in the US market in 2025 and more information regarding pricing and equipment will be available closer to the on-sale date. Editor-in-Chief's Note: We can contain our excitement. Audi is a big yawn right now. -PMD
(McLaren Images)
This is the new McLaren W1, the successor to the McLaren F1 and McLaren P1 supercars and the latest "supercar of the moment" (at least this week anyway). It was "created with McLaren’s World Championship mindset; underpinned by the principles that define a real supercar," according to McLaren PR minions. It is powered by an all-new hybrid powertrain with 1,258BHP – the highest power output of any McLaren ever. The all-new MHP-8 V8 combustion engine develops 916BHP; it is highest-ever output McLaren engine at 230BHP-per-liter and it revs to 9,200rpm. The power-dense E-module develops 342BHP; integrating the electric motor and control unit for reduced weight and optimized packaging. Most significant? McLaren lightweight engineering delivers a vehicle weight of 3,084lbs, enabling best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 899BHP/ton – the highest ever for any McLaren supercar. Other stuff?
- Formula 1-inspired ground effect aerodynamics and McLaren Race mode combine to deliver world-first, radical ‘road to track’ character transformation, lowering ride height by 1.46in at the front and 0.7in at the rear and engaging up to 2,205lbs of downforce.
- The most advanced active aero features ever in a road-legal McLaren, with revolutionary McLaren Active Long Tail rear wing that extends rearwards by 11.8in, just one of multiple patents filed for aerodynamic innovations.
- The new W1 is fastest-accelerating and fastest-lapping road-legal McLaren ever; it is quicker than a Speedtail to 186mph in a straight-line and 3 seconds a lap quicker than a McLaren Senna on McLaren’s reference track.
- The numbers? The rear-wheel-drive W1 accelerates from 0-124mph in 5.8 seconds and 0-186mph in less than 12.7 seconds. Maximum speed is electronically limited to 217mph.
- New McLaren Race Active Chassis Control III suspension with Race mode ensures "unparalleled breadth of capability across both road and track."
- McLaren Hydraulic Performance Steering and hydraulic braking is part of the W1 package.
- The gearbox? New 8-speed transmission with E-reverse, coupled with new hydraulic electronic differential.
- Bespoke McLaren Aerocell carbon fiber monocoque and McLaren Anhedral Doors are optimized for aerodynamic performance and constructed using motorsport techniques.
- The Formula 1-inspired front suspension is mounted directly into the Aerocell with externally visible front arms and key components 3D-printed for weight optimization, including the use of titanium components.
- Unique seating design integrated into the Aerocell monocoque for the purest driver connection to the car.
- The pedals, steering wheel and primary controls move to fully embrace the driver within the cockpit environment.
- Almost unlimited bespoke options are available via MSO, including new McLaren InnoKnit tailored interior material.
- A comprehensive warranty is included (4-year vehicle; 6-year HV battery) and a 4-year service plan complements the unique ownership experience.
How much? Pricing starts at $2.1 million, with the final cost dependent on the level of MSO personalization. Just 399 customer cars will be produced – and all are already customer allocated.
The AE Song of the Week:
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me
Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy or anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Inside me
Inside of me
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it's not easy
It's not easy to be me
"Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting from the album "America Town" (2000).* Written by John Ondrasik. Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Music Video here.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me
Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy or anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Inside me
Inside of me
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it's not easy
It's not easy to be me
"Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting from the album "America Town" (2000).* Written by John Ondrasik. Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Music Video here.
*This song about trying to fit in was written from Superman's point of view. The superhero is portrayed as misunderstood and not as powerful as people see him: "I'm only a man in a funny red sheet." Superman may be invincible, but he has feelings too, and while he's off saving the world he sometimes wonders if anyone thinks about what he is going through. The song reflects what John Ondrasik (who is Five For Fighting) felt at the time - he released his first album, Message for Albert, in 1997 and it went nowhere. Explaining what led him to write the song, which appeared on his next album, Ondrasik told us it was "frustration about the inability to be heard."
He later explained: "I've learned 10 years later that it's pretty damn easy to be me. I could never write that song now." This became very popular after the September 11 attacks. The reflective tone fit very well with the mood of the United States, and many radio stations put it in heavy rotation. Ondrasik heard from emergency workers and others who found it a source of comfort after the attacks.
Ondrasik performed this song on October 20, 2001 at the "Concert For New York," a tribute to the police, firefighters, and rescue workers involved in the World Trade Center Attacks. It was a very touching moment, and he called this performance "the most important thing I'll ever do musically." Ondrasik stood next to James Taylor and Pete Townshend at the end of the show when they all sang "Let It Be."
The video was done in one shot using a motion control technique where a robotic camera is used to create smooth movements, stopping at key points along the way. It was shot in front of green screens so the backgrounds could be composited in later. The clip starts with a shot of John Ondrasik's pregnant wife, Carla, who is holding their young child. At the end of the video, they show up again on a bed, and we see Ondrasik join them.
Ramaa Mosely, who directed the video, told us: "When I wrote the idea for the video, I knew that John was married and his next baby was on the way. I knew that while on the road he really missed his family, so I came up with the idea of the video ending with him reunited with them. It just felt like 'Superman' was a metaphor for John going out into the world to accomplish big things but always carrying his family in his heart."
The band name comes from a hockey term. If you get a penalty for fighting, you serve five minutes in the penalty box. The band is actually just Ondrasik. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)
He later explained: "I've learned 10 years later that it's pretty damn easy to be me. I could never write that song now." This became very popular after the September 11 attacks. The reflective tone fit very well with the mood of the United States, and many radio stations put it in heavy rotation. Ondrasik heard from emergency workers and others who found it a source of comfort after the attacks.
Ondrasik performed this song on October 20, 2001 at the "Concert For New York," a tribute to the police, firefighters, and rescue workers involved in the World Trade Center Attacks. It was a very touching moment, and he called this performance "the most important thing I'll ever do musically." Ondrasik stood next to James Taylor and Pete Townshend at the end of the show when they all sang "Let It Be."
The video was done in one shot using a motion control technique where a robotic camera is used to create smooth movements, stopping at key points along the way. It was shot in front of green screens so the backgrounds could be composited in later. The clip starts with a shot of John Ondrasik's pregnant wife, Carla, who is holding their young child. At the end of the video, they show up again on a bed, and we see Ondrasik join them.
Ramaa Mosely, who directed the video, told us: "When I wrote the idea for the video, I knew that John was married and his next baby was on the way. I knew that while on the road he really missed his family, so I came up with the idea of the video ending with him reunited with them. It just felt like 'Superman' was a metaphor for John going out into the world to accomplish big things but always carrying his family in his heart."
The band name comes from a hockey term. If you get a penalty for fighting, you serve five minutes in the penalty box. The band is actually just Ondrasik. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG