Tag: Frank Stephenson

McLaren 570S Won Red Dot Design Award

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date May 2, 2016

McLaren 570S won the Red Dot Design award. McLaren’s design director, Frank Stephenson, created the McLaren Automotive’s design philosophy, by beginning with the MP4-12C, the hyper car P1. During this rapid evolution, I was expecting to see them earn the Red Dot Design award.

Personally, I always loved the cars which received the Red Dot Design award. It gives another appeal to the product among its competitors. Especially in the car industry, the super car business is focused on horse power and some extravagant designs. Or still with golden ratio to the save the business.

However, receiving the Red Dot Design award gives another unique personality to the car beyond its functionality. In addition, Frank’s unique design approach and focus on form equals function approach helps us to understand the logic behind this award.

McLaren 570S Coupe Launch 2015 Portimao

Tags Frank Stephenson, McLaren, McLaren 570S

Cars

Autosport International 2016 Autocar McLaren P1

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date January 16, 2016

Today at Autosport International 2016, I spotted the McLaren P1 at the Autocar stand. Many times, I blogged about the McLaren P1. So there is no need to repeat the same words. However, I want to give you a brief summary of the P1;

2.8 seconds to 100km/h
6.8 seconds to 200km/h
350km/h top speed
v8 3.8-lt twin turbo engine
737 HP from the petrol engine
179 HP from the electric motors
Total output of 916 HP
Active aerodynamics
Full carbon-fibre body
Design by Frank Stephenson

Tags Autosport International, Autosport International 2016, Frank Stephenson, McLaren, McLaren P1

Cars

Frank Stephenson ALS Ice Bucket Challenge | Design Director of McLaren Automotive

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date September 16, 2014

Here is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Frank Stephenson at McLaren Automotive head office in Woking, England. Please pay attention to toys as well :)

Tags ALS, Frank Stephenson, McLaren

Cars

McLaren 650S from London

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date June 13, 2014

McLaren 650S direct from London dealer. Last week, I had chance to see the latest car of McLaren, 650S in London. Thanks to revolving stand, I had chance to photos of every angle of the 650S.

As I said before, McLaren 650S looks way better in feel life than on photos!

McLaren 650S is powered by a 3.8-lt petrol turbo engine with 650 HP and 678 Nm of torque. Thanks to carbon fibre body, 1.4-tonne with all fluids inside. Thus, the 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is only 3 seconds and the top speed 333 km/h. The engine is coupled with 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. And designed by Frank Stephenson.

Tags 650S, Frank Stephenson, London, McLaren

Cars

Jay Leno Shows His McLaren P1

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date May 13, 2014

Jay Leno shows his McLaren P1 on his channel. He received the first McLaren P1 in USA and immediately released a half an hour video.

I am not a fan of speed and most of the time bored of driving. Even though, I drove many engaging cars, so I know the feeling but I find it boring to drive.

However, Jay Leno changed my mind. The way he represents the McLaren P1 motivated me to drive it. However, P1 is not available your closet car dealer and probably they don’t have any test drive cars available.

The main reason I liked the way Jay Leno defines the P1, is the combination of electric motor and internal combustion engine. Personally, I found the exhaust noise a bit quite annoying. I can’t bare the Ferrari’s I am a Formula 1 mood. But if you wish to own a super car, you have to bear the noise.

However, McLaren managed to harmonise the beauty of the electric motor with the internal combustion engine. So you can drive very silently at city centre and enjoy the engine noise at the highway.

And the best thing Jay mentioned about the McLaren P1 is the feeling of enjoyment at reasonable speeds. Unlike many other cars, you don’t have to risk your own life and others whilst reaching a driving experience.

Lastly, Jay Leno explains why the McLaren P1 unleashes fire from the exhaust. McLaren P1 is designed by Frank Stephenson, I wish to say it because you google it :)

Anyway, you can find more at the video. Actually, I want one. I love the electric powered super silent super cars. They are like stealth planes.

Tags Frank Stephenson, Jay Leno, McLaren, McLaren P1

Cars

McLaren P1 with Window-Shaped Carbon Fibre?

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date February 13, 2014

McLaren P1 with window-shaped carbon fibre panel designed by Frank Stephenson. This topic was raised by the Jalopnik. I can understand the reason why they highlighted this topic, they assumed that carbon fibre panel was designed to look like a window, because designer wanted to do so. And it does not have any function at all.

I know Frank for few years and you may think that I will be biased on this article however, I won’t be. I can say one for sure! If Frank designs anything on a vehicle, there is a solid reason for it. In other words, Frank can proof the reason of that design item. He will never ever design something a car that does not have any function. And the carbon fibre panel on McLaren P1 leads to an air intake. So, there is a reason for the carbon fibre panel.

I assume Jalopnik did not know this design philosophy and misinterpreted his design.

Photos Credits

McLaren

Tags Frank Stephenson, McLaren, McLaren P1

Cars

McLaren MP4-12C: Dubai Police Car

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date December 26, 2013

Dubai Police forces added a new high speed patrol car to their fleet, a McLaren MP4-12C! MP4-12C designed by Frank Stephenson and I know that Frank did not intend to design a car as a police vehicle. However, Dubai is a different world and they love to employ very fast cars to their police fleet.

McLaren MP4-12C is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-lt petrol engine with 626 HP and 600 Nm of torque and needs 3.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h. Top speed is not limited to 250 km/h, it is 329 km/h. Get the wind behind you, it will reach 330 km/h!

Photos Credits

Dubai Police

Tags Dubai, Dubai Police, Frank Stephenson, McLaren, MP4-12C

Cars

Earliest Prototype of MINI is on eBay

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date December 3, 2013

One of the earliest prototypes of MINI is available on eBay. According to Jalopnik, you can buy this very early prototype from eBay just for £1295 in 5 hours time! However, Jalopnik did some mistakes on the article, “the sportier German concept got the green light as opposed to Rover’s budget car idea”. And I did intensive research, this statement was true.

The MINI prototype sold on eBay is a very early one. Anyway, if you wish to one a MINI Cooper S and cannot afford it, here is the best opportunity to own one. And that would be the only one on this planet. If Frank didn’t send another one to Moon or Mars.

Photos Credits

eBay auctioner

Tags Frank Stephenson, Mini

Cars

Photos of the New MINI: Third Generation: The Biggest Gadget

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date November 19, 2013

Photos of the New MINI is here, according to BMW third generation MINI is made from scratch. However, it doesn’t seem so. I still see the major design clues from the first generation MINI designed by Frank Stephenson. Honestly, it is impossible to change the design philosophy of a car like MINI in one day!

The third generation MINI is larger and bigger than the previous models and contradicts with MINI! 98mm longer, 44mm wider, 7mm higher! Thus larger interior cabin and bigger boot!

However, the innovations are not limited with the extended size! Now MINI is available with all BMW technologies! Keyless access, active radar guided cruise control, emergency slides, pedestrian detection, road sign detection, automatic parking, head-up display, ejection seat, adaptive suspensions and lots more. And you have lots of apps to install to your onboard entertainment system. Literally, the new MINI is a proper rival to iPhone5S and Samsung Galaxy S4!

There are three new engines, 1.5-lt 3-cylinder petrol engine with 134 HP with 170 Nm of torque. 1.5-lt 3-cylinder diesel engine with 114 HP with 270 Nm of torque. 2-lt petrol engine with 192 HP and 280 Nm of torque. All the engines have turbo otherwise, they cannot produce these amounts of power! Actually, the previous Cooper S has 1.6-lt engine and now BMW shifted to 2-lt petrol engine. That’s not impressive. Bigger engine means heavy nose, heavy nose means tendency to understeer, tendency to understeer means, why I should buy this car instead of Fiat 500!

Unfortunately, there is a six-speed manual pointless gearbox, just avoid it. And you can have the new MINI with state-of-art six-speed automatic or sport automatic gearboxes.

Now the MINI is packed up with all BMW technologies. This is a part of the BMW’s strategy. They extend their safety and driving technologies across their brands from MINI to Rolls Royce. Thus, they increase the competitive power of their products and that’s correct. Now the MINI is the best small car on the market. None of the competitors can offer these technologies inside a small car. Many people like me would go for the MINI for its toys.

But the said thing is, people never order their cars with high tech safety and driving technologies. They only order the with plain features. If you ask them, they have the latest model with manual air condition. And I assume we will see the same scenery with the new MINI. But I have big hopes for fully loaded MINIs to go around. If I can buy one, you will see the most sophisticated gadget on wheels :D

Price? Of course expensive an like iPhone :)

Photos Credits

MINI

Tags BMW, Frank Stephenson, Mini

Cars

New 2014 MINI Video

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date November 12, 2013

MINI released a footage of the up-coming 2014 new MINI! And they said, The New Original! The best remake ever! Sorry the best remake was done Frank Stephenson, quite long time ago :)

Tags Frank Stephenson, Mini