Overview: Any car with 662 hp for less than 60 grand is a real performance bargain, even if all it could do was drive in a straight line. The Shelby GT500, however, not only accelerates with alarming brute force, but it turns and stops surprisingly well, too, making it a hoot at the track. True, the unrefined interior and lumpy ride aren’t pleasant, but the GT500 is as bad-ass as anything on the road. While the 2014 model remains on sale, its replacement based on the new Mustang won’t arrive until 2016.
McLaren’s new 650S model now comes in three flavors, the standard road going 650S, the competition-spec 650S GT3 for serious racers, and now there’s the 650S Sprint which is aimed at track enthusiasts who still want a little bit of comfort. The 650S Sprint also replaces the MP4-12C-based 12C Sprint as McLaren’s track toy for the super-rich. Compared to the road model, the 650S Sprint features increased downforce and better cooling airflow to the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8. It also features a competition-spec fuel tank and quick-fill cap, a larger radiator borrowed from the GT3 car, a new hood with additional cooling ducts for the radiator, front wing louvres for improved airflow, reduced ride height and recalibrated damping and spring rates, 19-inch center-locking race wheels with either Pirelli slicks or wet tires, onboard air jack system, and an upgraded braking system. On the inside the McLaren 650S Sprint features a stripped-out design with a FIA-approved rol...