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It's been a week since the doors for the Geneva Motor Show opened, and they still are until this Sunday. The big theme this year is eco-friendliness, but with a twist. The twist is fun! With cars like the Volvo Polestar 1 and Honda EV concept cars, it seems like manufacturers have finally realized that people want cars that are eco friendly, but also fun. There's plenty of other interesting non-EV and non-hybrid cars as well, but 10 have stood out more than others. Hope you approve of the list.
The Geneva Motor Show closed its doors yesterday, and like many who end up going to car shows, SOC has prepared a wish list if ever one was to win the lottery. Do you have a wish list of your own? Go ahead and share it in the comments section. Written by Alex Kisiri
McLaren P1   While we already know what the McLaren P1 looks like, we didn’t have much information about its powertrain until this week. All we knew was that the P1 would have a re-worked version of the MP4-12C’s engine, as well as an electric motor. McLaren have finally confirmed that the P1 will produce a total of 916hp and 900Nm of torque, coming from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and electric motor.
 With 2012 just days away from ending, we can only hope that 2013 will have as many exciting new cars as this year did. Here is a gallery of 22 cars that made a good first impression. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
With this video of a McLaren P1 prototype, we can draw the conclusion that it emits a similar exhaust note to the MP4-12C, confirming that the P1 will indeed have a modified version of the MP4's engine. Thank God for YouTube!  The 2012 Paris Motor Show is currently the place to be if you want you to see how exciting the future of motoring is going to be. You have the usual mix of concept cars, new car debuts, etc. But after looking at what the show has to offer, SOC has come up with a list of cars that stand out more than others.
 McLaren have released a few details on their new upcoming P1 supercar – set for an unveiling at the Paris Motor Show in a few days time.
The P1 will sit above the MP4-12C supercar, meaning that this is the long-rumoured spiritual successor of the legendary F1 supercar. McLaren are however quick to state that they are not out to seek the highest top speed like they did with the F1, but to be ‘the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit.’  McLaren’s MSO (McLaren Special Operations) division has revealed a one-off X-1 supercar at The Quail in Pebble Beach, created for an anonymous customer.
The customer wanted something unique, having already bought the F1 supercar, McLaren Mercedes Benz SLR, and MP4-12C. The X-1 has gone through 625 miles of testing, and has taken two and a half years to build. McLaren MP4-12C Spider   This is without question the Ferrari 458 Spider’s arch rival, and with 625hp it is 55hp more powerful than the Italian drop-top.
The McLaren MP4-12C Spider also comes with a retractable hard top, and may be operated at speeds of up to 30km/h (19mph). The twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 engine sends its power and 600 Nm of torque through a seven-speed SSG dual-clutch transmission, enabling the 1,474kg (DIN weight) Spider to get from 0-62mph in 3.1 sec (the same as the 12C coupe) and reach a top speed of 204mph (329km/h) – 3mph less than its coupe sibling. |
