July 14th Throttle 🏎️💨

What’s up Throttle Heads 😎 I hope you guys burned plenty of rubber this weekend and are ready for the week ahead.

Red Bull Shakes Up the Grid as Horner Steps Down

Hold onto your energy drinks, folks — there’s been a seismic shake-up at Red Bull Racing. Christian Horner, the long-serving team principal and the face of the team’s turbocharged rise to dominance, has officially stepped down with immediate effect. His exit comes amid serious allegations, including misconduct and infidelity, casting a long shadow over the paddock. While the details are best left to the investigators (and definitely not the group chats), Red Bull has clearly decided it’s time to hit the brakes on the drama before it starts affecting what really matters: performance on the track.

Sliding into the hot seat is none other than Laurent Mekies, the former Ferrari deputy team boss and one of F1’s most trusted garage generals. As Red Bull continues to lead the constructors’ championship, Mekies’ job is to keep the engine roaring while steering the team clear of further PR potholes. With fierce rivals breathing down their necks and headlines coming faster than a DRS pass in Baku, the pressure is on. But if anyone can keep the bulls charging and the turbulence contained, it’s Mekies. After all, nothing pairs better with F1 chaos than a can of Red Bull and some popcorn.

Move Over LFA, The LFR Prototype Has Entered The Chat

Hold onto your track-day goggles—Lexus just dropped a camouflaged bombshell at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The long-teased LFR prototype, likely the street-legal sibling of the GT3 race car, made its hill-climb debut alongside the aggressive track-only version  . Both versions were draped in spy-ready camouflage, but the race car stood out with its gigantic wing, lighter windows, side-exit exhausts, and a bold “upright wiper” look that said, “I mean business.” The pair also filled Goodwood with glorious V‑8 growls—fueling rumors of a turbo-hybrid powertrain that promises to blow past the LFA’s 553 hp—and let’s just say, it sounded absolutely heavenly.

This LFR isn’t just flash for the festival—it’s been spotted at Fuji, Spa, Nürburgring, and even benchmarking runs up Pikes Peak against an AMG GT mule  . While it won’t replace the legendary V‑10 LFA, it’s shaping up to be an exotic RC F heir, packing a twin-turbo V‑8 and a hybrid assist. Lexus is keeping tight-lipped on final specs, pricing, or even the official name (though “LFR” seems likely), but insiders hint it’ll land above six figures—possibly rivaling the AMG GT stealth fighter in both looks and grunt  . Expect more unveilings later this year, with the race-ready GR GT3 hitting European circuits in 2026 and a street-ready Lexus variant not far behind. Punters and petrolheads, fresh popcorn recommended.

Lambo’s New GT3 Is Built To Bully The Track

Lamborghini has unleashed its first-ever in-house-developed GT3 race car, the Temerario GT3, and it’s a wild, track-ready transformation of the upcoming hybrid-powered Temerario road car. Ditching the plug-in bits (because GT3 rules say “no thanks”), Lamborghini stuffed the racer with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that churns out around 550 horsepower, thanks to Balance of Performance (BoP) tuning. The setup still shares its bones with the 800-hp street version, but it’s now optimized with a flat-plane crank and smaller turbos for sharper, higher-revving action. This isn’t just a faster bull—it’s a surgically tuned beast meant for real-deal competition.

But the magic goes way beyond the engine. Lamborghini engineered the Temerario GT3 for pure speed and quick repairs, using removable carbon fiber body panels, a modular front/rear structure, and six-way adjustable KW dampers to make tuning and pit stops as slick as the car itself. Even the cockpit is race-optimized, with a more ergonomic wheel, better visibility, and user-friendly switches. This machine was built for customer racing teams, not factory domination—so expect to see it roar into action at the 2026 12 Hours of Sebring and then spread its wings across global GT3 circuits. Lamborghini’s message? They’re not just playing in GT3—they’re here to run it.

671 HP Of British Fury: Meet The New Vantage S

Aston Martin has turbo-boosted its iconic Vantage into the 2026 Vantage S, delivering a sleek package of raw power and sharper handling for the discerning enthusiast. The twin-turbo 4.0 L AMG‑sourced V‑8 now cranks out a hefty 671 hp (up from 656), maintains 590 lb‑ft of torque, and scorches 0–60 mph in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 202 mph  . Enhanced with an electronic limited-slip diff, updated throttle mappings, and launch control, this S-share feels fierce and responsive underfoot ().

Beyond brute force, Aston has rejigged the chassis into a more razor‑sharp tool. Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers, firmer powertrain mounts, and a subframe rigidly wearing a solid mount setup sharpen front-end feel and agility  . Aerodynamic enhancements include functional carbon-fiber hood blades, a wide rear spoiler producing 97 lb of downforce at top speed (contributing to 245 lb total), and fresh front venturi design  . Inside, driver-focused Alcantara, carbon trim, bespoke “S” stitching, and knurled mode selector dials further underline this Vantage’s blend of everyday polish and track-honed precision  . Order books are open now for coupe or roadster, with deliveries expected in Q4 2025.

Blacked and Loaded: The 2026 Porsche Taycan Black Edition Has Arrived

Porsche just dropped its newest Black Edition—now available on the Taycan, Taycan 4, and Taycan 4S—with all the stealthy flair and zero extra charge on certain darker paints (think Volcano Grey, Ice Grey, or Jet Black Metallic). The eye-catching dark gloss trim extends from the SportDesign exterior to the mirrors, badges, LED rear strip, and even mini Porsche-logo puddle lights—like a rolling eclipse on wheels. Under that sleek cloak, Porsche bundles in the Performance Battery Plus as standard, jumping the usable capacity to a hefty 105 kWh for boosted range and stronger punch.

Inside and out, the Black Edition packs premium gear usually reserved for high rollers: 21″ wheels with color crest caps, HD‑Matrix LEDs, 14‑way comfort seats with Porsche crests, Bose Surround Sound with Dolby Atmos, Electric Sport Sound simulating engine noise, advanced driver‑assist tech, and illuminated door sill badges emblazoned “Black Edition”. With orders opening now in the U.S. and deliveries expected in Fall 2025, this package is the perfect one-click flex—no piecing options together—or an entry into Porsche’s Paint‑to‑Sample customization world if you want to go deeper.