Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

We're on track in an out-of-this-world supercar, the McLaren 750S... Then, we'll smooth out our know-how on the right sanding tools and tactics... Stephanie Hart heads to a really down-sized car collection, followed by a road test outing in the Honda Odyssey!

So, come drive with us, next!

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whether it's... JOHN: If you were saving up your money to purchase a McLaren 720S, bad news, McLaren doesn't make it anymore.

Good news, it's been replaced by this 750S.

Even better news, we've come to wide-open Roebling Road Raceway to find out if a higher number really means higher performance!

♪ ♪ Admittedly, we're not mathematicians around here, but we do know that when a brand like McLaren replaces a car called the 720S with one called the 750S, it usually adds up to more performance.

So, get out your calculators, time to crunch some numbers in this 2025 McLaren 750S Spider.

(car whooshing by) 710 + 30 = 740... That's the amount of increase and total horsepower that now emits from this midship mounted 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8.

It comes to life with authority and heats up its entire surroundings quickly.

Torque output is 590 pound-feet Seven: the number of gears in McLaren's Seamless Shift dual-clutch transmission.

Engine and transmission working through three powertrain modes; Comfort, Sport, and Track with unique themes for the column-mounted digital gauge display.

That lies behind a great-feeling carbon-fiber steering wheel that is gloriously free of control switchgear.

Twenty percent: is how much bigger the rear wing is, as McLaren still has some of the best active aero going, not just providing road-gripping downforce, but adjusting to reduce drag on straightaways, and it even adds stability under hard braking.

Sixty-six pounds... That's how much lighter the 750 is compared to the 720, but we had to turn this into a complex equation by getting the Spider version, whose power-folding roof assembly adds 108 pounds back.

It tucks away into its storage well in just 11 seconds, and the roof panel itself can optionally have an electrochromic treatment that can shift from opaque to transparent to control the level of outside light in the cabin.

The cabin itself is purposeful, but also way more comfortable than the usual supercar environment.

Materials are first rate, with much more than just the necessities here; including Bowers + Wilkins audio and a smoothly integrated portrait-style infotainment touchscreen.

Part of the 750S's weight loss plan includes new standard carbon-fiber racing seats.

But these "comfort seats" are a no cost option and felt superb on the street, and still locked us into a comfortably supportive position for track work.

One-tenths of a second: that's how much quicker the 750S gets to 60 according to McLaren.

But, unfortunately, we were not able to bang out any 2.7 second runs of our own as our track time at Roebling was cut short due to a rare Coastal Georgia snowstorm.

(car whooshing by) Something that numbers can't tell you is just how much fun it was on track before the white-stuff arrived.

Despite all the power coming out of that twin-turbo V8, which sounds phenomenal through the new high-mounted stainless steel exhaust system, it never overwhelms the tremendous balance of the chassis.

Gear changes are immediate, and the large steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters have a very precise feel.

McLaren claims that the 750S's suspension tuning is softer up front and firmer in the rear.

But just like the 720S, it feels light, powerful, and purposeful; with quick response to inputs, immediate power delivery, and a hyper willingness to turn into corners that takes some getting used to.

As did how far we could stretch those braking zones, the 750S urging us to dive deeper and deeper each lap.

Carbon ceramic rotors are standard, the red paint on these calipers, a bit extra.

The 750S is built on the same basic carbon monocoque structure as the 720S, but 30 percent of the parts attached are new.

The lightweight polished wheels and Belize Blue paint job on our test car definitely had us thinking surfside, and its 90s exotic aerodynamic shape just makes us want it even more.

(car whooshing by) Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 15 City, 19 Highway, and 17 Combined.

If your mental calculators aren't smoking yet, try punching in these numbers: $370,000, the 750S Spider's starting price, and then subtract $21,000 to get to the base price of the standard Coupe.

We could have just skipped all the math and simply agreed with McLaren's claim that the 2025 750S is the lightest and most powerful full- production McLaren to this point.

But, by actually breaking down the numbers, it's easy for us to clearly see how it all adds up to the best McLaren ever.

Class dismissed!

♪ ♪ We talk about all different types of cars here on MotorWeek, but have you ever heard of Dwarf cars?

They're small handbuilt replicas of some of America's most recognizable classic cars.

Intrigued, our Stephanie Hart sought out the Arizona creator for a sit down and stroll through the Dwarf Car Museum and his passion.

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: Quirky is one word I'd use to describe the Dwarf Car Museum here.

These dwarf cars are absolutely precious, they are so cute.

They are about half the size of a regular vehicle; and their all street legal, and some of them have even been driven across country.

The man behind this endeavor is 84-year-old Ernie Adams.

He's been creating iconic dwarf cars for over 60 years.

It's a labor of love for Ernie who had the idea at age 15.

ERNIE ADAMS: I saw an old refrigerator laying in the weeds.

It had the top towards me, it didn't have a door on it, and it had an old tire swing laying by it; and what I saw was a miniature touring car, so 10 years later I built that car out of refrigerators.

STEPHANIE: Turning his imagination into horsepower, Ernie went on to design and build several scaled down replicas of classic cars which are now on display at the Dwarf Car Museum in the historic town of Maricopa, Arizona, about 50 miles south of Phoenix.

ERNIE: They look just like the real car inside and out and that's the fun of building them.

I make everything.

I make the door handles, all the chrome pieces and stainless, the trim pieces.

STEPHANIE: And essentially, you're self-taught?

ERNIE: Yes, definitely.

STEPHANIE: That's amazing.

ERNIE: I have had the question asked: are you teaching anybody else what you do here?

But my answer to that is, I can't teach people what I do here because I don't know what I'm doing until I do it.

STEPHANIE: You're a real creative?

ERNIE: Yes, it just comes from here to reality.

STEPHANIE: It takes 3,000 hours over a period of 3 to 5 years to build one dwarf vintage car.

Under the hood?

Toyota Corolla motors from 1972 to 1984.

How do they feel on the road when you're driving them?

ERNIE: Oh, they feel good.

A lot of times they ask me how they ride and I say they ride just like, like a Corvette, you know; but then I put my foot on that '39 Chevy and show them that it rides like a baby buggy, actually.

STEPHANIE: And Ernie, this is your favorite in the collection?

ERNIE: Yes, this is my favorite because it doesn't have any putty on it, it's all raw.

You can see the actual metal work on here.

STEPHANIE: That remarkable natural talent, even translated into a race car design.

In the 80's, Ernie opened up his own shop where he created hundreds of dwarf race cars that were sold globally.

He quickly became a celebrity in his own right, dubbed Mister Dwarf Car.

Ernie, this is my favorite in your collection.

It is so cute, adorable.

ERNIE: Well, it's kind of a favorite of mine also.

That's why I named it sweet little Sheila, after my wife.

STEPHANIE: Aww, that's sweet.

The one-of-a-kind dwarf cars on display here attract about 150 spectators a day to this family-run museum, and most can't wait to chat with Ernie.

GINGER ADAMS: We're so happy he has not sold one of the cars.

For example, the '49 Mercury, he wasn't offered, he had to stop the man at $450,000... STEPHANIE: Whoa.

GINGER: ...for this particular car.

STEPHANIE: That is crazy.

GINGER: Yes.

STEPHANIE: Wow.

GINGER: With him saying no to selling his cars, we still have the full collection.

STEPHANIE: And all the memories that go along with them, like cross-country road trips that include getting pulled over by the police.

ERNIE: When they get done checking your license and insurance and everything, they say, "I guess I just wanted to see the car."

STEPHANIE: I bet, I bet.

That's funny.

ERNIE: That's happened twice.

STEPHANIE: Whether, Ernie knows it or not, his adorable dwarf cars redefined the automotive landscape leaving an unforgettable legacy in the rearview mirror.

(horn beeps) I love that sound.

(Ernie laughs) JOHN: Sanding may seem simple, but Dan Maffett is about to show us, to do it right, there's a lot more to it.

So, here's a smooth-down of sanding tips and tools on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ DAN MAFFETT: If you've ever been down the hardware aisle, or you're auto parts store and looked at the grinders and sanders, you know, there are a lot to choose from.

Now, each one of them have a very specific purpose.

If you combine them with the right kind of grit sandpaper or attachment, they can have multiple purposes.

We have a few of those selections here, which are the most common used in my shop.

On this end, we have random orbital sanders.

We like to use these for blocking a panel down very quickly or cleaning up paint after it's done, so with a pad like this you can add what they call an interface.

Makes it nice and soft, so you're not digging in to new paint.

You can use this to wet-sand orange peel like this and then buff it smooth.

Next to those, we have what we like to call die grinders.

Now, these are air-powered units that you can switch the heads in and out of.

Different types of grits, sizes, and even, polishing bits to polish metal in really tight spaces you can't get into with a traditional 7.0 or 8.0 inch head polisher.

These ones even have die grinding bits to chew out metal, hog out holes and panels for blinkers, side markers, or even vents.

Now, if you're going to strip a whole panel down to bare metal, this is the world you want to kind of live in.

They make regular right-angle grinders that you can get flap discs or even surfacing discs on it.

And these are high torque, very dangerous if you're not careful.

Then, something like this is really versatile, it's kind of a hog, but you have a giant drum sander on the top, that strips stuff down to bare metal very quickly.

That one also has various types of drums and bits that you can get on it, so you can even polish with this if you have the right accessories.

Now, if you're bodyworking a car and you need to sand down a full panel of filler or primer, or high build, these traditional sanding blocks are kind of the staple.

This is what everyone knows and loves, have them in various sizes, shapes for every kind of piece of trim.

Now, dust is a big factor with these.

So, when something this big is moving across the panel, you're going to gather a lot of dust.

So, if you're doing it yourself in your own garage, you're going to want something like this.

It's a traditional block with a mylar top, but you can hook it up to a shop vac, and it'll pull all that dust, 98 percent of the dust will come out with this, instead of on your shop floor.

Now that you've seen these in use, you have a better understanding of what they're capable of.

And you can make an educated decision for your project, and what sander you should use.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, hit us up right here, at MotorWeek .

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: While, the 2003 remake of "The Italian Job" featured customized MINI Coopers, if it were remade today, we think this Fiat 500e would make for an excellent all-electric stand-in.

It's small, zippy, and still just as fun to drive around town but short trips are slowly adding miles, with the odo not sitting just over 1500.

We are darting around town in the 500e because that's what it does best.

The short wheelbase has us turning on a dime and when it comes time to move expeditiously, the torque-y electric motor gets us where we need to be when we need to be there.

Granted, driving next to large SUVs can be a little nerve-wracking, but the cabin is surprisingly quiet so that helps minimize some of the anxiety.

Our long, cold winter was a good test for this little Fiat.

While, we missed the heated seats of our recent rose-gold Inspired by BEAUTY tester, this base RED model routinely saw 135 to 138 miles of range on a full charge, even with the heat blasting.

That fits with the EPA's 141 miles max with all season tires.

So far, we're very happy getting into the groove with our Fiat 500e; things with our Cadillac LYRIQ are also going smoothly... mostly.

Another two-grand on the odometer makes for a 12,500 mile total.

The only major issue thus far was needing to replace the traditional 12-volt battery; which, when dead, left us unable to move.

But a quick warranty swap got us back on the road quickly.

Everything else is solid, music to our ears.

Though, we'll need to split up our drive time with a newcomer to the fleet, this Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which we'll officially greet in the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test update!

JOHN: From a revive to redesign were always ready for another QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Van life is more than a fad for a lot of folks; it's a way to make a living.

Well, Ford is giving those vocational types looking to plug-in more options with the 2025 E-Transit.

New for '25 are three Trade Packages: The Electrician Pack, with extra drawers and wiring reels; the HVAC Pack, providing larger storage options and restraints for refrigerant; and a more generalized Foldable Shelving Pack, making around-town delivering more organized.

Not fitting any of those professions, our callous-free hands gripped the wheel of an E-Transit with truly cavernous storage, not even the optional bulkhead.

The wide side and rear doors make loading cargo a breeze; though we imagine it'd be best suited for local deliveries.

And Ford does, too, claiming between 159 and 143 miles of range, roof style dependent, sourced from an Enhanced Range 89 kilowatt hour battery.

And if you do stick to around town, its rear-drive 266 horsepower motor should be plenty.

The E-Transit is unsurprisingly pretty quiet on the road and around town driving is truly where it shines because the electric powertrain makes acceleration and deceleration so smooth, and seamless plus, you get this nice little bit of regen braking at low speeds.

It's not one pedal driving but it's a nice little addition.

Plus, even if you do have to get onto the highway, you have 317 pound-feet of torque that makes merging very easy.

The 2025 Ford E-Transit is available now, with Cargo Van models starting just over $50,000 before any incentives, and just shy of that for the gas-powered Transit.

And we'll have more QuickSpins soon!

JOHN: Back in the day, before the dawn of the SUV era, the station wagon evolved into the minivan as the ultimate family vehicle.

And there are still plenty of people living in the van ages, with good reason.

Not only do they pack more features than ever, but many have even become quite premium in nature.

Which brings us to this latest Honda Odyssey.

♪ ♪ The Honda Odyssey has been on a people-pleasing crusade to make family life as easy as possible for Americans since 1995, and today exists as a true feature-packed oasis of space and flexibility in the desert of look-a-like SUVs.

For 2025, this 5th generation Odyssey, which has been on the streets since 2018, gets a host of updates to keep it at the top of the segment.

Upgraded style is part of the plan.

Up front, there's a new grille with a chunkier crossbar, along with a slightly different shape to make room for larger headlight lenses.

The rear fascia gets its own reshaping; reflectors on the ends move from horizontal to vertical, and there is now a diffuser- style cutout in the bumper.

All trims get new wheels ranging from 18 to 19 inches.

Everything done to accentuate the Odyssey's width and to portray a more premium vibe.

Tech upgrades include a new 7.0 inch instrument cluster that brings back the look of actual gauges instead of just having a digital speed display.

A high-mounted 9.0 inch touchscreen is now standard for infotainment and works with faster processing speeds.

The optional Rear Entertainment System gets a big upgrade with a larger 12.8 inch high-res screen, along with improved functionality and connectivity.

Technically, there's more standard content here than before, but in reality, it's because they've removed the base EX from the lineup, this comes after removing the base LX 2-years ago.

So, clearly Odyssey buyers are looking for lots of content, and that's what they'll find in Elite which remains the top option.

It comes with two-tone ventilated leather seats, heated steering wheel, premium audio, and hands-free liftgate.

Unlike many family vehicles, Honda doesn't make you choose between three-place bench or two captain's chairs, it gives you both with a bench that has a removable center section.

There's a great 32.8 cubic-feet of space behind the 3rd row, and 86.6 cubic-feet after easily stowing them in the floor.

Max capacity with the 2nd row seats removed is 140.7 cubic-feet.

Same VTEC single overhead cam version of Honda's 3.5 liter V6 engine under the hood, with the same 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque that's it's been rocking out since 2018.

It gave us plenty to work with at our Mason Dixon test track, feeling fine off the line with a 7.2 second 0-60 trip.

Power delivery stayed consistent down the track; no real peaks or valleys, just a steady flow only briefly interrupted by quick gear changes in the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Overall, just a smooth and steady quarter-mile experience that lasted 15.6 seconds, ending at 92 miles per hour.

Throughout the many comings and goings of vehicles in the minivan segment over the years, the Odyssey has remained one of the most entertaining to drive, providing lots of feedback, and responding quickly to steering inputs.

But, the suspension is obviously tuned more for long distance comfort, so body roll and understeer will both eventually show up if you push too hard.

No problems when pushing the brake pedal hard, as the Odyssey consistently came to well-controlled stops of 115 feet from 60 miles per hour, with moderate nosedive.

For more important family vacation getaway maneuvers, the Odyssey remains a solid highway cruiser, with a quietness to it that rivals many luxury sedans, or just makes all that familia noise from the backseats seem all that much louder.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19 City, 28 Highway, and 22 Combined; we averaged a good 25 miles per gallon of Regular.

That's an average Energy Impact Score; with use of 13.5 Barrels of Oil Annually, with CO2 Emissions of 6.5 Tons.

With a base EX no longer in the mix, pricing now starts with EX-L at $43,670; top Elite goes for $52,630.

The Odyssey continues to dominate its segment.

One third of all minivan sales are credited to a Honda dealership.

We're doubtful that will change anytime soon, as the 2025 Honda Odyssey not only packs in more and more of the features that families are looking for, but looks better than ever.

It also remains one of the most engaging minivans to drive.

Now, that's a combination that's hard to beat.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you'll join us next time when we rocket off the line in the plug-in-punching BMW M5, followed by a royal SUV treatment in the Toyota Crown Signia.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over one million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

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