Acura

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

Honda Announces US Heritage Parts Program With Parts For First-Gen NSX

By Tyler Rampersaud – March 10, 2026

Honda Is Reproducing Parts For The First-Gen NSX

Between Honda and Acura, quite a few performance and sports cars have come from the two brands over the years that have made their mark on automotive history. The most noteworthy of them is the NSX. A supercar meant to tackle contemporary Ferraris, the Honda/Acura NSX was one of the first cars to feature VTEC, which was just one part of the painstaking engineering and design behind the car, which included the development input of late racing legend Ayrton Senna. Introduced in 1990, the NSX’s first generation and facelift would go on to be produced for a long 15 years until it was discontinued in 2005. The legendary supercar was revered and celebrated for that entire duration as a flagship that represented the pinnacle of performance for Honda and Acura, and many of its innovations became inspirations, not only for a second hybrid generation of the NSX, but also for future Honda and Acura performance models. That’s what makes the NSX the perfect subject for the new Honda Heritage Parts program, which is launching in the United States. Its inaugural offering is the reproduction and redevelopment of parts for the first-generation NSX, and those parts will be integral in preserving the incredible history and legacy of one of the most cherished models to come from the manufacturer. <- Gallery -> Honda Heritage Parts is one part of the greater Honda Heritage Works. Launching in Japan on April 1, the other arm of the program is Honda Restoration Service. Honda Heritage Parts will also provide two categories of parts: Honda Compatible Parts, which are newly redeveloped, and Genuine Honda Reproduction Parts, which are reproduced using the same methods and materials as the originals. Owners of the first-generation Acura NSX will be able to order Honda Heritage Parts for their car at US Acura dealerships starting this summer, and future Honda and Acura performance models are being considered to be part of the service. Image Source: Acura

A yellow all-electric SUV with black accents is parked indoors against a gray concrete wall, showcasing sleek lines and modern design features inspired by Monterey style and Acura RSX influences.

By Khris Bharath – August 14, 2025

Acura Revives RSX Nameplate with All-Electric SUV at Mont...

Earlier this week, we previewed two very special Acuras heading to Monterey Car Week. One was the return of Tony Stark’s one-off NSX Roadster, now set for a 2026 auction. The other was this, the Acura RSX Prototype EV, now making its global debut in California. The RSX follows Acura’s recent pattern of using Monterey to showcase its EV future. In 2022, the Japanese brand unveiled the Precision EV Concept. Last year, it showed the Electric Vision Design study and the ZDX concept, the latter becoming Acura’s first production EV on GM’s Ultium platform. Painted in a striking shade of Propulsion Yellow Pearl against a black roof, the RSX Prototype EV is a sharply styled preview of the production version of the RSX arriving in late 2026. This will be Acura’s first model engineered entirely in-house on Honda’s own new global EV platform. Production will begin at the brand’s new EV Hub in Marysville, Ohio, at the end of 2025, on the same line as the Integra. This flexible manufacturing setup will allow Honda to build ICE, hybrid, and EV models together. Acura says the RSX will mark its entry into the “Software Defined Vehicle” era with ASIMO OS, first shown at CES 2025. This proprietary system integrates automated driving, advanced driver assistance, infotainment, and other vehicle systems, while learning your driving habits and preferences. Over-the-air updates will add features over time. Performance hardware is confirmed: dual-motor all-wheel drive, sport-tuned double wishbone front suspension, and high-performance Brembo brakes are all standard, with Acura claiming a low center of gravity. However, the company has not yet released specific figures for horsepower, torque, range, or battery capacity, so exact performance numbers remain under wraps. The RSX also works as mobile energy storage, able to power appliances or provide home backup power. Styling draws heavily from the Acura Performance EV Concept, with a sleek coupe-like fastback roofline, retractable handles, and a ducktail-style spoiler. The separated-headlight design, slimmer DRLs, and functional lower fascia improve aerodynamics and cooling. A full-width taillight pays homage to the second-gen NSX, and the new “ACURA” font is stamped across the tailgate. Flared wheel arches house 21-inch multi-spoke wheels, framing bright red Brembo calipers. The RSX Prototype debuts at The Quail on Friday, August 15, at 10:36 a.m. PT, followed by an appearance on Pebble Beach’s Concept Lawn on Sunday, August 17. View All Acuras For Sale Source: Acura

By Khris Bharath – August 13, 2025

Tony Stark’s NSX Resurfaces for Monterey Car Week, Set fo...

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to Tony Stark’s Acura from The Avengers, one of several movie cars driven by Iron Man, you’re about to find out. Acura just confirmed that the one-off NSX Roadster will appear at The Quail on August 15 during Monterey Car Week. This will be its first public showing in more than a decade, timed with the 35th anniversary of the original NSX. The first-generation NSX, of course, which launched in 1990, was Honda’s answer to Europe’s best. Ayrton Senna, the then McLaren-Honda’s F1 world champion, was involved in its chassis development. Pushing for a stiffer structure and sharper suspension, the Brazilian legend’s influence turned the NSX into a balanced, precision tool that could run with Ferraris yet be driven daily. That same engineering DNA is still underneath this Roadster’s custom body. The movie car’s origin story begins in 2011. Marvel Studios, working with Acura under a licensing deal, needed a hero car for Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Acura’s then-creative director Dave Marek had just three months to deliver. He sourced a well-used 1991 NSX with more than 250,000 miles on the odometer. Trans FX in Oxnard, California, handled the transformation. The team stripped the body down to its chassis, then built a fiberglass frontend and foam rear section inspired by the second-generation NSX Concept shown at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The suspension was dropped two inches, 18-inch wheels were fitted, and the original interior was mostly intact, besides a painted panel in the center console to match the exterior and the aftermarket seats. The 3.0-liter, 270-horsepower V6 powertrain was also retained. But perhaps one of the most striking aspects about this car was its exterior paint. It wasn’t just any red. Marek’s team worked directly with Marvel to color-match the finish to Iron Man’s on-screen armor. The metallic tone was designed to pop under camera lighting, creating a visual link between Stark and his car without needing an explicit explanation in the film. It is worth noting that this new styling direction appeared years before the production second-gen NSX arrived in 2016, and long before Acura launched the ultimate version of the hybridized 627-horsepower NSX Type S in August 2022. This appearance at The Quail is more than just a nostalgia play because Acura will auction the car in 2026, with all proceeds going to charity. During Monterey Car Week, they’ll start taking names from serious bidders who want a shot at owning it. Besides the NSX Roadster, the display at The Quail will also include a curated lineup of significant NSX models. You’ll also get a chance to look at a 1995 NSX-R, the Japan-only lightweight track special, and a 1999 Zanardi Edition, one of just 51 built for the U.S. market. Acura will also show the all-new RSX Prototype EV that we touched upon earlier this week, an electric performance SUV previewing the brand’s future. It’s rare to find a Hollywood car that still drives, still wears its movie plate (“Stark 33”), and still looks exactly as it did on screen. Given the NSX’s growing collectibility, this sale should attract both film memorabilia hunters and serious car collectors. The original NSX has already seen its market value surge, and this one adds cinematic provenance into the mix. So if you’re at The Quail, you’ll get a chance to look at something that blends pop culture, motorsport DNA, and design history, all in one very red package. View All Acura NSX For Sale Source: Acura

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