Aftermarket

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

By Andrew Nabors – March 12, 2020

BRABUS Wins Best Tuner by Auto Motor und Sport

Germany has no lack of aftermarket companies, so it might seem hard to choose the leader of the pack. However, one brand stands far ahead of the others. Not simply in satisfied customers, but also as an OEM supplier for automotive, boating, and other projects we aren't allowed to tell you. That is why BRABUS has won Best Tuner by Auto Motor und Sport. BRABUS: Behind the Scenes As Germany's most popular motoring magazine, they polled 102,974 readers who responded with 48.3%. This far outshined the myriad of other potential winners, and it is the 14th time they have won this award. We were lucky to see their operations behind the scenes last year, so we applaud our friend Constantin Buschmann and his dedicated staff for this prestigious award. Browse All Brabus For Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – May 14, 2018

BRABUS Builds A Mean Mercedes X-Class Truck

If you have been abroad recently, you might have seen the latest pickup from Mercedes-Benz. The X Class is a nimble & efficient truck, but since it is built for a world market the styling leaves room for improvement. Starting where the rubber meets the road, new 20" wheels are a forged one-piece design. They arrive wrapped in 285/45 tires for increased traction and lighter weight.For the oil-burning enthusiasts, the diesel X250d, the BRABUS PowerXtra upgrade. It offers 21 more horsepower and 42 additional lb-ft of torque. In the styling department, they really beefed up the looks all around. From a new front bumper with LED fog lights to roof module with integrated LED driving lights, you will have a clear view of the road ahead. The rear view is improved by a quad-tip sports exhaust that doesn't interfere with the receiver hitch. Click the link below to see what Brabus can do to your G Class and stay with us for all your Brabus updates.Browse Brabus G Wagens For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 04, 2018

Go Anywhere in the BRABUS 550 ADVENTURE 4x4²

Bodo Buschmann, the founder of BRABUS has just recently passed away. He started BRABUS in a small garage with the goal of transforming production cars and trucks into powerhouses. Nothing was too sacred to leave in stock form, not even the rarest Mercedes-AMG models. In keeping with his love for power and performance, the 550 Adventure 4x4² is ready for any situation. As one of the final builds he was able to oversee, no expense was spared in design or execution. Starting with the already potent G550 4x4², the transformation begins with forged 18" one-piece wheels. Thanks to careful engineering, each wheel only weighs 33.9 lbs, with the combined wheel/tire package saving 33 lbs at each corner. These are wrapped in 37"x12.50" rubber, and you can choose between street-friendly or mud-slinging tread patterns. The real secret sauce is in the suspension. Mercedes-AMG shocked the world by using portal axles under the G Wagen. Sure they have decent shocks, but you have to climb under to make adjustments. This is where the BRABUS Touchpad Controller comes in. The BRABUS suspension is not only adjustable from inside, you can control front and rear axles independently. This is something never offered in production or in the aftermarket, and it is just one of the ways BRABUS stays at the cutting edge. The controller also integrates auxiliary lighting.Two carbon fiber fairings on the front house several high output LEDs, and the rear corners of the roof have power-adjustable searchlights. Headlights and taillights are protected by welded wire mesh, and every piece of chrome has been backed out. An instant blackout is proved by one button that kills all interior and exterior lights. Snorkels of carbon fiber rise along the A-pillars, increasing the water fording depth to new levels. Of course, all of these upgrades would be worthless without more power, so the stock turbos had to go. In their place are bigger units with more robust bearings. The BRABUS 550 Adventure 4x4² arrives with 128 additional horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque. A total of 543 hp and 590 lb-ft will be at your command, with full torque between 2,500 and 4,750 rpm. You will be at 62 mph in 6.7 seconds, not bad for a 3-ton body-on-frame SUV. Everything is backed by the BRABUS 3 year/62,000 mile warranty and the components are also available separately. We think Mr. Buschmann would be proud of his son Constantin and all of his employees who build the best upgrades in the aftermarket. Click the link below for more details and stay with us for all your BRABUS updates.

By Andrew Nabors – April 30, 2018

Range Rover 6x6 Arriving Later This Year

If you own a Superyacht, why would you have a normal Tender? You need something to run errands and haul provisions back to the dock, so a 6WD Land Rover is the perfect runabout. The German Naval Architects at T. Fotiadis Design spend most of their time building ships for the wealthy.Range Rover Velar is the World's Most Beautiful Car Their creations and style is forward thinking to say the least, so they decided to turn their talents to Range Rover's Autobiography. Starting with the long wheelbase model, the rear bodywork was clipped and extended to become an enclosed cargo area. It kinda resembles what Land Rover would build to compete with the Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6.Under the hood will be the same supercharged V8 found across the Jaguar/Land Rover SVR series. Images were uploaded to their Facebook page, and the concept has been dubbed the SLT or Superyacht Land Tender. It will be formally unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show later this year, so stay with us for all the updates. Tell us if you think they went too far, or not far enough in the comments below!Browse Range Rover For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 18, 2018

AC Schnitzer Unveils BMW X3 Upgrades

In the Appalachian foothills of South Carolina, BMW USA is building the third generation of their X3. This popular crossover has been a runaway success, being exported from the US to dealers around the world. Sure, the aftermarket for the X3 is popular, but if you want more power instead of the usual cosmetics, AC Schnitzer has a comprehensive group of upgrades for the new G01 chassis X3.A popular version around the world is the X3 diesel, and they have intake an exhaust upgrades for a crowd that is normally overlooked. Gas-powered models are treated to performance upgrades along with a slew of appearance parts. Forged lightweight wheels are offered in 19" to 21", even with the lowering spring kit. Visual upgrades include rocker panels, exhaust, and new fascias front and rear. Of course, you will need a new BMW X3 to begin with, so click the link below to find yours. Stay with us for more great hardware from AC SchnitzerBrowse BMW X3 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 28, 2018

BRABUS Unveils The 2018 E700

If you demand the best out of everything in life, BRABUS has something you will enjoy. Their latest E700 is the first 2018 example in the US. Sparing no expense, it started life as a Mercedes-AMG E63 S Edition 1.Wasting no time, they upgraded almost every piece of trim. The iconic B logo can be found on the illuminated grille badge, leather floor mats, and even in a 3D form on the Distronic shield. Their stainless steel dual-mode exhaust outflows the factory system, to handle more boost. The turbos and wastegates are upgraded to make 700 horsepower, and the transmission is recalibrated for more aggressive shifting.List Your Exotic Car For SaleA full carbon fiber kit consists of front and rear spoilers, a rear diffuser, rocker panels and more. The monoblock forged wheels look great with the optional 0.6" lowering kit. As with all BRABUS cars, it is 50-state legal and backed by a warranty. Click the link below for all the details.Buy One Now

By Andrew Nabors – March 21, 2018

600 HP Lincoln Navigator By Hennessey Performance

No matter where your allegiances lie, you can't deny the appeal of Lincoln's new Navigator. Using lessons learned in the F150 trucks, the Navigator is almost completely aluminum. Under the hood is the familiar 3.5 liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6.You Can Now Order the Hennessey VelociRaptor 6×6 (w/ Price)This engine is no stranger to John Hennessey and his team. They dream of boost every night, so when the Navigator arrived it was time to dispense with the stock intake and exhaust. Using the same secret sauce that powers the VelociRaptor 600 in the video below, a giant intercooler and dual 3" exhaust allow the stock turbos to reach their full potential.Two big blow-off valves allow for quick changes in boost, and the wastegate control is matched to the increased exhaust flow.The result is a full-size family hauler that will reach 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and run a 12.9 quarter-mile at 107 mph. This is faster than most cars at your local drag night. How sad it must feel to be beaten by a V6 SUV! Just like all other builds from Hennessey Performance Engineering, the HPE 600 Navigator comes with a 3 year/36,000 warranty and each one is tuned on the dyno and on the street. Options include Brembo front brakes (recommended), 22" monoblock wheels and a 2" lowering kit. Click the link below for more information and stay with us for all your Hennessey news.View Details

By Andrew Nabors – February 26, 2018

SVE unveils 800 HP Yenko Silverado

Have you ever wondered what happens if you shove a supercar engine into a pickup truck? Some people just like trucks more than cars. The Chevrolet Silverado and its twin GMC Sierra have always shared the same basic engine designs as their car lineups, but the performance managers have never wanted to allow it to compete with the more profitable cars. The closest that Silverado has been in the near future is the recent availability of the 6.2-liter LT1 engine found in the Escalade and base model versions of the Corvette and Camaro. The engine has proven itself to handle mad levels of boost and power, so SVE uses it as its base for the Yenko 800 and Yenko 1000 Camaros. SVE Unveils 800 Horsepower Yenko Camaro After a complete teardown, it is bored and stroked to 6.8 liters (414 cubic inches) and filled with forged internals. Ported LT4 heads and a giant supercharger allow the Yenko Silverado to offer 800 horsepower. If you need torque to tow your toys, 750 lb-ft will scare you at almost any rpm. Up Close & Personal With SVE's Yenko Stage II 1,000 HP Camaro Click the link below for more info and stay with us for all your SVE updates. View SVE's Website

By Andrew Nabors – February 14, 2018

Hennessey Tests 2018 Dodge Demon On The 1/4 Mile

It took countless hours of tuning and testing to transform the Camaro ZL1 into the Exorcist, and now it has a playmate. Hennessey Performance has received their first Dodge Demon, and now it is time to see what it's capable of. Using their chassis dyno and the adjacent Lonestar motorsports park, they have given us an idea of the car's potential. It arrived with only 50 miles on the odometer, so without wasting time John suited up and brought the tires up to temperature.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=fVHgPoGJ4XgOne of the best features of the Demon is the trans-brake. Inside the transmission, first and reverse are engaged and they cancel each other out. When you are ready to go, hit the button for an instant launch. You shouldn't be so hard on a new car, so the feature is only unlocked after 500 miles. That is a non-issue for John, being a veteran drag racer. Foot-braking is a class for mostly stock cars without fancy launch control systems. Your left foot holds the brake while the right is used to turn up the volume on the big V8. Going this fast off the showroom floor is simply evil. Even the most potent muscle cars of the 60's would be several seconds slower. The secret is in the screaming supercharger, which allows it to make 840 horsepower on race fuel. On Shell 93 it is limited to 808 hp, so they strapped it down to the dyno to confirm it.First Retail 2018 Hennessey Performance VelociRaptor 600To see how quickly it can put that power to the ground, he then took the Demon to a closed course for a top speed run. You can't deny this car is lethal, so check out how fast it reaches max speed.Demon owners are having to wait for their crates to arrive, so once John's arrives at the shop, you will see an 840 hp run on this mean machine.Learn More

By Andrew Nabors – September 19, 2017

Hennessey HPE1000 Jeep Trackhawk Gets Over 1,000 Horsepower

Everyone thought the Dodge Hellcat was a limited series of high-performance cars. What started as an engine option for the Challenger and Charger has spawned the Demon and the new Jeep Trackhawk. By combining Hellcat power with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, it will make for a fun daily driver.Hennessey Mustang GT350R ScreamsJohn Hennessey and his team are well acquainted with the monster under its hood. The supercharged V8 is essentially the same as in the Hellcat and also the basis for the HPE upgrade packages. Taking the same approach as those incredible cars, the Jeep Trackhawk HPE1000 makes 1,012 horsepower at the crankshaft. Torque is a beastly 969 lb-ft at 4,200 rpm. It is made possible by a 4.5 liter supercharger and a host of upgrades to support it. Boost is limited to 14 lbs to save the transmission and axles. Stainless exhaust and a cold air intake allow quarter-mile times around 10.5 seconds at 133 mph. If your Jeep needs to reach 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, HPE is your ticket for a wild ride. A video is coming soon, but until then check out this throwback to the twin-turbo SRT8:

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