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 – April 27, 2021

Say Hello To The Hennessey Mammoth 1000 SUV

Incredible power with seating for 7 Family haulers keep getting bigger, yet relying on the same engines launched a decade ago. While Ford is hooked on their EcoBoost V6, and Cadillac continues running detuned Corvette engines, John Hennessey and his team have built the first Hennessey Mammoth 1000 SUV. This elegant machine combines the best aspects of the Durango Hellcat and the Ram TRX. Because Hennessey has over a decade in building late-model Hemi power, you will have 1,012 horsepower and 969 lb-ft of torque. Due to the extensive engine revisions and the need to build a chassis capable of the power, only 20 examples will be offered. Each will arrive with the ability to reach 60 mph in 3.2 seconds with an all-inclusive price of $375,000. Mr. Hennessey said: “I have a big family with five kids and have always enjoyed owing big, powerful SUV’s. In 2012 we converted the first-generation Ford Raptor into our VelociRaptor SUV – I still own one today and love it. Now, we are excited to offer something very similar, but with a lot more horsepower, using the new Ram TRX truck as our base vehicle. Creating this king of SUVs offers our customers the ultimate combination of space, power and exclusivity.” Learn More

By Andrew Nabors – April 22, 2021

Hennessey Unleashes Helephant HEMI Swap Madness

If it fits, it rips! Like all great MOPAR commercials, imagine your HEMI doing what it does best. Hennessey Performance has the ability to summon the Hellephant. It is a beastly 426 Race Hemi that needs a car or truck that can handle brutal power...And it sure would look great in John Hennessey's Mammoth 900! Just because it shares a few parts with the Demon and the Hellcat Redeye doesn't mean you can drop it in your car. The forged bottom end has a 4" bore and a stroke of 4.125". Topped by a massive supercharger, it makes 1,000 horsepower at almost all rpm. That means you will need a transmission, axles, wheels, tires, and underwear to handle 1,000 horsepower. That's why we're not surprised that John Hennessey and his team are going to cage the Hellephant. What will this do to his Ram TRX? Stay tuned! Learn More

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody

By Andrew Nabors – November 09, 2018

Hennessey Announces 1200 HP Hellcat Redeye

Our friends at Hennessey Performance are easily able to get a "normal" Dodge SRT Challenger Hellcat to 1,000 horsepower. So they have been patiently waiting for the final details of the 2019 Hellcat Redeye. Dodge's SRT division is making use of the Demon's engine, but without the ability to run race fuel. The same triple intake uses the hood and both inboard lights to allow the supercharger to breathe. Now that the color options have been released, Hennessey has announced the immediate availability of their HPE1000 specs. The HPE1200 is coming soon, and it will join the Jeep Trackhawk HPE1200 along with the Charger HPE1000. Your color options for the Redeye will be: Go Mango Orange, Destroyer Grey, White Knuckle, F8 Green, B5 Blue, Pitch Black, Yellow Jacket, Octane Red, TorRed, and of course, Plum Crazy Purple. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7OAREg0wE/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1g6jna0l56ymv Once they arrive at Hennessey Headquarters, the skilled technicians will treat the 6.2-liter to a massive 4.5-liter WhippleCharger. A full stainless exhaust includes headers and high-flow cats along with a warranty! Tell us which color you like in the comments below, and stay with us for all your Hennessey updates. Related: Hennessey Unleashes The V8 Velociraptor Hennessey Trackhawk: World's Fastest SUV Hennessey Venom F5: 1,600 Horsepower

By Andrew Nabors – July 31, 2018

Hennessey HPE1000 Dodge Demon Unleashed

If you have ever wanted to harness 1,000 horsepower, Hennesey Performance can make it happen. The Dodge SRT Challenger Demon is capable of 840 horsepower on race fuel, thanks to a 2.7L supercharger. When it comes to blowers, bigger is always better. That is why the team at HPE worked with Whipple to build the ultimate 4.5L belt-driven intake manifold.2018 Dodge Demon Specs, Photos, Price, & ReviewThe HPE 1000 is actually the lower kit offered for the Demon. If you need more, the HPE1200 will offer 8 second quarter mile times given the right conditions. Using the conservative 1000 horsepower package, John Hennesey cut a 9.14 @ 152 mph. In a car that can sit in traffic with the A/C on all day. Strapped to a dyno, it offers 880 horsepower and 806 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.The package includes a new fuel system, stainless steel exhaust, 200 miles of road testing and a 1 year/12,000 mile warranty. A high-bypass boost control valve allows power to come on in a linear fashion. This saves your transmission and axles from overloading at launch. To see it in action, they uploaded this video to YouTube last night. Click the link below to learn more and stay with us for all your Hennessey updates.Hennessey Performance Challenger Upgrades

By Andrew Nabors – May 10, 2018

Hennessey Sets New Dodge Demon Record Quarter-Mile Time

It was only a week ago that John Hennessey ran a blistering quarter-mile in his 2018 Dodge Demon. In stock form, Dodge says the Demon is capable of running the 1,320' in 9.65 seconds. If you consider this slow, Hennessey will donate your stock 2.7-liter supercharger to charity, and install their monster 4.5-liter blower. It allowed their HPE1000 Demon to reach the top end in only 9.38 seconds at 146 mph. If this makes you sad because you are barely into the 11-second range, I feel your pain. The team at Hennessey Performance is never satisfied, so yesterday they uploaded new footage from their test & tune sessions.The quest for an 8-second time slip is a worthwhile effort, although it is more expensive than many bad habits. Chipping their way through the 9's, this blistering pass will show you just how capable the HPE1000 truly is. A quick look at the 60-foot time shows tire shake at launch. You have to remember that this car has independent rear suspension, so traction is the issue. Even so, this is incredibly impressive, so congratulations gentlemen, you've earned it. Click the link below to learn more about Hennessey upgrades for your car and tell us what you think of this run in the comments below.Check Out the Dodge Demon Prices & Specs Learn More

By Edward Jones – February 10, 2017

Hellcat vs Hennessey ZL1 Camaro Part 2

The first time Hennessey Performance pitted the Dodge Challenger Hellcat against Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (watch it here), the Hellcat ended up taking the win. Now, the ZL1 is back, but now with a Hennessey HPE750 upgrade package.(Camaro ZL1 vs Challenger Hellcat)In this new race, both cars are equipped with 6-speed manual transmissions and roll race from 2nd gear through 4th gear. While the Hellcat has the legendary stock 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque on tap, the Hennessey ZL1 is rated at 661 hp and 695 lb-ft of torque. Hennessey did this through a long list of upgrades. Click play on the video below to see who wins this time.Sports Cars For Sale

Aftermarket

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe