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 Jordan Aquistapace – September 15, 2023

Watch Hennessey Performance Unleash The C8 70th Anniversa...

Get a firsthand look at the Hennessey ‘H700’ Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray in action. Representing an entirely new era of American-made muscle cars, the C8 Corvette first shocked the automotive world with Chevrolet's transition to using a mid-engine configuration. Today, the C8 generation Corvette has quickly evolved into a legacy of its own, featuring special edition models like the 70th Anniversary Stingray and Z06. The speed demons at Hennessey Performance pride themselves on being a leader in aftermarket Corvette modifications, harnessing more horsepower thanks to one of their many upgrade packages. Here to showcase some of their best work, Hennessey Performance took out the supercharged C8 Corvette 70th Anniversary H700 on their test track for a full review of its capabilities. Equipped with commemorative badging to celebrate 70 years since Corvette's start in 1953, Hennessey Performance took a deep dive into the once naturally-aspirated 6.2L V8 engine to unlock its full potential. The H700 Package's most notable upgrade is a 2.65L supercharger that works in unison with airflow, cooling, and tuning components to achieve an astonishing 708 brake horsepower and 638 lb-ft of torque. The extra punch of power provided by Hennessey Performance delivers an extra 218 horsepower and 173 lb-ft of torque over factory output. Not only is its additional performance showcased on the straightaways, but also in the corners where the C8 Corvette's weight distribution proves to be a game-changer. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or someone who appreciates the thrill of the open road, these videos showcasing the Hennessey H700 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray are sure to impress. View all Hennessey Performance inventory currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Hennessey Performance Inventory Source: Hennessey Performance YouTube

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 13, 2023

MANSORY Unveils Modified Mercedes-AMG G 63 4x4 Squared

MANSORY gets its hands on the Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4², and the results are unsurprisingly spectacular. MANSORY is known for its ability to create radically customized vehicles, basing them off of cars that set the bar so high that it's difficult to add any further to their splendor. However, MANSORY is back with a new masterpiece, and it's a limited-edition spectacle known as the MANSORY Gronos 4x4. Limited to just 10 units, this powerhouse is based on the iconic Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4², a car that's already a titan in the world of luxury off-roaders. Let's talk numbers. The Gronos 4x4 isn't just for show; it packs a walloping 850 horsepower and 738 lb/ft of torque. Imagine zooming from 0 to 60 in less than 4.5 seconds, all while wrapped in a cocoon of opulence. The speed is electronically capped at 130 mph, but let's be honest, this machine is more about raw, unadulterated power than chasing top speeds. This isn't MANSORY's first rodeo with the G-Class. The Bavarian-based manufacturer has had a longstanding love affair with the Mercedes icon, producing various iterations of their Gronos line over the years. The latest offering, Gronos 4x4, takes that affinity to another level. One glance at its body styling and you know it means business. With aerodynamic add-ons like an ultra-light full carbon hood, visible carbon spare wheel cladding, and a bumper guard specifically designed for tough off-road use, this car screams luxury and performance in the same breath. It's the finer details that truly make the Gronos 4x4 stand out. Other features include LED auxiliary headlights mounted on the roof, visible carbon components like the turn signal bases and mirror housings, and door handle inlays adorned with MANSORY lettering. And if you're one of those who appreciate extreme customization, know that the Gronos 4x4 can also be armored upon special request. Now, let’s talk about the interiors, because what's a luxury vehicle if it doesn’t pamper you on the inside? The Gronos 4x4 allows for personalized leather, colors, and even quilting options. MANSORY goes the extra mile with meticulous craftsmanship like embroidered seat belts, sport aluminum pedals, and a unique center console in the rear that’s individually configurable. But wait, the party trick here is a start/stop button relocated into the headliner between the sun visors, complemented by hundreds of illuminated LEDs in the headliner and door panels to mimic a starry sky. Inside and out, any MANSORY vehicle is dedicated to over-the-top opulence and custom splendor. The Gronos 4x4 is an epitome of what happens when relentless engineering meets unrestrained luxury. It's a limited-edition marvel that redefines what a high-performance, luxury off-roader can be. If you're in the market for an exotic car that combines rugged capabilities with opulent features, the Gronos 4x4 needs to be on your radar. Trust us, it's a masterful expression of automotive excellence. View All Mercedes-Benz G-Classes For Sale Image Source: MANSORY