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

Hennessey Unveils New Supercharged “Goliath 700” Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

By Tyler Rampersaud – March 17, 2026

Hennessey Unveils New Goliath 700 Silverado

The Chevrolet Silverado is one of the most popular and celebrated full-size pickup trucks on the American automotive market, and it’s just the type of vehicle that Hennessey is known for transforming. Building a reputation for performance expertise over decades, Hennessey is known for record-breaking hypercars as well as its customizations of American icons. The latest based on the Chevrolet Silverado is the new Hennessey Goliath 700, which adds massive amounts of power to the truck’s 6.2-liter V8 engine thanks to supercharging and other upgrades. The highlight of the custom truck is its twin-screw supercharger, which uses air-to-water intercooling and Hennessey engine management calibration to increase the power of the 6.2-liter V8 by 66 percent, going from 420 horsepower to a massive 700. The torque goes from 460 to 611 lb/ft. However, other upgrades are present in the new Hennessey Goliath 700, including a BDS suspension upgrade and Multimatic DSSV shocks, and Hennessey design touches in carbon fiber, as well as badging, add a distinctive look that sets the truck apart. With a 4.2-second 0-60 time, the Goliath 700 accelerates faster than the stock Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 by 1.4 seconds, and customers can purchase the upgraded truck via Hennessey-authorized Chevrolet dealers at an MSRP of $139,950. With a limited production run of just 100 examples, the new Hennessey Goliath 700 Silverado ZR2 also enjoys a 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. Continuing to do what it does best, Hennessey Performance has emerged with yet another incredible high-performance truck. View All Chevrolet Silverado For Sale <- Gallery -> Image Source: Hennessey

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 12, 2023

Hennessey Unveils New GOLIATH 650 Supercharger Upgrade Fo...

Hennessey continues to transform pickups into performance machines. Known for its performance engineering prowess and its hypercar repertoire, Hennessey is adamant to prove that everything is bigger in Texas, especially horsepower numbers. Known for imbuing muscle cars and pickups alike with powerful upgrades, Hennessey recently announced its newest performance creation: the GOLIATH 650 upgrade, which is available for General Motors’ 6.2-liter V8-powered pickup trucks. Both the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado can receive this incredible upgrade, which introduces a supercharger to the 6.2-liter V8, bringing power from 420 to 650 horsepower. That 230-horsepower upgrade represents a 55 percent increase in power, with an accompanying 43 percent increase in torque, going from 460 lb/ft to 658 lb/ft. In addition to a 3.0-liter supercharger, Hennessey’s GOLIATH 650 package also includes upgrades throughout the powertrain, software enhancement, and an upgraded exhaust for an incredible supercharged V8 sound. Available for the GMC Sierra AT4 is a “GOLIATH Off-Road” package, adding off-road-ready lights and enhancements throughout, as well. With immense power and presence, Hennessey’s new supercharger upgrade for GM’s V8-powered pickups is just what makes Hennessey so special in the automotive world. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey Image Source: Hennessey Performance

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 10, 2023

Hennessey Shows Off Its 1,000HP Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing ...

Hennessey proves that supercar performance can come with four doors. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a truly special piece of engineering. It combines all the trappings of a bona fide luxury sedan with the pure American muscle and power of its beastly V8 engine, coming together to form an impressive piece of luxury performance automotive excellence. However, Hennessey Performance is known for taking what’s already excellent and bringing it up to an even greater level, and that’s what the Texas-based performance powerhouse did with the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with its H1000 upgrade. Why the number 1,000? That’s because Hennessey upgraded the CT5-V Blackwing to have a total of 1,000 horsepower. It does so with an upgraded camshaft, cylinder heads, an upgraded supercharger and more. With carbon fiber accents throughout and sport wheels from Hennessey, owners of the upgrade package can add an intimidating and sporty edge to the luxury sedan’s subtle and understated yet still athletic look. However, it’s on Hennessey’s Pennzoil Proving Grounds where the H1000 CT5-V Blackwing truly shines. On the straights, a loud V8 roar announces the Cadillac’s incredibly quick acceleration. With 1,000 horsepower, and a level of performance that matches and exceeds many of the world’s supercars, the H1000 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing from Hennessey is the ultimate American luxury performance sedan. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey

By Jordan Aquistapace – October 13, 2023

Watch John Hennessey's First Drive In His New C8 Corvette...

Keeping this one in his collection, the C8 Corvette Z06 is sure to be pushing some extra power soon. Always at the forefront of performance engineering, Hennessey Performance prides itself on being the first to upgrade modern Amercian muscle cars with horsepower-gaining packages. Often the first to receive some of the most desirable sports cars on the market, this is also the case for Chevrolet's all-new C8 generation Corvette Z06. Debuted as the first Corvette Z06 to feature its updated mid-engine configuration, it remains one of the most anticipated automotive releases of the year. Now that the Corvette's most powerful platform is in the hands of Hennessey Performance, Founder John Hennessey takes the Z06 out on the manufacturer's private test track in Sealy, Texas. John takes to the cockpit to share some initial opinions of his personal C8 Corvette Z06 (Z07 Track Pack) as he gets some heat in the tires with a warm-up lap. Alongside the excitement of taking delivery, John Hennessey explains that his team of passionate fuel-driven professionals has already developed a series of upgrade packages for the C8 generation Corvette (Non-Z06). The Z07 Performance Package for the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 includes aerodynamic upgrades, carbon-fiber elements, and Michelin Sport Cup 2 R ZP tires, elevating the sports car's track capabilities to a whole new level. A few straight-line sprints and launches prove to John that it's a true track star, as he even notes its resemblence to the Ferrari 458 Italia. With time and testing, it'll be no time before Hennessey Performance is arms deep in the C8 Corvette Z06's engine bay unlocking some extra horsepower. Hennessey Performance currently offers a range of supercharged and twin-turbocharged upgrade packages for the current naturally-aspirated C8 Corvette lineup. View all Hennessey Performance inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below.] View Hennessey Performance Inventory Source: Hennessey Performance YouTube

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 – April 25, 2023

Hennessey Reveals The 700-HP V8-Powered VelociRaptoR 6x6

Hennessey adds two wheels to Ford’s wildest performance truck.

HIGH hennessey supercharged H700 corvette c8 stingray 10

By Tyler Rampersaud – February 07, 2023

Watch Hennessey's New 708-HP C8 Corvette On Track & Dyno

Hennessey helps the C8 Corvette realize its supercar potential. Having finally delivered on the decades-long promise of a mid-engined Corvette, the C8 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette, at long last, takes the Corvette name to supercar levels, and opens the door for more performance potential than the Corvette has ever had before. With this being the case, it should come as no surprise that Hennessey couldn’t wait to get its hands on the all-American performance hero. Known for being one of the foremost experts in American performance, Hennessey has earned a reputation for taking cars that already have impressive performance and imbuing them with the extra dose of speed and power to transform them into unthinkably powerful machines, and that’s exactly what Hennessey did with the C8 Corvette. MUST READ: Watch Hennessey’s Dodge Durango Race A Lamborghini Aventador Based on the Corvette Stingray, Hennessey tunes the engine, and also adds an intercooled supercharging system, as well as a new exhaust. When all is said and done, the “H700” Corvette delivers 708 horsepower and 638 lb/ft of torque. This eclipses even the amazing Corvette Z06’s 670 horsepower and 460 lb/ft. The full upgrade package is available from Hennessey at a price of $49,950, and Hennessey’s confidence in the engineering and build quality of the package includes offering a 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty on the upgrade. For those with a seemingly insatiable need for speed, the H700 upgrade for the C8 Corvette from Hennessey may well be the answer. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey " width="680"> Source: Hennessey

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 20, 2022

The New 2023 Hennessey VelociRaptoR 1000 Upgrades The Rap...

This new performance truck is sure to cause quite the stiR. Raptor fans and car enthusiasts alike all over the world rejoiced when Ford announced the new Raptor R, a truck that for the first time in a long time, returns a V8 engine to the popular Raptor truck. The Ford Raptor R and its muscular “Predator” 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine are sure to deliver exciting performance on and off-road, but any car enthusiast knows that Hennessey Performance is very well known for taking automotive greats and making them simply incredible. MUST READ: Hennessey Shows Off An Incredible 3-Example, 1,200-HP MAMMOTH 6×6 RAM TRX Based in Texas, Hennessey is a place where everything is bigger, and that certainly goes for horsepower numbers, as Hennessey has announced for the first quarter of 2023 the new VelociRaptoR 1000, an upgrade package that takes the 700 horsepower engine, and promises an increase in output of over 40 percent. The upgrade will swap the 2.65-liter supercharger in the stock Raptor R and replace it with a 3.8-liter unit, pairing it with high-flow induction, an upgraded fuel system, and a new belt. While there’s no doubt that Hennessey has experience with this kind of performance, its experience with the Ford Mustang GT500, which shares architecture with the Predator V8 is quite extensive, as Hennessey has been able to upgrade the GT500 to achieve more than 1,200 horsepower. The brand’s confidence in its engineering and building ability is backed by a 2-year/24,000-mile warranty for the upgraded truck, as well. Complete with a host of exterior upgrades that give the truck an even more menacing look and better off-road capabilities, the new Hennessey VelociRaptoR 1000 is certainly a truck to take seriously. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey Source: Hennessey

Hennessey Mammoth 1000 6x6 TRX 002 2048x1365 1

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 06, 2022

Hennessey Shows Off An Incredible 3-Example, 1,200-HP MAM...

Hennessey’s ultimate truck proves that more is more. Hennessey’s MAMMOTH 1000-upgraded RAM TRX truck takes a vehicle that is already powerful and capable in various terrains and makes it a true performance masterpiece. However, Hennessey's creations are only ever over the top, and the Texas-based performance powerhouse simply had to test the limits of the TRX, especially in a place where everything is bigger. That’s where the limited-edition 6x6 version of the MAMMOTH 1000 comes in, but now, it goes yet further, with a rare new MAMMOTH 6x6 TRX with an incredible 1,200 horsepower. MUST READ: LOKI Expedition Debuts Its Bigger, Bolder, And Strikingly Capable Falcon X-Series With an unthinkable amount of power getting sent to six immense wheels on an incredibly long and tall truck, the new 1,200-horsepower Hennessey MAMMOTH 6x6, endowed with the Hellephant engine, is undoubtedly an impressive vehicle, and to show it off, Hennessey’s team took it to their own Pennzoil Proving Grounds in Sealy, Texas to give the tremendous truck a final, spectacular test, all caught on camera. Watch the video and you’ll get to check out lots of dirt getting kicked up and around by the truck’s six wheels, and you’ll also get to see the truck deliver shockingly impressive performance on the asphalt stretches of the proving grounds, considering its immense size. It’s all quite the sight, especially when you consider the fact that Hennessey only plans on making three examples of the truck, all of which will be undoubtedly incredible vehicles. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey Source: Hennessey

hennessey hpe1000 hellcat super stock 12 2048x1536 1

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 22, 2022

Watch Hennessey Show Off A 1,000-HP Hellcat To Its New Owner

For car enthusiasts, the need for speed is insatiable. When it comes to enthusiasts and engineers like those at Hennessey, regardless of how powerful a car may be, they’ll find a way to make it even better. While the Dodge Challenger Hellcat has been admired and lauded for years for its 707 horsepower, which is already unthinkable for a car coming straight from the factory, Hennessey saw room for improvement, and created the Super Stock 1000 upgrade for the Hellcat, giving it an unfathomably immense 1,000 horsepower, ready to tear up the pavement and give its owner once-in-a-lifetime driving thrills. MUST READ: Why The New Hennessey MAMMOTH 1000 TRX Overland Edition Is The World’s Most Powerful Overlanding Pickup In this new video, Hennessey shows off a newly-upgraded Hellcat to its owner, and the client couldn’t be more excited about the nearly unmatched levels of power that his car now possesses. On Hennessey’s Pennzoil Proving Grounds, he gets to witness the car brandish its upgraded ability as he learns from Hennessey’s own driver how to wield it properly. Even despite the fact that the car wasn’t in full throttle, and traction control inhibited it, it still showed itself as an incredibly impressive performance beast. In the car world, there’s nothing like power, and Hennessey always knows how to get more of it. View All Vehicles For Sale From Hennessey Source: Hennessey

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