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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

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By Andrew Nabors – March 25, 2020

Ford & GM Halt Car Production to Build Ventilators

In a scene reminiscent of 1941, our nation's arsenal of democracy has been re-tooled. Instead of building war machines, the automakers are gearing up to build medical apparatus. Both GM & Ford have halted car production to build ventilators, as they are in demand around the nation. Both companies published similar press releases, so I will summarize their finer points for the sake of brevity. First off, GM has partnered with Ventec to increase production of their units. Distribution will be handled by StopTheSpread.org, addressing the highest demand areas immediately. Ford has joined forces with 3M and GE Healthcare and the UAW. In addition to Powered Air-Purifying Respirators, Ford's 3D printers are working 24/7 to make the first run of 100,000 face shields for First Responders. With the might of our autoworkers behind us, we will be in the clear soon. Thank you to everyone involved.

By Andrew Nabors – February 05, 2020

Chevrolet Teases "Revolution: The Mid-Engine Corvette Story"

Now that the new 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray is in production, GM wants the world to understand the significance of the car. A two-part documentary is being produced outlining the history of mid-engine Corvette concepts, along with how the new car came to be. As soon as they are released we will upload them for you, so until then Chevrolet has teased "Revolution: The Mid-Engine Corvette Story". Great Deals on C7 Corvette Stingray For Sale P.S. Our dealers have to sell the final C7 Stingray Corvettes for sale, so click the button above. Related: C8 Corvette Stingray Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Andrew Nabors – January 17, 2020

2020 Corvette Awarded North American Car of the Year

At the beginning of each year, a panel of 50 independent automotive journalists gathers together. Newspaper, TV, web, and magazine writers from Canada and the U.S. discuss and vote on each newly introduced car & truck. It's no surprise to us that the new 2020 Corvette was awarded the North American Car of the year. Chevrolet has shaken up the supercar world with a $59,000 mid-mounted V8. Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter said: “It’s humbling to be selected for this award by such an impressive jury of automotive journalists. Our team poured our hearts and souls into this vehicle, and to see such an overwhelmingly positive reception makes it all worthwhile. We are sure our customers will love the new Corvette as much as these jurors and we can’t wait to get them behind the wheel. Browse All Corvette For Sale As you are reading this, the factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky is sorting the thousands of orders. Production is scheduled to start on February 1st, so click the link above to reserve your allocation. " width="680"> Related: C8 Corvette Stingray Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Andrew Nabors – October 09, 2019

2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Unveiled

Something mean has been tearing through the Ozarks. Residents near the Chevy plant in Wentzville, Missouri have been told to stay on the road. That's because the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 has been unveiled. This new model arrives riding high and wide. A 2" lift and 3.5" wider track width are your first cues. This demands a durable chassis, so the control arms are now cast iron. Multimatic provides the only DSSV position-sensitive shocks, exclusively for the Colorado. C8 Corvette Stingray Price, Specs, Photos & Review Skid plates and rock sliders will protect the body, and both locking differentials will keep you moving. Chevy has sold over 520,000 examples in 5 years, and many upgrades are backward compatible for current owners. Browse All Chevrolet Colorado For Sale Tell us what you think of the ZR2 in the comments below and stay with us for all your Chevy updates. Related" 2020 Silverado by Tuscany Raises the Bar

By Edward Jones – October 07, 2019

2020 C8 Corvette Z51: No Words, Just the Engine Sound

Now that it's been some time since the new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray was unveiled, we're learning more and more about the mid-engine 'Vette. Most importantly, we're starting to see the car in action and hear it. Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire recently took the C8 Corvette out for a spin at the Thunderhill Raceway Park. His outing was done for the sake of Road & Track's "Performance Car of the Year." Because he will be giving a full review later on in November 2019, all he could provide us with was the sound of the car. I'll take it. Check it out in action by click play up above. see all corvettes for sale Related Video: " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – July 24, 2019

Petersen Museum to host Zora Duntov Corvette Tribute Weekend

Zora Arkus-Duntov was an automotive genius. After barely escaping the Nazi invasion, he and his brother invented an overhead cam conversion kit for the Ford flathead V8. His ARDUN heads are worth a fortune today because they doubled the power of the engine. His shop was not far from the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, so he decided to check out the 1953 concept car in the lobby. What he saw was a sports car powered by a six-cylinder engine with a lame 2-speed automatic. He wrote Chevrolet a letter addressing the Corvette's issues, and they hired him to fix it. The rest is history and he retired in 1975. To recognize the father of the Corvette, the Petersen Museum is hosting a Zora Duntov Tribute Weekend. Roger Penske, Zora Duntov, & Augie Pabst (c) General Motors It kicks off Saturday night at 7 pm with a VIP dinner. Attendees will be treated by food and entertainment while being surrounded by Zora's Corvette Prototypes. Guests will be able to interact with the new 2020 Corvette Stingray. Sunday starts at 7:30 am at the ArtCenter in Pasadena. Corvettes from around southern California will enjoy a scenic rally to the Petersen Museum for a massive Corvette show and Panel Discussion. Click the link below for all the info and stay with us for all your Corvette news. Event Landing Page He always wanted a mid-engine supercar, so here is the first prototype being assembled: " width="680"> Related: 2020 Corvette Stingray Revealed 2020 Corvette Visualizer lets you Order Your Car

By Andrew Nabors – July 19, 2019

2020 Corvette Visualizer lets you Order Your Car

Change is inevitable, even for America's Sports Car. Chevrolet says only one part was carried over from the C7, probably something trivial like the seatbelt buckle. Giving interior and exterior design teams a clean slate to work with, they have developed more options than any other GM vehicle has ever offered. They refer to the configurator as a "visualizer" since it allows for HD photos of your future car. The best feature is that the 2020 Corvette Visualizer lets you order the car. Once you are done, the virtual car is sent to your local dealer. Once the ink is dry, your car will be stored in the data center at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant as the earlier orders are fulfilled. So without further adieu, here are the options for the new Corvette. Seats: 3LT Interior: We chose the 3LT interior because it looks and feels amazing. Almost every surface is covered in Nappa leather, and the GT2 seats are standard equipment. GT2 Seats with Napa Leather and Carbon-Fiber Trim Custom Leather-Wrapped Interior Suede-Wrapped Upper Interior Trim Leather-Wrapped Lower Doors Interior Color Choices: Z51 Performance Package Z51 Performance Package Highlights: Michelin® PS4 Performance 3 Season tires† Standard FE3 Performance Suspension Available FE4 Suspension with Magnetic Ride Control™ Larger 345 mm front and 350 mm rear brake rotors Extra cooling with additional rear-mounted third radiator Electronic Limited-Slip Differential Larger rear spoiler provides up to 400 lbs. of downforce Performance exhaust and intake offers 495 horsepower Engine Covers: Wheels: Exterior Trim: Stripes: Paint: Last but not least: Roof Panels So, we need to hear from you. Are there simply too many options? Tell us how you would build yours in the comments below and stay with us for all your Corvette news. Build Your 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray Here!

By Andrew Nabors – July 17, 2019

2020 Corvette Stingray Possibilities

Tomorrow night, Chevrolet will unveil the 8th generation Corvette to the world. Because it is such a radical departure from the last C7 Corvette, we figured on highlighting some of the speculations. So here are the Top 5 2020 Corvette Stingray Possibilities. Dual Overhead Cams 1991 Corvette ZR1 (C) Daniel Schmitt & Co. Instead of one camshaft operating all the valves, the new engine could be the return of 4 cams above the cylinder heads. It is not a new idea, as Corvette's Chief Engineer always wanted them. Zora Arkus-Duntov fled Nazi Germany and emigrated to NYC. There he developed overhead cam conversion kits for the Ford Flathead V8. The "Ardun" heads doubled the engine's power and they are worth a fortune today. Also, the 1990 to 95 Corvette ZR1 sported dual overhead cams in a 5.7L V8 designed by Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. Mercury Racing's latest SB4 is a 7.0L DOHC Chevrolet V8, and they sell it as a crate engine for custom car builds. Perhaps history will repeat itself. The base model C8 will probably stick to a single cam with pushrods, with the Z06 eventually resurrecting this technology. All Wheel Drive CERV II- Sold for 1.1 Million by RM Sotheby's (c) RM Sotheby's Not only did Zora beg his bosses for a mid-engine Corvette, but his prototype has a 7.0L aluminum V8 and All Wheel Drive. The system used fluid couplings to divide torque front to rear, but the car was so fast it scared everyone except Zora himself. Corvette Experimental Research Vehicle 2 (CERV II) is the most famous prototype in Chevrolet history. There is no reason to not offer AWD, or at least make room for an electric motor to power the front wheels. Dual Clutch Transmission Only 2020 Mustang GT500 Shifter (c) Ford Ford and Chevrolet have been collaborating on transmissions for a few years. That is how the Raptor and the Camaro have the same indestructible 10-speed automatic. The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 has an all-new 7-speed dual-clutch, and the manufacturer mentioned the same internals could be fitted to a rear-mounted transaxle. One major issue with mid-mounted engines is the cost involved with a manual transmission. We hope Chevrolet will find a way to offer a manual transmission, if not, the backlash could lead to bad press. Carbon Fiber Chassis Mecum Sold This Gorgeous Pagani Huayra (c) Mecum Auctions GM has invested nearly half a billion dollars in the Corvette assembly plant. This allowed the C7 frame to be several times stronger than the C6. Aluminum is affordable, but the notion of a carbon fiber chassis and body has been tossed around online. The latest Silverado truck bed is all carbon fiber, so we know they are learning how to build complex shapes that are strong and light. High-Speed Electronics Tesla Pioneered In-Car LAN Systems (c) Tesla Chevrolet will use the Corvette to debut an all-new electrical system. Each computer and module will be connected by a network capable of 10 Gigabits per second. Building this network has been a challenge, and it has been blamed for why the C8 missed the New York Auto Show. Could the system be solid-state? Every Koenigsegg has solid-state electronics, meaning that every light is an LED, and you won't find an analog relay anywhere. Everything is done with transistors for years of reliability. Koenigsegg One:1 (C) Koenigsegg This might be asking too much from Chevrolet, but it would make for a reliable & efficient Corvette. The countdown clock is ticking, and all will be revealed tomorrow night at 10:30 pm Eastern/7:30 pm Pacific. A massive airship hangar in Tustin, California will be host to Corvettes new & old, so be sure to watch the Livestream at media.chevrolet.com/nextgenCorvette Stay with us for complete coverage following the festivities. " width="680">

The 2020 Camaro SS sports an updated new front fascia derived fr

By Andrew Nabors – May 02, 2019

2020 Chevrolet Camaro SS Undergoes Emergency Surgery

GM's Styling Department gets it 100% right, usually around 73% of the time. Let me clarify this. I have owned 7 examples of the Chevrolet Camaro, but Chevy let me down last year. New styling for 2019 made the V6 more appealing, but the updated to the SS model were hideous. Thankfully, the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro SS has undergone emergency surgery. To refresh your memory, here is a 2019 Camaro SS: Srsly? But this isn't the first time Chevrolet has done this. Remember the 2012 Malibu? It was also a one-year mistake that was solved with a new front end in 2013. Chevy had a hard time selling them, so they were given to rental car companies. How designs like this pass for appealing is beyond me, so we're glad they will be forgotten. 2020 Camaro LT1 Have faith Camaro Comrades, today's press release is cause for celebration. First off, the V6 cars will receive the 10-speed automatic. The big news is the Camaro LT1. It is a base model (LT) with the SS engine. It is a 455 horsepower bargain at $34,995. It is 3,000 cheaper than my 2002 SS was new, inflation hits me in the feels...Our dealers will be receiving the 2020 models in a few weeks, so click the link below to find one near you. Browse All Camaro For Sale 2020 Camaro LT1 Related: Chevrolet Unveils Restyled 2019 Camaro Lineup 2020 Camaro ZL1 1LE Receives 10-Speed Automatic

By Andrew Nabors – May 02, 2019

New Chevrolet Corvette to be Unveiled July 18th in Orange...

Rumors abound that the 8th-Generation Corvette was supposed to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show. But this car represents a turning point in Corvette history. After hiring 400 more employees and adding a second shift, it is also a major investment by GM. So instead of unveiling it at a race or at the National Corvette Museum, the new Chevrolet Corvette will be unveiled July 18th in Orange County. Cruising from Newport Beach up to Huntington, you will encounter dozens of mid and rear-engine cars. Pagani chose it as his second US dealer, and it is close to Ferrari, Lamborghini,& McLaren dealers. We know this will be the first Corvette with an engine behind the cockpit, so there is no better place to launch it. One member of MidEngineCorvetteForum received an invitation to the event. Outside of warfare, this bold move will go down in history. It will undoubtedly divide automotive fans and journalists into two groups. Optimists will see the C8 among its competitors as a Trojan Horse, nothing to see here, you have no reason to worry. Foreign car lovers will see it as irresponsible "fools rush in where angels fear to tread". Whatever camp you find yourself in, get ready for a fight. Chevrolet is taking on the world, and the war will begin in enemy territory. Tell us what you think in the comments below. Is it a smart move, or has Chevy bitten off more than they can chew? Stay with us for all your Corvette updates, and click the link below for great offers from our dealers. Browse New Corvettes For Sale Related: Did Chevrolet Just Leak the Corvette's Lap Time? New Corvette to be Unveiled July 18th

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