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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

By Edward Jones – November 20, 2017

2019 SCG 004S is Glickenhaus' New Entry-Level Supercar

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) is known for their SCG 003, SCG 003C and P4/5 Competizione, but those weren't exactly entry-level car. Now, SCG is offering a new model for those who want to take a ride in one of their vehicles without dropping seven-figures worth of cash. The new SCG 004S is the company's new mid-engined supercar that will be sold for $400,000.Providing the new supercar with power is a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that's mated to a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission (automatic is optional). For $400k, the SCG 004S will lay down 650 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque for you. Most importantly, the SCG 004S is a three seater. That means the driver will be sitting front and center, and will be flanked by the two passengers.Interested? SCG is accepting $40,000 deposits for the 004S base models. Deliveries of the 25 Founders Edition coupes will start in 2019.Supercars for Sale

By Edward Jones – November 20, 2017

How Ferraris are Made by Robots

In Maranello, the same city where Enzo Ferrari started the iconic automaker, Ferrari has employed a team of robots and craftsmen to create their supercars. In a new video from WIRED UK, we get to take a look inside the factory and see just how the vehicles are made. During the course of the video, we see how a Ferrari 488 GTB is made. That includes the creation of its engine, paint application, assembly, testing and so much more.Why You Should Buy A Ferrari F12tdfIt's interesting to see just how precise and careful the robots are, and how the craftsmen work hand-in-hand with them. I'll have to say some of the coolest pieces of tech in their factory are the eight autonomous vehicles that carry powertrains and the cockpit of the cars from point A to point B.Click "play" on the video below to see how Ferrari's are made.

By Edward Jones – November 17, 2017

New Tesla Roadster: Quickest Car in the World

"What if Tesla created another Roadster? How fast would it be?" I've asked myself that question before and now I can finally answer it.Elon Musk has announced a new generation of the Tesla Roadster, one that will be the fastest production car in the entire world. The new Roadster comes with a new design and a power pack that consists of a 200 kWh lithium-ion battery pack capable of 620 miles worth of range. Sure, I could talk about the new style, but it truly speaks for itself. What I will talk about is how mind-numbingly fast the new Roadster is. All Tesla Model S for SaleWith two electric motors up front and one in the rear, the Roadster comes with all-wheel drive. The amount of power being provided to all four wheels is where this car becomes absurd: 7,375.6 lb-ft of torque. No, that's not a typo. Seven thousand three hundred and seventy-five. That is enough power to rocket the small Roadster from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds. Don't believe me? Check out the clip below.Tesla Model X Released: World's Quickest SUVThat's not a small remote-controlled car, that's the new Tesla Roadster showing off that it's the real deal. Going even further down into the rabbit hole of absurdity, the Roadster is stated to be able to squash the Dodge Demon's quarter-mile time by running it in 8.8 seconds. "Well, yeah, it's quick, but it surely can't have a high top speed." That's where you're wrong, thoughts inside of my brain when I was learning about this car this morning. Tesla is putting the Roadster's top speed at over 250 mph.All of these numbers point to a hypercar worth well over one million dollars, right? Again, Tesla is completely screwing with my brain because you can get all of these performance figures for a base price of $200,000. Want one? You better put down a reservation payment of $50,000. You can also opt for one of the 1,000 the Founders Series models ($250,000), which requires you to pay the full price for its reservation.

By Edward Jones – November 10, 2017

New Record for Most Donuts in 60 Seconds

The Caterham Seven automobile has been around for an astonishing 60 years. To celebrate the occasion, the English automaker set out to turn out some tasty donuts for a new world record.Chris Hoy, a British racing driver and cyclist that has competed in the Olympics, took the wheel of a Seven 620 R to set the world record for the most donuts in 60 seconds. In the video below you can see all of the donuts for yourself.All Records Broken by the Koenigsegg Agera RSThe Caterham Seven 620 R is the fastest road car that the company has ever created. With 310 bhp and 219 lb-ft of torque, this track toy can run from 0-60 mph in just 2.79 seconds. Imagine that kind of acceleration out of a corner! All of the power from the supercharged 2.0-liter engine and a lightweight body make the 620 R a perfect choice for Hoy's record attempt.

By Edward Jones – November 09, 2017

New Golden AD Tramontana is a 24-Carat Supercar

The partnership between Vilner and AD Tramontana has produced a new version of their car that's a golden masterpiece. This new car was brought out the SEMA 2017 to be shown off. According to Atanas Vilner, founder of the namesake art studio Vilner: "“You’re nobody in the automotive custom scene if you’re not at SEMA.”Lamborghini Terzo Millennio: The Supercar of the Future Everything inside of the cockpit of the car, aside from a few buttons and controllers, was created by Vilner. The highlight of the interior has to be the lizard-textured "golden leather" that compliments the exterior's golden trim. Everything else in the cockpit is either fine black leather or Alcantara.Sell Your High End Cars Here

By Edward Jones – November 01, 2017

Hennessey Venom F5: 300mph Rival to the Bugatti Chiron

Watch out Bugatti, because Hennessey Special Vehicles is here with the new Venom F5 and it's looking to be the 300 mph monster we've dreamt about. With this car, Hennessey has set out to do one thing: create the fastest road car on Earth. Watch out, Bugatti Chiron.“We’ve designed F5 to be timeless so that in 25 years it will still have a level of performance and design that will be unmatched,” said John Hennessey, company Founder and CEO. “The F5 is an all-new car, designed and built from the ground up, from the engine to the chassis. We expect the Venom F5, named for the most powerful tornado speed winds on the Fujita scale, to be the first road car capable of achieving more than 300 mph and have worked closely with Pennzoil to get us across the finish line.”The Venom F5's predecessor, the Venom GT, had an insane 1,244 bhp on tap and hit a record-breaking-kind-of top speed of 270.49 mph. Now, the Venom F5 has 1,600 bhp at the ready, which is enough power to propel the hypercar to speeds over 300 mph. This power comes from Hennessey's own twin-turbo V8 engine that's mated to a 7-speed single-clutch transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. Thanks to its light weight of 2,950 lbs and a low-drag coefficient, the Venom F5 will rocket from 0-186 mph in less than 10 seconds-- that's quicker than current Formula 1 race cars. Zero to 249 mph and back to a stop will be accomplished in under 30 seconds, faster than Koenigsegg's current world record.Hennessey Special Vehicles will create 24 examples of the Venom F5 at their Sealy, Texas location and each will cost $1.6 million. For more information, head over to VenomF5.com.Used Sports Cars for Sale

By Andrew Nabors – October 30, 2017

Porsche Heads To Shanghai With the 911 RSR

Only two races remain in this year's World Endurance Championship. The GTE-Pro class is a battle-royale on wheels, as the world's most capable drivers compete in factory-built cars. The Porsche 911 RSR was built from scratch by Porsche Motorsport in Weissach. Driven by Richard Lietz and Frederic Makowiecki, they are fighting for Porsche, and for the GT Drivers' World Championship titles. Shanghai is a 6-hour race at their International Circuit. The 3.4-mile course was built to give China a Formula 1 venue that demonstrated the economic power of the nation. This season's RSR cars are an evolution of the 911 GT3 RS. The only part that carries over is the intake restrictor. Each manufacturer has a specific restrictor plate to maintain a "balance of performance". Much like the plates used on NASCAR's two big tracks, they force teams to extract every ounce of aerodynamic efficiency while keeping weight to a minimum. The engine was moved slightly forward of the rear axle, and it is rated at 510 horsepower. LOUD Liberty Walk Ferrari 488 GTB The press release says Shanghai will be the 2nd hottest race of the year, with Austin, Texas taking the record temperature record. It will force everyone to be on their A-game. The race will be streamed on several channels, so watch the race online and click the link below for closeout deals on 2017 models. View Porsche For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – October 25, 2017

Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2017 Recap

A weekend of fun & fast rides was punctuated with emotion & remembrance. In honor of the fallen and the first responders, #LasVegasStrong was seen on several of the high-profile auction lots. Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis decided to part ways with his Shelby GT500 Super Snake, which hammered for $1,000,000. It was purchased by Paulette Carpoff, the COO of DC Solar. All of the proceeds from these cars totaled over $1.1 Million. One hundred percent of the sales price was given to the UNLV Foundation, with funds directed to the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine Residency Program Fund. Our duPont REGISTRY Supercar Showcase was situated between Cabinets by Hayley, soon to be part of our family of advertisers and between Cabinets by Hayley, soon to be part of our family of advertisers and Gateway Bronco, a partner with us for the last few years. Their faithful restorations of first-gen Broncos are done with NOS parts and American steel.We were proud to show Lamborghini Las Vegas’ incredible Miura Edition Aventador, of which there are only 50 made. This one is the only Impact White example in the US. Adjacent to it was a Giallo Inti Huracan Performante looking ready to race.Next to them was US Specialty Vehicles, with their massive Rhino GX. Airstream's latest Interstate Touring Coach arrived with 4-Wheel-Drive, proving you can take luxury anywhere you want to go.Front and center was Vanderhall Motor Works, with two flavors of their new Venice. n the middle of the mix was the "veiled" car. We often use Barrett Jackson events as the location to unveil the latest exotic builds. We had Craig Jackson and our Publisher take the wraps off of the Starke Revolution Speedster. If you can imagine a classic Porsche 356 on a new 718 Boxster S chassis, this is the car for you. It was very well received by the crowd that gathered to see it unveiled!As far as custom builds, the Fusion Motor Co. Mustang Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds always draws attention from the crowd. Fusion Luxury Motors brought one of their most recent builds, along with an LS-powered Land Rover Defender. Both of these vehicles are bespoke builds that are manufactured at their world class facility in Southern California.Ronald McDonald House Charities has been with us for almost a decade, and their raffle car for the fall is a pristine 1965 Corvette Stingray. It is a numbers-matching 396 big block with power windows. If you missed them at the booth, check out the raffle here.We would like to thank PitStop Racing Furniture for the comfortable, race-inspired support. Of course, we couldn't do this without our clients, so a round of applause for Gateway Bronco, US Specialty Vehicles, Vanderhall Motorworks, Lamborghini Las Vegas, Airstream, Fusion Luxury Motors, Ronald McDonald House of the Central Valley, and Starke for helping us celebrate 10 years at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas. Take a look at some of the other wild rides in the gallery below and stay with us for all of your Barrett-Jackson coverage.

By Andrew Nabors – October 23, 2017

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee October 2017

If you missed out on Cars & Coffee last month, we did too. September was planned to be our big fall event at Peter O Knight airport, but Hurricane Irma forced us to cancel the event for the first time. That is probably why we had such a wild show this month. Every inch of our parking lot was filled by 7am.The weather forecast was clear, which made for a starry sky as we opened our doors. Our last event during Daylight Saving Time is not normally packed so early, but the videos speak for themselves. Since we are located on a peninsula, the Pinellas County Sherriff's Office brought out a new tool for aquatic search & rescue. The big dive support truck is loaded with tanks, gear & lighting to assist in aquatic maneuvers.Gallery by duPont REGISTRY Next in was Reeves Import Motorcars & Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. Crown Eurocars, Bert Smith, Global Auto & McLaren Tampa Bay brought out their latest inventory. We heard rumblings of something impressive from Bruiser Conversions and Jeff's Jeep Yard, and they showed up with a mean 6x6 Jeep Wrangler. Powered by an LS3 Corvette engine, it has 3 locking axles and no expenses spared.Gallery by Mike Singsong An aromatic assault of fine coffee was provided by Kahwa Coffee, served up in their vintage Citroen van. Everyone shared stories of the storm and discussed plans for the other Saturday shows. Lake Mirror is a mecca for motoring fans, so many of us were preparing for a long day. We're working on re-scheduling our big show for the spring, so look out for the updates here. Thank you to our fans & dealers who make Cars & Coffee possible, we'll see you next month.

By Andrew Nabors – October 23, 2017

Can You Follow The Mercedes-Benz X-Class?

If you are in the market for a pickup truck, the X-Class looks appealing. It is essentially a rebadged Nissan Navara, which is sold everywhere except the US. We have enough luxury trucks to choose from, and the Chicken Tax makes foreign trucks too expensive for most buyers. So Mercedes-Benz has decided to build the X-Class for European and Asian markets, along with Australia and the Commonwealth.Say Goodbye To The Mercedes-AMG G65We're sure a few Mercedes maniacs will manage to import them under the "Show & Display" laws, but the amount of paperwork can be maddening. It is being touted as the world's "First True Premium Pickup", but the bed looks too small for almost anything practical. Engine choices range from a twin turbo V6 and two flavors of 2.9L diesel power. To make sure the world is ready, Mercedes-Benz released a new ad to YouTube over the weekend, so take a look at its abilities below and let us know if the X-Class should be sold here.

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