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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 Andrew Nabors – December 01, 2020

2021 Isle of Man TT Cancelled Due To COVID-19

Two decades ago the world's most dangerous race was canceled because of an outbreak. Foot & Mouth disease pales in comparison to current events, so the 2021 Isle of Man TT has been canceled again thanks to Covid-19. The only other interruptions in the historic event were for both World Wars, so this is a wake-up call for all of us. Porsche Debuts 911 GT3 RS at the Isle Of Man Laurence Skelly, a Minister of the Department of Enterprise said: "We do not underestimate the disappointment that this decision will cause to many people. However, we are making an early and logical decision to provide certainty and clarity to race fans and everyone else involved in our event." His sentiments were echoed by other government officials in hopes that the race could be rescheduled as early as possible. Until then, stay with us for all your motorsports news. Image Source: IOMTTraces.com, Isle of Man Government (C) Crown Copyright 2020

By Andrew Nabors – December 01, 2020

Hoonicorn Mustang vs. 8-Second Audi RS3

Sir Kenneth Block and the Hoonigans are not afraid to take on the world. As we have seen in recent days, one particular 1965 Ford has been dishing disappoint to all opponents. In their latest upload we see the Hoonicorn Mustang against an 8-second Audi RS3 in another impressive comparison. Ken Block’s Hoonicorn Mustang Price & Specs For a quick refresher, the Hoonicorn sends 1,400 horsepower to all wheels. IROZ Motorports built the opponent by starting with a 2018 RS3. One of the most coveted models in the U.S., these aggressive sedans are only imported in small batches. It offers 1,100 horsepower to all wheels using a single turbo. Because the Mustang is a tube-frame chassis it saves on weight compared to an Autobahn assault weapon. Nevertheless, our dealers try to keep the RS3 available for you. Click the link below to find yours and stay with us for all your Hoonigan footage. Browse Audi For Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – November 30, 2020

Inside AMG: G-Wagen Experience Center

Austria's second-largest city is a crossroads for European education, culture, and engineering. If your factory is not up to building your latest creation, one manufacturer tackles the hardest jobs in the automotive world. Let's go Inside AMG to see the G-Wagen Experience Center in Graz to see what the latest Geländewagen is capable of. 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63 Price & Specs Every G-Class has rolled out of this factory since production began in '79. Because the Magna Steyr factory is able to build almost anything, you might not know they are responsible for the Audi V8L, Chrysler PT Cruiser, BMW X3, and the Aston Martin Rapide. Those are just small fries when compared to Daimler's military vehicles, and that is where the G-Wagen shows its true colors. The latest generation proves itself as the most capable 4x4 on the market, so click the link below for great offers on 2021 models. Browse G-Class For Sale " width="680">

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 30, 2020

The Louis Vuitton Green Sports Watch Is Now Available

Louis Vuitton, best known for manufacturing fine leather goods and accessories, also shares a presence in the luxury timepiece industry. The watch collection by Louis Vuitton combines the functionality of a traditional tool with unique designs from artists such as Virgil Abloh. The most recent release is the Tambour Damier Graphite Race watch, a 45mm time-only piece highlighted using an iconic Louis Vuitton pattern. The contrast between the silver, black, and electric green pulls inspiration from Virgil’s past collections. The sport style watch features a 100-meter water-resistant Swiss movement, presentable from the transparent case back. A black rubber Louis Vuitton stamped strap pulls together the sport functional feel of the high-end example, making it a daily wear for any watch enthusiast. The Louis Vuttion watch by Virgil Abloh is currently available for $5,750. Shop the Louis Vuitton Tambour Damier Graphite Race by clicking the link below. Shop Now

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 30, 2020

Frank Muler Ventures Beyond Watches With A Limited Editio...

Accessories are just as important for pulling together the perfect outfit as the actual clothing itself. High-end sneakers and watches are often the pieces that have the potential to turn heads, but what happens when you combine the two? New Balance and Franck Muller partnered together to produce a one-of-a-kind limited-edition sneaker collection. The release features a stand-out design and colors using the New Balance 996. The idea behind the collaboration pairs the functionality of everyday wearables with the premium quality and brand status of a luxury manufacturer. The two colorways of the New Balance x Franck Muller collection include both Gold/Black and Silver/Blue, to which only 996 of each are produced. The collaboration highlights the present and future success of cross-pollinated industry partnerships. Although currently sold out, shop the other collections from New Balance by clicking the link below. Shop New Balance Franck Muller

By Andrew Nabors – November 30, 2020

GM Announces Hydrotec Fuel Cell Technology For Nikola Trucks

The lightest element in the universe is poised to power the next generation of Tractor-Trailers. That's because GM has announced Hydrotec fuel cell technology for Nikola trucks. Back in September, we reported that the Nikola Badger would be built by GM in exchange for a chunk of ownership. As seen below, the Hydrotec unit combines hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity and water vapor. GM & Nikola Join Forces To Build Electric Trucks Because starting a new alternative-fuel brand is hard to do, this was beneficial to both. Backed by a massive order from Anheuser-Busch, the Nikola Class 7/8 trucks are the real profit center for the company. While the specifics of what transpired are not yet evident, it looks as if GM has assumed complete ownership of Nikola's patents and intellectual property. As such, the Ultium battery technology will be combined with Hydrotec fuel cells for an incredibly clean Semi Tractor. Stay with us for all your fuel cell and electric car news.

By Andrew Nabors – November 24, 2020

Two Trump Cars Heading To Mecum Kissimmee

No matter what your political beliefs are, you can't deny our 45th president's taste in transportation. Because the transition in power signals the end of his era, a private consignor has decided to part ways with two of President Trump's most adored automobiles. Both will be primetime lots at Mecum's Kissimmee auction between January 7-17th. First up is a 2007 Ferrari F430. The original title shows the address as the penthouse of Trump Tower, and the odometer reads 6,910 miles. Corsa with a beige interior is conservative, and it appeals to enthusiasts both young and old. Because this car was ordered and delivered by our friends at Ferrari of Long Island, you have undoubtedly seen it here and in the pages of the world's greatest car magazine. You will enjoy all the right options. Powered Daytona seats and a yellow tachometer appeal to your finer sensibilities while the electronic differential and red calipers hint at the car's abilities. Original title and window sticker are included. View Details Perhaps the most visible part of the Trump fleet, a 2010 Rolls Royce makes a bold statement when arriving at high-stakes meetings. While the Phantom includes the latest of technologies to offer the world's most comfortable experience, it is still a Rolls-Royce. Mr. Trump knew full well that allowing it to collect dust would cause headaches down the road, so this superb sedan has amassed 56,700 miles since new. Even if you don't employ a driver full-time, this car is a perfect way to draw attention or escape the chaos of the paparazzi. Perhaps the best endorsement is found in the owner's manual. The President autographed it after writing "I loved this car, it is great! Best of luck." Whoever manages the collection has earned their pay. Both of these cars have lived a pampered life with all services as scheduled. Without considering the presidency, Donald Trump's signature has been used to validate collectibles of all kinds. Therefore you can bid with ease thanks to Mecum Auctions. Click here to view all upcoming lots and we will see you in Kissimmee! View Details

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By Andrew Nabors – November 19, 2020

2021 Yenko/SC Silverado Off-Road Is Ready For Adventure

Back in July we were the first to announce the most powerful Chevrolet Silverado ever offered. With 800 horsepower and 720 lb-ft of torque, the Yenko/SC Silverado is a blast on the streets. So it was only a matter of time before the team at Specialty Vehicle Engineering directed their talents off the pavement. Riding high above any obstacles, the 2021 Yenko/SC Silverado Off-Road is ready for adventure. SVE unveils 800 HP Yenko Silverado Only available at your local Chevy dealer, this hand-built colossus starts with a new LT-1 block. Filled with forged goodies and CNC-ported heads, the 378 stroker is topped by SVE's own supercharger. The same blower used on the Yenko Stage II Camaro, it offers a consistent boost without parasitic losses. A hardened 6-speed automatic makes use of their proprietary torque converter. This brutal combination is bolted to 20"x10" Yenko wheels that are wrapped in 295/60 Nitto Ridge Grapplers. Along with new suspension by BDS, six-piston Brembo calipers clamp down on 16.1 Duralife rotors. This one aspect is often overlooked, but these premium rotors have better metallurgy than cast iron, and they resist flash rusting after a light rain. Other Yenko references are found on the grille, quarter panels, tailgate and throughout the interior. As with all other late-model Yenko cars and trucks, SVE backs the engine, transmission and supercharger with a 3-Year/36,000 warranty. Every aspect can be serviced at any GM dealer. Only 50 examples will be built, each with numbered for the Chevrolet connoisseur. Just like previous Yenko offerings, they will sell out quickly, so contact Specialty Vehicle Engineering at (732) 240-3696 ext. 173 or visit www.specialtyvehicleengineering.com

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 18, 2020

The Piloti x Pagani Legacy S Collection Is Now Available

Whether it’s creating a high-end luxury sneaker or a multi-million-dollar hypercar that will reach speeds of 236+mph, the quality of materials and attention to detail plays a significant factor. These are aspects that both Piloti Inc. and Pagani Automobiles follow meticulously when developing, designing, and manufacturing its products for the public. A similarity in the process of which both companies operate has resulted in a collaboration featuring the Piloti Legacy S sneaker. The collection is made up of three unique colorways that tie in inspiration from some of the vehicles that roll off of the Pagani production floor. Each silhouette is made from premium leather, carbon fiber, and rubber to provide the lightweight traction needed on and off the track. Shop the Piloti x Pagani Legacy S Collection by clicking the link below. Shop Now

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 18, 2020

ICON x Black Bear Brand Release Limited Edition Derelict ...

The craft of traditional leatherwork seems to be a less common yet more celebrated trade, but still, something that ICON Lead Designer and Founder, Jonathan Ward, describes as an obsessive hobby. The team at ICON announced a collaboration with Black Bear Brand on a limited-edition Derelict Jacket. The jacket is hand made from premium leather and metals to ensure that it is a piece that will stay in your wardrobe for life. The craftsmanship of the ICON x Black Bear Brand Derelict Jacket portrays a worn look, making it look broken in and ready for future journeys. This release is limited to 24 pieces in each size and available for the price of $1,950. Shop the ICON x Black Bear Brand Derelict Jacket by clicking the link below. Shop Now " width="680">

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