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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 – February 20, 2018

217 MPH in the Hennessey Performance Exorcist Camaro

Ok Firebird friends and Camaro comrades, how fast have you been in your car? If you are like us, we always obey the speed limits because our government has our safety as its top priority. But if you find yourself being attacked by Demons, sometimes you need to leave as fast as possible. That is why John Hennessey and his team have taken the Camaro ZL1 beyond what anyone thought possible.How To Build An Exorcist CamaroThe Exorcist is the culmination of countless dyno runs and a host of upgrades. We've shown you the build process and there is no doubt the car delivers 1,000 horsepower. It starts with a teardown of the top end and tossing the original camshaft in the scrap metal bin. The heads are CNC ported and topped by fuel injectors that rival Niagra falls. The crowning achievement is a giant supercharger that has more displacement than your car's engine.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=260&v=idRbOoHoqIMLate model Camaros are as aerodynamic as a brick, ask me how I know. So it shocking to learn the Exorcist is faster than the Corvette ZR1. But the press release earlier today also reminds us that this wild Camaro is capable of outrunning a McLaren 720S, Porsche GT2 RS, Ferrari 812 Superfast, Lamborghini Huracan, every police interceptor, and every car at the Daytona 500. To achieve this top speed, the team from HPE headed from their base just west of Houston to Continental Tire's proving grounds in Uvalde. This massive track west of San Antonio is the same place they pushed the HPE750 Mustang past 200 mph on a 2015 episode of Jay Leno's Garage.John Heinricy Delivers Hennessey ZL1 1LE Exorcist CamaroInstead of a manual transmission, this car was ordered with the bulletproof 10-speed automatic that was co-developed by GM & Ford. It offers a wider gear ratio spread than the stick shift, and each shift only drops a few hundred RPM. So with full boost available at almost any situation, the V-Box telemetry recorded 217 mph in 9th gear. To make it even more unbelievable, the run was performed on stock wheels & tires in lieu of Hennessey's optional upgrade package.We don't know if the car was limited by the differential gear ratio or by aerodynamics so it would be neat to swap in a set of vintage 2.14 gears and tape up the front end for a land speed record. For $119,950 you will have a car that can cross texas faster than a tornado and keep any Demon far behind you. So click the link below for more information and stay with us for all your Hennessey Performance Engineering updates.Learn Morehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BfbYHWpg9CY/

By Andrew Nabors – February 05, 2018

Nissan Transforms 370Z Roadster Into The 370Zki

Before winter retreats from the Northern Hemisphere, the Chicago Auto Show is happening next week. If you are worried about how your car will handle the next Snowpocalypse, Nissan has a unique solution. The 370Zki started life as a regular production 2018 model. They are powered by the latest VQ series 3.7 liter V6. It makes 332 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque.Alpha Logic Nissan GT-R Sets New World RecordTo make sure that power was reaching the powder, Nissan turned to American Track Truck. Their 15" wide rear tracks are coupled to giant skis on the front hubs. To fit the DOMINATOR tracks, a 3" lift was needed at all corners. The rear wheel wells were "modified" to allow the independent axles to retain their travel, because of comfortability.... The press release didn't say how long it took to build, but it had some wild photos of icy escapades in northern latitudes.Not just for show, VP of Product Planning Michael Bunce said: "The Nissan 370Zki continues our recent tradition of bringing imaginative winter vehicle concepts to the Chicago Auto Show. With the Nissan Z's long heritage of motorsports competition, the 370Zki seemed like a natural combination. Prior to its debut here in Chicago, we put the 370Zki through its paces on the slopes in Wyoming where its performance heritage really came through."Sell Your Exotic Car with duPont REGISTRYHere in Florida, where the occasional 4WD Camaro is not uncommon, we applaud Nissan's support of their most popular sports car in any environment. "Nissan's full range of winter adventure-ready vehicles will be on display throughout the Chicago Auto Show, from our best-selling Rogue AWD to the powerful TITAN 4x4 and TITAN XD 4x4 lineups," said Bunce. It's also fun to shake things up with something totally unexpected once in a while – and that's the Nissan 370Zki." Stay with us for more news from the Chicago auto show here on Autofluence.Browse Nissan For Salehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=K3aFtwRjnJc

By Andrew Nabors – February 01, 2018

TBT: Aston Martin's New DB4 GT

We like to get a little historical every Friday-eve. For today's first Throwback Thursday, we've learned that Aston Martin have resurrected one of their most iconic race cars. The DB4 GT was a featherweight racer with a big engine and aerodynamic upgrades over the base DB4. A press release on Aston Martin's media site caught us off-guard because they are bringing it backDavid Brown owned the company from the 40's to the 70's, so it is only fitting he put his initials on the high-performance cars. He sought to build the best cars in the world, so he asked his genius engine builder to tune their straight six to maximum power. He added another distributor and another extra spark plug on each cylinder to make sure the gas burned evenly. Compression was upped and three twin-choke Weber carburetors allowed it to make 304 horsepower. The wheelbase was chopped to make it handle better than the competition, and the aluminum body was thinner than regular production DB4 models. It could reach 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, which is quick even today.Aston Martin is building a limited run of 25 "DB4 GT Continuation" cars. After digitally scanning a pristine surviving example, they added a few modern touches to the engine. The new cars will offer 340 horsepower to a four-speed manual transmission. Each car will be built by hand using the same tools their grandfathers had. No detail has been overlooked. Even the chassis numbers and VIN will start at 020R, the final production car from 1959. The press release also mentions that each car will be commissioned by dealers for their most affluent customers. Original examples are rarely seen in public, so if you would like more information, click on the link below to find your local Aston Martin dealer.Browse Aston Martin For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 30, 2018

Lego & Bugatti Tease A NewCollaboration

Two days ago was Lego's 60th Anniversary. The iconic building blocks have influenced children around the world, and their Technic division loves to show off the inner workings of complex machines. It has also inspired new forms of cursing thanks to foot-induced trauma. We suggest keeping your bricks illuminated at all times, lest they migrate to the kitchen at night.LEGO and Ford Team Up at Le Mans With This Model In the same way the Lego-Porsche 911 GT3 RS used perfect scale replicas of the car's components, the Bugatti Chiron will be just as fun to assemble. A quick glance at the parts shows us two W16 engines, along with a few of the driveline components. As you probably know, the Bugatti Chiron is the successor to the record-breaking Veyron series. The 8.0-liter W16 engine has been updated with port injection in addition to the direct injectors. Instead of four equally sized turbos, two pairs of sequentials offer a much wider torque curve.2018 Land Rover Discovery Drives Over World’s Largest Lego Structure To make sure your children are safe, Lego will probably crash test this bug-sized Bugatti much like they did with the Porsche. It seems as if the talent of the Danish toymakers is nearly limitless, so tell us which kit you like the best in the comments below.Browse Bugatti For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 30, 2018

Lotus Teases Two New Cars and an SUV

Known for building small & nimble sports cars, Lotus is on the verge of a major revival. In an interview with England's CAR magazine, CEO Jean-Marc Gales spilled the beans on exciting new models. First will be two new sports cars, and the duo will be their first new offerings since the launch of the Evora.Lighter, Faster, & Stronger: Lotus Unveils the Exige 380He mentioned the less-expensive model will rely on their existing aluminum chassis because: "It’s still a benchmark for lightweight, crash resistance and longevity". CAR then alludes to a carbon fiber chassis, not unlike those used by McLaren. Lotus has recently come under the control of Chinese auto giant Geely motors. Among their other brands is Volvo, so these upcoming models might finally move away from the Toyota V6.Finally, Gales confirmed that a Lotus SUV is in the works. We're not sure how Colin Chapman would feel about this, so let's hope it is the lightest & most nimble utility ever built. If you need less weight and more agility in your life, our dealers have smoking Lotus leases for your consideration. Click the link below for more details and stay with us for all your Lotus updates.Browse Lotus For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 29, 2018

Ford Performance's 8-Car Shootout!

Just when we thought we'd seen it all, a press release from Ford this morning shows an 8-way battle royale between their top models. At a track near Barcelona, the participants included the new Ford F-150 Raptor; Fiesta ST, all-new Fiesta ST, Focus RS, new Mustang GT, Mustang GT350R, Ford GT road car and Ford GT race car for a staggered time trial around the 3.3-mile course.Top 10 Fastest Quarter-Mile Times!Most of these use the latest in turbo technology. Ford's EcoBoost turbos make massive power from small engines, while also offering superior fuel economy. The EcoBoost V6 powers the Raptor and both Ford GT models, while the Focus and Fiesta use inline fours. The most significant comparison is between the Mustang GT's 5.0 and the GT350's 5.2-liter V8. They are close in displacement, but the latter is the first to make use of Italian inspiration in an American production car. What is essentially two four-cylinders sharing the same block, it sacrifices low-end power to achieve a 9,000 rpm redline.What brought these models together was a tire test by Ford's Chip Ganassi race team. With drivers specialized in all forms of motorsport, their insights will be sent back to the factory for perfecting each car. Ford decided to shoot this film in 4k, so enjoy this test and tell us which one you want in the comments below.Browse Fords For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 26, 2018

Nissan Unveils Autonomous....Slippers

If you want to be polite in Japan, please leave your shoes at the door. Learning the ways of eastern culture can be overwhelming at first, so Nissan has developed self-parking slippers. If you arrive back to your hotel in Hakon, the sight of self-aware footwear might have you questioning how much Sake you had.That's because Nissan's ProPilot Park system has been scaled down from the Leaf in order to fit inside a sandal. Sensors in the soles and a micro control board are used to guide them back to where they belong. For now, the only Nissan vehicle to offer the system is their all-electric Leaf, and it was introduced for the 2017 model year.Nissan GTR For Sale: The Affordable SupercarIf you want to experience it for yourself, they are offering a free night at the ProPILOT Park Ryokan for one lucky pair of travelers. The press release says that in order to enter, contestants must tweet using the hashtags #PPPRyokan and #wanttostay between Jan. 25 and Feb. 10. The slick slippers will also be on display at Nissan Headquarters in Yokohama from February 1st to 4th. One day all cars will park themselves, but until then click the link below to find great deals on the GT-R and stay with us for all your Nissan news Browse Nissan GT-R For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 17, 2018

McLaren Senna Spins Up Donuts in Building

To celebrate the grand opening of their Composites Technology Center, McLaren christened the building with burning rubber. With one of Senna's F1 cars playing center stage, a new McLaren Senna made sure the concrete floor was ready for business. Located on the campus of the University of Sheffield, the CTC will be the new build center for the MonoCage and MonoCell. They are the one-piece composite bodies used in every McLaren, and this new workshop has been long overdue. As part of their Track 22 Plan, engineers need room to develop new parts and processes without interfering with the assembly line. It is a $62 Million dollar investment that will shave $12.5 Million of annual costs thanks to the new economies of scale. The car in action is the hottest McLaren to date. Loosely based on the 720S, the Senna is a fitting tribute to Ayrton. It offers 789 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque from a 4.0-liter twin turbo V8. Every ounce of non-essential weight was eliminated, even going as far as making the doors resemble swiss cheese. The demands of such a potent car were surpassed in their latest chassis: MonoCage III. It is the strongest Monocoque ever offered by McLaren, and it will be the basis for the next range of their Super Series cars. Only 500 examples will be produced, so if you don't need such a radical ride our dealers have a nice selection of 720S to choose from. Stay with us for all your McLaren updates. Browse McLaren 720S For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – December 15, 2017

Porsche Museum Restores Their Oldest 911

To say that Porsche is dedicated to history would be an understatement. If you haven't seen it, the Porsche Museum is not a static display. Their collection is always changing, with exhibits ranging from the new Turbo S Exclusive Series to the classic 356 Speedster.Behind the scenes is a workshop that would blow your mind. Master coachbuilders and their apprentices have a dream job. Finding and restoring the classics is a labor of love, and back in 2014 something special arrived. A 1964 body happened to be the 57th 911 ever built, and it was in terrible shape. In a YouTube video uploaded this morning, we have a behind-the-scenes look at its restoration.Fastest Quater Mile CarsA neglected car in this condition would normally be scrapped, so we're thankful it has been restored to showroom condition. Porsche stocks New Old Stock parts for the classic 911s, and they are ramping up production of items that have been unavailable for decades. So if your car needs a few finishing touches, your local Porsche dealer should be your first stop. Have a great weekend and stay with us for all your 911 news. Find Your Porsche 911 Here

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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