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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 – June 07, 2018

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Top Speed on the Autobahn

Instead of throwback Thursday, what about Top Speed Thursday? Our friends at AutoTopNL have been teasing us for a few days, and now it is here. The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS attempting to break the sound barrier. For a quick refresher, this 700 horsepower twin turbo machine can reach 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 211. Maria Sharapova & Mark Webber Test the Porsche 911 GT2 RS It has 553 lb-ft of torque across most of the tachometer, and it sends all its power to the rear wheels only. Porsche says the highest track speed is 211 mph...so we're a bit perplexed by this footage. Perhaps the factory was wrong or this car's speedometer is off by a little. But by our calculations, 342 kilometers per hour is 212.5 mph. Your car can't do this, your friend's supercharged Vette? Nope! Not even the fastest Supra ever tested. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is simply a masterpiece. If you would like to experience one for yourself, they will be arriving in the US in a few weeks. Click the link below and stay with us for more AutoTopNL Autobahn accelerations! Find Your Closest Porsche Dealer Read the 2018 Porsche GT2 RS Specs & Review

By Andrew Nabors – June 07, 2018

Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee Returns...

If you haven't seen the best car show ever made, Jerry Seinfeld just uploaded a preview of the new season. It is not "a show about nothing". The premise is that Jerry Finds a unique and memorable car and interviews famous comedians. Notable guests have been the cast of Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and my personal favorite episode was with Steve Harvey. Jay Leno & Jerry Seinfeld Discuss the Acura NSXAside from being a side-splitting comedian and producer, Jerry has the most extensive Porsche collection outside of Germany. One of the early episodes was with Jay Leno when they cruised around in Jerry's 1949 Porsche 356. As one of the original Gmund bodies, it is one of the 47 examples built in Austria before production moved to Stuttgart. Other notable cars have included a Lamborghini Miura, 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air, and he took President Obama for a ride in a 1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe.As one of the most popular shows on Netflix, the new season will premiere on July 6th. In the preview uploaded to his Facebook page, guests will include the late Jerry Lewis, Zach Galifianakis, Ellen DeGeneres, Alec Baldwin, Dana Carvey and more. Tell us your favorite car and/or guest in the comments below and stay with us for more Seinfeld updates.

By Andrew Nabors – May 24, 2018

See the 1,200 HP Zenvo TSR-S and Its Wild Wing

When Zenvo first unveiled their ST1, we figured it would be another LS-powered kit car. But the turbo & supercharged masterpiece shocked the world. Now their latest creation is the TSR, and it comes in two flavors. If you want a potent track car, the TSR has a twin-supercharged 5.8 liter V8 of their own design. Its street-legal sibling is the TSR-S, and it makes use of wild aerodynamics to outperform the competition.SupercarSunday 2018: $50 Million Hypercar GatheringIn the latest YouTube upload by Carspotter Jeroen, the Danish supercar shows off its tilting spoiler. The flat-plane V8 revs instantly and offers an exotic soundtrack. At a recent track day at the TT Racetrack in Assen, Netherlands, we see a 2018 Ford GT, Corvettes, Rimac, Lamborghini Centenario, LaFerrari, Koenigseggs, and a few other exotics battle it out on this historic 2.8-mile track. It was part of Supercar Sunday, a $50 Million gathering of Europe's best cars.Browse Exotic Cars For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 22, 2018

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: Davis Island 2018

What happened on the morning of May 19, 2018, was simply unbelievable. For the second year, the folks at the Tampa Airport Authority allowed us to take over the Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Islands in Tampa, FL for our Cars & Coffee event. Tampa’s first airport, for approximately 10 years starting in the mid-1930’s, is now home to private and civil aviation with an expansive tarmac that is the perfect spot for this huge event.Even though our tents and vendors were set up way in advance of the official start time, we realized a line of amazing automobiles was forming and backing up to the horizon. So we opened the gates 40 minutes early to get things rolling, and many cars were in place before the sun awakened. Local dealers, including our automotive sponsor Ferrari of Tampa Bay, brought out their best inventory, and three food trucks offered something for everyone, including some delicious coffee.Gallery by C12 Productions Gallery by Nick Rosso We began as a small car magazine in Tampa back in 1985. And thanks to our fans and clients, we have grown into the world’s best resource for connecting buyers and sellers of the world’s best cars. This show was for everyone who has supported us over the last three decades.Gallery by @keystothejungle Gallery by Chandler Parker Gallery by Ben McClure Gallery by duPont REGISTRY The record turnout caught the eye of several other locations, so the wheels are in motion for something even bigger. For those of you who attend regularly, we have a surprise in our showroom for next month, so we’ll see you then!

By Edward Jones – May 14, 2018

6x6 Devel Monster Takes Down Supercar in Drag Race

Most people know about Devel Motors because of their insane Sixteen model, a car that packs over 4,000 horsepower. But Devel has also been hard at work creating their Sixty model, a 6x6 SUV that's an absolute beast of a vehicle. Not only is it massive in stature, it's also powered by a gigantic 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel V8 engine. This engine pumps out a punishing 700-1,500 horsepower that's routed to all six wheels. As a base model with 700 hp, it can run a 0-60 mph time of 5.8 seconds, but with the maximum power out of 1,500 hp, who knows what's possible.Devel Motors was recently at the track testing the Sixty and Mo Vlogs was on-hand to check it out. The example they brought to the track was the base model (700 hp), and Devel decided to run it against multiple opponents like a Mercedes-AMG GT S. When racing the AMG, the Sixty ended up winning in the race, which was interesting considering Mercedes says it has a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds (two seconds quicker than the Sixty).Anyways, check out Devel's monstrous Sixty 6x6 in the video below.

By Andrew Nabors – May 10, 2018

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Revealed, Most Luxurious SUV Money C...

This is the moment we've been waiting for. Rolls-Royce is poised to unveil an unprecedented new SUV. The Cullinan has been in development for years in order to make it unparalleled in the luxury 4x4 world. It is named after the largest diamond ever found, one that also happens to reside in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos says: “The super-luxury lifestyle is evolving and Rolls-Royce is in the lead. Luxury is no longer an urban concept. More and more it is about embracing and experiencing the wider world. Our customers expect to go everywhere in luxury, effortlessly and without compromise, conquering the most challenging terrain to enjoy life’s most enriching experiences, wherever they may be. For this reason, they have asked us to create a Rolls-Royce that offers uncompromised luxury wherever they dare to venture. Cullinan is that car. It is Effortless, Everywhere. It is incomparable and dramatically evolves the parameters of super-luxury travel, translating Rolls-Royce’s ethos of ‘Effortlessness’ into physical capability, anywhere in the world. Cullinan will simply take the world in its stride.”For a quick overview, the Cullinan is the second Rolls-Royce vehicle to ride on an aluminum space frame. This allows it to be stong and nimble simultaneously. It has a 3-box design, with the engine, passenger compartment, and luggage separated to ensure a quiet atmosphere inside. It was tested to destruction around the world, and it has proven itself worthy of any climate or terrain imaginable.Under the hood is the familiar twin turbo 6.75 liter V12. It offers 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque to all wheels. Starting at a suggested retail price of $325,000, it is priced accordingly to the other players in the world of Super SUVs. Thanks to the mostly aluminum design, it only weighs 5,864 lbs. This is much lighter than we would have guessed. It has all the luxuries and ammenities we've seen in their other models, and now it has all-terrain DNA added into the mix. We can barely wait to see how it handles the beaches of Florida; so stay with us for all your Cullinan updates!

By Andrew Nabors – May 07, 2018

Manny Khoshbin's Koenigsegg Agera RS

Last month we reported that Koenigsegg had ended production of their Agera RS. A car that broke 5 world records is worthy of a Grand Finale, so our friend Manny Khoshbin collaborated with Christian von Koenigsegg to built the ultimate Agera. This build is unique in every way, so it was given the name of Phoenix. This mythical beast has the looks and abilities to dominate everything on the road. It would be hard to choose a color that is befitting of such a hypercar, so they settled on clear-coated carbon fiber. Under the clear are 24k gold leaf accents that match the gold stitched used throughout the interior. The body is 1 of 1, with unique aerodynamics that makes 1,150 lbs of downforce at 155 mph. To do this, the engine's air intake was extended into the removable roof panel. All Records Broken by the Koenigsegg Agera RS The rear spoiler is a dual-level design, and it was necessitated by incredible power. Manny wanted the fastest production car ever built, so he opted for the MEGA engine option. First seen on the Koenigsegg One:1, the twin turbo V8 makes one Megawatt of power. This is nearly 1,400 horsepower, and it is a proper farewell for the Agera. https://instagram.com/p/BiXl4SrnccR/ The options alone are almost $ 1 Million so it is also one of the most expensive cars they have built. Koenigsegg also made a fitted helmet of carbon fiber, with the same 24k motif as the car. Mr. Khoshbin doesn't let his fleet collect dust, so we'll hopefully have track footage coming soon. If you want something truly unique, click the link below and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg updates. Browse Koenigsegg For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 07, 2018

BMW Unveils M3 CS As MotoGP M Award Prize

MotoGP season is going to be wild this year, so BMW has a big prize for the fastest qualifier. To celebrate the 20th anniversary as the official car of MotoGP, BMW is offering the new M3 CS to whoever turns the fastest laps. This year will mark the 16th time BMW has given the M award, and a Frozen Fark Blue M3 will be presented at the end of the season.Each competitor will receive points for their fastest qualifying laps in each MotoGP race, and the winner will take home this mean machine. The new BMW M3 CS is the most powerful M3 ever built. It stays true to tradition by using a straight six engine and two TwinPower turbos to reach 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It offers 460 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Inside the winner will find Merino leather in a 2-tone pattern along with Alcantara accents.A press release this morning says the car was unveiled at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday, and it is one of only 1,200 examples to be built. The M3 has and is the perfect combination of handling and power, so click the link below to find our dealer near you.Browse BMW M Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – May 04, 2018

Battling Cancer With Rides in a Lamborghini

Knowing someone that has been diagnosed with cancer leaves you wondering what you can do to help. Unfortunately, you can't cure them but there are plenty of things each person can do to help out someone close to you in a time of need. For Brett David, owner and CEO of Prestige Imports, he likes to put smiles on the faces of those battling through some of the toughest fights humans can face.Recently, Brett visited Angelo Almonte at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital where he is undergoing treatment for a unique form of cancer. When visiting, he brought along a new 2018 Lamborghini Huracan because Angelo is actually a huge car fan. But he didn't just let him check out the car. Instead, Angelo sat in the driver's seat, gave the supercar some hearty revs and was taken out for some exciting drives around the streets.This experience was put on by Ride2Revive, an organization founded by brother and sister team Brett and Brooke David. Their goal is to share the exotic supercar world with children who are undergoing medical treatment for life-threatening illnesses. This is a perfect example of how everyone has means to assist those in need, but we can all help in different ways. For Brett, he's an expert in the automotive industry and has access to just about any exotic car out there. His form of assistance is putting smiles on children's faces by way of supercars and creating experiences that they will always remember. If you're interested in how you can be a part of Ride2Revive, visit ride2revive.org for more information.Learn About Ride2Revivehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BiVJGf5hxMj/

By Andrew Nabors – May 03, 2018

Porsche 919 Hybrid Parades Around NYC

Start spreading the news, Porsche is leaving today! Well probably, since the 919 Hybrid and a Panamera Turbo S E Hybrid took a tour of the Big Apple yesterday. As part of the "919tribute", the victorious supercar took a tour of Manhattan. Obviously, the roads were closed, but the roads were closed for the filming, and the nostalgia evoked in this clip will make you smile.New York City was the first place many Germans landed in America, and so it was also the first place we could experience Porsches for sale. To kick off the tribute tour, they started downtown and then up through Central Park. Other famous scenes include the West Side Highway and the Brooklyn Bridge, so we wonder how fast the 919 could lap the island. Somewhere in the city is one of the original 48 Porsche 356 models that were built in Gmund, Austria. It would have been nice to see it along for the filming, but Mr. Seinfeld has a busy schedule. Where will the 919tribute head to next? Click the link below and stay with us for all your Porsche updates.919 Tribute Tour

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