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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 – August 03, 2016

2017 BMW "30 Jahre M3" Limited Edition Coming to USA, Price

How do you celebrate the anniversary of a car like the BMW M3? You build a monster version of the car, make it limited edition and leave everyone drooling. Case-in-point, the new 2017 BMW "30 Jahre M3" Limited Edition. If that name sounds familiar, it's probably because you're thinking of the "30 Jahre M5." HyperFocal: 0This new model was created to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the legendary new M3, which was launched in 1986. BMW has announced that only 500 units of this limited M3 will be produced, with 150 of them hitting the shores of the United States. Yes, you read that right, we aren't being left out. The cost of the car is set at $83,250, plus Destination and Handling. If you want the Dual-Clutch transmission, that'll cost you $86,150, plus Destination and Handling.What does this price get you? Special "30 Jahre M3" 1/500 badging: Located on the M gills, doorsill finishers and throughout the interior. Power: BMW upped the power on this limited edition model up to 444 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. (0-60 in 3.8 (auto) or 4.0 (manual)) Handling: It includes the Competition Package, complete with Adaptive M suspension. Exclusive Color: Comes finished in exclusive BMW Individual color Macao Blue metallic. If you're interested, the BMW "30 Jahre M3", it will be available at select dealers starting August, 2016.View BMW M3s For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 22, 2016

BMW Unleashes 2017 M5 Competition Edition

Bavarian engineers are always hard at work looking for more power. It seems as if every German car is migrating their turbochargers to the top side of the engine, which allows them to run cooler and spin up faster. BMW was the first to do so, and it has proven to be a resounding success. The M division never likes to leave power on the table, so they have turned up the wick on the 2017 M5 sedan. The finer details of an upcoming Competition Edition were outlined in a press release earlier this morning. By raising the boost pressure and adding more fuel, the M5 Competition Edition adds 40 hp to reach 600 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Production will be limited to only 200 cars but the modifications are not limited to acceleration.(Related Read - BMW M6 Coupe Competition Edition Revealed) Taking a page from their past, the suspension is lower by half an inch and the shocks have been stiffened. Everyone can agree that M cars have been trading driving excitement for luxury refinement in recent years. Electric power steering has been derided as offering almost no feedback, so they have dialed back its power to let the driver feel the road. Only two colors will be offered. 100 cars will be built in Carbon Black Metallic, and the other half will be Mineral White. As usual with cars of this nature, all optional content is included. Bang & Olufsen audio, full merino leather interior, and carbon fiber aero package leave nothing to be desired. BMW likes to take Limited Production literally, so we hope they choose to send a few across the Atlantic. Stay tuned for more M Division & BMW news.View M5s For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 28, 2016

BMW: Largest M Delivery Of All Time 34,000 Horsepower

If you choose to have your BMW delivered at the factory, the BMW Welt in Munich is your next destination. Usually the deliveries are of the more normal production models, but last month was a milestone. In a record-setting move, one day was set aside for performance-minded customers, and 73 new Bavarian masterpieces met their new owners. Of those new cars, 45 were the new BMW M4 GTS.The BMW Welt (BMW World) is a futuristic customer interaction center located on the grounds of company headquarters. Adjacent to their museum, it has interactive displays of cars and motorcycles, meeting spaces for special events, and even a restaurant. Rarely do customers get to meet the engineers and employees who built their car, so we're glad a film crew was on hand for the occasion. Be sure to check in with our main site, as you will undoubtedly see a few of these M's for sale in the near future.M4 for sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 14, 2016

Reviewed: 2016 BMW M4 GTS

Pushing the limits of their legendary straight six engine, BMW has unleashed a brutal new track car: the 2016 M4 GTS. The proof is in the lap time: 7.28. For those needing to lap the 'Ring in a Bavarian masterpiece, a host of new features will be at your disposal. For the 30th anniversary of the M3, BMW is building 700 examples, each one destined to be an instant collectible. To make more power, water injection is used to cool the intake charge. By turning up the boost, the 3.0L twin turbo six makes 500 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. In addition to the wild power, engineers stripped all nonessential weight and made extensive use of carbon composites. No manual transmission will be offered, but the seven-speed M-DCT has tougher internals and a revised launch mode to cope with the power. An optional club sport package offers an Acid Orange roll cage behind the rear seats with provisions for a six-point racing harness. Covering the carbon fiber seats is a mix of Alcantara and Merino leather, with cut outs to save weight. Each owner will receive a suspension tuning box which includes a spanner wrench for the springs and a dial for tuning shock rebound. The prototype from the Amelia Island Concours displayed an MSRP of $134,200, which is a relative bargain for such a potent machine. Stay tuned to Autofluence for more BMW news. BMW M4s For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 13, 2016

2018 BMW Z5 Prototype Spied

Cold weather testing is a critical phase of development for any new car, especially one intended for sale worldwide. We have heard rumors of BMW and Toyota collaborating for years on a new sporty roadster, and it looks like the program is well underway.In a YouTube video uploaded yesterday, Car Spy News somehow battled white out conditions to capture something new in action. With more camouflage than Duck Dynasty, this two-seater looks very capable on frozen roads. The rumor mill suggests that Toyota's version will feature a retractable hard top while the BMW retains cloth, but that is all we know for now. The exhaust note suggests it won't be the next Z8 or turbo Supra, but let's hope they offer a manual transmission to make it the ultimate driving machine. Stay tuned to Autofluence for more spy footage.BMW Z4s For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – April 06, 2016

BMW Presents 'Sporty Elegance' 2016 Lifestyle Collection

BMW is known for classic elegance, innovation and sporty cars. To compliment the quality and popularity of their vehicles, BMW has added 2540 items to their clothing and accessory collection for 2016. Celebrating their 100th year, the 2016 Lifestyle Collection features an array of wearables including jackets, watches, sunglasses and more. Also included is a selection of luggage.Drive and i-series or an M-series? Choose from the specially crafted M and i Collections. the BMW Iconic collection includes leather accessories and wrist watches, among other items, all of which are hand-crafted and made of high-quality materials. BMW even sets the kids up with specialty children's items. You can check out the full collection here.BMWs For Sale

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