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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

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Top 10 Fastest Cars in the World - Top Speeds

There's no feeling like driving fast. When it comes to the automotive industry, breaking the record for high top speeds has been a celebrated feat, and that's because in just about every car enthusiast, there's an insatiable desire to go faster. With technology, innovation, and competition constantly getting more and more intense, the quest for higher top speeds has involved more amazing engineering and uncompromising innovation. Each new fastest car doesn't just eclipse the rest, but also pushes the entire automotive industry forward with the innovation required to reach those speeds. These 10 unmodified cars all exemplify this dedication to speed and are certainly worthy of praise. 1) Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+: 304 Miles Per Hour The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport recently gained a crown as the fastest car in the world. Working with Dallara to optimize the aerodynamics, the latest Bugatti Chiron was clocked at 304.773 miles per hour at the Volkswagen proving grounds near Wolfsburg, Germany in August of 2019. It was a one-way run due to the track surface so ineligible for a world record. Image Source: SSC 2) SSC Tuatara: 295 Miles Per Hour As the successor to their Ultimate Aero, Jerod Shelby (not related to Carroll) and his team needed more power. Knowing that a flat-plane V8 would easily rev to 9,000 rpm, they commissioned Nelson Racing Engines to build a 5.9-liter V8 by hand. Using Nelson's patented Mirror-Image turbos, this American hypercar sends 1,750 horsepower and 1,280 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. A uni-directional run at Space Florida's Launch and Landing facility saw the SSC Tuatara reach an incredible 295 mph. 3) Koenigsegg Agera RS: 277.87 Miles Per Hour On a closed Nevada highway, Christian von Koenigsegg and company pushed their car into the history books. Their 2-way average of 277.87 spurred the innovation to design the Jesko for over 300 mph. Being one of the top 10 fastest cars in the world is definitely a badge that the Agera RS wears proudly. Image Source: Hennessey 4) Hennessey Venom GT: 270.49 Miles Per Hour All too happy to see the Veyron fall, Texas-based-tuner-turned-manufacturer Hennessey says it Venom GT, based heavily on the Lotus Exige, is the new speed king, reaching 265.7 miles per hour in two miles, two fewer miles compared to the Veyron’s top-speed run. It accomplished this feat on February 9, 2013, at the Naval Air Station Lemoore in Lemoore, California, and it has a video to prove it. With Hennessey claiming its Venom GT produces 1,244 horsepower and weighs only 2,743 pounds, we have no reason to believe it isn’t true. Image Source: Bugatti 5) Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport: 267.86 Miles Per Hour The Bugatti Veyron's most potent iteration was the Super Sport, a hypercar boasting 1,183 horsepower, and the ability to reach nearly 268 mph, a feat that was verified by Guinness World Records in 2010. Image Source: Hennessey 6) Hennessey Venom GT Spyder: 265.6 Miles Per Hour Certified by Racelogic, Hennessey set out to make the world's fastest convertible, and with the incredible Spyder version of its Venom GT, the Texas performance powerhouse was able to reach an incredible 265.6 mph. Image Source: Bugatti 7) Bugatti Chiron: 261 Miles Per Hour Serving as successor to the incredible Veyron, the Bugatti Chiron boasted incredible power and incredible speed, to the point where the car was electronically limited to 261 mph, a speed that is only even reachable in few situations. Image Source: SSC 8) SSC Ultimate Aero TT: 256.14 Miles Per Hour With a twin-turbocharged, 6.3-liter V8 engine mounted amidships, and a scant weight of 2,756 pounds, this rocket from the 2000s was able to reach an incredible 256 mph, making it a certain rival of the Bugatti Veyron of the time. Image Source: Bugatti 9) Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse: 254 Miles Per Hour The introduction of the Bugatti Veyron spurred a rivalry between many hypercars to be the world's fastest. One of Bugatti's contributions to this fierce competition that lasted throughout the 2000s and beyond was the Grand Sport Vitesse, the open-topped version of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which was able to reach a soaring 254 mph. Image Source: Bugatti 10) Bugatti Veyron: 253.8 Miles Per Hour With its unmatched quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter W16 engine, all-wheel drive, stunning design, and engineering that has yet to be outdone in many aspects throughout the automotive industry, the original Bugatti Veyron and its 253-mph top speed rocked the automotive world and changed the definition of supercars and hypercars alike, sending shockwaves through the automotive performance world that are still being felt today. " width="680"> Honorable Mention: Johnny Bomer's Ford GT - 310.8 Miles Per Hour While it didn't make the list due to being modified, this Floridian speed junkie's 2006 Ford GT is quite. an awe-inspiring achievement in engineering and sheer performance power. At the Kennedy Space Center's Launch and Landing Facility, the car was able to reach an eye-watering speed of nearly 311 mph, and you can even see Bomer rowing manually through the gears, with one hand on the steering wheel at a soaring 266 mph. We don't intend to presume any examples of these are "affordable". But they are all attainable if you want an incredibly fast production car. Click the button to find yours and stay with us for all your exotic car news. Browse Exotic Cars For Sale

By duPont REGISTRY – November 30, 2022

2021 Bugatti Chiron Sport Noire Listed for Sale (1 of 20)

Presented by Automobiles Etcetera. With a production run of just 500 units worldwide, the Bugatti Chiron is already one of the rarest vehicles of the last two decades. However, the car listed for sale today is rarer still. It is a 2021 Bugatti Chiron Sport Noire, one of 20 cars with a Matte Black Carbon exterior and a Beluga Black interior. It also includes a set of black wheels to match the rest of its darkened aesthetic. This limited run of cars exists to pay tribute to the $12.5 Million La Voiture Noire. The French car maker produced the one-off to commemorate its missing Type 57SC Atlantic of the 1930s. All 20 Noire examples feature the Chiron Sport’s 8.0-Liter quad-turbocharged developing 1,500 hp. Initially, the Bugatti offered the Noire package as a $110,800 option for its Sport model. " width="680"> Canadian dealer Automobiles Etcetera lists this specific car for sale with just 417 miles on the clock and is in excellent condition. For more information about this specific car and all the other vehicles Automobiles Etcetera has for sale, please call (514)-852-2886 or click the link below. View Price And Listing

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 26, 2022

Replacement For Bugatti Chiron Will Have A Combustion Engine

A replacement for the Chiron is nigh, and Bugatti has a history of upping the ante. When Bugatti announced a merger with Rimac, it was crystal clear that electric vehicles were in the brand’s future. But now, in 2022, Mate Rimac himself surprisingly noted his faith in the combustion engine in a video. In this video (a shortened version can be found down below) Mate Rimac told the world that combustion-powered cars would remain in Bugatti’s future, and that they’ll continue to be the Bugattis that have shocked and amazed us all for nearly twenty years. MUST READ: Check The Spec: The Copper Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport For Tristan Tate At least one of the combustion-powered cars in question will be the replacement for the Chiron, and that is currently in development. During Monterey Car Week, Mate Rimac hinted to Manny Khoshbin that the car could arrive in 2024, and he also said that the car will feature things that we have never seen before. There is one big question, however, which is what kind of engine will be in the car. Emissions restrictions continue to get tighter, and the answer for many brands has been to move towards electric performance cars and discontinue V12s and similar powertrains. Bugatti’s iconic W16 engine is incredibly powerful, but emissions restrictions may mean that Bugatti will have to find another powertrain to break records and change automotive history. Whatever the powertrain is, we are promised an incredible vehicle that will continue to astonish and impress as Bugattis have for so long. Source: Motor1

By Edward Jones – June 11, 2021

See Bugatti's Epic Display at the Milano Monza Motor Show

The first chance to see Bugatti's latest creation in person. Bugatti has headed to the Milano Monza Motor Show with a group of hypercars that is truly epic. First up are the Chiron Pur Sport and Sport, which both of which have made their fair share of public appearance. Then, there are two Bugatti models that the world has yet to see in person. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport will be making its public debut at the show, shortly after being unveiled to the world. Then, there's the absolutely insane Bolide, which is also making its first public appearance. We haven't seen much of this car since it was unveiled in Fall 2020 due to it being delivered shortly after its unveiling. The Milano Monza Motor Show is running June 10 to 13 as an open-air event. If you're in the area, this is one event you don't want to miss. See All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Andrew Nabors – May 12, 2021

Why Your Collection Needs The Baby Bugatti II

Your little ones deserve the best! Ettore Bugatti was a true renaissance man. Catering to the wishes of young and old, Molsheim never turned down a unique request. In keeping with this tradition, the Little Car Company has commenced production on the Baby Bugatti II. This encore performance is the second collaboration between these industry leaders. We've previewed this little car before, so here is a quick refresher. Only 500 examples were offered, and each one is built to order. Each one arrives with membership to the Bugatti Owners Club, where they can be raced around the world. Inspiration comes from the firs Baby Bugatti that debuted in 1926. Loaded with the latest in technology, your baby will have hydraulic brakes, LED lights, and 13.4 horsepower. Using the Speed Key, you will be able to cruise at 42 mph, or limit the speed to 12 mph as they learn. Being able to reach 62 mph in six seconds is as fast as I want to go in such a light conveyance, and the batteries are mounted low to offer great handling. Click the button to learn more from our dealers and stay with us for all your Bugatti news! Browse Bugatti For Sale Images (C) Bugatti

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