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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 Jordan Aquistapace – February 09, 2022

Red Bull Racing Unveils Its New RB18 For The 2022 Formula...

A new platform to help Red Bull Racing defend its title. After what seemed to be one of the most exciting finishes to a Formula 1 season, Red Bull Racing is already getting to work in order to hold its championship title. The Oracle Red Bull Racing team is proud to present its new RB18 chassis for the upcoming 2022 season. With a fresh start to the season, the Formula 1 regulation changes have given teams the task of re-designing new vehicle platforms that level the playing field. MUST-READ: TAG Heuer x Red Bull Racing Celebrate Its Partnership With A Special Edition Formula 1 Watch The launch of the RB18 took place from the Red Bull Racing Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, with team drivers Max Verstappen and Checo Perez on the scene for the anticipated affair. Both drivers commented on how excited they are to get behind the wheel of the new RB18, and how learning the new regulations will help improve competition on the circuit. Along with the drivers, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner expressed his excitement for the new RB18 and the evolution it will go through before its first race. The Oracle Red Bull Racing Team is ready to take on the 2022 Formula 1 season with the new RB18 as its go-to weapon. Check back into duPont REGISTRY Daily for more luxury lifestyle releases and supercar news. Source: Red Bull Content Pool

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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 Tyler Rampersaud – January 18, 2022

Porsche Announces Stylish Platinum Edition Cayenne and Ca...

Porsche’s Platinum hit gets a Platinum makeover. When it was introduced 20 years ago, the Porsche Cayenne took a giant leap of faith by being one of the first luxury SUVs to be released by a brand known for luxury sports cars. However, it very quickly became the brand’s top seller, and while it’s younger and smaller sibling, the Macan has now taken that spot, the Cayenne is still an incredibly strong seller, and the blueprint for the Macan, and so many SUVs that came after it. MUST READ: Porsche Offers Endless Options With The Exclusive Manufaktur Leather Interior After such a long time in the business, however, the Cayenne deserves a new look, and that’s just what Porsche gave it with the new Platinum Edition models, which can be ordered for the Cayenne, Cayenne Coupe, Cayenne S and S Coupe, and the Cayenne E-Hybrid and E-Hybrid Coupe. Platinum Edition Cayennes get all the accents redone in a Satin Platinum color, a panoramic roof, a Bose Surround sound system, and Chalk seatbelts with aluminum interior trim. Starting at $79,000, and available with custom Porsche Manufaktur options, get ready for platinum levels of luxury. Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 18, 2022

Porsche Taycan to Be Formula E Safety Car

The racing championship of the future gets a safety car to match. Formula E is the ultimate manifestation of the radical change we’ve seen in the car world towards electric vehicles. It wasn’t too long ago when electric cars were thought of as slow, impractical, and uninspiring vehicles, and now there is an entire racing championship for them with its own fierce competition and cutting edge innovation. MUST READ: Porsche Offers Endless Options With The Exclusive Manufaktur Leather Interior Meanwhile, electric cars have taken high performance to the streets, with unheard-of levels of horsepower, torque, efficiency, all while emitting no CO2 whatsoever. The Porsche Taycan is one of these cars, with incredible looks and staggering performance, which makes it a serendipitous candidate to fill the role of safety car for Formula E. That said, a modified version of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is set to debut as the Formula E Safety Car in Saudi Arabia, with an added roll cage and bucket seats, along with lights and other features to meet the requirements of a safety car. The performance, however, didn’t need to be changed. The Taycan’s 0-60 time in less than 3 seconds means that while it might not be as fast as the cars that are competing, it’ll be able to get around the track as fast as a safety car should. Porsche Taycan For Sale Source: Porsche

By Edward Jones – December 15, 2021

Sir Lewis Hamilton Has Been Officially Knighted at Windso...

An incredible honor for a deserving driver. Sir Lewis Hamilton has officially received his knighthood from the Prince of Wales during a ceremony at Windsor Castle today, December 15, 2021. Hamilton is now the fourth Formula 1 driver to be knighted, joining Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss, and Sir Jackie Stewart. This ceremony comes at a time when Hamilton surely needed it after a heartbreaking loss to Max Verstappen at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. And while Sir Lewis Hamilton may be waiting on his eighth Formula 1 World Championship, he can at least take to the track knowing he's the only knighted driver on the circuit. You can see Sir Lewis Hamilton and his mother Carmen after the ceremony in the video up above uploaded to YouTube by Reuters. Source: YouTube/Reuters

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 13, 2021

The Bugatti Baby II Collection By The Little Car Company...

Start the passion for automobiles at a young age with The Little Car Company Bugatti models. As the generation of young car lovers grows, the passion for anything automotive continues to strengthen until the first day behind the wheel. While the traditional route of child push cars lacks authenticity, the automotive professionals at The Little Car Company aim to provide the best option for custom children's cars. The Little Car Company is proud to display its newest collection release with the hypercar specialists at Bugatti at Harrod's. The Bugatti Baby II Collection commemorates the early days of founder Ettore and his son Jean building a half-scale Type 35 for the youngest child Roland’s fourth birthday. MUST-READ: Meet the Aston Martin DB5 Junior: The Perfect Little Spy Car The Little Car Company Bugatti Collection features 3 models: Base, Vitesse, and Pur Sang with a wide range of exterior paint finished and interior leather trims. The Baby II’s performance lives up to the Bugatti name. Offered exclusively in rear-wheel drive, all versions of the Baby II have a fully electric powertrain, high-performance hydraulic brakes, and selectable driving modes. The Base model comes with two modes; Novice which is limited to 12mph and 1.3bhp of power, and Expert which is limited to 30mph and 5.4bhp of power. The Vitesse and Pur Sang models include the Novice and Expert driving modes, but also offer extra performance from an upgraded powertrain unlocked by the legendary Bugatti Speed Key. This enables you to deploy up to 13.4 bhp and with an all-up weight of just 507lbs, achieving a top speed of 42mph. The all-new Bugatti Baby II Collection by The Little Car Company is limited to only 500-examples starting at $34,000. The Little Car Company Bugatti Baby II is on display at Harrods. Partnering with the iconic Knightsbridge luxury store, The Little Car Company’s limited-edition vehicle is on show for all visitors to see up close. Check Back into duPont REGISTRY Daily for more luxury automotive gear news and releases. Shop The Little Car Company Bugatti Baby II Source: The Little Car Company

By Edward Jones – December 03, 2021

Radical SR3 XX and SR10 Race Cars Get Solid Updates for 2022

Track day just got a lot better. Radical Sportscars have just announced a hefty list of upgrades for their already incredible SR3 XX and SR10 track cars, with some of them being standard and some optional. First up is the optional halo, which is a first for a Radical. This structure goes above the driver's head and keeps them protected from a wide range of serious incidents. If you're wondering why halos are needed, just look at the " title="YouTube video" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen> this year. Other optional upgrades include the power steering upgrade, cast aluminum uprights with billet, a secondary digital display, and a larger driver's seat for the center seat configuration. Coming in as standard for the SR10 is a larger brake kit and an engine map for the Ford EcoBoost 2.3-liter turbocharged engine. You can order the new 2022 Radical SR3 XX and SR10 model now and deliveries are expected in the first quarter of 2022. Source: Radical Sportscars

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 29, 2021

The Porsche Paint To Sample Program Offers 160 Colors And...

Is your Dream Porsche really a Dream Porsche? With Paint to Sample it doesn’t have to be. If you want a Porsche, but feel like it needs a bit of a personal touch, Paint to Sample has just what you need. By sending Porsche a color sample, and waiting for sometimes up to a year for a feasibility study to be conducted, and most importantly forking over up to $25,660 to have the job done, you can get every Porsche, except the Cayenne, in literally whatever color you want. Paint to Sample also has a list of pre-approved colors, which on their own expand the list of colors you can get your Porsche made into a library of unique shades for varied tastes. MUST-READ: “Bad Boys” Porsche 911 Turbo is Heading to Auction That list has now expanded to include 160 colors. Should you choose one of the pre-approved colors, it only costs about half as much at up to $12,830. Paint to Sample is just one reason to covet a Porsche as a personal and unique addition to any collector’s garage. With Paint to Sample, your next car can be a leader in dynamism, performance, motorsport heritage, and now personal expression. View all of the current Porsche inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY Daily for more Porsche news and releases. View All Porsche For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 29, 2021

Christian von Koenigsegg Shows Us Why the Jesko Has the W...

Anyone who knows about Koenigsegg knows that they’re always at the cutting edge. From the very beginning, Koenigsegg has been dedicated to creating the world’s fastest cars by discovering, expanding, and experimenting with unimaginable technology and engineering. It has been amazing to witness Koenigsegg release a vehicle that shocks and amazes, and then see them learn from one and create something even more powerful, dynamic, and efficient after that. From the biofuel system in the CCXR, to the revolutionary transmission in the Regera, the impossibly futuristic Gemera, and of course, the Jesko, Koenigsegg have yet to disappoint. MUST-READ: Koenigsegg Regera “Kejsare” On Display at Motorcars of Atlanta In this video, Christian von Koenigsegg talks us through the “low inertia powertrain” that gives the Jesko what it needs to properly succeed its predecessors. Not only has the engine been redeveloped to be lighter and better performing, but the transmission has also been developed to omit the flywheel and clutch, reducing inertia and making the engine much more responsive, meaning the car shifts faster, and gets going the second you put your foot on the pedal. Where this translates in numbers we can all understand and appreciate is that the Koenigsegg Jesko revs up to 8500 RPM, and due to its responsiveness it is the fastest revving production engine in the world, getting from idle to 7800, the limit when the car is in neutral, in just 213 milliseconds. Yet again, Koenigsegg proves that it is the future of world-class supercars. View all current Koenigsegg examples for sale on dupPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Koenigsegg For Sale Source: Koenigsegg YouTube

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 29, 2021

BMW's M Division Is 50, And They Have Quite the Golden Ye...

For half a century, just one letter has been synonymous with the best of German performance and precision. That letter is M. BMW is going to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its M division in 2022, and a Golden anniversary calls for a golden age for BMW, BMW enthusiasts, and especially BMW M or M Sport package owners. 2022 is ushering in special paint colors and emblems for M and M Sport cars, and it’s going to be legendary. BMW Motorsport was first established in 1972, and the first iterations of its logo first started appearing on race cars in 1973, in the form of shifted semicircles in the iconic blue, red, and purple. Blue represented BMW, red represented the racing world, and purple represented the two coming together to form BMW Motorsport. The BMW M1 was the first car to wear the logo as we know it today in 1978, with three diagonal stripes set against the iconic M, and while since then the purple has changed to a darker blue, the logo has always been an indicator of a dynamic, innovative, high-performance car that would stand the test of time and be loved by car enthusiasts of all kinds. BMW BMW M or M Sport package vehicles with a production date starting March 2022 can be fitted with a classic BMW Motorsport-inspired logo on the front, back, and wheels, with the red, blue, and dark blue semicircles surrounding the BMW logo. According to BMW, these vehicles can be ordered starting at the end of January 2022. In addition, BMW is offering various classic and iconic M paint colors like Imola Red, Dakar Yellow, Daytona Violet, Macao Blue, Fire Orange, and Frozen Marina Bay Blue on select models. BMW We can expect even more to come from M’s golden year. While it won’t be coming to the US, international M enthusiasts will be receiving an all-new touring wagon model of the M3. BMW also tells us to look forward to a special model of the M4 Coupe, and a successor for the M2. Most interestingly, however, is the promise that in the anniversary year, BMW’s first electric M performance model will be revealed. BMW also plans to celebrate the anniversary at various events this year, like Villa D’Este, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. BMW fans, get excited. The coming year is going to be a good one. View all current BMW inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All BMW For Sale Source: BMW

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