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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 – October 05, 2016

Hennessey Reveals Velociraptor 6x6 and It's an American M...

Hennessey has just taken the Raptor to a whole new level by adding new axles, additional wheels and a whole lot more. Introducing the Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6.“Our VelociRaptor 6X6 is pure aggression on wheels – all six of them”, said Hennessey on their website. “The new 2017 Raptor is going to be one of the best all-around trucks ever built. We are excited to help take it to the next level both in terms of performance and exclusivity.”The full list of upgrades made to the F-150 to turn it into the VelociRaptor 6x6 include: 6x6 locking rear axles Fox suspension 20-inch wheels Off-road tires Custom bumpers Rollbar LED Lights One addition that can be made on the customer's own accord is the VelociRaptor 600 twin-turbo upgrade, which will take the truck's power over 600 hp, as well as add stainless steel exhaust, upgraded intercooler and plumbing, and a retuned ECU. Other options available are Brembo brakes, wheels, tires, LED lighting, interior options, electronic upgrades and armoring. Yes, you can armor your 6x6 Raptor.As far as pricing goes, Hennessey will turn a 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor into a VelociRaptor 6x6 for $295,000 (that price includes the base model Raptor 4-door truck). For the twin-turbo VelociRaptor 600 upgraded, that'll cost $22,500. If you're interested, the truck can be ordered through Hennessey Performance or through select Hennessey/Ford dealers.View All Hennessey For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – August 04, 2016

Hennessey HPE1000 Challenger Hellcat Hits the Dyno

You knew it was bound to happen. John Hennessey and team have added twin turbos to the supercharged Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Being the most powerful production muscle car, it makes 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque at the engine without any modifications. Automatic transmissions consume a percentage of that power in exchange for not having to shift your own gears. Our Cars & Coffee events are always packed with the mean Mopars, and owners tell us they usually make anywhere from 630 hp to 650 hp at the rear wheels when measured on a dyno. Incredible numbers for any showroom stock vehicle, but how does one boost that which is already boosted?While tuned exhaust on naturally aspirated cars helps to build power at low RPMs, the exhaust on a supercharged car is essentially wasted energy. By adding two turbochargers into the mix, the Hellcat is taken from 11 to 15 pounds of boost pressure. Before you mention that it's only 4 psi, consider how a supercharger works. It takes 500 hp just to spin the blower on a Top Fuel dragster. While that might be an extreme comparison, superchargers use a significant amount of the engine's power- to make more power. I drove Mr. Hennessey's twin-turbo Ford GT at the Orange County Auto Show in 2013, and he explained that by adding boost at low engine speeds, the supercharger's inefficiencies are negated. Using the same logic on the Hellcat, they are able to make 848 hp at the rear wheels, 200 more with only 4 pounds of additional boost. Considering the power lost inside the automatic, it equates to 1,060 hp at the engine! Also available for the Charger Hellcat, head over to Hennessey Performance for more information.Used Challenger SRT Hellcat

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 22, 2016

Super Limited Hennessey 25th Anniversary VelociRaptor is ...

Hennessey Performance is known for leaving an impression. With its line of high-performance supercars, trucks, muscle cars and more, Hennessey doesn't disappoint on the track or on the streets. So for their 25th anniversary, it's only right they do it big. They're celebrating in glorious fashion with a fierce VelociRaptor 700 Supercharged Ford Truck. According to the Hennessey website, the VelociRaptor is coming equipped with some serious upgrades. VelociRaptor 700 Supercharged Ford Truck Upgrades 2.9 Liter Supercharger System Air-to-Water Intercooler High Flow Air Induction Fuel Injector Upgrade Stainless Steel Cat-Back Exhaust Professional Installation HPE Engine Management Calibration Chassis Dyno Tuning & Road Testing Serial-Numbered Dash & Engine Plaques Hennessey & VelociRaptor Exterior Badging 3 Year / 36,000 Mile Limited Warranty Think you want one of these crazy trucks? Better act fast. Hennessey is only putting 25 into production. Price and release date hasn't been publicly displayed, but you can click the button below for more info.Learn More

By Andrew Nabors – July 12, 2016

Hennessey Venom 800: Drag Radials Required

Next year will be the final model year for the Dodge Viper. Several special editions have been announced and already sold out, but no major mechanical upgrades are offered. Before these ten cylinder snakes slither off into sunset, a few have been caught by Hennessey Performance as the ultimate expression of this American supercar.John Hennessey began his career by modifying Vipers in his parents' garage. Being the cornerstone of the business, they have pulled out all the stops to make 808 hp and 790 lb-ft of torque. The giant X-brace across the engine prohibits the use of a roots style supercharger, and good luck finding room along the exhaust for turbos. So they have turned to the largest centrifugal blower we have ever seen.At only 5 psi of boost pressure, Venom 800 reaches 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Bold wording on their website warns potential buyers that optional drag racing tires are needed to prevent wheel spin. With a prepped drag strip the Venom offers 10.5 seconds in the quarter mile at 143 mph. The fuel and exhaust systems are all new, and each car will be dyno tuned before delivery. This package is available for all Vipers from 2013 to present and comes with a 1 year/12,000 mile limited warranty. For more information, please head over to HPE's Venom 800 page here.

By Andrew Nabors – June 23, 2016

Hennessey Performance's 800 Horsepower 25th Anniversary M...

John Hennessey and team are celebrating a quarter century in the business with a limited run of 800 hp Mustangs. By reverse engineering Ford's latest 5.0L V8 and adding a massive supercharger, the new HPE800 offers 804 hp and 648 lb-ft of torque. To reach this level of power undoubtedly involves changes to the valve train, and exhaust. Ford's 5.0L "Coyote" V8 is a masterpiece of design, but variable valve timing and multiple chains add complexity to any engine work. So as long as they are going that far, why not replace the intake with a 2.9L supercharger?To keep it 50 state legal, the factory catalytic converts are retained, but a new axle-back system reduces back pressure. Their own H10 forged wheels are wrapped in Michelin Super Sport tires. Suspension is a collaboration of Hennessey and KW, with progressive rate springs to retain a comfy ride. Putting a stop to this incredible power are Brembo 15" front brakes. Each car will have numbered badges inside and out, along with embroidered headrests. Their test mule was capable of going 10.7 seconds in the quarter mile at 133 mph. With drag slicks you will be at 60 mph in only 3.1 seconds. So if you think you can handle it, click the button below to learn about how you can get yourself one.Learn MoreOne notch below this car is the HPE750, and it went 207.9 mph at their proving grounds. Mustangs For Sale

By Edward Jones – April 04, 2016

Barrett-Jackson Aucitoning Off Hennessey Velociraptor Fea...

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company is known for their charitable lots, most recently the first 2017 Acura NSX. Now, for the 2016 Palm Beach auction they will be offering the Hennessey VelociRaptor that Jeremy Clarkson drove on "Top Gear".This truck started off as a Ford Raptor with a six-speed automatic transmission and ended up as a truck worthy of the Cretaceous name. Its supercharged 5.0-liter V8 was pumped up to 650 hp and makes a 0-60 mph run possible in just 5.3 seconds. It was wrapped in Pennzoil Yellow, modified further with new bumpers, wheels and a light bar that Clarkson said was so bright it resembles a "collapsed sun."Barrett-Jackson will be offering the car at their Palm Beach event, at approximately 2:00 pm on Friday, April 8, 2016. One hundred percent of this truck's hammer price will benefit The Paralyzed Veterans of America charity.(Click image to play video)

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