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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 – February 14, 2017

Pagani Reveals Huayra Roadster

A proper recipe for the perfect convertible has always involved the same ingredients: Reinforcements to the chassis and restyling the body. But Mr. Pagani doesn't follow the crowd when it comes to the Huayra, which is why the Roadster is revolutionary. Just released, the official information is breathtaking. While it may look identical to the coupe on the outside, the roadster rides on an all new chassis of Carbo-Tanium. The patented material was invented by Mr. Pagani and it has been the foundation of his cars. When layered it makes for a strong material, but for even more rigidity the engineers have laid it on 3 opposing axis. Carbo-Triax is the new composite, and it allows the roadster to be lighter and stronger than its predecessor. Attached to the central monocoque are tube frames of chrome moly, which allow for 1.8G of lateral grip. The Mercedes-AMG V12 is rated at 764 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque, and since the car only weighs 2,821 lbs it will be a brutal speed machine. Your choices for a rear mounted, naturally aspirated V12 are scarce these days so expect to learn more about the new Huayra Roadster and other exotic cars after the Geneva auto show.

By Edward Jones – January 03, 2017

Was the Pagani Huayra Roadster Leaked?

Well, we knew it was going to happen, but now it's more official than ever: the Pagani Huayra Roadster is on its way. Images of the car have been both leaked and purposefully posted on social media. On the Pagani Automobili Facebook page, an image of the car was posted with the undeniable hashtags "#pagani #huayra #roadster #huayraroadster #geneva2017 #newyear#2k17." Those may be the most straightforward and purposeful hashtags I've seen. https://www.facebook.com/PaganiAutomobili/photos/a.320040968023049.96834.225904110770069/1597106206983179/?type=3 If the image from Pagani wasn't enough, Instagram user @fede_perico posted an image of what appears to be drawings of the Huayra Roadster eight weeks ago. In the images, we see a rear three-quarter angle, side shot and birds-eye view of the car. The most changed aspect of the car that we can see in this image is the new rear diffuser, "eyelid" on the taillights and more. https://www.instagram.com/p/BMjZ4QTgbSs/ As with most car unveilings, we will more than likely see a full debut of the car before the Geneva International Motor Show (March 9-19). So, be sure to stay with us for more news on the Pagani Huayra Roadster as it's unveiled. All Pagani For Sale

By Edward Jones – September 23, 2016

Pagani Huayra BC Rips Through Nurburgring, Record in Sight

Update 9/23/2016 9:50 AM: New video has been added below. If setting Nurburgring record times made you a hipster, Pagani would be the hippest of them all. You see, back in 2002 the Pagani Zonda C12 S became the first road car to set a record on the Nurburgring track. Now, years later, hundreds of cars have set and broken new records, but Pagani wanted to bring up that tidbit of info on their Instagram for a mysterious reason. Could it have anything to do with the Huayra BC that was spotted on in Green Hell? You bet. (Related - One Off Pagani Huayra Futura Makes Debut) A YouTuber recently caught a Huayra BC taking a corner rather hard and the general consensus is that Pagani is looking to set another record. Why? Well, between the Huayra BC testing on the track after-hours and Pagani's Instagram post regarding the record-setting C12 S it's hard to not think they're up to something. Who knows, maybe in the coming days we'll have a new record for the fastest road car on Nurburgring. Only time will tell!

By Andrew Nabors – July 27, 2016

Most Amazing Sounds From 2016 Pagani Gathering

Named after the best car movie of all time: Vanishing Point is the annual homecoming for Pagani owners. Taking place at the factory in San Cesario, it attracts the rarest and most powerful cars from around the world. Founded in 1992 by Horacio Pagani, he took lessons learned as the head of Lamborghini's composites program and combined them with an AMG-tuned Mercedes V12. His first production car was the Zonda C12 in 1999 and the rest is history.(Related - Jaw-Dropping Aston Martin Vulcan Sounds and Burnouts)The carbon fiber manufacturing side of the business is known as Modena Design, and they were the first to infuse titanium into the composite structure. Carbotanium is a patented material both stronger and lighter than each of its ingredients. Our friend Marchettino always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and he was able to film an unprecedented departure of supercars. The soundtrack is too overpowering for ear buds, so turn up the volume and disturb your coworkers. Tell us which car sounds the best in the comments below.View Paganis For Sale

By Caitlin Duffy – November 10, 2015

Bugatti Veyron vs. Pagani Huayra vs. Ferrari LaFerrari vs...

It's not uncommon to see videos of one, two or even three supercars or hypercars taking each other on. But it's rare that you'll see five going head to head, especially when all five are still wearing stock wheels.But that's what Salomondrin and his team are in the process of doing. In one of the most impressive hypercar showdowns to date, YouTube personality Salomondrin and his community of supercar owners, the "CupGang," gathered five privately owned examples of the world's finest vehicles to see how they stack up.A video shared to YouTube Nov. 8 gives us a look at the first part of this showdown; titled "HYPER 5 - PART 1," the video features Salomondrin talking through the details and back story of each of the five cars involved. A Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, Porsche 918 Spyder and Pagani Huayra all take turns around the track with him behind the wheel, prepping for a show of force.Check out the race preview in the video below, then find your own hypercar for your collection from our exclusive listings.P1s For Sale Ferraris For Sale Veyrons For Sale (via YouTube) See More Automotive News

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