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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 08, 2021

Fast Financials 2021: Tesla Pushes Bitcoin To New Heights

While SpaceX Starship SN10 began fuel tests, Elon Musk announced big news for cryptocurrency. In our latest Fast Financials for 2021, Tesla has pushed Bitcoin to new heights. Reuters broke the news this morning that Tesla Motors had purchased $1.5 billion in Bitcoin. Given the current trends, this is a great investment. It coincides with their announcement that the brand will begin accepting it for payment. Over the past few hours, the price of one coin has surpassed $44,000. The tail wags the dog, as Tesla's investment was the impetus for today's rally. Click the button to find your Tesla and tell us your Bitcoin experience in the comments below. Browse Tesla For Sale Bitcoin Chart by TradingView Image (C) Tesla. Ticker (C) Tradingview.com

By Andrew Nabors – January 27, 2021

Fast Financials 2020: BMW's Free Cash Flow Beats Market E...

While many brands took a hit during the lockdown, BMW's Free Cash Flow beats market estimates. In their latest Ad-Hoc announcement, we learn how they turned lemons into lemonade. For starters, the outbreak caused many owners to stay at home, so less warranty work means money saved. Chinese buyers made strong down payments, injecting even more cash. Parts inventories were also streamlined to keep fewer valuable items on the shelf. This allowed their Free Cash Flow for Q4 to be € 2.8 billion, or 1.3 billion Euro more than Q4 2019. Our main Fast Financials will show you how BMW bounced back! Browse BMW For Sale BMW Chart by TradingView Ticker (C) TradingView.com, Image (C) BMW USA

By Andrew Nabors – January 11, 2021

Fast Financials 2020 Q4: Mercedes-AMG Achieved Record Growth

Luxury brands seemed to take a hit last year, but in our latest Fast Financials, we see that Mercedes-AMG achieved record growth. Despite all the adversity faced in 2020, Mercedes-Benz USA only saw a drop of 8.9% in combined sales of commercial and passenger vehicles. The shining star in the portfolio was the unprecedented growth of their high-performance brand. Our friends at TradingView offer this real-time tracker for their parent-company Daimler. Daimler Chart by TradingView In the final quarter, the Mercedes-AMG brand moved 11,128 units, a YTD increase of 29.1%. In total, they delivered 34,079 powerful examples of German engineering, their best year so far. Non-AMG sales were led by the GL-Class SUVs. The GLA and GLB accounted for over 25% of SUV sales, led by the front-runner GLC followed by 2nd place GLE. Production of the new S-Class for sale is just ramping up, so stay tuned for a strong year from our dealers. Click the button below to find one near you. Browse Mercedes-Benz For Sale " width="680"> Image (C) Mercedes-Benz USA

By Andrew Nabors – January 06, 2021

Fast Financials 2020 Q4: BMW Bounces Back

Taking a hit early on in the game can be saved with a perfect Hail Mary, and that is what we see in our latest Fast Financials. BMW bounces back in the final quarter of 2020 to offset Covid losses earlier in the year. Compared to Q4 of 2019, sales were only down by 2%, more than many automakers could pull off. BMW Opens 3D Printing Campus In Munich BMW Chart by TradingView The real hit came early in the year, as the assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina was closed to protect the workers. This caused the total 2020 deliveries to be down by 17.5%, with 278,732 cars compared to the 338,003 sold in 2019. Being able to get back in the saddle is tough for such a big brand, so we applaud them for continuing to build "The Ultimate Driving Machine". Click the button below to find yours. Browse BMW For Sale Image (C) BMW

By Andrew Nabors – January 04, 2021

Fast Financials 2020 Q4: Tesla Fully Charged

With nearly half a million deliveries in 2020, let's take a look at Tesla Fully Charged. Their Q4 press release hit our inbox last night, and the numbers are as impressive as ever. To make the accounting process easier, the four models are grouped by their platform. Production of the Model S and Model X reached 54,805, while the smaller Model 3 and Model Y topped a staggering 454,932 cars. EveryDrive Carry: Charged Up With The Tesla Model 3 That's right, they built 509,737 cars last year while also contributing to Covid relief efforts. With such a "S3XY" lineup, our dealers have great offers waiting for you. To watch how the market reacts to this strong news, TradingView provides the best real-time tracking. Stay with us for all your industry news. Browse Telsa For Sale TSLA Chart by TradingView Image (C) Startech.de

By Andrew Nabors – November 05, 2020

Fast Financials 2020 Q3: GM Publishes Strong Performance

When GM decided to stop building sedans in favor of updated trucks, the media backlash was severe. The death of the Regal, Impala, Malibu, and others was criticized by many as the end of an era, but it has allowed them to rebuild Hummer and finally offer a mid-engine Corvette. As seen in their most recent press release, GM has published strong performance for the 3rd quarter. GM Chart by TradingView Top 10 Best 2022 Hummer EV Facts and Features Rebounding from the hit everyone took when the virus fears sunk in, CEO Mary Barra and her team went back to basics. Spurred by heavy investments to modernize assembly plants and praise of the new Corvette, we see a 74% increase in income YTD. With revenue of $35.5 billion, they have $9.9 in cash flow and an income of $4 billion. This equates to $2.78 earning per share versus the same time last year. Click here to view the complete press release with GAAP numbers, then click below to find a new Corvette for sale. Stay with us for more Fast Financials here at duPont REGISTRY. Browse New Corvette For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – June 29, 2017

McLaren Automotive Celebrates Four Years of Profit, On Tr...

McLaren has announced today, June 29, 2017, four consecutive years of success and profit. in 2016, a record 3,286 McLaren cars were sold. That amount of sales is a 70% increase in profit before tax. This is just one of the many positive numbers that McLaren has put up between 2015 and 2016 years of operation.“The positive financial performance in 2016 was underpinned by a 44% increase in sales revenues and is further proof that McLaren Automotive’s growth plans are both achievable and sustainable,” said McLaren Automotive Chief Executive Officer, Mike Flewitt. ”Investment in R&D and future product during the period of £129.1M – 20% of turnover – reaffirms our commitment to the Track22 Business Plan that will produce 15 new models or derivatives by the end of 2022 and the focus going forwards will be on successfully delivering these new products and managing continued profitable growth.”In 2016, North America was McLaren's largest market, with 1,139 cars out of the total 3,286 being delivered across the continent. That amount is a 106% increase over 2015, thanks to the Sports Series (570GT and 570S), which accounted for 2,031 deliveries.Below is a breakdown of McLaren's performance from 2015 to 2016. 2016 2015 % change Deliveries to customers Cars 3,286 1,654 99% Employed People 1,606 1,492 8% Sales revenue Million GBP 649.8 450.6 44% Operating profit Million GBP 65.8 23.5 180% Operating profit as % of sales 10% 5% Profit before tax Million GBP 9.2 5.4 70% Profit after tax Million GBP 7.3 2.8 161% Capitalised development costs Million GBP 129.1 123.9 4% Capitalised investments as a % of T/O 20% 27%

By Edward Jones – March 24, 2017

Porsche Gives Every German Employee Massive Bonus

The year 2016 was a fantastic one for the German automaker Porsche, and they're celebrating by giving their employees at their German sites a massive bonus.According to welt.de, Porsche is giving their employees at their German locations a €9,111 bonus. This equates to roughly $9.800 USD at the current exchange rate during the publication of this article. Yes, this bonus will be given to EVERY employee, including cleaning crew, engineers, mechanics, production line workers, etc.Welt.de notes that 2016 was a fantastic year for Porsche, with the company seeing a 10% increase in profitability. For comparison's sake, in 2015, Porsche gave their employees a €8,911 bonus and in 2014, Ferrari gave their employees a €4,096 bonus.I want to take this time to congratulate Porsche on their success and their employees for doing a fantastic job.

By Edward Jones – December 02, 2016

McLarens Now Covered Up to 12 Years

Have a McLaren that you want to protect for over a decade? The English automaker has your back. Announced in a press release issued today, December 2, McLaren will now allow for their Extended Warranty to be renewed up until the car's 12th birthday. This announcement comes after the fact that more than 3,000 McLaren vehicles have passed their third birthday. This change to the policy used to only cover the car up until its 7th birthday.(Related - McLaren P14 Spied on the Road)The McLaren Extended Warranty will cover a majority of factory-fitted components, giving customers peace of mind when daily driver their supercar. This warranty also comes with unlimited mileage cover, roadside assistance in certain markets and, " in the event of claim, guaranteed use of McLaren Genuine Parts fitted by fully trained McLaren technicians."Carl Whipp, Aftersales Director at McLaren Automotive commented in the press release: “Owners want the reassurance that their car will still be looked after to the same standards with which it was built. And they want to continue to enjoy their McLaren without worry. Sometimes daily. It’s for them that we launched the Extended Warranty and now with this further enhancement to the coverage period, it will continue to give complete peace of mind … right up to the car’s 12th birthday.”This is what items are specifically excluded from the McLaren Extended Warranty: General maintenance, scheduled servicing, and routine adjustments required by normal wear and tear and/or recommended by McLaren Automotive Limited, including any replacement parts and assemblies or other materials (including but not limited to, spark plugs, wiper blades, bulbs, filters, belts, coolant hoses, brake pads, lubricants, fluids, and filters) used in such services and adjustments Batteries, tires, wheels, wheel balancing or alignment Paintwork, trim and upholstery or the deterioration of any other part, assembly or component as a consequence of wear and tear or exposure to the elements After market accessories or non-original equipment, components and systems not installed by a McLaren Retailer are specifically excluded from the coverage Any damage caused to any components by the use of incorrect or contaminated fuel The renewal of any clutch component due to incorrect adjustment, misuse or general wear and tear Water Ingress Software upgrades (unless part of a valid repair). All McLaren For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 29, 2016

BMW Investing €500 Million Into Startups and Technology

BMW is looking to the future with a major investment in startup companies and new technology. In a press release issued today, BMW Group announced that they are creating a venture capital fund of up to 500 million euros over the course of ten years.The investment was done to make BMW i Ventures able to invest in new technology, like autonomous driving. If you're unfamiliar with BMW i Ventures, as most are, it was founded in New York back in 2011 with the intent of investing start-ups. With these investments, they are hoping to secure promising start-ups and their technology.“These days, more and more innovations come from the start-up scene. Venturing allows us to tap into this potential at an early stage. To achieve this, we are now giving BMW i Ventures a much broader footing and will expand our involvement in Europe and Asia, as well as at our new location in Silicon Valley,” explained Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for MINI, BMW Motorrad, Rolls-Royce and Aftersales, in the press release. “The atmosphere of radical openness and idea-driven exchange that characterises the start-up scene is particularly fruitful for an innovation leader like BMW.”(Related - Most Exclusive BMW Motorcycle, Ever: The HP4 RACE) When BMW i Ventures invests, this is what they say the companies will get:"Outside-in: Minority holdings by BMW i Ventures in the best, most innovative start-ups provide the BMW Group with external access to innovations and secure the company’s role as a technology pioneer.Inside-out: BMW i Ventures not only provides financial support for start-ups, but also contributes internal non-monetary resources or “smart capital”, such as technical expertise and access to the network of an established global player."Is this BMW's attempt to take on companies like Tesla? It may seem like it, but automakers work on these kinds of investments all the time. This time, however, it seems that BMW is focusing on technology that focuses around what we know as future tech, such as autonomous driving. This is definitely an exciting announcement and a step towards the future for BMW.All BMW For Sale

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