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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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By Andrew Nabors – April 19, 2021

Ferrari EV Confirmed For 2025

This one breaks all the rules CEO John Elkann spilled the beans last week. During Ferrari's annual Sustainability Report, the boss let it be known that the first Ferrari EV will arrive in 2025. What will a Ferrari without gasoline be like? Probably fast and red. It will serve as the tip of the spear for moving Fiat-Chrysler (now Stellantis) in a greener direction. High-voltage we first experienced in the LaFerrari has come to fruition in the SF90 Stradale, which offers 986 horsepower, so their first EV has big shoes to fill. Tell us your thoughts on this news in the comments below and click the button to find a LaFerrari from our dealers. Browse LaFerrari For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 24, 2019

Ferrari Cavalcade 2019

Everything was normal back in the year 79. Romans were enjoying a nice Summer day until the towns Pompeii and Herculaneum were sent into orbit by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Almost 2,000 years later, the mountain was shaken again. This time it was not by tectonic action, but the Ferrari Cavalcade 2019 from Salerno to Naples. The Amalfi Coast is one of the best drives on the planet, and the Mediterranean climate is perfect for top-down cruising. Theologians and scholars have wondered what became of the Roman people, and here they are. Over 200 collectors from 20 nations came together to celebrate all things, Ferrari. This included everything from a new Portofino to an Enzo several LaFerraris, and a majority of the field included the 488 Spyder and 488 GTB. Click the link below to find a new Ferrari 488 near you, and stay with us for all your Ferrari news. Ferrari 488 Spider For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 30, 2017

Is a LaFerrari Going to be Crushed in South Africa?

Update 3/30/17 (12:09 AM EST): Stefano Siciliano commented with the following, regarding the car: "The owner of the other LaFerrari in South Africa (residing in Cape Town) has said that he knows the owner and said that it is being handled. He claimed that the officials here told him to take it out the country and bring it back in with the correct credentials, he supposedly has done that (Congo bit) and for some reason it was detained but shouldn't be a huge issue." Awesome input and even more awesome news for the LaFerrari. Thanks, Stefano!Are you a fan of the LaFerrari hypercar? You may not be a fan of what you're about to read.In 2014, an owner of a gorgeous red LaFerrari decided to try and bring his hypercar into South Africa. Upon his attempt, according to Fin24, the owner didn't pay the needed custom duties and value-added tax (VAT). Because of this, the car was stored in a warehouse where it sat from 2014 until recently. In February of this year, the owner went to export the car to the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, just a day the owner went to have the car reenter South Africa through the same port it was exported through. Unfortunately for the owner, the car was detained upon reentry.The South African Revenue Services (SARS) have issued the owner a letter of intent, meaning the owner must make a case for the import of the car. Carbuzz states that if the owner is unable to do so, the car could be crushed. After a quick bit of research, a forum post on Carforums.co.za notes that illegally imports can be "disposed of in terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act 91 of 1964)." That word "disposed" leads me to believe that this car could actually be squashed. Let's hope that this doesn't happen to the poor, unsuspecting car.If you have any more information regarding the import law and what can happen to illegally imported cars in South Africa, please let me know in the comments below!All Ferrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 27, 2017

Purple LaFerrari Belongs to Crown Prince of Johor

We've seen only a few different colors of the LaFerrari, but this one may just be the best one yet. According to Instagram user @rikmunwerks, the Crown Prince of Johor owns a gorgeous purple LaFerrari.Ferrari LaFerrari Specs, Price, Photos & ReviewThe car was spotted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at what looks like a luxurious hotel. The Instagrammer noted this a photo of the car: "I've only seen four different colours on a LaF and I've already decided this is the best colour ever for a LaF." Honestly, I'd have to agree with him on that sentiment. The only other LaFerrari that would come close to me would be Jay Kay's green LaFerrari.What do you guys think? Is this the best looking LaFerrari yet? Or is purple not your thing?Ferrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – December 05, 2016

Last Ferrari LaFerrari Has Sold: Most Expensive 21st Cent...

It's a sad day as I read the press release regarding the final Ferrari LaFerrari being sold. At the Ferrari Finali Mondiali in Florida over the weekend, the final Italian hypercar was sold at RM Sotheby's auction.(Related - Ferrari Unveils All 70th Anniversary Models)How much did it sell for? A cool $7 million. With this price, the car becomes the most valuable 21st Century automobile ever sold at auction. What's more, Ferrari says that this sale will help with the "the reconstruction of Central Italy in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of 2016."This specific LaFerrari has a unique livery that is quite Italian: red exterior with white lines running from the front to the back, an Italian flag on the hood and a commemorative plaque.All LaFerrari For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – November 30, 2016

Final LaFerrari Coupe to Benefit Earthquake Victims

One of the strongest earthquakes in recent history rocked northern Italy back on August 24th. Measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, it leveled countless historic buildings and took the lives of several hundred people. Only 499 examples of the LaFerrari were initially planned, but Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne has authorized production of an additional coupe that will be sold to benefit those affected by the earthquake.(Related: Why the Ferrari F40 Should be Part of your Collection)Volunteers from across Europe and the Red Cross are working day and night to help those affected get back on their feet, so expect to see a bidding war for the rights to car #500. Similarly, Ferrari only built 399 examples of the Enzo with car #400 being reserved for the Pope. The Vatican recently sold the car and used the proceeds for the Church's humanitarian efforts around the world. It was a sensation at Monterey last year as we watched RM Sotheby's hammer it for over six million dollars.Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragedy, and if you are interested in helping please contact the Red Cross for more information.LaFerrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – September 07, 2016

Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta/Spider Spotted in Barcelona

It's been two months since Ferrari announced the LaFerrari Aperta/Spider and we really haven't heard anything on the car since the initial bit of info was released. But with all cars due to be released, especially the more noticeable ones, the LaFerrari Aperta has been spotted.(Also Check Out - No, You Don't Have to Keep Your Ferrari XX at the Factory)On the streets of Barcelona, 6to6motor spotted a red example of the open-top hypercar resting on the side of the road. This is the first time we've seen the model finished in the iconic paint. They happened to snap a picture of the car and posted it on their Instagram account for us all to see. In the comments of the picture they note that they believe the car was there for the filming of a video.I guess we'll just have to wait and see what this LaFerrari was doing there!View All Ferraris For Sale https://www.instagram.com/p/BKDieNEjE6p/?taken-by=6to6motorFerrari For Sale Los Angeles

By Andrew Nabors – July 18, 2016

Final Production US Spec LaFerrari

If you happened to be in Lexington, Kentucky over the weekend, you might have seen the last LaFerrari built for the US. Only 499 cars were produced, so we're glad a few of them made it here. One discerning collector has a passion for yellow, so this car is probably the only example in this color combination. A two-tone yellow and red interior along with signatures from the assembly line workers are just a few of the unique features. The LaFerrari is the culmination of years of development in Formula1 racing. Combining a 6.3L V12 with a hybrid electric drive, it produces 963 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. (View Complete Laferrari Specs Here) Our friend Tanner Mashburn, of Music City Motor Cars, has a keen eye for rare exotics, and he was quick to realize the significance of this car. From the "Last Produced" emblem on the steering wheel to the Italian flag pinstripes on the nose, it is a stunning example of what Maranello is capable of. Each car sold for over a million dollars, and we would like to see what these options added to the window sticker. After winning an award for "Future Collectible", we probably won't see it in public for a while. Stay with us for more Ferrari news. LaFerrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 09, 2016

LaFerrari For Sale at Fort Lauderdale Collection South

Fort Lauderdale Collection South has just taken delivery of one of the rarest, fastest and most stunning Italian cars ever created. Finished in the iconic Rosso Corsa is this 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari, ready for a new owner.As FLCS puts it: "Here are Fort Lauderdale Collection South, we think all of our cars are special. This one takes special to another level."We agree. Buy Now: LaFerrari For Sale This is just one of 499 examples ever built, making it one of Ferrari's most exclusive cars ever, as well as one of their most powerful cars. Powered by a 6.3-liter V12 engine and some electric motivation, the hybrid hypercar can rocket from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and 0-100 mph in 4.8 seconds.But, even with the ability to travel long distances in short amounts of time, this LaFerrari has only 388 miles clocked on its odometer. With barely any LaFerraris on the market, this may be the closest to new example that you'll be able to find on the market right now.To learn and see more about this rare opportunity to own Ferrari's most futuristic car, be sure to click the button below.View Price and Listing

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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