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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 – January 25, 2018

McLaren Special Operations Delivers 10 Wild 570S Coupes

The Rolex 24 at Daytona is almost here, so endurance racers from around the world are heading to Florida. In order to pay homage to their 570S GT4 program, McLaren Special Operations have built ten 570S coupes inspired by their race team.Known as MSO X, some of them are sporting liveries last seen on the F1 GTR in the mid 90's. On the roof is a carbon fiber "gooseneck" which is an air intake for the engine. Other historical tributes include the front dive planes, the MSO titanium sports exhaust, and a GT4 hood with functional intakes.McLaren 570S GT4 and 570S Sprint Added to LineupJoylon Nash is the Executive Director of Global Sales, and he said: “The MSO X collection is the perfect example of the rich vein of bespoke service offered by McLaren Special Operations. Customers come to us with their thoughts and ideas and MSO works with them to set boundaries within which they can then let their imaginations run wild. What could be better than a McLaren buyer playing the role of ‘race engineer’ in briefing the MSO team and directing them to test and validate those ideas to create a race-bred road car such as this?”On the inside, the track-oriented interior is unlike anything in their Sport Series cars. From the exposed carbon fiber Monocell to the carbon shell racing seats, it is ready for the track. All ten cars have a color-matched harness bar to hold the 6-point harnesses. And of course, the normal seat belts are included. That is because they are still street legal, and have lost none of their conveniences. The parking sensors, front-end lift, and air conditioning are all standard.Project MSO X was commissioned by McLaren Newport Beach, and the cars were delivered to their owners at a private event in Las Vegas. Being the most successful McLaren dealer in the US, take a look at their inventory in the link below, or allow them to unleash the talents of McLaren Special Operations. Which car looks the best? Tell us why in the comments and stay with us for all your McLaren news.Check Out McLaren Newport Beach

By Edward Jones – January 18, 2018

McLaren Not Planning on an SUV Model

After it was reported that Ferrari is currently planning on creating an SUV model of their own, and after Lamborghini launched their own Urus Super SUV, it's being reported that McLaren Automotive will not be riding the SUV wave.According to Top Gear, who spoke with Dan Parry-Williams, McLaren's chief designer, the English automaker has no plans of an SUV. “I’m not the first person to point out an SUV is neither particularly sporty or utilitarian,” Parry-Williams told Top Gear. In McLaren's Track22, a plan for the company's future up until 2022, there is the inclusion of 12 new models with no SUV included.Learn Everything About the New McLaren SennaHowever, after 2022 it's all up in the air for McLaren. Could we see an SUV out of Woking? It's doubtful, as the company really doesn't seem to have any interest in the matter. But if the Ferrari and Lamborghini SUVs see tremendous success, it may pull them towards a new direction. It looks like it will just have to be a waiting game until then.Related Video:

By Andrew Nabors – January 17, 2018

McLaren Senna Spins Up Donuts in Building

To celebrate the grand opening of their Composites Technology Center, McLaren christened the building with burning rubber. With one of Senna's F1 cars playing center stage, a new McLaren Senna made sure the concrete floor was ready for business. Located on the campus of the University of Sheffield, the CTC will be the new build center for the MonoCage and MonoCell. They are the one-piece composite bodies used in every McLaren, and this new workshop has been long overdue. As part of their Track 22 Plan, engineers need room to develop new parts and processes without interfering with the assembly line. It is a $62 Million dollar investment that will shave $12.5 Million of annual costs thanks to the new economies of scale. The car in action is the hottest McLaren to date. Loosely based on the 720S, the Senna is a fitting tribute to Ayrton. It offers 789 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque from a 4.0-liter twin turbo V8. Every ounce of non-essential weight was eliminated, even going as far as making the doors resemble swiss cheese. The demands of such a potent car were surpassed in their latest chassis: MonoCage III. It is the strongest Monocoque ever offered by McLaren, and it will be the basis for the next range of their Super Series cars. Only 500 examples will be produced, so if you don't need such a radical ride our dealers have a nice selection of 720S to choose from. Stay with us for all your McLaren updates. Browse McLaren 720S For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – December 20, 2017

McLaren Philadelphia Opens F1 Service Center

I don't know about you, but going without my car for weeks can be traumatizing. For the lucky owners of the classic McLaren F1, routine maintenance has involved shipping the cars back to England. The reasons for this are because of the nature of the beast. As a street legal race car, every nut and bolt must be checked with precisely calibrated tools. Since there are around 20 cars in the US, McLaren Special Operations has collaborated with our friends a McLaren Philadelphia to open the first F1 service center in the US.Their incredible inventory of new & pre-owned cars is among the most diverse we've encountered and this new facility has been designed to cater to any needs of their clients. Technicians have access to the only set of specialized F1 tools outside of the UK. The fuel tank requires replacement every 5 years, so the technicians were trained at the factory in order to perform tasks both large and small.McLaren Philadelphia Puts on Spectacular 720S Unveiling EventIn the press release, President of McLaren North America Tony Joseph said: “The key to servicing and maintaining a McLaren F1 correctly is allowing adequate time for the technician to meticulously check every nut and bolt—servicing an F1 is not a quick process. For North American owners, when you add up the time the actual service takes, with transport time to and from the U.K. – it equals a lot of time away from their vehicle. Having a service center in North America will allow us to drastically cut back on transport time and gives us an authorized facility that prioritizes North American F1s and owners.”As you probably know, McLaren Philadelphia has been a fixture in our magazine and at our events since they opened. So if you are looking for a carbon fiber Christmas gift, click on the link below and stay with us for all your McLaren updates.View Inventory

By Andrew Nabors – December 11, 2017

Last McLaren Senna Auctioned for $2.67 Million

It takes a wild ride to be worthy of Ayrton Senna's legacy. McLaren shocked the world this weekend by dropping a wild version of their 720S for us to wait for. As we reported yesterday, the Senna is a race car that is technically street legal. All unnecessary weight was removed, and even the doors were hollowed out in the process. The end result is a dry weight of only 2,641 lbs. Motivated by a twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8, the 500 lucky owners will have 789 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. It takes a significant investment in time and engineering costs for such a limited run, and perhaps that is why the final allocation was auctioned for a mere $2.67 Million. The numbers speak for themselves, as the Senna will probably be capable of surpassing the P1 in terms of track dominance. The project is known internally as P15, so it leaves almost no speculation for the car's performance benchmarks. The McLaren Senna is hotter than a sawed-off shotgun, so stay with us for all your McLaren updates!

By Andrew Nabors – October 18, 2017

McLaren Teases New Ultimate Series Supercars

It took years for McLaren to develop the P1, so we've all been wondering what could surpass it. In a press release this morning, they announced the most extreme street legal car. The P1 and the P1 GTR were the first two examples of McLaren's Ultimate Series. As part of the ongoing Track22 business plan, two new models are in the works.McLaren Special Operations Reveals 2 Unique BuildsDetails on the first car will be released early next year. Until then, the teaser image below will leave us wondering. After that release, the company is aiming to build the first ever "Hyper-GT". Given the codename BP23. This news is destined to shake up the competition so it might be time to get a McLaren of your own. Click on the link below to find great deals on remaining 2017 cars and stay with us for all your McLaren updates.Search McLaren For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – October 12, 2017

McLaren Special Operations Unveils Two Unique Builds

You can't be everything to everyone. Some automakers try to satisfy every type of customer. It dilutes their lineup and makes for a bland dealership. When it comes to McLaren, their products are split between the Sports Series and Super Series. Each model can be tailored to meet the demands of its owner by McLaren Special Operations. Until now, we thought there was a limit to their expertise...In a press release early this morning, MSO has entered a new realm. One lucky buyer has been taken behind the scenes in order to fulfill his wildest dreams. Instead of custom colors or embroidery, his commission was to build two unique cars from the ground up. The result of these custom builds are the MSO R Coupe and MSO R Spider. Each car is a harmony of liquid silver and visible carbon fiber. Delta red pinstripes are continued as contrast stitching on the black Alcantara interior. Looking closely we see traces of the 650S Spider along with the roof intake of the 675 LT. The aerodynamic bits are one of a kind, which will make these cars priceless to collectors.Of course, they have matching wheels, but the similarities are more than visual. Both engines were blueprinted and the exhaust ports were polished by hand. This process is more than building an engine by hand. Evert surface is verified in 3 dimensions before assembly. A master engine builder checks tolerances for each bearing and every part of the top end. Because the turbochargers run on exhaust flow, matching each port to the manifolds is one of the best ways to make power. Imagine an artist carving a statue from marble. It takes years of experience and countless hours to match the ports. One mistake and the cylinder heads are toast. This one fact alone raises McLaren Special Operations above any other competitor.This also serves to make sure both cars make the same power. The MSO R Coupe and Spider are rated at 679 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Titanium exhaust incorporates a crossover pipe for scavenging. No detail was too small. Both keys are MSO R branded. The instrument panel and displays are a unique IRIS screen. Congratulations to the discerning owner who challenged McLaren to raise the bar for the entire industry. If you want to experience this level of customer service, click on the link below to find a dealer near you and stay with us for all your McLaren updates.Search McLaren For Sale

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 – June 27, 2017

Help McLaren Build a Full-Size 720S Supercar Out of LEGOs

One of the first thing you want to do when sitting down in a McLaren 720S supercar is to step on the pedal. But...what if that pedal is made of LEGOs? It's like a nightmare...At Goodwood this year, McLaren will be unveiling a 1:1 full-size LEGO replica of their new 720S model. This replica took a lot of preparation to get ready. McLaren Automotive worked with Speed Champions LEGO team to put together the instructions for the brick replica.The process to initially build the replica took over 2,000 hours and a team of six. When completed, the 720S replica used over 267,300 LEGO bricks and weighed 3,200 lbs. For comparison's sake, the real 720S takes 12 working days to complete and weighs 2,828 lbs.McLaren does note that the LEGO 720S will arrive at Goodwood with a twist: it won't be complete. Instead of delivering a completed model, McLaren is having visitors build the replica piece by piece.

By Andrew Nabors – June 14, 2017

McLaren Unveils New 570S Spider

In the old days, coupes and convertibles versions of the same car were alike only in name. But now that McLaren have perfected the carbon fiber "monocell" chassis it is possible to lose the roof without compromise. The master plan is known as Track 22, in which they aim to release a slew of new models by 2022. Convertibles are not new to the brand, and we've ample seat time in the 12C Spider and the 650 Spider. Both of those are part of the upper echelon Super Series which is aimed at all-out performance. For those who want a more conventional conveyance, the Sports Series is a more conventional daily driver.In a press release early this morning, the first convertible in the Sports Seres was revealed. The new 570S Spider trades in the hard top for a two-piece composite roof. Stowing neatly away, the convertible mechanism operates in 15 seconds at speeds up to 25 mph. McLaren CEO Mike Flewett said “The McLaren 570S Spider is the most attainable McLaren Spider to date and adds yet another dimension to the McLaren Sports Series family. This is a convertible without compromise; its mid-engined layout and carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis guarantee the same thrilling dynamic performance and exceptional driver involvement enjoyed in a 570S Coupé, but with the added attraction of a retractable hard-top that delivers the extra exhilaration of roof-down motoring.”Ahead of the deck lid, a glazed wind deflector can be raised to keep your hairstyle intact. The powertrain was untouched, because 570 metric horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque are plenty for this lightweight. In order to stay on the slim side, the convertible mechanism only adds 101 lbs to the car for a dry weight of 2,895 lbs. The first 400 examples will be launch edition models, and you will see them here as soon as they cross the pond. Stay with us for all your McLaren updates.

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