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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 Khris Bharath – August 20, 2025

Silver Arrows, Hollywood Cars, and Concept Cars: Mercedes...

If you were able to make it to this year’s Pebble Beach Automotive Week looking for the usual lineup of multimillion-dollar exotics and coachbuilt hypercars, Mercedes-Benz had so much more to offer. We gave a preview of what to expect last week. Well, now that the dust has finally settled, we wanted to do a quick recap of everything that the three-pointed star had in store. Their headline act? A 1910 Benz Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen that led the Tour d’Elegance, restored by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center. It packs a 5.7-liter four-cylinder with four-valve tech, dual ignition, and a cardan drive, features that were groundbreaking in 1910. Where most cars at the time still struggled with reliability, this Benz was built for long-distance competition in the Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt, one of Europe’s earliest endurance rallies. It appeared parked up next to a privately owned 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix car, highlighting a time when Daimler and Benz were still rivals before eventually merging in 1926. For all its engineering might, the Prinz-Heinrich took home the Charles A. Chayne Trophy, an award given since 1987 to the most technologically advanced car of its era. Mercedes already has ten “Best of Show” wins at Pebble, so adding another high-profile honor strengthens its dominance here. Finally, Mercedes-Benz Heritage CEO Marcus Breitschwerdt himself took the wheel for the 62-mile tour, where it was joined by a Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series. Also, just like at Goodwood this year, at Sunday’s Concours d’Elegance, the German marque also leaned into the 75th anniversary of Formula 1, where they had Fangio’s legendary 1954-55 W 196 R Formula 1 car sitting next to today’s AMG F1 W16 driven by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. That is 70 years of Formula 1 evolution, innovation, and engineering represented in a single frame. At Laguna Seca, a 1955 W 196 R and the legendary 300 SLR, yes, the very car that Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson used to blitz the Mille Miglia in record time, shared the track with an equally exotic roofless V8 2009 SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. But Pebble Beach isn’t just about the past because Mercedes also rolled out the low-slung 1,341-horsepower CONCEPT AMG GT XX, which we saw back in June. A design study, it previews the brand’s next generation of high-performance EVs. The futuristic Vision V people carrier concept, making its American debut, and the ultra-exclusive Maybach S 680 “Emerald Isle” (only 25 units for the U.S.) were also on display. Finally, there was the “Stargaze Theatre,” Mercedes’ pop-up drive-in showcasing its biggest film cameos in history, where you had a chance to take a close look at cars like the Jurassic Park M-Class, the Beverly Hills Cop 380 SL, and even the battered 220 SE from The Hangover. Mercedes also showcased its latest Hollywood stint by displaying the Brad Pitt starrer F1 The Movie: APXGP movie prop car alongside the AMG GT 63 “APXGP Edition”, one of just 52 units built with the film’s livery. This was a reminder of how Mercedes is deeply woven into pop culture, bringing a spectacular variety of automobiles and an action-packed weekend to a close. View All Mercedes-Benz Cars for Sale Source: Mercedes-Benz

By Jordan Aquistapace – October 09, 2023

Mercedes-Maybach Joins Forces With Space Perspective For ...

Mercedes-Maybach partners with Space Perspective, innovators in carbon-neutral space travel, offering luxury spaceflight experiences with sustainable ground transport. In a stellar partnership, Mercedes-Maybach is proud to be teaming up with Space Perspective, a pioneer in offering the world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight experiences. Founded by spaceflight veterans Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum in 2019, Space Perspective is redefining the way we view modern-day space travel. The company's Spaceship Neptune is designed to transport its Explorers in a pressurized capsule to 100,000 feet using a groundbreaking SpaceBalloon. Not only does it prioritize the safety of its passengers, but its carbon-neutral approach also focuses on environmental conservation. The collaboration between these two luxury giants aims to elevate the celestial journey of Space Perspective’s explorers, experiencing the extravagance of Mercedes-Maybach even before lift-off. Mercedes-Maybach commits to providing all-electric vehicles to ensure explorers and guests travel sustainably to and from Space Perspective’s facilities and the launch site located on Florida's illustrious Space Coast. Further sweetening the deal, Space Perspective's state-of-the-art spacecraft will be showcased in Mercedes-Maybach's latest brand film. This partnership doesn’t end with just transport solutions. Talks are underway between the design teams of Space Perspective and Mercedes-Maybach, exploring other integrations to infuse more Maybach into the space travel experience. As space tourism takes off, this collaboration ensures that Explorers witness the wonders of space while journeying in unmatched style and luxury. View all Mercedes-Maybach models currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Mercedes-Maybach For Sale Source: Mercedes-Benz

By Andrew Nabors – August 28, 2020

2021 Mercedes-Benz Updates

The next model year will see nice updates from the company that invented the automobile. From the modest GLA to the meanest AMG, here are the 2021 Mercedes-Benz updates. Starting off with their smallest SUV, the GLA Class is all new. If you need incredible power the AMG GLE 63 S has received refinements to the infotainment and climate control while offering 577 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS is their first SUV, taking direct aim at the Bentayga and Cullinan. It sends 571 horsepower and 722 lb-ft of torque to all wheels thanks to a hybrid EQ boost system. Every variant of the E-Class is all-new, and we will receive the E-Class All-Terrain here in the U.S. Speaking of a Homefield advantage, every example of the GLS and GLE (even the Maybach) will be built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. If you need a sporty SUV, AMG is introducing the GLA 35 and GLB 35. And as a refresher from yesterday, the AMG GT 63 S will be returning to the 'Ring for a new 4-door lap record. Click the button below to find a dealer near you for all the 2021 Mercedes-Benz updates. Browse Mercedes-Benz For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – August 17, 2020

Drake's New Music Video Features Two Wild Mercedes-Maybac...

Drake's latest music video for his song "Laugh Now Cry Later" has millions of views and over one million likes. There's no doubt in my mind that this song slaps, but the two cars that make an appearance in the video are what really caught my attention. These two cars are actually concept cars known as the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Coupe and Cabriolet. They have a massive body that's highlighted by the insanely high-tech interior. You can actually get a great glimpse of the interior in the video, which shows off the plethora of LED lights in the cabin. Each of these concept cars features an electric drivetrain. The battery actually has the ability to pump out 738 horsepower, which allows the massive concept car to run from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. Check them out for yourself in the video up above. See All Mercedes-Benz for Sale https://www.instagram.com/p/CD7aHLAlX68/

By Edward Jones – March 15, 2018

2019 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman: Limo Built for Royalty

If you've ever felt like being treated as if you were royalty, then being driven in the 2019 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman should be on your bucket list. The extra-long, absolute top-of-the-range car is essentially the Mercedes limo you've dreamt about. While the Pullman isn't new for 2019, there are a few new updates that are being added to the car that make it more exquisite than before.Mercedes has announced that for 2019 they've added a new radiator grille to the Pullman, which features vertical struts. They say this grille was inspired by the stripes of a pinstripe suit. Fancy! The exterior can also be ordered with a new range of exclusive paint finishes, as well as the new two-tone paint scheme announced for the S-Class.Mercedes-AMG Unveils GT 4-Door Coupe In GenevaThe new, 21.3-foot long 2019 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman can be ordered starting today. It comes with a price tag that starts around $600,000 USD.

By Edward Jones – November 17, 2016

The New and Very Limited Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet

You thought the Mercedes-Maybach S600 was luxurious? Then you ought to check out the new S650 Cabriolet, the first cabriolet from Mercedes-Maybach.(Related - Here it is: Mercedes-Benz Concept X-Class Truck Revealed)In a press release, Daimler detailed the topless luxury car which was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show. They note that this car "embodies modern luxury and represents the design philosophy of Sensual Purity: it is both hot and cool at the same time." Only 300 examples of the car will be created, with only 75 of them heading to the United States. Daimler notes that in the U.S., these three exclusive configurations will be available: Zircon Red exterior paint with a Porcelain / Black interior, Piano Lacquer Flowing Lines trim and a black soft top Cote d’Azur Blue exterior paint with a Porcelain / Saddle Brown interior, Magnolia Nut Brown trim and a beige soft top designo Diamond White exterior paint with a Porcelain / Yacht Blue interior, Magnolia Nut Brown Flowing Lines trim and a dark blue soft topThe Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet is equipped as standard with an exclusive travel luggage set from MAYBACH - ICONS OF LUXURY. "THE AFFINITY" set comprises two large travel bags as well as two lifestyle bags made of original vehicle leather. In terms of form and color – which are coordinated with the interior variant selected by the customer – the bag set is tailored to match the Cabriolet. The bags can be securely attached to each other with straps to enable optimum use of the space in the trunk. Polished and chrome-plated "1 of 300" lettering serves to highlight the level of exclusivity. Supplied as standard: exclusive fabric cover and certificate Just like the vehicles from Mercedes-Maybach, the elegant items of luggage from the license partner MAYBACH - ICONS OF LUXURY GmbH meet high standards in terms of design, materials and manufacturing. Elegant items of luggage: color-coordinated to match the interior variant As far as its engine goes, here's the breakdown: Mercedes-Maybach S650 Number of cylinders/arrangement 12/V Displacement (cc) 5,980 Rated output (hp) 612 @ 4,800-5,400 Rated torque (lb-ft) 738 @ 2,300-4,300 Top speed (mph) 155 Pricing and release date information was not included in the press release.All Mercedes-Benz S550 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – August 11, 2016

Mercedes Teases New Maybach Coupe

Something big is coming from Mercedes. In an image uploaded yesterday to their social media accounts we see the silhouette of a new Maybach coupe. Sharing a striking resemblance to their 2004 Excelero, the caption reads "Hot & cool- almost six meters of ultimate luxury".You might remember the Excelero from the cover of our September 2005 issue. It was a stunning design commissioned by Fulda (Goodyear of Germany) to showcase their latest tread designs. All four tires measure 315/25 ZR23 and are probably irreplaceable. The engine and chassis were borrowed from a Mercedes SLR McLaren, and Top Gear reported that it was purchased for $8,000,000 by the rapper Birdman. We've lost track of it over the years but it would be nice to see it in action again. Hot & cool – Almost 6 meters of ultimate luxury. pic.twitter.com/OXMQvXFbVO — Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) August 10, 2016 A giant new Maybach concept is just what the industry needs, so let's hope the build more than one example. Mercedes only uses the Maybach name in homage to the big German touring cars of the late 30's. Reserved for the largest cars in their portfolio, this new concept is a blast from the past. As soon as more info is released you will see it here first. In the meantime take a look at these sedans from our dealers.View All Maybachs For Sale

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