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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 – May 13, 2017

Throwback: Our 32nd Anniversary, by Tom duPont

Dear Reader,It is hard to believe it’s been thirty-two years since we came up with a vision to bring something new to the media marketplace—a four-color perfect bound marketplace magazine capable of showcasing the finest cars in the world. A lot has changed over those 3 decades. We’ve seen the duPont REGISTRY grow into a brand the ultra-affluent turn to when searching for their next purchase. Throughout the years, it has been a great pleasure to see our easily recognizable title featured at world class automobile events, on popular television series, and in hit movies. It has also been a pleasure to partner with some of the best brands in the automotive marketplace and presents them to the best audience imaginable. That’s you, the reader, the auto-enthusiast with a refined taste for all types of luxurious goods and services.Over the years our “print media platform” (which you are holding) has continually outperformed our competitors almost every single month. In 1985, the concept of a single purpose, marketplace magazine with limited or no editorial was the ONLY way to reach out to buyers and sellers across the United States – and around the globe. Since then, electronic media platforms have impacted the global engagement of buyers and sellers in a way that not many imagined. duPont REGISTRY.com has met the many challenges of the internet in many, many ways. Our social media platforms, inconjunction with our marketplace website, our ever-popular blog “Autofluence”, and our enormous Facebook follower base, has put us in the forefront of auto enthusiasts everywhere in the ever-growing electronic media marketplace. One of the duPont REGISTRY.com’s most notable mileposts is our listing in MIN (the Media Industry Newsletter) as the number 3 media platform for “engagementactivity”. This means that over 4,700,000 of our 6,400,000 followers on Facebook have actively engaged with information generated by our social media editors. Congratulations to these folks, as there is no other automotive platform within sight, and only the Food Network Magazine and National Geographic engage more followers than we do (and they have a lot more followers).While we work hard at maintaining and growing this enormous level of exposure, we feel that targeted marketing is also a valuable tool for our advertising partners. It is important to be careful how you surround your product. Environment (as in marketplace) is a very important branding tool. That’s where we come in. “Surround yourself with products that speak highly of the product or service that you are providing.” This is a branding mantra that has placed duPont REGISTRY in a position to properly expand your product and brand exposure. The duPont REGISTRYrecognizes this important responsibility to serve not only our advertisers (sellers) but our enthusiastic readers (buyers). Today is the day to take action. We are prepared to meet the marketing and branding needs of our advertisers, and to satiate our readers’ thirst for the very latest in automotive print, electronic and event media. Join us and learn how to access classic, luxury and exotic automobiles, and the various luxurious accouterments that need special recognition in a specific marketplace. Step out into the world of the duPont REGISTRY for the 33rd year!Happy Motoring,Thomas L. duPontPublisher/ChairmanP.S. We have some really unusual offerings for you in this issue, and on the internet: First, is the Publisher’s Choice: What a pair of red road rockets! The Maserati MC12 and the Ferrari F40. Both cars represent the epitome of design and performance. See pages 32 & 33. If American supercars are your focus, try page 81 for our second Publisher’s Choice, the 2004 Ford GT CP-1. This Ford Factoryprototype is a truly one-off, one-time opportunity to own the first functional Ford GT. It belongs in your museum collection. The first Publisher’s Showcase is just that: A showcase of six (it was seven and one sold!) low-mileage, high-value supercars. The collection is for sale. Start with the 2008 Bugatti Veyron and end with the 2013 Bentley Mulsanne (more room for friends). See page 55. On pages 72 and 73 are our second Publisher’s Showcase, the Aston Martin One-77 that was on the cover of the last issue. We have had a substantial interest and are still entertaining a few more avid supercar enthusiasts. Call 727-777-6084 for more information.

By Andrew Nabors – May 05, 2017

Workhorse W-15: Would You Drive An Electric Truck?

That is the question being asked by Workhorse, a new American truck builder based in Loveland, OH. By taking off-the-shelf components and building their own chassis, their aim is an electric range of 80 miles. Under the hood is BMW's three cylinder generator that is found in the i3 and i8, and it will add another 310 miles on a tank of gas. The body is mostly carbon fiber reinforced plastic, making it impervious to corrosion and lighter than the competition.They are also building their own battery packs using individual Panasonic cells. In total it is rated at 60 kW, but only 40 will be sent to both motors. Each one makes 230 horsepower, for a combined 460 hp to the ground. It can be charged by all current methods, including high voltage DC. An inverter mounted in the right quarter panel offers 120v power to the job site. It is rated to haul 2,200 lbs of payload or tow 5,000 lbs of supplies. But their aim is to light duties and municipal fleets. If the notion of a thrifty, rust-proof truck doesn't excite you, consider its acceleration. Having 460 horsepower and all-wheel drive is something only found in the Escalade and Yukon Denali. No matter how much you beg, GM will not put their most potent engine in the Silverado for reasons nobody knows. As an enthusiast and a gasoline buyer, the video below is nothing short of earth shattering.Learn More

By Edward Jones – May 01, 2017

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By Andrew Nabors – April 11, 2017

Heaven is $62 Million Worth of Supercars in One Place

To celebrate the start of Supercar Season in England, 210 cars were gathered by Supercar Driver for a wild runway meet. It's always Supercar Season for us, but the dreary English Winter can be a buzzkill. Michelin was on hand to launch the new Pilot Sport 4 S tires, with the ultimate cars being in their paddock. Around $62,000,000 of supercars made for a memorable experience, with proceeds going to Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. The historic Bruntingthorpe proving grounds are used as storage and salvage for older RAF planes and airliners. Once owned by Chrysler, it has been host to several high-speed motoring events.The front row included an F40, F50, Enzo, Carrera GT, and 918 Spyder. A new Bugatti Chiron was flanked by two Veyrons. Behind them was a row filled with winning. A Jaguar XJ220 and XJR15 were alongside a Porsche GT2 RS and 911.R. Ferrari was well represented with an F12tdf, 599 GTO, Scuderia Spyder 16M and a 360 Challenge Stradale. Row three was reserved for Ferrari's 70th anniversary, but no one could have foreseen another 9 rows behind it.Although it was listed as a "secret meet", Supercar Driver puts on a wild display, so be sure to check out the photos of the event. If you plan on attending, you will need to find a Supercar for sale, so we have some enticing deals for you.

By Edward Jones – April 04, 2017

World's Fastest Bumper Car Has Goes Over 100 mph

If you've ever been to a carnival or theme park, you've more than likely been in a bumper car. And if you've been on one, you know that they are incredibly slow. Seriously, bumper car manufacturers, all we want is just a little more speed for that added whiplash as you smash into your friends.Well, one of my favorite YouTube personalities, Colin Furze, has gone ahead and added some power to a bumper car. However, it may have been a bit too much power if you're planning on smashing it into someone. How much power? He installed a 600cc motorcycle engine into the bumper car that produces 100 bhp.With this much power, he put The Stig into the bumper car and had him take it down a drag strip to see if it could become the world's fastest bumper car. Spoiler alert, it broke the record with a combined run speed of 100.336 mph. Insane? Yes. Necessary? You bet. Click play below to see the insanity for yourself.

By Andrew Nabors – March 10, 2017

Reviewed: 2016 VW Passat

Badge Engineering is an auto industry term. It implies that automakers sell us different versions of the same car from each of their brands. With a tidy freshening in 2015, the VW Passat is now much closer to the Audi A4. We already covered the A4 a few weeks ago so this review will be brief. In the past, Audi and VW used the best tricks available to make the brands unique. But considering VW group's current situation there just isn't much money available for playing dress up. Before the latest generation was finalized we encountered several camouflaged prototypes running around Tampa Bay. VW's hot weather testing lab is behind the Burger King next to our HQ, but the Germans don't take kindly to being made on public streets. They are the ones responsible for ensuring the MQB chassis is up to the rigors of city life.The B8 platform is the basis for a dozen models from Seat, Skoda, VW and Audi. Somehow they spent $60 billion dollars in development so it will probably be around for awhile. The Passat is a conservative midsize sedan with more interior space than the previous generation. At time of press, only two engine choices were offered. The 1.8 turbo four and a 3.6 liter V6 are both bolted to automatic transmissions. We spent a week with the four-cylinder version and it proved to be a great commuter car. Going from the Audi A4 to the Passat was like moving from first class to coach, but it made us consider the target audience. VW builds cars for common folk. People who don't know anything about cars and don't want to are comforted by the simplicity. It lacks the whisper quiet insulation of the Audi, but the infotainment and most interior bits are shared.In a lap of our urban test loop, it proved to be a solid sedan, without the compromises and quirks of lesser brands. It is not underpowered, but wide open throttle is needed in a variety of common circumstances. As we expected, the console and dash were peppered with blank buttons for options our car didn't have, even though we had an SE with Technology package. Other markets might not care, but we found it slightly tacky. Steering and suspension are numb and unpredictable, and the seats are not as soft as they appear. But the safety and connectivity are top notch so Passat makes a great choice for those you care about. Pricing starts at only $22,400 which undercuts almost every domestic sedan. If you need more style, the CC or an Audi version might be to your liking. Stay with us for more VW news and reviews

By Andrew Nabors – March 02, 2017

How the SRT Viper Dominates the Competition

The Snake is back. With a vengeance! The new body, new lighter-weight materials, stiffer chassis and even more raw power and performance from a redesigned version of that Louisville Slugger 8.4-liter V-10. How much more? We’re talking a mighty 640 hp—up 40—and massive 600 lb-ft of twist, which is the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports car motor on the planet.Pedal to the metal the folks at Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology—SRT—reckon it should run zero-to-60 in under 3.5 seconds, pass the 100 mph mark in 7.5, spear through the quarter-mile in 11.4 and not quit till the needle is kissing the 206 mph mark. This is the new-from-the rubber-up 2013 SRT Viper. Yes, it’s still as bad to the bone as the last-generation version that quietly slipped out of production in the summer of 2010. But this latest snake joins the modern world with new technologies, like electronic stability control, traction control, even launch control. But perhaps the most amazing aspect of this new Viper is that it even exists at all. When Chrysler was in the depths of doom, gloom, and bankruptcy, the last thing on anyone’s mind was developing an updated Viper. That didn’t stop Team SRT which quietly and secretly developed this new version which debuted at the 2012 New York auto show and goes on sale this fall in two versions—SRT Viper and more upscale SRT Viper GTS. This will sticker between an estimated $100,000 and $120,000. So SRT Viper it is. The new Dodge Viper for sale has the slithering, reptilian essence of the original. Every body panel is new—only the windshield is carried over.And in a bid to shed pounds, raise quality and improve aerodynamics, the hood, double-bubble roof and rear deck are made of carbon fiber while the new doors switch from sheet molded composite to aluminum. The result? A whopping 140 pounds lost, taking the overall weight down to around 3,350 pounds. Vipers have always been a blast to drive in a scary, white-knuckle, fear-for-your-life kind of way. But for this new version, SRT decided to take out a little of the fear-factor by adding new safety features like electronic multistage stability control, traction control, and new, four-channel anti-lock braking. They also stiffened the chassis by an impressive 50 percent to sharpen handling, while the Michelins have been jettisoned in favor of more gripping Pirelli P Zeros. And finally, the Viper gets the interior that is has always deserved. Everything is now wrapped in leather, including the new thin-shell seats that come from the same supplier as Ferrari. Also, there is much more headroom and legroom in the cabin.All we can say to Chrysler and its Italian masters is “Fangs a lot.” Viper stands alone as the only naturally aspirated exotic cars for sale to never offer an automatic transmission. Thank you for keeping the art of driving alive!LIST PRICE$100,000 for base Viper (estimated)$120,000 for Viper GTSENGINE8.4-liter pushrod 20-valve V-10HORSEPOWER640 hp @ 6,150 rpmTORQUE600 lb-ft @ 4,950 rpmTRANSMISSION6-speed manual0–603.4 secondsTOP SPEED206 mphWEIGHT3,350 lbsLENGTH175.7 inchesTIRESFront: 275/3518Rear: 335/3019PROMore muscle than anissue of Men’s HealthCONStill as subtle as a plane crash

By Andrew Nabors – February 15, 2017

Reviewed: 2016 Infiniti QX60

From the eyes of an enthusiast, Japanese automakers have been painting themselves into a corner when it comes to crossovers. People movers that were once known as minivans have lost the sliding doors and gained more infotainment options in keeping with the modern connected family. Under the auspices of Badge Engineering, we have seen once proud names relegated to soccer practice. A few weeks ago we had a chance to review the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder and we found it completely acceptable for the modern family. But if you want to set yourself apart from the crowd, its luxury SUV sibling is the Infiniti QX60.Having undergone a freshening for 2016, the QX60 and Pathfinder are only different in price and colors. To give you a valid idea of the QX60's underpinnings you should refer to the Pathfinder, as every part from lugnuts to crank bearings are identical. The reason why both are sold in profitable quantities comes down to Camaro and Firebird. Both were sold at different dealers with just enough differences to keep the public from a direct comparison and it worked for 35 years. Nissan builds the QX and the Pathfinder on the same assembly line in Smyrna, Tennessee. Since they share so much in common, let's take a look at what makes each one unique.With Nissan receiving the refresh first, it has gained LED headlights while Infiniti has to make due with HID. If you want to go offroad, Pathfinder is 4WD while QX60 is AWD. If you believe there is any mechanical difference in the transfer case you are mistaken. Nissan just allows you to disconnect the rear wheels when you don't need them. Nissan is also capable of towing more, being rated at 6,000 lbs vs 5,000 in the QX60. Finally, the main difference is price. Our Pathfinder was well equipped at $46,555. If you want a well-appointed QX60 you will need over $60,000. For that premium, you will not receive LED headlights, extra towing capacity, or shifting transfer case. We don't presume to know what strategies are at work at Nissan HQ, but something doesn't add up. They are both great choices, and we don't have a dog in this fight. Drive them both and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

By Edward Jones – January 31, 2017

How to Get Stuck in an Aston Martin Vulcan

Have you ever wanted to see a serious review on the insane Aston Martin Vulcan? Well, there are plenty of those on the internet, but this is first time I've seen someone display what it takes to get stuck in a Vulcan.(St. Louis Auto Detail Protects Aston Martin Vulcan #19)Lenny The Geeza recently uploaded a video that includes him, a Vulcan and the life of struggle. One of his friends brought the Vulcan over, which is just downright gorgeous, and Lenny decided to seat his 6-foot self into the car. While getting into the car proved to be fairly easy, it was the getting out that was difficult.Check out the video below and get a look at this downright GORGEOUS Aston Martin Vulcan.All Aston Martin Vulcan For Sale

By Edward Jones – January 30, 2017

Tesla Model S Sets New World Record

Brooks from DragTimes has been having a great time with his Tesla Model S P100D and its new Ludicrous+ Mode. After testing the true 0-60 mph time of his car, he's taken the car to the drag strip to see how it stacks up.(Tesla Model S P100D' 0-60 mph in 2.4 Seconds - Tested)His first race was against a Cadillac CTS-V with 640 hp on tap. Did he take that Caddy down? Yeah. In fact, he crushed it. After his race, there was another Model S that lined up against a fox body Ford Mustang. The resulting time of this car's sprint would turn out to be what Brooks is calling a "new world record for the quickest stock 4 door sedan."Check out both sprints in the video below by clicking play.All Tesla For Sale

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