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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 Jordan Aquistapace – November 18, 2024

MANSORY Exposed Carbon Fiber 2008 Bugatti Veyron For Sale

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By Andrew Nabors – May 12, 2020

One of One Blanc Noir 2010 Bugatti Veyron Veyron Grand Sp...

Building a modern Bugatti was a leap of faith. When the Veyron arrived, customers jumped at the opportunity to own the world's fastest car. Once the manufacturer realized what a sensation they had, they decided to introduce the Grand Sport. It had substantial chassis improvements so the roof could be left at home. Only 150 examples were built, and a few special editions blurred the line between art and automobile. As such, the Blanc Noir represents the duality present in every Bugatti. The ability to look gorgeous and intimidating. Acting civilized with the ability to disrupt the peace, it is all at your command. Translating literally to " White Black", it is our favorite 2-tone hypercar. What you see here is 1 of 1, and will never be repeated. Our friends at Fusion Luxury Motors. It has new tires and has just undergone a full service. With only 2,509 miles, it deserves to be your weekend machine. View Listing

By Andrew Nabors – April 27, 2020

Bugatti Celebrates 15 Years of Breaking Records

In less than 60 years, airplane speeds increased from 30 mph to 3,300 mph. As long as there are those who are willing to push the limits, records will be broken. Such was the case 15 years ago when our friends at Bugatti stood poised to make history. Ferdinand Piëch designed the Porsche 917 to honor his grandfather. It took first place at LeMans with a sustained top speed of 242 mph on the Hunaudières Straight. He knew something more was needed to go faster, so as the Chairman of VW, he arranged the purchase of Bugatti in 1998. His goal was not to beat any previous record, it was to build the fastest car in the world. Bugatti Veyron Specs, Price, Photos & Review Seven years of development led to this moment. Test driver Uwe Novacki strapped into the final Veyron prototype. Production was scheduled to begin in just a few weeks, so the company (and the world) looked on. After passing 136 mph, the computer changes the spoilers and inlets for maximum acceleration. Pressing on, it became the first production car to exceed 400 kph (248 mph). He knew the boss was watching, so with 1,000 horsepower at all wheels, he topped out at 407 kph (almost 253 mph). Not only faster than the 917, it ushered in the era of the hypercar. Even faster cars are in the works, so click the link below to find a Bugatti of your own and stay with us for all your Bugatti news. Browse Bugatti For Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – February 05, 2020

Bugatti Unveils "La Maison Pur Sang” at Rétromobile

Daily driving my classic Bugatti is such a risk because replacement parts aren't exactly easy to find. That's why we're thankful that Bugatti has unveiled "La Maison Pur Sang” at Rétromobile. It is their new restoration program that translates to the House of Thoroughbreds, and it is the central part of their display at the show. Rétromobile is an annual classic car show in Paris, and opens today and runs through Sunday afternoon. If your Bugatti is beyond repair, click the button below to browse our selection of new & used exotic cars for sale. Browse all Bugatti For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – October 16, 2017

Bugatti's Grand Tour Of South America

As the Northern Hemishpere cools off for the Winter, Bugatti has offered their wealthy clientele a tour of the southern latitudes. Argentina has a rich motoring history, with names like Pur Sang and Horacio Pagani calling it home. With a climate not unlike the Mediterranian, Argentina has close ties to Europe.Bugattis Drifting In The WoodsThat is why ten Veyrons embarked on a tour unlike any other. Headed by Pharmaceutical Magnate Alejandro Roemmers, they headed east from Santiago, Chile across the Andes mountains. Patagonia is one of the most picturesque and remote areas of the world, so thankfully they brought enough fuel and supplies behind them. In an image uploaded by Autoblog Argentina, Bugatti says their Grand Tour will be an annual gathering unlike any other. My invitation was probably lost in the mail, so enjoy the images and stay with us for all your Bugatti updates.View Bugatti For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 03, 2017

It's Happening! First Bugatti Chirons Delivered

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By Andrew Nabors – January 10, 2017

Bugatti Veyron vs Rimac Concept One

In the near future, electric hypercars might spell the end of cars powered by fuel alone. Concept One by Rimac makes use of one Megawatt of -battery power and four electric motors for serious performance. The front pair have a single speed gear reduction built into the motors, but the rears have an innovative two-speedd dual clutch gearbox on each side. Torque vectoring is the process of delivering more power to the outer wheels while cornering. In normal cars this is done at the differential or by the brake rotors, but either way it involves a mechanical connection. Since the Concept One has independent control of power at each wheel, their version of torque vectoring is accomplished instantly by the motor itself.At a full charge, the system offers 1,088 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque to the pavement. To show off the potency of the design, Rimac's chief test driver Miro Zrncevic took to a closed course against a Bugatti Veyron. Riding shotgun is William Herbert, the 18th Earl of Pembroke. His car collection knows no bounds, so perhaps he sees a Rimac as his next acquisition. The opponent is almost evenly matched, with the Veyron Super Sport offering 1,100 lb-ft of torque and 1,200 metric horsepower. Bugatti has a weight advantage of 30 lbs, but that is insignificant at these levels of power. The world needs more thousand horsepower cars, so we hope Rimac brings the concept one to its fruition. In the meantime we have a few Veyrons to choose from, so click on the link below and stay with us for more wild comparisons.All Bugatti For Sale

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