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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 – May 04, 2026

Bonhams|Cars - The Miami Auction 2026: Top 10 Sales & Highlights

Bonhams|Cars brought its third annual Miami Auction to Hard Rock Stadium on May 3rd, 2026, and auctioneer Maarten ten Holder commanded the block against one of motorsport's most electric backdrops. Staged in partnership with South Florida Motorsports at the FORMULA 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, the sale ran alongside Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli's dominant third consecutive Formula 1 victory of the season. With 31 lots that made up a docket comprising an eclectic mix of automobiles and two companion online sales running concurrently, the NW 300 Level at Hard Rock Stadium delivered a serious morning of collector-car activity. Hypercars led the sale as Ten Holder's gavel came down hardest on a U.S.-spec 2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. One of only 80 produced worldwide and finished in Black Carbon with Jet Grey highlights, it packs $480k in factory options. Showing just 1,310 original miles, it was the top lot at $4,340,000, including buyers' premium. A pristine 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport carrying nearly $200,000 in factory options and one of only 60 produced, followed at $3,024,000. A red 2019 Koenigsegg Regera with $1M in factory options and one of only 80 produced, rounded out the seven-figure results at $2,520,000. Following those headline numbers, a single-owner Rosso Corsa 1996 Ferrari F512 M brought $784,000 across the block, while a no-reserve 2021 McLaren 765LT MSO Pistachio Coupe cleared at $683,200 including buyers' premium. An ice grey metallic 2024 Porsche 911 S/T (992.1), one of only 1,963 made, achieved $649,600, and a tungsten gray 2006 Ford GT sold for $599,200. Porsche's air-cooled contingent continued to impress as a 1996 911 Turbo WLS 1 (993) realized $560,000, and a 1992 964 Carrera RS Coupe brought $313,600. A U.S.-market 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT with matching-numbers engine bridged the classic and modern lots at $459,200. Beyond the top 10, a widebody 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S Type 993 RWB (RAUH Welt Begriff) by Japanese Porsche tuner founded by Akira Nakai brought in $308,000, while a 1996 Porsche 911 Type 993 Carrera 4 Cabriolet from the estate of Gene and Betsy Hackman sold without reserve for $184,800, drawing strong interest from provenance-focused collectors. A classic Defender Series 90 City Black Edition 001 at $156,800, Smokey Nagata’s TopSecret project dubbed Yuki Chan, built on a 1992 R32 GT-R, offered without reserve, fetched $151,200, and a 1968 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy at $145,600 round out the highlights. Several marquee consignments, including the ex-Sammy Hagar 1-of-1 Ferrari LaFerrari, carrying a pre-auction estimate of $7,500,000 to $9,500,000, a 1-of-5 McLaren P1 Spider in Gulf colors, and the second Elva ever produced, did not find buyers. For collectors, the Miami sale confirmed that provenance, rarity, and condition continue to command a premium, and against the roar of F1 machinery in South Florida, Bonhams proved once again that Miami is now firmly on the global collector car calendar. View All Bonhams Cars Inventory *** The results above reflect preliminary figures available at the time of publication. Full details, including total sales volumes and sell-through rates, will be updated once available. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Type 964 Coupe (Lot #7) $313,600 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT (Lot #11) $459,200 1996 Porsche 911 Type 993 Turbo WLS1 (Lot #22) $560,000 2006 Ford GT (Lot # 26) $599,200 2024 Porsche 911 S/T (Lot #30) $649,600 2021 McLaren 765 LT MSO Coupe (Lot #20) $683,200 1996 Ferrari 512 M (Lot #28) $784,000 2019 Koenigsegg Regera (Lot #24) $2,520,000 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport (Lot #21) $3,024,000 2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport (Lot #15) $4,340,000 View All Bonhams Cars Inventory Images: Bonhams Cars

By Khris Bharath – April 24, 2026

Bonhams Cars | The Monaco Sale 2026: Top 10 Results and Highlights

Under clear Riviera skies and with the Monaco Grand Prix just weeks away, activity in the principality has already shifted into high gear. Bonhams opened its annual Monaco sale at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, presenting 73 curated lots spanning 43 collector cars, and automobilia, each reflecting a different chapter of motorsport history, and timed to coincide with the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, which overlooks the Loews Hairpin. The docket leaned heavily into competition pedigree. Vintage Formula 1 machines shared space with Group B rally icons and DTM-era touring cars from the 1980s and 1990s, including the 1958 Lotus 16, the first single-seater raced by Graham Hill, and ex-works rally machinery like the 1983 Audi Quattro A2 Group B driven by Hannu Mikkola. Touring car highlights included the 1995 Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti, 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, and 1992 BMW M3 E30. Eleven cars crossed the block without reserve, adding urgency inside the room and across phone and online bidding channels. "1990s cars are no longer just nostalgia; they’re the trend of the moment, rapidly becoming some of the most sought-after cars in the collector world. What was once ordinary is now iconic, and demand has never been higher. We are proud to have sold several truly historic machines, which is clear proof that collectors value rarity and exclusivity in the vehicles that Bonhams|Cars sells." - Loic Maschi, Head of the Bonhams|Cars Monaco sale. The top result confirmed a broader shift seen through early 2026. A modern hybrid flagship, the 2021 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, led the sale at €2,012,500, which is ~$2,358,523, which is in line with its duPont REGISTRY Index (dRi) Value. The result stood apart from the analog-focused lots surrounding it, reinforcing continued appetite for limited-production electrified exotics at the top end of the market, alongside allocation-only models like the 2024 Ferrari 812 Competizione Aperta and blue-chip classics such as the 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Bidding remained competitive throughout, with participation split across in-room, telephone, and online. Overall, the sale achieved an 83% sell through rate and total sales adding up to €10,385,907 ($12,178,596). With that, it's off to Florida next, where Bonhams Cars will offer 31 stunning and highly exclusive automobiles ranging from hypercars to classics and more, ahead of the annual Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix. Watch this space. View All Bonhams Inventory 10. 2018 Porsche 911 Type 991 GT2 RS Weissach €388,125 ($454,826) 9. 1990 AMG-Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II DTM Competition Saloon €391,000 ($458,218) 8. 1989 Lamborghini LM002 €448,500 ($525,589) 7. 1992 BMW M3 (E30) DTM Compeititon Saloon €483,000 ($565,983) 6. 1958 Lotus-Climax Type 16 Formula 1 €483,000 ($565,983) 5. 1995 Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti DTM Competition Saloon €552,000 ($646,908) 4. 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ LP 770-4 €563,500 ($660,385) 3. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster €724,500 ($849,066) 2. 1983 Audi Quattro A2 Group B Works '#R38' €862,500 ($1,010,795) 1. 2021 Lamborghini Sián €2,012,500 ($2,358,523) Images: Bonhams Cars

By Charles Bradley – February 05, 2026

Bonhams|Cars Makes Laguna Seca Move For Monterey Car Week Sale

Image courtesy of Bonhams|Cars For nearly three decades, Bonhams|Cars has been a defining presence during Monterey Car Week, anchoring the collector-car calendar with a sale that consistently draws the world’s most serious enthusiasts. Now, the auction house is entering a new era: Bonhams|Cars has signed a multi-year agreement with WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, extending a 15-year partnership and officially relocating its Monterey Car Week sale to one of the most storied circuits in motorsports history. Beginning in August 2026, the Bonhams|Cars Monterey Car Week sale will become an integral part of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, one of the most prestigious events on the global historic racing calendar. The auction will take place on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, with public preview days held Aug. 11–12, coinciding with the Pre-Reunion race weekend that launches Monterey Car Week. The move marks the first new venue for the Bonhams|Cars Monterey auction in 29 years, following its long-standing association with The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel Valley. More significantly, it brings the worlds of elite collecting and historic competition closer than ever, offering a setting where provenance, performance, and pageantry intersect naturally. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, named Motorsports Event of the Year at the 2025 International Historic Motoring Awards, is widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected historic racing events. Beyond its cultural significance, it delivers substantial economic impact to the Monterey Peninsula and draws a global audience of collectors, drivers, manufacturers, and tastemakers. Bonhams|Cars’ relocation to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca places the auction directly within that atmosphere. Collectors will have the rare opportunity not only to acquire historically significant automobiles but also to experience them in motion at the legendary circuit – an increasingly important consideration for today’s enthusiast, who values experiential luxury as much as ownership. “I’m delighted to confirm the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as the new home for the Bonhams|Cars sale in Monterey Car Week,” said Whitney Maxwell, Global Managing Director at Bonhams|Cars. “Monterey is one of our flagship global sales in the calendar and the location of the auction is hugely important. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is an outstanding venue that has seen significant investment in recent years and gives us almost limitless space to grow and develop our sales as the quality and volume of cars we consign for our Monterey Car Week sale develops.” That sense of growth is central to the move. Laguna Seca’s expansive grounds and recent infrastructure investments allow Bonhams|Cars to scale its Monterey presence while maintaining the exclusivity expected at the top of the collector-car market. The partnership also builds upon Bonhams|Cars’ longstanding involvement with the Reunion, which dates back to 2011 and already includes support for the Drivers Lounge and other premium trackside activations. “We are thrilled to welcome Bonhams|Cars as our official auction partner during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion,” said Mel Harder, President and General Manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “Bonhams|Cars’ unparalleled heritage in the collector car market enhances the experience for our fans and participants, bringing world-class auctions to the iconic setting of Laguna Seca. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to celebrating automotive history and delivering exceptional experiences during one of the most anticipated weeks of the year – both here on the Monterey Peninsula and among automotive enthusiasts around the world.” For Bonhams|Cars, the move reinforces its position as a global authority in the collector-car space. The auction house hosts 17 live auctions annually, participates in all major concours worldwide, and operates across live, online, and private-sale platforms. Its presence spans marquee events such as Goodwood, the Zoute Grand Prix, and the Formula 1 Paddock Club™, where Bonhams|Cars serves as the official auction partner. As Monterey Car Week continues to evolve, the integration of Bonhams|Cars within the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion reflects a broader shift in luxury collecting – one that values authenticity, access, and experience as much as rarity. At Laguna Seca, the sound of historic engines, the gravity of motorsport history, and the theater of the auction block will now unfold in one unified setting, signaling a bold new chapter for one of the most important weeks in the automotive world.

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