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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 Edward Jones – March 17, 2021

Mecum Glendale Preview: Fire Opal Red 2014 Mercedes-Benz ...

Presented by Mecum Auctions - As one of just 132 examples built for the entire planet, this 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series is one of the most exclusive cars ever to wear the three-pointed star, a claim amplified by the Fire Opal Red paint it shares with only four other examples worldwide. It is also one of the most complete. The first car developed from the ground up by Mercedes-AMG, the SLS GT became an instant classic by virtue of its flashy gullwing design and world-class performance worthy of the original 300SL that inspired it. Nestled amidships in a brilliantly engineered spaceframe chassis, its naturally aspirated 6.2L V-8 engine and paddle-shifted 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission delivered a 197 MPH top speed, with ABS and driveline traction control always at the ready to counter the V-8’s power. The car’s incredible performance is balanced with such civilizing features as dual-zone automatic climate control, heated seats, COMAND voice activated navigation, an AM/FM stereo and SiriusXM satellite radio, Parktronic Parking assist, a rearview camera and blind spot assist. In totality, the SLS AMG GT was the crown jewel of the Mercedes-Benz/AMG collaboration. Yet, the wizards at AMG had more to say on the matter, and the Black Series served as their ultimate statement. They shaved 154 pounds with increased use of carbon fiber and a titanium exhaust system, added downforce with a lower front splitter and optional rear wing, and raised output by 39 HP to 622 HP at a lofty 7,400 RPM. Offered at just 2,326 miles, this one-of-five Fire Opal Red SLS AMG Black Series coupe also boasts the fully adjustable suspension, lightweight polished AMG forged aluminum wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and huge carbon-ceramic disc brakes that fill out the Black Series specification. Trimmed in black Alcantara and leather with red accents, the cockpit focuses the driving experience with the AMG Performance steering wheel, snug-fitting heated bucket seats and tailored controls, inviting confidence at the upper limits that are its home turf. A battery tender, books, two key sets and a custom-fitted AMG car cover are also included. This vehicle will be auctioned off at Mecum Auctions’ Glendale 2021 event (March 18-20). View Listing

By Edward Jones – January 05, 2021

RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021: 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG...

Presented by RM Sotheby's - From their 150-employee operation in Affalterbach, the burgeoning engine builder and tuning firm AMG had, by 1989, already released some of the most powerful, outrageous, no-holds-barred creations to grace the Autobahn. Since 1967, the firm had achieved marked success by following a simple corporate ethos: If your pockets were deep enough, they would build it for you. At a time when Mercedes-Benz still poured unrivaled sums into the research and development of their products, yet the marque’s identity remained “comfortable luxury,” AMG regularly committed acts of heresy; “shoehorning” became AMG’s particular claim to fame, and displacement proved the company’s preferred commodity. The car offered here is quite in line with this approach. This Japanese-market 1989 560 SEC AMG 6.0 Wide-Body is clad in Pearl Grey Metallic over Anthracite leather and was delivered new to AMG Japan in September 1988. The car’s original powertrain was replaced by AMG in-period, and the completed car was delivered back to its first owner shortly thereafter. AMG’s work consisted of taking a stock 5.5-liter M117 V-8 and boring it out to 6.0-liters before equipping it with a set of “hotter” camshafts housed within of pair of proprietary 16-valve, three-piece, sand-cast cylinder heads. Surmounted by a modified throttle body, freer-breathing exhaust, and ported intake manifold, the final product produces a reported 385 horsepower and provides twice the torque at half the engine speed of the stock 560 configuration. The cost of the 6.0-liter (32-valve) and Wide-Body packages from AMG—tacked onto the sticker price of a brand-new, flagship SEC Coupe—made this car one of the most expensive roadgoing marvels of the period. These prohibitively high costs assured that only the most well-heeled enthusiasts could showcase the pinnacle of the tuning firm’s catalog. Both the engine number and transmission number are the correct AMG sequences indicating period modification. AMG “Gen II” body numbers are found on the front fenders and front bumper with correct West German production information, and the valve cover stampings correctly identify the 6.0-liter displacement (as opposed to the available, lesser 5.6-liter), sequence number, and appropriate employee ID code. Further stampings on the heads, exhaust manifolds, and throttle body are similar testaments to this coupe’s significant modifications. Further, AMG four-piston front brake calipers are present along with the exclusive and correct “AMG by Bilstein” shocks. AMG-touched cars from this era may only have a few of these attributes present; this example evidences them throughout. One newer addition is the replacement stainless steel exhaust; it runs rear past the limited-slip differential, finding its terminus in a dual-outlet muffler rendered in the style of the correct AMG unit. AMG’s hand assembled widebody fenders and “Gen II” ground effects change the visage of Bruno Sacco’s pillarless coupe design from graceful to vengeful. Plastic badges bearing a modern AMG logo appear to be more recent additions to each front fender, but this coupe’s menacing stance is otherwise correct. A proper set of staggered, three-piece 17-inch wheels are presently shod in fresh Bridgestone Potenza tires. The Anthracite interior is a rather restrained affair, so far as AMG builds of the period are concerned. Nonetheless, an attractive suite of extended burl veneers is enriched by the presence of a small-gauge AMG by Momo M38 steering wheel fronting a white-faced AMG instrument cluster. The rear seats are in presentable condition; quilted buffalo leather door inserts and black carpeting complete the handsome appeal of this coupe’s cockpit. This 1989 560 SEC AMG 6.0 Wide-Body Coupe is now offered for sale with just 90,400 kilometers (~56,200 miles) indicated, and is accompanied by a Japanese manual, service map booklet, later AMG document pouch, jack, and spare tire. It will be offered at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale, taking place 22 January in Scottsdale, Arizona. View Listing

By Edward Jones – December 20, 2020

Mecum Kissimmee 2021: Graphite Grey 1956 Mercedes-Benz 30...

Presented by Mecum Auctions - After rising from the ashes of postwar Europe, Mercedes-Benz returned to racing in 1952, winning the World Sports Car Championship with the now-famous 300SL factory sports racer. That might have been the end of the 300SL concept, as the factory was then planning a return to Grand Prix racing, but fate intervened in the form of New York automotive importer and Mercedes-Benz franchisee Max Hoffmann, who convinced Daimler Benz management to approve production of a roadgoing version of the 300SL. Built to the marque’s typically exacting standards, the production 300SL coupe and its smaller 190SL counterpart debuted to instant international acclaim in February 1954 at the International Motor Sports Show on Park Avenue in New York, a million-dollar pageant broadcast on nationwide television. The 300SL lived up to the promise of that extravaganza with a new standard of grand touring performance and luxury, with an emphasis on performance. Its innovative, lightweight space frame virtually duplicated that of the 300SL racers, as did the all-independent suspension and robust drum brakes. The first 4-stroke production engine to employ fuel injection, the SL’s dry sump-lubricated 3.0L inline-6 powerplant was laid over at a 50 degree angle to allow the car’s low hoodline, and it used long ram tubes feeding the intake charge directly to each cylinder from a single large plenum drawing fresh air from the front of the car. Its 215 HP output was enough to power a car equipped with the highest axle ratio to 160 MPH, making it the world’s fastest production car. Rendered in steel with aluminum doors, hood and trunk lid, the 300SL’s purposeful bodywork was elegantly accented with dual hood bulges to clear the cam cover and intake plenum, sculpted spears above the wheel openings, and exhaust vents on the front fenders inspired by the contemporary W196 Grand Prix cars. Even by today’s lofty supercar standards, the 300SL’s interior excels in comfort and ergonomics with supportive seating and excellent all-around visibility. A set of custom-fitted luggage was a welcome accessory. According to Mercedes-Benz factory records, this stunning 300SL “Gullwing” coupe was completed on August 11, 1956, with special-order Graphite Grey paint and a blue plaid interior, and then shipped to the Mercedes-Benz dealer in Düsseldorf, Germany, for delivery to the Prince of Salm-Salm, a mediatized principality in the northwestern area of now modern-day France. The prince retained ownership of the Gullwing coupe until Dr. J. Theodore Luros, a neurosurgeon from Indianapolis, Indiana, acquired it in 1961. Active members of the Gullwing Group, Dr. and Mrs. Luros happened to see another member’s 300SL at a concours event and were so struck by its factory optional Code DB543 Strawberry Red Metallic paint that they decided to have theirs refinished in the same color. Dr. Luros cared for his beloved Gullwing until 2005, when he sold it to its third owner, a long-time marque owner/enthusiast whose collection had included a number of 300SLs acquired over the years through world-renowned restoration expert Rudi Koniczek of British Columbia, Canada. He commissioned Koniczek and his elite team of specialists to perform a cosmetic and mechanical restoration, once again in the same Strawberry Red finish. Recently, this very special Gullwing’s fourth and latest owner has had the car cosmetically refreshed once again, returning it to its original Graphite Grey paint and maintaining the contrasting tan leather interior. This magnificent 300SL Gullwing coupe retains its original matching-numbers engine, the original belly pans, highly desirable color-matching fitted luggage, factory-installed Becker Mexico radio, SWF windshield washer system, VDO gauges and tool kit, and comes with extensive documentation that includes the original 1961 title and Bill of Sale, prior registrations, restoration records and owner's manual. Highly original and always maintained in dazzling Concours condition, this extraordinary 300SL is exceedingly qualified to headline any collection of exquisite motorcars. This vehicle will be auctioned off at Mecum Auctions’ Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

By Edward Jones – December 15, 2020

Mecum Auctioning Rare Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6

Presented by Mecum Auctions - Mecum Auctions is prepared to auction off a very rare SUV that's most likely going to have the most wheels at their Kissimmee 2020 event. This 2017 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 is one of about 110 produced worldwide, making it a rare gem of a Mercedes SUV. With just 5,100 miles on its odometer, it' also in incredible condition. This six-wheeled luxury SUV comes finished in Designo Mystic White with an equally stunning Design Porcelain interior. If you've ever wanted an SUV that would stand above the rest, this is for you. It was custom built in Graz, Austria with OEM parts. Other features include its central tire inflation system, moonroof, a navigation system, and an auxiliary fuel tank. What's more, this SUV can handle off-roading like nothing else. For more information, be sure to click the button below. This vehicle will be auctioned at Mecum Auctions' Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

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