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

Audi News

Audi news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated daily with model reveals, first drives, technology launches and verified performance figures. Our coverage runs across the RS models and the expanding e-tron range, together with the road cars that sit beneath them. Audi is moving quickly on electrification, and we report each development as it is confirmed. Plenty of publications carry performance car news, but few carry it beside live inventory. Many of the Audis covered here appear on the duPont REGISTRY marketplace, so a review and a genuine asking price sit together. That combination is difficult to find anywhere else in luxury car news. For Audi news today, begin with the stories below.

By Tyler Rampersaud – February 16, 2022

Facelifted For 2022, The New Audi A8 and S8 Are Ready To ...

Audi’s sumptuous flagship sedan is an old dog that can learn new tricks. For 2022, the Audi A8 and S8 get a bit of a facelift, and while a car with the technology, luxury, and performance of the A8 and S8 didn’t need one, it certainly doesn’t hurt. The model has been the flagship sedan of the brand for many years, and while it never does a bad job at being the pinnacle of Audi’s luxury, it only has the status it does by innovating and improving wherever it can. Luxury cars start to show their true prowess in the interior. The new facelifted A8 has plenty of features that will remind you just how luxurious of a car you’re driving, like HVAC vents that only reveal themselves when needed, and are otherwise concealed by the decorative dashboard trim of the car. The new interior also introduces Audi’s new Dynamica material to the car, which was first implemented in the Audi E-Tron GT, and can now optionally be used for the entire roof trim of your A8 or S8. MUST READ: Ken Block Launches the Audi RS Q e-tron Into the Icy Air And like many luxury sedans, the best seats in the house are the back seats, which can be optioned to have folding wing tables and remote control for changing the seating and lighting settings. The front seats, however, can’t be left out. The new A8 features two touchscreens: one for infotainment and navigation on the top, and another on the bottom for climate control and other comfort settings. With a HUD added to the cockpit, there’s not much the new A8 and S8 leave to be desired. The S8 performance sedan is an ultimate car, with limousine-level luxury, and performance that is nearly peerless for its class of car. That continues with the facelift, with the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine of the S8 producing 563 horsepower and 590 lb/ft of torque. The A8, not to be left out, has a 330-horsepower V6, producing 369 lb/ft of torque, and both models come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive and advanced air suspension. With legendary luxury and comfort, and even more legendary performance capability like that, the new A8 and S8, starting at $86,500, and $116,900 respectively, are definitely worth the splurge.

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 02, 2021

Discover The Newly Redesigned Audi A8

The iconic Audi A8 takes on a new shape with some luxury, performance, and technology upgrades. Audi prides itself on offering a fleet of vehicles that carry the perfect balance of luxury and performance. The A8 model continues to act as a staple for the German automotive manufacturer, continuing the 4th generation luxury sedan as a symbol of prestige status. Audi is proud to present its new redesign of the A8 with an updated design, technology, and performance features. Audi The exterior of the new Audi A8 includes a Singleframe grill that is now wider with chrome angles that increase in size from bottom to top adorn its grid. The side air intakes are more upright and just as freshly styled as the headlights, whose lower edge on the outside creates a distinctive contour. Stretched lines in the body of the car emphasize its length, wide wheel arches hint at the standard Quattro drive system. Beyond the basic exterior, Audi is offering its customers the chrome exterior package and, for the first time in the A8, the new S line exterior package. The A8 has a wheelbase of 9.8-feet, a length of 17-feet, a width of 6.4-feet, and a height of 4.8-feet. Audi The interior layout of the new Audi A8 features its iconic spacious luxury setting with available options for an ambient light option. Each passenger experiences premium comfort with the ability to choose the relaxation seat package, which includes a back massage with 18 pneumatic cushions, electrically adjustable comfort headrests, an optional continuous center console. The interior layout is also available with optional fold-out tables, four-zone deluxe automatic air conditioning, and the new screens in the rear. They include an Audi design selection in pastel silver and the S line interior in black, merlot red, or cognac. Audi New technology is added to the A8 platform, which starts in the hands of the driver in the form of assistance packages. The “City” assist package includes intersection assist, cross-traffic assist, side assist, exit warning, and the Audi pre sense 360° safety system, which induces a side crash enhancement in combination with the active suspension. The “Tour” assist package, which is standard in Germany, is particularly comprehensive. Its central system is adaptive cruise assist, which adjusts longitudinal and lateral guidance throughout the vehicle’s speed range. Behind the assistance systems in the Audi A8 is the central driver assistance controller, which continuously calculates a model of the environment. Audi To begin with, the enhanced Audi A8 is available with three motorizations. As a V6 engine, the 3.0 TFSI draws its power from three liters of displacement. The 4.0 TFSI, which is available for the A8 and the S8 in various output levels, distributes its four liters of displacement to eight cylinders. In the version for the A8 models, the 4.0 TFSI generates 454-horsepower and 487-ft. lb. of torque. These create very sporty performance: the A8 60 TSFI Quattro and the A8 L 60 TFSI Quattro both sprint from zero to 60mph in 4.4 seconds. One highlight of the V8 is the cylinder on-demand system (COD), which temporarily deactivates four cylinders for moderate driving. In brief, the A8 is also available as a Diesel engine; a plug-in hybrid model (PHEV) will follow. View all current Audi A8 models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Audi A8 For Sale on duPont REGISTRY Source: Audi USA

By Andrew Nabors – November 21, 2017

Audi Unveils 2019 A8 at Los Angeles Auto Show

Don't believe the media, sedans are not dead! Just because crossovers and SUV sales are surpassing the traditional four-door, that doesn't mean automakers have stopped improving their core products. That's why Audi has pulled out all the stops for the new 2019 A8. As their flagship, it carries the torch for the new Audi Premium design language. We've seen glimpses of it in recent concepts, and the new A8 finally brings it to fruition.Audi Gives New Cars To FC Bayern MunchenThe design isn't too daring because they know their customers. Subtle improvements like the flat roof panel and pronounced fenders help to keep everyone around you in awe of the new sedan. The headlights are "HD Matrix LED" and the taillights are OLED, which make for safe & efficient illumination. Looks aren't everything, so the A8 rides on a new version of the ASF, or Audi Space Frame. In order to keep up with the competition, the new chassis is only 58% aluminum. It incorporates high strength steel into a safety cage, along with composites in critical areas.A new interface was needed in order to manage the litany of entertainment and system controls. The new MMI touch response is based on a 10.1" screen that incorporates haptic feedback. When switched off, it blends seamlessly into the dash, why can't everyone else do this? The menus and landing pages are configurable for up to 7 individual drivers, and it stores personalization settings for ambient lighting, entertainment and navigation points. The system also has 4GLTE with WiFi for up to 8 devices.A new 3.0 liter V6 is endowed with 48-volt electronics to create a mild hybrid system. It uses a 10aH battery coupled to a big alternator/starter to assist the engine when needed. Of course, there will be more power in the V8 and S8 versions, but we'll make due with the new base model for now. Head to the LA Auto Show to see it in person, and stay with us for all your Audi updates here on Autofluence. View Audi A8 For Sale

By Caitlin Duffy – October 26, 2015

2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport Revealed

2016 will mark the 22nd year that Audi has produced the A8, and they're bringing it to market at full power with the A8 L 4.0T Sport. A daily driver capable of 450 hp, this muscular new A8 will undoubtedly be a popular model.The German manufacturer released the new A8's details in a press release today, sharing that the increased power comes courtesy of engine enhancements. The twin turbo 4.0T V8 is able to produce an additional 15 hp when compared to last year's Sport edition, and the added power is reflected in a more aggressive design. Suspension was lowered, rocker panels were widened and the bumper has been reshaped, all making for a more dynamic appearance.The interior is made more comfortable with additions throughout, from the top of the car to the bottom wheels. A panoramic sunroof is surrounded by Alcantara headliner, and acoustic glazing on the windows provides a dimmed, warm feeling inside the car. Those who opt for the Executive or Luxury package will see 22-way Comfort seats in their A8 "with Valcona leather and a sporty diamond pattern stitching."(See Also: 2016 Audi RS 6 Avant Performance and RS 7 Sportback Performance)Pricing for this new A8 will start at $90,500, excluding destination charges, taxes, title, additional options and dealer charges. Find an Audi dealer near your or another one of the marque's popular models from our exclusive listings at the button below.Audis For Sale (Source: Audi) See More Audi News

By Andrew Nabors – September 08, 2015

Audi A8 L Security: Safest Audi Ever

If your daily commute is prone to triangulated crossfire, Audi has implemented a host of upgrades in the A8 L Security to make it one of the safest executive sedans on the market. In a press release issued earlier today, many details of its formidable armor are disclosed. While the formal release will be at the upcoming Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), the finer details are somewhat amazing.In addition to higher strength aluminum alloys in the body, aramid fibers and hot formed steel are used to build a chassis in resistance class VR 9. This surpasses the previous A8 L Security’s VR 7 limits, as it is now capable of handling repeated fire from small arms up to .30 caliber rifles. An emergency oxygen system will engage if outside air is compromised, and all vehicle communications are housed in an armored box in the trunk.(Also Read: 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera & Carrera S Unveiled)The only armored executive sedan built with the quattro AWD drivetrain can send all power to any corner, should the tires become compromised. Even with a built-in fire extinguishing system, it can still carry a payload of over 1,322 lbs; more than enough for your security team.Fully loaded with more armor than you will need, fuel mileage is a very respectable 21.6 mpg. The 4.0-liter twin turbo V8 delivers 435 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, but top speed is limited to 130 mph so as to preserve the ballistic tires. For more updates on armored Audis, stay tuned to Autofluence.A8 Ls For SaleGallery (Source: Audi AG) See More Audi News, Pics and Videos

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