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 – July 10, 2023

Audi Apprentices Revive NSU Prinz For 150th Anniversary

Audi apprentices in Neckarsulm commemorated the site's 150th anniversary with an electrified version of the 1971 NSU Prinz.

By Tyler Rampersaud – February 17, 2023

This New Video Is The Closest To The 1991 Audi Avus Quatt...

This wild Audi supercar concept was a window into the future. The Audi R8 has become a staple in the supercar world; celebrated by enthusiasts all over the world for its incredible V10 engine note, wild performance, and some of the automotive world’s sharpest engineering and fine-tuning with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive, and the light weight and mid-engined weight distribution that keeps it composed on the road and on the track. However, the idea of an Audi supercar existed long before the Audi R8 or even the very similar Audi Le Mans Quattro concept that preceded it. Other concept cars that never made it to production were chapters in the story of the Audi supercar, and they even played a major role in more than just Audi’s supercar journey. MUST READ: Audi Activesphere Concept Arrives With Level Four Autonomous Driving And Augmented Reality One of those is the Avus Quattro, a concept first introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1991 whose unconventional styling still looks futuristic to this day. It features a low-slung, cab-forward body finished in unpainted but polished aluminum for an otherworldly mirrored silver finish. Underneath the sheet metal (hypothetically) lies a 6.0 liter V12 engine, which would have given the car roughly 500 horsepower and the ability to get from 0-60 in 3 seconds and reach over 200 mph. This new walkaround video of the car on YouTube channel Supercar Blondie provides a closer look at the car than anyone has gotten in years, and shows off its amazing top-mounted side mirrors, red seats, and more. While the model never made it to production, its legacy was important for Audi’s future production supercar, and other supercars, and even luxury cars, as Audi and other brands in the Volkswagen Group went on to bring the W12 engine to the road in Bentleys, Volkswagens, and more. In addition, the development of the W-shaped engines led to more concepts and eventually the introduction of the quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine that powers the revolutionary Bugatti Veyron. This video is a well-deserved ode to the Audi Avus Quattro, an automotive unsung hero. View All Audis For Sale Source: YouTube/Supercar Blondie

By Gabriel Vega – January 26, 2023

Audi Activesphere Concept Arrives With Level Four Autonom...

Audi just announced its latest concept car, the off-road-ready Activesphere. As its name suggests, it's part of the Sphere family of concepts, which kicked off back in 2021 with the Skysphere and Grandsphere and grew with the arrival of the Urbansphere in 2022. However, while the three concepts that preceded it showcase vehicles, Audi could conceivably translate into production models; the Active Sphere is different. It's the brainchild of Audi's Malibu-based Design Studio, and it theorizes a high-riding crossover complete with off-roading tires and suspension as well as level four autonomous driving and virtual reality glasses. According to Oliver Hoffmann, a Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development, the concept's goal is to "show our vision for the premium mobility of the future. We are experiencing a paradigm shift, especially in the interior of our future Audi models...The most important technical innovation in the Audi Activesphere is our adaptation of augmented reality for mobility. Audi dimensions creates the perfect synthesis between the surroundings and digital reality." The key here is augmented reality, autonomous driving, and an interior-focused way of building cars. Look at the Activesphere's interior, and you won't see traditional buttons or an infotainment screen. Instead, the concept employs augmented reality glasses to display your relevant driving information such as navigation, speed, state of charge, etc. However, with level four autonomous driving on board, the Activesphere can hide all of its drive controls by folding its steering wheel out of the way. When referring to a paradigm shift to the interiors of the future, Hoffmann seems to allude to a potential future where cars are fully autonomous. With no driving required from its passengers, a vehicle would have to offer more in its interior to keep its occupants entertained. The Activesphere conceptualizes a vehicle with less transportation and more of a lounge. Tech aside, the Activesphere is a stunning take on an off-roading crossover. While it's still a high-riding machine, its sloping roofline and sleek lines make it far more elegant than its contemporary equivalents. It combines luxury, sportiness, and off-road capabilities like the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. This recent trend seems to imply significant demand for capable machines that are still luxurious. The Activesphere is 16.3 ft long, 6.7 ft wide, and 5.2 ft tall and has a 9.7-ft long wheelbase. It has 22-in wheels on all four corners with 285/55 off-roading tires. In keeping with its adventurous theme, it has a variable ride height. It starts at 8.1 in, but can increase by 1.5 in when needed. The Activesphere retains approach and departure angles of 18.9 and 28.1 degrees, thanks to its short front and rear overhang. It’s powered by two electric motors, one in each axle, which combined deliver 436 hp, and 531 lb-ft of torque. A 100 kWh battery pack sits between the axles and provides a perfectly flat floor. Like the carmaker’s current e-tron GT, the Activesphere features 800-volt charging technology, which can charge at up to 270 kW. Audi estimates that around 10 minutes is enough to get up to 186 miles of range. While its exterior is sleek, the Activesphere hides more than a few secrets, like the fact that it's a pickup with a properly usable bed in the back. Its rear glass slides upward onto the roof, and a small tailgate comes down, providing additional storage and cargo capacity for sporting gear such as bicycles. The roof also has secret attachments like the snowboard holders that deploy when needed. It's clear that Audi sees a future where the demand for crossovers extends beyond just a large, cozy daily driver. The Activesphere theorizes a luxurious EV with proper off-roading capabilities. While much of its tech isn't currently available at the time of writing, it appears the German carmaker has its fingers on the pulse. If they were to put something like this into production today, with a fixed steering wheel and no autonomy, they wouldn't be able to produce them quickly enough.

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By Jordan Aquistapace – November 29, 2022

Audi Announces Its New Virtual Grandsphere Art Exhibit Fo...

In a world where virtual art carries just as much significance as a piece behind a frame, artists find creative inspiration inside the future of luxury automobiles. Focusing resources and efforts on establishing a future generation of concept vehicles, the engineers at Audi reversed the roles of the use of art as a driving force for design. The Audi Grandsphere shows how Audi is shaping the future, what may one day be technically possible. Audi is proud to collaborate with artist Andrés Reisinger on an immersive and experiential art exhibition for 2022 Design Miami/. MUST-READ: 2023 Audi R8 GT Revealed As A Track-Capable Supercar With 150 U.S. Examples The digital art piece is inspired by the Audi Grandsphere and illustrates a vision of new high-class experiences using state-of-the-art technology and design characteristics. The exhibit features aspects shaped by the driver’s needs and desires, transforming the interior space into a luxury sedan with no steering wheel, pedals, or instruments. The Design Miami/ Audi Grandsphere digital art experience is one of four 2022 design exhibitions that present the four rings of Audi. View all of the current Audi models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Audi For Sale Source: Audi

By Edward Jones – April 11, 2022

New Audi urbansphere Concept Car Gets Reveal Date

Third in a line of Audi "sphere" concepts. Reveals of concept cars are always interesting and exciting. While many of them may never get produced, they still shed light on many of the automaker's new technology and even design cues for future models. For those who always find joy in new concept cars, Audi is ready to unveil their new urbansphere concept on April 19, 2022. This new model will come into the world as the third "sphere" concept from Audi, following the grandsphere and skysphere concepts that were unveiled in 2021. While the grandsphere was designed to be like a "first-class flight" and the skysphere is a two-door roadster, the urbansphere looks to be entirely different. In the image you see up above, this new Audi appears to have four doors, four seats and plenty of room. That's definitely a departure from the other new Audi concept, so it will surely be an exciting reveal. Be sure to check back with us on April 19th when the Audi urbansphere concept is revealed. View All Audi R8s For Sale " width="680"> Source: Audi

By Edward Jones – August 10, 2021

New Audi skysphere Transforming Concept Car Unveiled

Designed to be a grand tourer and sports car. The much-anticipated Audi skysphere concept car has been unveiled before its public unveiling at Monterey Car Week. This new concept is a two-door electric car with a truly unique transforming feature. With the press of a button, the skysphere can transform between a grand tourer and a sports car. Audi made this possible through a variable wheelbase. When activated, this mechanism slides the body and frame components into each other, allowing the length of the ar to vary by 9.8 inches. While the driver can steer the car on their own when in the "sport" mode, automotive driving takes over when in the "GT mode." Its autonomous nature is further exemplified by the "disappearing" pedals and steering wheel when in "GT" mode. Audi also notes that the skysphere concept would be able to pick up passengers and take care of everyday tasks all on its own. While it won't be able to order you a meal, it seems likely that it would be able to pick up to-go orders for you. As for what powers the new Audi skysphere concept car, that's all handled by an electric motor that sends power to the rear axle. In total, it produces 465 kW of power (around 624 horsepower) and 553 lb-ft of torque. Audi also notes that it would have a range of over 310 miles. If you'd like to see this wild concept car for yourself, you will be able to see it on the Pebble Beach golf course after its debut on August 13 at the Monterey Car Week. View Monterey Car Week Schedule Source: Audi

By Andrew Nabors – April 20, 2021

Audi A6 E-Tron Concept Revealed in Shanghai

A glimpse of the new A6? Could we be on the verge of a new era in Concept Cars? China has a serious pollution problem, and that is why the Audi A6 e-tron Concept was revealed in Shanghai. Starting with a new chassis, it rides on their upcoming Premium Platform Electric (PPE). This will allow Audi to not be reliant on the Porsche Taycan's underpinnings. Motivation comes from 469 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. This should make it comparable to the new Audi RS6 Avant for sale. Compared to a 2021 production A6, only the exterior dimensions are shared. Their new metallic paint is known as Heliosilver. It was mixed to accentuate the body lines while offering the most heat insulation. This allows the A/C to work easier, and consequently, extending the car's range. The low and wide body cuts through the air with a Cd of 0.22, to give the car an estimated range of 435 miles. Another goal is to reach 62 mph in under 4 seconds on a consistent basis. Are we looking at the future? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below. Shop Audi A6 Images (C) Audi A.G.

By Edward Jones – September 10, 2019

Audi AI:TRAIL quattro: Exciting New Off-Road Concept Car

Unveiled at IAA 2019 is a new electric off-roader concept called the Audi AI:TRAIL quattro. If you're a fan of traveling off of the beaten path and enjoying the view, then this concept is right up your alley. see all audis for sale Audi has given the AI:TRAIL a cabin that's surrounded by glass, so those inside the vehicle can peer off onto the wilderness. But that's where the magic of this concept begins. Being an electric car, it's perfect for taking into the wilderness on account of it not polluting the air. As far as range goes, Audi says it will have a range of 248.5 to 310.7 miles on the road and 155.3 miles on rough ground. And there'll be plenty of time to take a look at the surrounding, thanks to the AI:TRAIL's autonomous capabilities. When on the road, it can drive on its own. Off of the road, however, the AI:TRAIL's autonomous capabilities are limited. That being said, the sensors can still detect obstacles, road surface and slip in the tires. The system takes this data and can alert the driver or intervene as needed. Also Check Out: Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS Unveiled in Frankfurt BMW Concept 4 Revealed: A Glimpse Into BMW’s Future

By Andrew Nabors – November 29, 2018

Audi E-tron GT Concept: An All-Electric Sports Car With S...

The latest news from the LA Auto Show brings the Audi e-tron closer to reality. This sleek sedan is the e-tron GT, and it previews a production version that will arrive in the next 2 years. In a press release last night we've learned it will have carbon fiber body panels and 590 horsepower. The bold styling has wide rocker panels and a tapered cockpit in contrast to Audi's recent models. Nothing was left to chance, as even the 22" wheels are styled to cool the brakes. The cockpit has a flat floor with ample room front and rear. With a focus on sustainable materials, no animal-based products were used inside or out. To emphasize the utility of an electric vehicle, the battery mounted under the floor allows for 15.9 cubic feet of cargo room with an additional 3.5 under the hood. Having electric motors front and rear, it leaps to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, and only a dozen ticks to reach 124 mph. 1,012 HP Audi RS6 Goes 203 MPH On The Autobahn The battery is rated at 90 kWh and it offers a range of 248 miles if driven in a sensible manner. But if I had a gorgeous sedan with all wheel steering and a low center of gravity, it would be hard to resist a few spirited maneuvers. Audi was originally planning to use a 400v charging system and Porsche would have 800v chargers. But thankfully Audi has adopted the Porsche system. It allows for an 80% charge in 20 minutes. While we wait for it to reach production. Related: View All Audis For Sale 2019 Audi R8 Is Leaner & Meaner

By Caitlin Duffy – October 13, 2015

Audi Electromagnetic Hover Car Concept Design

Audi may just be reaching the point of producing electric vehicles, but an Ohio-based industrial designer has an idea for where they should go after mastering that craft.Kevin Clarridge of Columbus, Ohio, has shared a few sketches of his design for a wheel-free Audi sedan straight out of the 22nd century. A post to his Facebook page Oct. 8 shared a few images, while his Behance profile shows a few more color options for this concept.https://instagram.com/p/8ogR-diH6l/Pretty much, it's an Audi hover car. No wheels, no axles, just the ability to float along the magnetically charged roads of the future with an aggressively beautiful design and classic coach doors. The classic Audi rings are prominently visible, while the design seems to have deep roots in the existing R8.While it may sound like the tech for this kind of a car is still off in the distant future, it's not impossible to think that we may see such a car in our lifetimes. Lexus unveiled a working hoverboard in August of this year, and it's just a matter of time until they can adapt that tech to a larger, heavier mode of transportation.(See Also: Nissan Vision Gran Turismo Concept to Appear at Tokyo Motor Show)Check out some of Clarridge's other designs on his Instagram and Behance profiles, and be sure to stay with us for more updates from the world of concept cars. In the meantime, find an existing, rubber burning Audi from our exclusive listings.Audis For Sale Gallery (Source: Behance, Facebook, Instagram) See More Concept Car News

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