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 Khris Bharath – August 26, 2026

Audi Nuvolari Takes to American Roads for the First Time

The Audi Nuvolari, the German marque's recently unveiled limited-run hybrid supercar and R8 successor, was one of the brand's headline attractions on the Monterey Peninsula, appearing at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, before moving to the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Audi subsequently took the Nuvolari onto the roads surrounding Carmel-by-the-Sea, marking the first time its new halo car has been driven on public roads in the United States. It follows what has already been a busy summer for the Nuvolari, following appearances at Monaco and Goodwood. "Monterey Car Week is the pinnacle premium automotive stage for Audi to showcase the brand's first halo supercar" - Vito Paladino, President of Audi of America. With The Quail and Pebble Beach bringing together collectors, manufacturers and some of the world's most significant automobiles each August, Audi used the week to put the Nuvolari in front of its target audience. The California outing is particularly significant given the importance Audi is placing on the United States as it begins a broader renewal of its product range. Just over two weeks before the Nuvolari arrived in Monterey, Audi unveiled the all-new Q9 flagship SUV in New York, a vehicle developed specifically for American customers. "While the Q9 was specifically tailored to the needs of American customers, the Nuvolari serves as a technology and design flagship for the renewal of our brand. Together, these two vehicles show that we are consistently translating our strategic direction into compelling products." - Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. duPont REGISTRY was also on the ground throughout Monterey Car Week, and caught up with Audi CEO Gernot Döllner at The Quail, where we spoke with him about the Nuvolari, Audi's return to the supercar space, and what the model represents for the wider brand. Watch out for our exclusive interview in our upcoming print issue. The Nuvolari occupies the opposite end of Audi's range from the Q9. It is the most powerful production Audi ever created, combining a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with three electric motors for a total output of 1,001 PS, or 987 horsepower. <- Gallery -> Audi quotes a top speed of more than 217 mph, making it the fastest production car in the brand's history. Its technical package, developed in 405 days, also includes active aerodynamics, a new Audi Space Frame and extensive carbon-fiber bodywork. Production is capped at 499 cars. European presales do not open until the fourth quarter of 2026, with first deliveries in the first half of 2027, and Audi says interest is already running high without offering a number to support it. View All Audis For Sale Images by Audi

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 12, 2026

New Audi Nuvolari Debuts At Car Week

Audi recently unveiled a new halo car, the first supercar to wear the four rings since the iconic R8. It’s called the Nuvolari, and unlike the R8’s V10 engine, the Nuvolari features a plug-in hybrid powertrain and a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine, which together develop a formidable 987 horsepower that goes to all four wheels. Utilizing Formula 1-derived engineering and sporting a striking design inspired by Audi’s recent Concept C, the Nuvolari opens a new chapter for Audi Performance. In the midst of Audi’s inaugural season on the Formula 1 grid, Audi revealed the Nuvolari at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix. After that, the new supercar made an appearance in the UK, debuting at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and this week, which is Monterey Car Week, the new Audi Nuvolari is debuting in the United States. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Monterey Peninsula, the public will be introduced to the fastest and most powerful production Audi supercar yet at Monterey Car Week. Limited to only 499 units, the car boasts a top speed of more than 217 mph, a new Audi Space Frame, active aerodynamics derived from the motorsport world, and the highly advanced Quattro predictive ride. About the Nuvolari’s presence at Car Week this year, Audi of America President Vito Paladino commented, “Once a year, the Monterey Peninsula becomes the pinnacle backdrop for premium and exclusive mobility, which makes it the ideal place to introduce our halo performance model to North America and share our excitement with customers, collectors, and enthusiasts. The Nuvolari is more than an extraordinary supercar; it is a defining moment for Audi, built on substance. Substance that delivers on what has always shaped Audi to be an iconic brand – performance, design, and innovation.” <- Gallery -> On Friday, August 14, the Audi Nuvolari will be at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, one of Car Week’s most prestigious events, marking the first public appearance of the car in the States, and offering guests access to the people behind the car. After that, the Nuvolari will be present on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. With the iconic manufacturer entering a new era with its hybrid supercar, Audi’s presence at Monterey Car Week with the Nuvolari marks a turning point in the brand’s legacy. View All Audi For Sale Image Source: Audi

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 10, 2026

Audi Brings The Nuvolari To Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, a traditional celebration of automotive excellence set at an even more historic venue, brings together the world’s premier cars, manufacturers, drivers, and enthusiasts to celebrate the past, present, and even the future of the automotive world. This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed is seeing the presence of several new cars coming from the most celebrated manufacturers in the industry, and one is Audi. 2026 has been a formative year for Audi, with the brand entering its inaugural season on the Formula 1 grid and a new supercar coming to the brand’s lineup for the first time since the discontinuation of the R8. That supercar is the new Nuvolari, named after racing driver Tazio Nuvolari, and it uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and a hybrid system to produce a system total of 987 horsepower. As a result, the Nuvolari is the most powerful production Audi yet, with a 0-60 time of 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph. The Nuvolari recently made its UK debut, ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, in London, the largest city and capital city of the UK. Set against the city’s most prominent and iconic locations, the Nuvolari’s monolithic, minimal, and futuristic design, inspired by past icons like the R8, TT, Ur-quattro, and more, wowed onlookers. However, the car’s Goodwood Festival of Speed presence is even more exciting for enthusiasts. <- Gallery -> Its hybrid powertrain and Quattro predictive ride drivetrain were showcased in their full glory, thanks to the Nuvolari taking on Goodwood’s iconic hillclimb route, with legendary racing driver Tom Kristensen behind the wheel of the near-production prototype of the new supercar. Alongside it, a historic predecessor to the Nuvolari, the Auto Union Lucca, recreated from the 1930s, is making its first public appearance in motion at Goodwood, and the Audi RS 5, Audi’s first performance plug-in hybrid is also at the festival, being offered for test drives on the Goodwood Circuit. It’s also on display alongside its Avant predecessors, the RS2 and the RS 4. With only 499 units of the new Audi Nuvolari set to be produced, with deliveries of the supercar set for the first half of 2027, a new era is dawning for the legendary manufacturer, with racing, innovation, performance, exclusivity, and admirable engineering. View All Audi For Sale Image Source: Audi

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 09, 2026

Audi Brings The Nuvolari To London

London is one of the biggest cities in the world, and it combines thousands of years of history with rich culture and bold innovation. It is there where Audi decided to give its new Nuvolari supercar, a 987-horsepower V8 hybrid that will only see 499 examples produced, its UK debut. The new Audi Nuvolari is the first supercar from the iconic German luxury manufacturer since the discontinuation of the R8, a V10-powered beauty that was also Audi’s first production supercar. With a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and a hybrid system, the new Nuvolari boasts nearly 1,000 horsepower, accelerating from 0-60 in just 2.7 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 217 mph. Meanwhile, its drivetrain takes full advantage of electrification to be one of the most dynamic systems in an Audi yet. Iconic locations in London served as the backdrop for the Nuvolari’s UK debut, including the streets of Mayfair and Kensington, and stunning examples of the city’s diverse architecture. Those locations are set against the monolithic, minimal, and dramatic form of the new Audi Nuvolari, whose design is inspired by Audi’s recent Concept C. In addition to the concept, legendary Audi models from the past inspired the design of the Nuvolari, including the original TT, the Ur-quattro, and the Auto Union Type C. <- Gallery -> Meanwhile, the Nuvolari’s performance engineering is derived from the manufacturer’s Formula 1 innovations, as Audi takes on its inaugural season in the ultra-prestigious racing series. A new Space Frame and a carbon fiber body work alongside its innovative hybrid powertrain and Quattro predictive ride drivetrain to deliver track-ready performance. Another nod to racing legacy is the name, whose namesake is Tazio Nuvolari, a racing driver whose legacy of fearlessness and success inspires the new supercar’s ethos. With its second supercar nameplate seeing the light of day, the Audi Nuvolari’s UK debut in London is the beginning of a new era. View All Audi For Sale Image Source: Audi

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