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

Bentley News

Bentley news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated as each story breaks, covering the Continental GT, the Bentayga, the Flying Spur and Mulliner's bespoke commissions. Our reporting takes in model reveals, first drives and the auction results that establish what these cars are worth. Bentley Motors news tends to move slowly and matter for years, so we follow how values hold across a generation. This is where the marketplace becomes useful. Many of the Bentleys covered here are listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, placing the reporting and a genuine asking price side by side. For Bentley news today, and the luxury car market news that surrounds it, begin below.

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 01, 2022

Bentley Brings 18 Cars To Chauffeur Nominees At London's ...

Bentley sat among fellow stars at the MOBO Awards. At a star-studded event like the MOBO awards, held at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, the nominees simply have to arrive in style, which is why Bentley stepped into the picture. At the center of the historic luxury brand’s participation in the event was Bentley’s BeUnited network, an internal initiative with a focus on minority equality within the Bentley brand as it works towards its goal of becoming the world’s most diverse luxury car manufacturer. The MOBO awards, standing for Music Of Black Origin, honor the creative efforts of black artists in various genres like hip-hop, R&B, grime, UK Drill, and more. MUST READ: British Racing Green 2022 Bentley Flying Spur W12 Listed for Sale With Bentley’s decades-long and prominent presence within various music subcultures, the 18 cars that the brand chauffeured award nominees in to Wembley fit right in, from the Flying Spur, present in its hybrid, Mulliner, and W12 variants, to the Bentayga in its new EWB body style, to the legendary but now-discontinued Mulsanne, the brand’s extravagant former V8-powered flagship. Present at the celebrations were artists like Eve, Little Simz, girl group FLO, singer Fireboy DML, and many more. For a celebration of diverse creativity, there wasn’t a brand better to take part in than Bentley, which is actively championing diversity within the luxury automotive industry. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

Press Release RCA Collaboration 1 Sustainable Luxury

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 23, 2022

Bentley And Royal College Of Art Students Create New Futu...

Bentley worked with design students to see what an earth-friendly luxury future would look like. With its Beyond100 strategy, Bentley has put forth an effort to completely turn itself around after over a century of being one of the world’s most desired automotive luxury brands. From making cars that were notorious for being over-the-top not just in luxury and style, but also at the fuel pump such as the Brooklands, Bentley has made an absolutely radical turn towards sustainable luxury, introducing a range of hybrid models, dramatically improving its manufacturing process to be more environmentally-friendly, and promising an all-electric model that will come very soon. MUST READ: The Bentley Flying B is A Historical Symbol Of Luxury Automotive Craftsmanship In order to see what the next steps of sustainable luxury will be even further in the future, Bentley looked to students at the Royal College of Art in London to design various concepts that have been shown at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and will be shown throughout Europe in 2023. The concepts all push luxury mobility further forward, with designs that holistically improve luxury and sustainability and ideas like a vehicle that actively improves the quality of the air around it, a vehicle that gives its occupants unique greetings, and a vehicle that can easily have its individual components replaced rather than the entire thing to reduce waste. Thanks to design students’ forward-thinking minds, and the commitment to sustainability from brands like Bentley, luxury can evolve and make for a brighter future. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 17, 2022

Bentley Unveils A New Bespoke Sneaker Collection By 'The ...

Bentley and famed shoemaker ‘The Surgeon’ collaborate on a multi-faceted project, bespoke adidas Forum Low sneakers. As Bentley Motors continues to diversify its portfolio with luxury lifestyle products and accessories, the brand invites other industry leaders to collaborate on automotive-inspired collections. After recently releasing its winter drop with BOMBER Skis, the luxury manufacturer is back with a new sneaker line with inspiration deriving from models like the Continental GT, Bentayga, and Flying Spur. The new limited-edition run of bespoke sneakers takes shape as Adidas Forum Low silhouettes customized by Dominic ‘The Surgeon’ Ciambrone, one of the most well know sneaker customizers in the scene. The collaboration brings together two icons of design, each known for their blend of craftsmanship and unparalleled style, to create exceptionally unique fashion pieces. MUST-READ: Bentley x BOMBER Skis Hit The Slopes With An Exclusive ICE Edition Winter Collection Each of the exclusive, handcrafted sneakers boasts unique characteristics including Bentley’s signature diamond quilting, cross-stitching found on the steering wheel, and premium hides identical to those used to trim Bentley’s unrivaled interior designs. Dominic and the Bentley Mulliner team worked to create three pairs of sneakers to embody the variety in the Bentley model range. The three models reflect a focus on Performance, Well-Being, and Pinnacle Design, giving each a personality that ties into its design and construction. The idea behind showcasing each sneaker in its own light harnesses the aspects of Bentley Motors and its core values. The all-new Bentley x The Surgeon sneaker collection is limited to only 10-pairs of each version and will be available soon. View all current Bentley models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Bentley For Sale Source: Bentley Motors

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 16, 2022

Bentley x BOMBER Skis Hit The Slopes With An Exclusive IC...

This line of limited-edition skis and accessories offer unparalleled style and high performance. As winter rolls into full effect, ski mountains all around the country are excited to open their slopes for the start of a promising adventure-packed season. Incorporating automotive influence into the world of extreme winter sports, Bentley Motors is proud to be partnering with the professionals at Bomber Skis on their second collaboration collection. The Bomber for Bentley ICE Edition Collection embodies each brand’s pursuit of performance, precision, and peerless luxury, featuring a line of products and accessories built to take on any ski trail. MUST-READ: Bentley Düsseldorf Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary With The Rare Bentley Mulliner Bacalar On Display The collection reveals two new ski models, a pair of performance poles, and its first-ever lightweight carbon fiber helmet. Conceived by Bentley’s Lifestyle Design Manager Chris Cooke and Bomber’s Italian-based engineers, each featured item receives the same engineering and attention to detail as the U.K. luxury sports cars. The Bomber for Bentley collection also includes two more editions in sleek black, which were first unveiled in 2019. The new limited-edition Bomber for Bentley ICE Edition Collection is currently available starting at $275. View all current Bentley models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Bentley For Sale Source: Bentley Motors

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 08, 2022

Bentley Düsseldorf Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary With T...

20 years of success warrants one year of celebration. SInce 2002, Bentley Düsseldorf has brought the brand’s exquisite level of luxury and performance to Germany from its futuristic glass building, and as the dealership celebrates its 20th anniversary, it looks on a successful first 9 months of 2022 thanks to the expanding personalization that Bentley’s Mulliner division offers. Finding its original roots in the world’s oldest coachbuilder, Mulliner specializes in being able to offer the craftsmanship, design, and attention to detail that allows unprecedented expression through a Bentley. MUST READ: Bentley’s Profits Increase By 109% For YTD Q3 2022 Results Celebrating the incredible anniversary is a wide range of Bentleys displayed in the dealership, going from the incredibly rare Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, to its classic counterpart, the 1978 Bentley Corniche II Coupe by Mulliner Park-Ward, along with the new S range of Bentleys. Kicking off the year of celebrations was a “Bentley & Friends” event at the dealership, but more is to come as Bentley’s German flagship showroom looks forward to being the place to go for even more luxury, performance, and peerless craftsmanship. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 02, 2022

Bentley's Profits Increase By 109% For YTD Q3 2022 Results

Despite global challenges, Bentley continues to excel. With supply chain crises around the world, financial results from the most successful automakers have been plagued by reduced deliveries and profits, but in such a challenging environment, some brands still manage to shine, and Bentley is one of the greatest examples. In 2021, Bentley managed to absolutely shatter its previous records, making 2021 its greatest financial year ever, and despite the circumstances, Bentley has shown to not only thrive but even improve in 2022. MUST READ: Why The New Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition Is The Most Sustainable Bentayga In the first three quarters of this year, profits, which are at roughly $568.6 million, are double last year’s figure for the same period. The previous highest full-year profit figure was roughly $384.6 million. Deliveries for the period also increased by 3 percent to 11,316, and Bentley credits the expansion of Mulliner models and customization opportunities, as well as the introduction of the Azure lineup. Sales of the Bentayga SUV were the highest of the brand's lineup, increasing by 9 percent over last year, and Bentley has even more optimism for the rest of the year as it has now introduced the Bentayga EWB model to the mix. With a whopping 109% increase in profit, Bentley has stayed at the top of its game and gone even higher. Used Bentley For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 01, 2022

Why The New Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition Is The Most...

The most sustainable Bentayga yet is ready for an odyssey. The largest focus of Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy is to transform luxury mobility into something that is even more luxurious and simultaneously more sustainable than it ever has been before, and Bentley has made strides towards this by pushing hybrid powertrains and refining a more sustainable manufacturing process in a carbon-neutral Crewe factory. Last year, Bentley celebrated this ethos with the Flying Spur Odyssean Edition, a Flying Spur Hybrid that took design cues from the EXP 100 GT concept car for sustainability. It was a limited edition that displayed Bentley’s sustainability potential. MUST READ: Bentley Reveals A New 3-Off Mulliner Riviera Collection For The Continental GT Convertible Next up is the already-iconic Bentayga SUV. Based on the Bentayga Hybrid, the 18 kWh battery and 3.0-liter V6 combine to produce 456 horsepower and 516 lb/ft of torque. The SUV is able to reach 158 mph and get from 0-60 in just 5.3 seconds. However, it’s sustainability where the new Bentayga Odyssean Edition truly excels. What makes the Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition exceptionally sustainable? It features open-pore Koa veneer in the center console, using 90% less lacquer than other high-gloss alternatives, as well as a Piano Linen veneer and natural, sustainable leather combining high luxury with high environmental consciousness. The tweed in the interior is made of 100% British wool, and while the design is ultra-sustainable, customers of the limited edition Bentayag will still be able to choose between multiple configurations, with Beluga, Porpoise, Cricketball, Brunel, or Burnt Oak paired with Linen, making for the first three-color combination on the second-generation Bentayga, as well as ombre stitching that was featured on the Flying Spur Odyssean Edition. When will the Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition be available? Only 70 examples of the stunning limited Bentayga will be made worldwide, and production on the model begins in the first quarter of next year. The sustainable design and environmentally-conscious luxury of the new Bentley Bentayga Odyssean Edition previews the first fully-electric vehicle from Bentley, which is coming by 2025. Bentley For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 26, 2022

Bentley Reveals A New 3-Off Mulliner Riviera Collection F...

Bentley brings yachting luxury ashore. One of the highest forms of luxury is being able to take to the water at the helm of a beautiful vessel that’s luxuriously appointed, and enjoy a smooth cruise with everything you want at your fingertips. In that sense, driving can often evoke yachting, especially when the car you’re behind the wheel of is also luxurious and able to deliver a breathtaking open-air experience. The Bentley Continental GT Convertible is one of those cars, with some of the best drop-top luxury the automotive world has to offer, and the new Bentley Mulliner Continental GT Convertible Riviera Collection of just three cars turns Bentley’s convertible grand tourer into a yacht for the road. MUST READ: The New Bentley Bentayga EWB Is Now In Production Exclusively available through Bentley Monaco, situated in one of the world’s most prominent yachting destinations, the cars are all inspired by the French Riviera, with three stunning colors: Aegean Blue, Aquamarine, and Caribbean Blue. The interior continues the seafaring inspiration with special marine knot logos on the seats, a Linen interior color, and Riviera Collection plaques on the treadplates. For those passionate about nautical pursuits and automotive luxury, the new Bentley Mulliner Continental GT Convertible Riviera Collection is a trio of dream grand tourers. View All Bentley Continental GT Convertibles For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 24, 2022

The New Bentley Bentayga EWB Is Now In Production

Bentley’s new flagship is now ready to fly. Since the Mulsanne left the brand’s lineup and ended a very long era for Bentley, the luxury brand felt a void without the presence of an ultimate offering on the Mulsanne's level. However, since the Mulsanne’s departure, automotive luxury has changed somewhat. The luxury SUV has become a preference for many customers, and when it came time for Bentley to create something that served the Mulsanne’s purpose as the brand’s most luxurious offering, it looked to its own Bentayga as a starting point. MUST READ: How Flexjet Owner Made His Rare Bentley Match His Private Jet and Helicopter Thus came the Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase, a stretched Bentayga with Bentley’s best rear-seat pampering yet. With it, Bentley also introduced the Airline Seat option, a rear seat with unprecedented levels of adjustment and climate control, as well as Diamond Illumination in the doors for Bentley’s most personalized and luxurious riding and driving experience. The new model is ready for production, and customers who have ordered their Bentayga EWBs will soon be able to experience the new pinnacle of the Bentley brand. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 19, 2022

How Flexjet Owner Made His Rare Bentley Match His Private...

The splendor of the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar extends across the luxury dream lifestyle. While having a luxurious car is one of the greatest aspects of living it up, flying luxuriously plays an immense role in the perfect luxury lifestyle as well. Whether it’s owning and flying a private jet, or waving goodbye to the ground in a helicopter, flight can be one of the most pleasurable parts of luxury living. One aviation entrepreneur, and part of the small handful of only a dozen owners of the incredible, bespoke, $2 million Bentley Mulliner Bacalar was inspired by the stunning car, and it’s no wonder why. With the vehicle’s incomparable finishes, futuristic design, and admirable craftsmanship, there was no doubt that when this client worked with Mulliner Design to create a Gulfstream G650 private jet and Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to match his Bacalar, both would turn out to be amazing. MUST READ: Bentley Riga Celebrated Its 15th Anniversary By Introducing The New Bentayga EWB To The Baltics Who is this entrepreneur? Ken Ricci is the owner of Flexjet, a private aviation company with an incredible fleet of aircraft. After over a decade of being a Bentley client, he enlisted Mulliner design to collaborate with him on “The Bacalar Project,” in which a private jet and helicopter were designed to match his stunning ultra-rare Bentley. How do the plane and helicopter match the car? On the outside of the Gulfstream, the Flexjet livery is revised and given a paint color that matches the Julep paintwork of his Bacalar. The interior features seats that have a shape, stitching, and quilting pattern that matches the Bacalar, as well as a similar color of Linen and Beluga leather. Also included is a wood veneer that matches the 5,000-year-old Riverwood featured in the Bacalar, satin bronze fittings, and a diamond-patterned carpet that match, as well. The helicopter shows off the Julep green and Satin Bronze featured throughout the Bacalar, and the interior features similar accents against its black and white as well. After the Bacalar revived the ultimate level of detail and craftsmanship to traditional coachbuilding for Mulliner and Bentley, that dedication and artisanal quality reached across to inspire other vehicles as well, and they are just as stunning. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

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