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 Kirk Bell – November 08, 2025

Review: 2026 Bentley Continental GT Speed

Thirty-five miles into an efficiency run in the 2026 Bentley Continental GT Speed, I’m getting itchy for the plug-in hybrid battery to run out of juice. Twisty roads are coming up, and I’m eager to unleash this beautiful British beast’s sound and fury. During my electric run, the car effectively has 188 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque from a motor located within the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’ll run almost silently on electricity alone as long as I don’t go deeper than 75 percent of the way into the throttle pedal travel or hit 87 mph. I manage not to trigger either eventuality and find the motor has enough thrust to keep up with traffic and ramp up to freeway speeds. The sound-free driving seems appropriate in this ultra-luxury grand tourer, but I know there’s another, more sinister side to this plug-in hybrid. After 38 miles of driving only on electricity, the electric power finally runs out. That’s 10 miles less than the instrument cluster indicated before my run, but eight miles more than the EPA-rated 30 miles of range from the 25.9-kWh battery (80 percent of that is usable, according to Bentley). Now the fun begins. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 fires up with a deep and determined growl as the powertrain switches from EV mode to Hybrid mode. The motor is still available to aid the engine and provide torque to fill off the line and during shifts of the smooth and quick-acting transmission. But I go a step further and switch from the base Bentley drive mode to Sport mode, which not only uses the electric motor but also overruns the engine to charge the battery. Over 55 miles in Sport mode, it adds 14 miles of charge. With the engine in the mix, the Continental GT Speed puts out numbers that easily eclipse the 650 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque of the outgoing generation’s W12 powertrain. Total output is 771 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Bentley ever. The power is generally well controlled and only hits hard when I do the same to the throttle pedal. From a stop, it can rocket the Continental GT Speed to 60 mph in a scant 3.1 seconds, about the same as the last model due to the weight added by the hybrid system. If I had the room and the will, it could keep going all the way to 208 mph. I lack both, but the power goes to the pavement efficiently thanks to the standard all-wheel-drive system, and it builds relentlessly. On gas, the EPA rates the GT Speed at 19 mpg combined, and that seems to be confirmed by the 21.5 mpg I average over 165 miles of driving with about 60 miles of electric driving. The plug-in hybrid powertrain certainly makes the GT Speed quick, but it also adds some unwelcome weight. This car weighs in at a portly 5,421 pounds, about 370 pounds more than the last-generation model with its heavy W12. That means the Continental GT Speed leans toward grand tourer rather than sports car more than ever. However, Bentley does everything it can to wrangle the weight and provide engaging handling. The suspension starts with aluminum double wishbones up front and an aluminum multi-link design in the rear. It builds on that with adaptive dampers and four-corner air springs. It also has active anti-roll bars, rear-axle steering, and an electric limited-slip differential. All that technology does its job quite well. The Continental GT Speed feels wide and planted on the road, with sharp, weighty steering that exudes stability. The active anti-roll bars create a rather flat cornering attitude, the 275/35R22 front and 305/30R22 rear Pirelli P Zero tires grip hard, and the car rotates willingly without the push I’d expect given the weight. That’s likely due to the near-perfect 49/51 front-to-rear weight balance achieved by mounting the battery in the trunk area, where it saps some of the cargo space. The e-diff, rear torque vectoring, and all-wheel-drive system put the power down efficiently mid-corner and upon corner exit, while the rear-axle steering contributes to the stability in high-speed corners and shortens the turning radius by turning up to 4.1 degrees opposite the fronts. When it comes time to arrest the GT Speed’s speed, Bentley has me covered, too, with a massive set of 16.9-inch ventilated front rotors clamped by 10-piston calipers and 15-inch rear rotors with six-piston calipers. That’s a lot of swept braking surface, but if you’re going to test out those 200-mph speeds, maybe you should spend another $18,820 for the carbon-ceramic brakes on my test vehicle that up the rotor sizes to 17.3 inches in front and 16.1 inches in the rear. The power and handling are treats, but so is the cabin. Bentley is a purveyor of some of the finest interiors on the market, and the Continental GT Speed doesn’t disappoint. It comes standard with 20-way power-adjustable front seats with quilted leather upholstery, heating, ventilation, and massage, and it sports beautiful materials lovingly hand assembled. Tech features include a digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. My tester also has a bumpin’ 2,200-watt Naim audio system with 18 speakers as part of the $50,940 First Edition specification that also includes the cool three-sided rotating center screen, front seats that automatically adjust their posture and climate settings, a host of lighting elements, and several “First Edition” insignia. The rear seat, however, remains a penalty box fit for two kids or a pair of sadomasochistic adults. The Continental GT Speed starts at $306,250, including a hefty $4,150 destination charge. However, my test car has $86,000 in options to bring the total to $392,735. Aside from the brakes, most of the options are for cosmetic features, including the First Edition spec, some black exterior trim, and a Mulliner color option. Once the price for a car reaches average home territory, option prices don’t matter as much as the heart’s desires. The change from a W12 to a plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain makes the 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed more efficient and unlocks a quiet side, but should you get behind the wheel, be sure to experience its extroverted, sinister side as well. View All Bentley Continental GT Speed For Sale Images: Bentley

By Gabriel Vega – May 23, 2023

2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB Review: Stand Out With A Stretch

The Bentayga doubles down on all-out opulence.

By Gabriel Vega – January 30, 2023

2023 Bentley Flying Spur S V8 Review: A Driver's Luxury S...

Meet the 2023 Bentley Flying Spur S, an ultra-luxury sedan that benchmarks just how sporty an over 5,100-lb opulent machine can be.

By Gabriel Vega – October 03, 2022

2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB First Drive Review: More Than M...

The Bentley Bentayga has accomplished quite a bit over the last seven years. Not only did it kick-start the ultra-luxury SUV segment as we know it today, but it also became the British carmaker's best-selling vehicle in the process. In 2021, the Bentayga accounted for over 40 percent of the brand's global sales, effectively making it Bentley's most important model. However, since its unveiling in 2015, the segment has ballooned with multiple competitors, effectively neutralizing the Bentayga's early lead. With rivals matching its comfort, quality, and driving experience, Bentley's golden goose has to differentiate itself now more than ever. Enter the 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB, short for long wheelbase, which aims to do just that. I recently flew to Vancouver, Canada, to drive Bentley's newest offering. After nearly 200 miles of city streets, twisty roads, and light off-roading trails, it's clear that a firm focus on passenger comfort yields not only one of the best luxury SUVs on sale today but easily the best Bentayga yet. At first glance, the 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB looks almost unchanged from the standard model, and that's intentional. While its wheelbase grows by 7.08 inches (180 mm), its designers focused the stretch primarily on the rear door section for greater second-row space. The lengthened Bentayga now sits just shy of 17.5 feet long. As far as tell-tale signs go, just three let you know you're looking at the newest variant. These include a new grille with vertical slats, 22-inch trim-specific 10-spoke wheels, and a sunroof that's repositioned towards the rear to allow the sun to shine on the second row. All in all, exterior changes remain minimal for the stretched EWB. According to Bentley, the goal wasn't to reinvent the Bentayga but to build on its existing aesthetic. Also Read: 2022 Audi R8 V10 Performance Spyder RWD Review: Supercar Swiss Army Knife A stretch has done the Bentayga well as it's one of those subtle changes that nudge its styling from pleasant to stunning. Thanks to its added size, its rear arch line appears more defined and present than ever. It also further separates the Bentayga from other VW Group products that ride on the MLB Evo platform. But then again, it would because Bentley claims it has invested nine figures into this new architecture, developing over 2,500 new parts in the process. If that seems like a massive investment for a new variant of an existing model, it's because the Bentayga EWB also fills in the gap left by the Mulsanne EWB. It's no secret that the executive sedan market is shrinking while its SUV equivalent blooms. Therefore, building the Bentayga EWB instead of a new sedan is a no-brainer. Bentley has high hopes for its latest variant, estimating it'll eventually account for over 45 percent of total Bentayga sales. The EWB counts on the same 4.0-liter 32-valve twin-turbocharged V8 as the standard Bentayga, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel-drive system. It develops 542 horsepower and 568 foot-pounds of torque, an amount that's good enough to rocket even this sizable SUV to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Like its shorter sibling, the EWB is quick both off the line and at speed with endless low-end torque and a properly brute note from its oval-shaped exhaust tips. As of writing, Bentley has no plans to build a W12 version of the EWB with weight likely being the main culprit. Although we don't yet have official figures, Bentley mentioned that the V8 EWB weighs nearly as much as a W12-powered Bentayga, thus making the chances of us ever seeing a W12-powered EWB very slim. The stretched Bentayga now gets Bentley Dynamic Ride as standard, which includes a 48-volt active anti-roll bar system. In the Continental GT Speed, we took to Las Vegas earlier in the year, it almost eliminated unwanted body-roll, and it's a similar story in the Bentayga. It reduces undesirable motions while retaining a properly comfortable ride. However, as the road got twisty, not even this system could hide the EWB's heft. Like that GT Speed, the EWB also benefits from an automatic rear-wheel steering system that moves the rear wheels in tandem with the front at speed and in opposite directions while moving slowly for better maneuverability. Despite its lengthened wheelbase, the EWB's turning radius is seven percent smaller than that of a standard Bentayga at 37.7 feet (11.8 m). Although hard to compare without driving them back to back, the EWB seems to drive just like any other Bentayga. It's heavy, plush, and absolutely effortless to putter around town in. With its feather-light steering that feels utterly disconnected from the road and three-chamber air suspension, the Bentayga flattens road imperfections, allowing little of the outside world to disrupt you as you waft along in your six-figure SUV. The Bentayga's driving experience falls somewhere between that of a Land Rover Range Rover LWB and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. As an ultra-lux SUV, Bentayga outperforms its lower-priced competitors by edging them out in the comfort and noise isolation categories. However, it lands just shy of the segment-leading Rolls and its magic carpet ride. Given the massive pricing disparity, that's still a massive feat. Inside is where the EWB comes into its own. It's available in a five, four, or 4+1 seat configuration. The five-seat setup is similar to a traditional SUV and offers the least supportive rear seats but allows you to fold them for added practicality. The 4+1 configuration features a tiny foldable center seat flanked by two plush chairs, while the four-seat configuration is just that and easily the most comfortable. Buyers considering a Bentayga EWB will likely want what the carmaker calls its Airline Seat. It's the plushest seating option and features two modes, "Business" and "Relax." The former will sit the chair upright so you can use the small retractable table to work, while the latter pushes the front seat away and reclines up to 40 degrees while bringing forth a small footrest. The rear chairs offer 22-way adjustability and countless massage features. They're big, cushy, and outrageously comfortable. Perhaps the most surprising thing about them is the notable side bolsters that offer excellent support for longer drives. New for the EWB is what Bentley calls Seat Auto Climate. The system allows you to set a desired temperature. From here, the seat will then measure your body temperature and humidity and cool or heat different zones to achieve the desired temperature. It's pretty subtle, making it hard to tell when it's cooling or heating. It works seamlessly in the background. If that's not enough, there's also a new Postural Adjustment feature which counts on six zones to make up to 177 adjustments to various pressure points. It keeps your body moving in multiple ways to avoid numbness over long drives. Like the cooling, it works surprisingly well, albeit not as imperceptibly. The EWB's second row is the place to be. Bentley claims this latest model has a firm focus on wellness and comfort, and after sitting in the rear for multiple hours, I concur. None of the new systems are invasive, they work well around you. Almost as if the car is caring for you as you ride to your next destination. Some over-the-top features may seem silly on paper, like the push button close rear doors, but they add to the Bentayga's overall experience. In the ultra-luxury segment, it's these unique experiences that matter most. Bentley has yet to release U.S.-specific pricing for the EWB, but they did mention that it should be around 15 percent more than a standard V8 model. The V8 currently starts at about $167,000, so the EWB should cost approximately 192,000 without options. For context, that places the Bentayga firmly between the Land Rover Range Rover LWB ($154,450) and Rolls-Royce Cullinan ($350,000 est) mentioned earlier. While it still fits in neatly between its competitors pricing-wise, the EWB's forte isn't just its new size or added passenger space. The stretched Bentayga is the best version of the SUV because of how it makes its passengers feel. Combining new tech and hardware allows the Bentayga to offer a truly unique experience. While being first on the scene had its advantages seven years ago, it's these unique experiences that’ll ensure it retains its spot as one of the best luxury SUVs on sale. View All Bentaygas For Sale

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