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 Caitlin Duffy – September 21, 2015

Bentley Bentayga Features Most Expensive Car Clock

It's the first hyper luxury SUV of the 21st century, the fastest SUV in the world, the most powerful SUV in the world and it's set to feature the most expensive car clock in the world - if you choose to have it installed, of course.Not only is the movement itself incredibly complex, but the materials from which this clock is crafted are the finest the world has to offer."This masterpiece is machined in solid gold (customers can select from either rose or white gold), with a choice of either a mother-of-pearl or black ebony face and decorated with eight diamond indexes," describes the Bentayga's microsite.(See Also: First Bentley Bentayga Goes to Queen Elizabeth II)Stay with us to learn more about this option as ordering information about the Bentayga becomes available, and find your own Bentley from our exclusive listings at the button below.Bentleys For Sale (Source: Bentely, CNBC, Breitling) See More Bentley News

Bentley at Frankfurt motor showPhoto: James Lipman

By Caitlin Duffy – September 16, 2015

First Bentley Bentayga Goes to Queen Elizabeth II

The Bentley Bentayga may have only just been officially unveiled Sept. 9 and premiered Sept. 15, but the first example has already been sold.The Frankfurt International Auto Show (IAA) saw the world debut of Bentley's first ever SUV, as a Sept. 15 press release from the manufacturer confirms, and as Bloomberg discovered in an interview with Michael Winkler, Bentley President and CEO for the Americas, that the first example is being delivered to her majesty Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in England's history."The very first one we are happy to deliver to the Queen of England," stated Winkler in the Sept. 15 video. He explained that she had come to test drive one of the prototypes and enjoyed it so much that the Bentayga will be her new mode of transporT for hunting expeditions on one of her properties in Scotland.Of course, this isn't terribly surprising, given the average Bentley consumer."Most of our customers own six to eight cars and have one or two SUVs in their garage already," Winkler also stated later in the interview. And the hope is that this new SUV will replace one or both of those customers' current cars. With a twin turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 under the hood, it's hard to believe that it won't.Capable of reaching 60 mph from a standstill in 4.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 187 mph, the Bentayga is the fastest SUV ever created, as well as one of the first in the ultra-luxury segment. Power rated at 600 bhp and 663 lb-ft join bespoke luxury and handcrafted features to create an impressive combination of size, speed and refinement. Bentley at Frankfurt motor showPhoto: James LipmanIn the first year of production, they plan to produce 3,500 examples. Production will then be ramped up to an estimated 5,000 units a year, which will almost double the entire production output of Bentley's factories.(See Also: Bentley Bentayga: The Fastest and Most Powerful SUV in the World)Check out the photos from the Bentayga's introduction at Frankfurt, where it was joined by the Continental GT Speed Convertible and GT3, then find one of the marque's sedans for your collection from our exclusive listings below.Bentleys For SaleGallery (Source: Bentley, Bloomberg) See More News from Frankfurt

By Edward Jones – September 09, 2015

Bentley Bentayga: The Fastest and Most Powerful SUV in th...

After years of rumors, leaks and teases, the new Bentley Bentayga SUV has been unveiled today. In the revealing press release from the English luxury automobile manufacturer, Bentley announces that the Bentayga is "the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world." That's quite a pedigree.Bentley wasted no time in informing the world that the Bentayga is powered by an all new twin turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 powertrain. When fired up, this engine is capable of 600 bhp and 663 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 187 mph. If these specifications aren't enough, know that Bentley has taken the Bentayga around the Nordschleife 400 times, fine-tuning it to perfection.“The Bentayga is truly the Bentley of SUVs. It redefines luxury in the SUV sector and offers a genuine Bentley experience in any environment, thanks to a combination of unparalleled attention to detail, go-anywhere ability and cutting-edge technology," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, in the release. "With this extraordinary car we are looking forward to an exciting period of strong growth and sales success for Bentley. The Bentayga is the next step in our brand’s bold future.”Being the first SUV from Bentley, they had to create some new technology to make it more capable than a standard road-going car like the Continental.Giving the Bentayga the ability to switch between eight different modes, including on- and off-road drive settings, is Bentley's Drive Dynamic Mode. With the turn of a dial, you can set the SUV up for any surface or road condition. To make it even more capable off-road is the Responsive Off-Road Setting, which prepares the driver for a wide range of off-road surfaces. This setting will also display current pitch, roll, wheel articulation, steering angle, compass bearing and altitude of the SUV on the Driver Information Panel.Now that I've talked about what makes this car powerful and fast, it's time to focus on what makes it so luxurious and exclusive.Inside the Bentayga's cabin is an interior handcrafted by Bentley's skilled workers in Crewe, Cheshire, England. Materials included in the interior are hand-selected veneers, handcrafted metal elements and the finest bull hides from cool European climates.To add opulent comfort to the cabin are individually handcrafted front seats featuring 22-way adjustment. I should also mention they come with a six-program massage system, seat heating, and ventilation. There's no doubt in my mind a road trip in these seats would be glorious.In the rear, customers can opt for three or two seats, creating either a four- or five-seat configuration. All seats, of course, come wrapped in fine leather and are available with contrast stitching and a quilted diamond design for the shoulders and bolsters.This SUV's cabin also comes with a plethora of luxuries of the technological kind. Making driving safer and easier are the Traffic Sign Recognition, Rear Crossing Traffic Warning, and Top View technologies. Each aims to aid the driver in their goal of arriving at their destination safely, every time. And, if you're a Bentley driver not used to SUVs, it comes with Park Assist, making your parking safer and easier as well.Other technological features include the Electronic Night Vision, Head-Up Display, 8-inch touch screen infotainment system, Bentley Entertainment Tablet (a 10.2-inch Android tablet) and different options for audio systems.If all of this still isn't enough, Bentley offers a wide range of personalization options, including 90 hues for the exterior finish, 15 carpet options, seven handcrafted veneer options and 15 different trim hides. It also comes with six "lifestyle-oriented specification packages," along with the largest number of accessories Bentley has ever offered for a model. A Mulliner Tourbillon by Breitling clock can also be added to the cabin, machined in rose or white solid gold.If you're lucky enough to pick up a Bentayga at launch, the Mulliner Hamper Set will be available. This includes a cooler, bespoke Linley cutlery, crockery, crystal glass and a storage area for dry goods.For more information and images of the Bentley Bentayga, check back on Sept. 15 for the start of the International Auto Show 2015 in Frankfurt, where it will make its full public debut.Bentley ListingsGallery (Source: Bentley) See More Bentley News, Pics and Videos

By Caitlin Duffy – September 04, 2015

Bentley Bentayga's W12 Makes it Fastest SUV in the World

We've been told that it's capable of handling the icy cold of Sweden at 2 degrees Fahrenheit and the rocky hills of Spain in summer, and now we know just how fast it can go.The Bentley Bentayga will be, according to a press release from the marque today, the fastest, most powerful SUV in the world. A W12 TSI engine housed under the hood has enabled it to reach a top speed of 301 km/h, or 187 mph, a full 11 mph faster than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S."This film provides a glimpse of what is to come: a unique combination of performance and luxury," described the release. "Performance of this nature is rare in any car. It was unheard of in an SUV – until now."We get to see both an aerial and dashboard view of the Bentayga reaching this top speed in a video posted to YouTube by Bentley this morning. The release tells us the W12 TSI is now the world's most technically advanced 12-cylinder. We'll have to wait for the full unveiling to find out just what makes it so, but we're eager to find out the details.The Bentayga was first introduced Jan. 12, when Bentley confirmed that it would be released this year and on sale in 2016. With the Frankfurt International Auto Show (IAA) just a little less than two weeks away, we have a feeling that we'll see the production-ready version very very soon.Stay with us for more information as it is released, and find one of Bentley's current models for your collection from our exclusive listings below.Bentleys For Sale Gallery (Source: Bentley, YouTube) See More Bentley News

By Caitlin Duffy – August 03, 2015

Bentley Bentayga Off-Road Testing in Spain

Though we're still waiting for Bentley to release the full details of their new SUV, we've started getting a better look at the Bentayga through videos of its testing process.On July 31, Bentley Motors shared a video from an off-road testing facility in northern Spain, just a quick one minute, 38 second glimpse at the Bentayga's abilities. Paved roads are nowhere to be seen as it reaches the top of a peak, taking on dirt and rocks with ease."The Bentley Bentagya’s performance achieves the optimum balance of handling and efficiency – without a hint of compromise," describes the video's caption. "It's time to see performance through new eyes."We last say the Bentayga testing June 25, when an icy video of its abilities on ice was posted. The Bentayga had taken on Swedish ice fields, hitting high speeds with ease in temperatures below two degrees Fahrenheit.(See Also: Bentley Teases New Fashion Film)Check out the video above, and if the wait for 2016 to buy the Bentayga is too long, find another one of Bentley's masterpieces from our exclusive listings below.Bentleys For Sale(Source: YouTube) See More Bentley News

By Caitlin Duffy – June 25, 2015

Bentley Bentayga Testing in Sweden

With the trend of most luxury manufacturers creating high-end SUVs for their clientele, many marques have proven that their performance and style can easily be translated into a larger size with a higher center of gravity.One such example? The Bentley Bentayga. When first teased Jan. 12 of this year, it was promised the Bentayga would be available for 2016, and as their website for the Bentayga tells us, a brand new W12 TSI engine sits under the hood. A few driver's assist programs are expected to come standard, as will eight unique driving modes to ensure optimal driving on any terrain. Traffic Assist, City Safeguard and Pedestrian Warning will join the Bentley Dynamic Ride System, making for a smart and secure SUV.(Related: Second Vertu for Bentley Phone to be Introduced at Goodwood)Bentley Motors added a video to YouTube June 24 that shares a fuller look at the Bentayga during a few test runs in Sweden. The temperatures are listed as dropping to -16.8 degrees Celsius, or around 2 degrees Fahrenheit for us Americans. The winds in that area reach gusts of 50 mph; combined with the low temperatures, it makes for an ideal location to test the Bentayga's winter driving abilities.Check out the video of this Swedish run above, and to find yourself a Bentley before the Bentayga officially arrives, browse our exclusive listings at the button below.Bentleys For Sale Gallery (Source: Bentley) See More Bentley News

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