Bentley News

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

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 08, 2022

Bentley Completes The First Phase of "Extraordinary Women...

Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy involves bringing women into the automotive world, and Bentley is bringing that to fruition. The Beyond100 plan that Bentley has laid out for a more positive future includes Bentley’s commitment to increasing diversity throughout the company. To this end, Bentley has announced the successful completion of the first phase of the “Extraordinary Women” program, in which 8 female students have been mentored in areas like engineering, business, and design by entrepreneurs, academics, and Bentley experts, visiting Bentley’s Crewe headquarters for a week to learn more about the brand and its careers. MUST READ: The New Bentley Bentayga Belgian Equestrian Collection Honors Show Jumping Tradition The goal of the program is to achieve the Beyond100 benchmark of 30% diverse management by 2025. In the program, students not only learned about Bentley’s products and strategy but also had the opportunity to join panel discussions with Bentley’s senior leadership and pitch ideas to colleagues. Bentley has also announced that the next chapter of Extraordinary Women will be announced soon and introduced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 06, 2022

Bentley Details What Makes The New Airline Seat Its Best ...

Stepping ultimate luxury up to an even higher level is no easy task. Bentley introduced the Bentayga EWB, and along with it, the Azure range of Bentleys that introduces a magnified focus on wellbeing, superior comfort, and relaxation. One of the most fascinating pieces to the puzzle, however, was the introduction of the Airline Seat for the Bentayga EWB, which introduces a level of accommodation never seen before, and is the most luxurious rear-seat accommodation since the discontinued Mulsanne. MUST READ: The Oldest Existing Bentley Celebrates Winning The Isle Of Man TT 100 Years Ago The occupant can choose the desired temperature from one of seven different levels, and in an effort to maintain that temperature, the Airline Seat features the world’s first auto climate sensing system, measuring temperature and humidity with an accuracy of fewer than 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and doing so every 25 milliseconds. With this information, the seat decides where and when to apply ventilation, heat, or both to achieve the perfect temperature. Along with that, the postural adjustment system employs 177 individual pressure changes across six pressure zones to make perfect adjustments to the passenger’s seating position and pressure points, preventing and reducing fatigue and revitalizing the passenger during their journey. Along with the electric footrest, the Airline Seat features 22 ways of adjustment and shows off futuristic technology combined with a timeless dedication to comfort creating pure luxury. View All Bentley Bentaygas For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 05, 2022

The New Bentley Bentayga Belgian Equestrian Collection Ho...

A new collection of ten Bentley Bentaygas celebrates the Belgian Equestrian world. The art of equestrian show jumping is prominent in Belgium, and as an elegant, storied, and traditional art in the country, it served as the perfect inspiration for a new edition of the Bentley Bentayga SUV, the Bentley Bentayga Belgian Equestrian Collection. The look of these new Bentaygas, each commissioned and created by Mulliner, references the aesthetics of the equestrian lifestyle and pays homage to the traditions and trappings of the equestrian world. MUST READ: The New Bentley Rotterdam Showroom Opens With A Flying Spur Hybrid Odyssean Edition Only 10 Bentayga Belgian Equestrian Collection cars will be made, and each features Spectre paint scheme with 22-inch ten-spoke wheels, along with an interior that features Burnt Oak color, Mandarin stitching, and Herringbone Sand Tweed n the door inserts. The veneer on the passenger’s side of the car displays “Belgian Equestrian Collection” in a metal overlay. The limited-edition, created in collaboration with Stephex, purveyor of the eponymous Brussels Stephex Masters, one of the most famous jumping competitions in the world, and the Bentayga Belgian Equestrian Collection will be on display at the show, which will be held from August 24 to August 28. View All Bentley Bentaygas For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 29, 2022

The Oldest Existing Bentley Celebrates Winning The Isle O...

The oldest Bentley ever celebrates an important 100th anniversary. The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is one of the world’s most storied automotive races; its sense of danger and thrill has never failed to impress drivers and racing enthusiasts around the world. It was there that the second Bentley ever made, and the oldest one surviving to this day cemented an epic legacy with a victory in the race. In 1922, the Bentley EXP2, the second development car that would eventually give way to the Bentley 3-Litre, which was produced between 1921 and 1929. MUST READ: Bentley Recreates The Two-Time Le Mans-Winning Speed Six Race Cars 100 years ago, the Bentley EXP2 won the 1922 RAC Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, and on June 25, 2022, 100 years later, 78 historic Bentleys, led by the legendary EXP2, came together on the Isle of Man to celebrate the centenary of this incredible victory, and in turn, the event became one of the largest gatherings of Bentley 3-Litres ever. The gathering of cars had an estimated combined value of over £40 million and hailing from as far as America, New Zealand, and Switzerland, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event to see the cars together. EXP2 was crucial to helping Bentley become the brand it is today, and 100 years later, it’s still around to see Bentley’s incredible present and future. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 27, 2022

The New Bentley Rotterdam Showroom Opens With A Flying Sp...

Rotterdam becomes home to one of the world’s most legendary luxury automotive brands. Europe’s largest seaport and the Netherlands’ second-largest city is now home to a Bentley showroom. On the second floor of a 3-story building along the A20, Bentley Rotterdam offers a showroom, a service center, easy access to the Rotterdam Carport Hotel, and an area dedicated to Mulliner customization. The star of the show for the opening of Bentley Rotterdam was a special Bentley Flying Spur. This Flying Spur Hybrid Odyssean Edition features an interior with tweed made completely from British wool, open-pore wood trim, and other accents that come together for a modern look with vintage flair. MUST READ: Bentley Will Mint Its First Carbon-Neutral, 208-Example NFT Drop This September Alongside the Flying Spur was another incredibly important Bentley car, an example of the S1 Continental Flying Spur from 1958, which was the first bespoke four-door Continental, and a car that served as an inspiration for the Flying Spur of today. With a focus on sustainability and electrification throughout the Bentley model range, an exciting future in the Netherlands is promised with the brand new Bentley Rotterdam showroom. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 24, 2022

Bentley Recreates The Two-Time Le Mans-Winning Speed Six ...

Bentley continues to pay homage to its rich motorsport history. Bentley is a brand that has been around for over a century in the world of luxury and in the world of motorsport, and the brand has plenty of success and legendary moments to look back on. After the success of the Blower Continuation Series, Bentley has announced a second pre-war continuation project, the Speed Six. These new cars will be mechanically and visually identical to the cars that won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930, cementing Bentley’s legacy in moments that inform the brand’s efforts to this day. MUST READ: The New Bentley Continental GT Mulliner Is The Most Powerful Continental GT Ever Like the Blower Continuation Series, the 12 cars of the Speed Six Continuation Series have already been reserved by global Bentley clients for £1.5 million each, who will all be able to race their cars and relive the thrill of racing these cars more than 90 years ago. Crafted by Mulliner, the Speed Six Continuation Series has been created using recreation parts that are not only as authentic to the original car as possible but also created using the same techniques. A complete 3D CAD model of the original Speed Six was created along with the blueprints and every detail on the original car the Mulliner team could get its hands on. Two original Speed Sixes were referenced for the process as well, Old Number 3, which was entered into Le Mans in 1930, an immaculately preserved example that is still driven and raced by its owner, and Bentley’s own Speed Six from 1929, a road car with a Vanden Plas body identical to the racing models and restored to the racing specifications, which was used as a reference for the performance of the new cars. On that topic, the car puts out incredible performance figures for a car created with the knowledge and resources of the 1920s, with 200 horsepower and a 125-mph top speed. Bentley plans on completing the assembly of the first of the Speed Six Continuation Series cars in the second half of 2022. Like Blower Car Zero, it will be retained by Bentley, and serve as the test and development car for the project. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 23, 2022

Bentley Will Mint Its First Carbon-Neutral, 208-Example N...

Bentley’s continuing sustainability efforts extend to the brand’s entrance into the Web3 world. The Beyond100 plan that Bentley set out made it clear that the brand was aiming toward being more environmentally sustainable than it ever has been before, and now that Bentley has announced its first foray into the Web3 space, that ethos continues to be a priority in those efforts. Scheduled for September 2022, Bentley has announced that it will be working with Polygon, a carbon-neutral network to enter the NFT marketplace with a one-time drop, limited to 208 examples. MUST READ: Bentley Will Announce A New Mulliner Project At The Goodwood Festival Of Speed The number 208 has important significance because it is the top speed of Bentley’s fastest Grand Tourer, the Continental GT Speed, and the production number of the legendary R-Type Continental from 1952, a car that still informs Bentley’s efforts to this day. Having recently achieved carbon neutral status, Polygon plans to be carbon negative by the end of the year, making Bentley NFTs carbon neutral and adhering to Bentley’s commitment to end-to-end carbon neutrality by 2030. Not only will owners of a Bentley NFT have an exclusive piece of Bentley history, but they will also be privy to exclusive opportunities and unique Bentley perks, which will be announced as the minting of Bentley’s first NFT draws nearer. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 21, 2022

The New Bentley Continental GT Mulliner Is The Most Power...

Mulliner combines the best of Bentley’s performance and luxury to make the ultimate Continental GT. It’s been called by Bentley the “fastest, most dynamic, and most luxurious member of the Continental range,” and it aims to be the ultimate in the world of two-door luxury grand tourers. Combining the chassis of the GT Speed with the enhanced performance of the W12 engine, this new Continental GT Mulliner is the most powerful Continental GT ever. With an incredible 650 horsepower and 664 lb/ft of torque on tap, you can sit in the lap of absolute luxury while getting from 0-60 in just 3.5 seconds and climbing to a soaring top speed of 208 mph. MUST READ: Bentley Reveals Its First-Ever Furniture Collection At Milan Design Week 2022 Everything about the Continental GT Mulliner aims to combine all of the best Bentley has to offer. From the uncompromising luxury of the Azure model to the performance of the Speed model to the artistic flair of Mulliner, the Continental GT Mulliner dominates in luxury, speed, and style. The interior is customizable between multiple color combinations, with 88 wood trims available and nearly 400,000 stitches in the “Diamond in Diamond” quilting, available in a range of thread colors. The diamond-shaped motif continues with a new grille, available in chrome or gloss black. The ultimate Continental GT will make an epic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to take on the hillclimb with the 3 new Bentley S models, along with the first car in Bentley’s Blower Continuation Series, Blower Car Zero. View All Bentley Continental GTs For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 20, 2022

Bentley Will Announce A New Mulliner Project At The Goodw...

Bentley announces a new chapter for Mulliner that will start at Goodwood. Bentley’s Mulliner division is responsible for bespoke and unique Bentley cars, as well as amazing special projects that pay homage to Bentley’s history and legacy. Building on the success of the Bacalar, as well as the Blower Continuation Series, Bentley has planned to announce through a press conference on June 14, at 1:00 PM BST, a new Mulliner project. The Bentley Mulliner stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will be next to the Supercar Paddock, which is near the start line of the iconic track. MUST READ: The New Bentley Flying Spur S Will Debut With A Goodwood Hillclimb The announcement of the new Mulliner project will be made at the Mulliner stand, where the new Bentley S models will be displayed, along with a new Continental GT Mulliner and a celebration of the 40 years of turbocharged Bentleys. The Blower Continuation Series Car Zero will join all these cars at the legendary hillclimb, making for a Goodwood Festival of Speed made more iconic with an extra dose of history and innovation from one of the most iconic British automotive brands. View All Bentleys For Sale Source: Bentley

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 13, 2022

The New Bentley Flying Spur S Will Debut With A Goodwood ...

Bentley’s Flying Spur sedan gets the brand’s latest S performance treatment. To serve as a counterpart to the Azure range of relaxation and comfort-focused Bentleys, Bentley has introduced the S range of edgier, performance-oriented models with bold looks and brash sounds, starting with the Continental GT and Continental GTC. Bentley has now introduced the Flying Spur S, a new version of the Flying Spur luxury sedan that highlights the model’s excellent performance potential and gives it a unique, edgy new look. For the first time in Bentley’s S range, the Flying Spur S comes available with both a hybrid V6 and V8 powertrain. With the V8 engine, 543 horsepower and 568 lb/ft of torque get the Flying Spur S from 0-60 in just 4 seconds to a top speed of 198 mph. The hybrid powertrain isn’t sluggish by comparison, however. It boasts 536 horsepower and 553 lb/ft of torque, with the ability to drive 26 miles on electric power alone. MUST READ: The New Bentley Continental GT and GTC S Is A Louder, Bolder Driver’s Bentley This power puts on quite the show as well with the standard redesigned sport exhaust that comes with the Bentley Flying Spur S, and black exterior trim as well as new 22-inch wheels, available in gloss black or Pale Brodgar Satin finish, and signature S-specific red brake calipers give the car a sporty look to match. The car will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed along with the Continental GT S and Continental GTC S to do the iconic hillclimb, and they will all also be on display in the paddock throughout the event. Along with other historic and present Bentleys, and a dedicated parade of Bentleys celebrating 40 years of turbocharged Bentley cars, with the S range being the latest additions to the group. View All Bentley Flying Spurs For Sale Source: Bentley

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