BMW 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 Andrew Nabors – April 22, 2021

2022 BMW M4 Competition Meets The M4 GT3

"Who made who" The chicken or the egg, which one was first? That's what Bavarian motoring fans have been asking themselves. If you need a 510 horsepower coupe (or M3 sedan) that can be AWD when needed, the BMW M4 Competition is for you. However, if you need a race car to run at Sebring, Daytona, or LeMans, the M4 GT3 has your name on it. Honestly, it's a tough choice. A quick office poll shows that some of us want a stock M4 with cup holders. Other people asked if the GT3 can be driven on the street...Tell us which BMW is right for you, then click the button to find yours! Browse BMW M4 For Sale Image (C) BMW

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By Andrew Nabors – April 16, 2021

How Fast is the BMW X5 Le Mans?

BMW Classic highlights a beastly V12 SUV Do you happen to have an extra Le Mans-winning engine laying around? BMW did in 1999 so they dropped it into a new X5 for sale. Our affinity for Bavarian concept cars will never subside, so we figured you might like to know the details of the build. It is just as potent as the KITH for BMW Collaboration! Pulled out of the corner of the BMW Classic Museum in Munich, we see how Hans Stuck was able to scorch the 'Ring. Back in June of 2001, he was able to clock a lap at 7:42.253 seconds, still fast even 2 decades later. The X5 is a fun and practical SUV, and many of them have V8 power. Tell us your best BMW M story in the comments and click the button to find yours! Shop BMW X5 Images (C) BMW

By Andrew Nabors – April 05, 2021

2022 BMW M3 & M4 Traction Control In Action

Grip like this can be addictive! Growing up before ABS was fun. Having to learn threshold braking was a rite of passage, and you could still buy new cars without a sway bar. Suspension technology has come a long way since then, so let's watch the 2022 BMW M3 & M4 traction control in action. Most sports cars offer the ability to fine-tune the steering and suspension responses, and if you haven't experienced M Traction Control you are truly missing out. It has 10 settings from barely there to no fun at all. With each click, you will have less rotation through the corners, so its a fun way to get the very best from your tires. One of the best drivers I ever met once said: "If you don't drive hard enough to invoke traction control, you aren't driving" so tell us your best and worst traction control stories in the comments below. Browse BMW M3 For Sale Browse BMW M4 For Sale Image (C) BMW

By Andrew Nabors – April 01, 2021

BMW Introduces The Ultimate Self-Driving Machine

Milo Ventimiglia lets the M4 Competition drive itself Crying over a car movie happens, so you need to watch The Art Of Racing In The Rain. In it you will see Milo Ventimiglia putting in some great work behind the wheel. To show us what the new M4 is capable of, BMW allowed him to introduce the Ultimate Self-Driving Machine. A play on their popular tagline might sadden you. The notion of removing the driver from the experience is not something BMW's M Division could have predicted. Their latest M4 offers 503 horsepower from a 3-liter twin-turbo. The straight-six can be had with an 8-speed automatic, but who wants a transmission that shifts itself? Autonomous cars with three pedals are what everyone needs, so this is another epic APRIL FOOLS DAY! The M3 and M4 are offered in manual to preserve the art of driving, so click the button to find yours! Shop BMW M4 Images (C) BMW USA

By Andrew Nabors – March 22, 2021

BMW M Joins Forces With Red Bull Driftbrothers for 2021 S...

Going sideways has never looked this good! Elias and Johannes Hountondji are determined to dominate the Drift Masters European Championship, and that's why BMW M has joined forces with Red Bull Driftbrothers for the 2021 season. Because every M4 Competition is built with motorsports in-mind, the team was able to forego much of the fabrication necessary to achieve a solid starting point. Their new sponsor offered straight-six power from the M4 GT3, with 510 reliable horsepower. Testing revealed it offers consistent oil pressure even past 1.5G, so much of the custom work revolved around keeping it cool for long periods of high rpm. Johannes said: "I have never seen an engine like the one in the BMW M4 Competition, a more or less thoroughbred racing engine in a road-legal vehicle." Back in 2017 they cliched 1st and 2nd place, and they have placed in the top spots since then. If you want to see what gives them such an advantage, the M4 Competition is the ultimate driving machine. Shop BMW M4 Image (C) BMW

By Andrew Nabors – February 15, 2021

BMW M3 & M4 Competition Interior Details Explained

Power and refinement are not worth much if your comfort is compromised, so here are the BMW M3 and M4 Competition interior details explained. Carbon fiber seats will make many wince in pain, but these new buckets are sculpted to save weight while remaining fully powered. The latest upload from BMW M dishes out how the seats put your feet and hands at the optimal driving positions. Anodized paddle shifters have machined texture if you choose the automatic transmission. Those who prefer to shift themselves will be treated to a precise short-throw six-speed stick. Being the most popular pragmatists in the world of performance engineering, these talented automakers have cut all non-essential weight from every component. While still offering unmistakable BMW luxury, the carpets, door panels are just a few examples of what sets BMW M apart from all impersonators. Did you see their new exhaust systems? BMW M3 For Sale BMW M4 For Sale Image (C) BMW

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By Andrew Nabors – February 10, 2021

How To Drift The BMW M2 Competition

Don't let Cancel Culture give you the blues. If your tires deserve death with honor, here is how to drift the BMW M2 Competition. For the 3rd instructional video from BMW M, they remove the stigma about a controlled experience with a manual transmission. Stefan Landmann enjoys having 410 horsepower on tap, but it is the torque that keeps the smoke show going. This pocket rocket has 406 lb-ft at almost every rpm, and it can be had with a six-speed stick. See all the specs here then find your new BMW by clicking the button below. BMW M2 For Sale Image (C) BMW

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By Andrew Nabors – February 08, 2021

2021 BMW M3 & M4 Crank & Rods In Detail

To the delight of their customers, engineers at BMW M have been showing us the best features of their latest supercars, so let's loot at the 2021 BMW M3 and M4 crank and rods in detail. The straight-six engine was nearly killed by the bean counters because it is longer than V8 and V6 blocks. But it is still the best way to make incredible torque at any rpm. The S58 offers 510 horsepower and 479 lb-ft from only 3 liters. It does so in the M3 and M4 by using every advancement learned in motorsports. This forged bottom end is cross-drilled and the pistons have low-friction coatings. What really shows their dedication to longevity are the cracked connecting rods. This expensive procedure is reserved for the world's best cars, and that's why you deserve a new BMW for sale. BMW M3 For Sale BMW M4 For Sale Image (C) BMW M GMBH

By Andrew Nabors – January 28, 2021

2021 BMW M5 CS Arrives In Daytona

Introduced to the world yesterday, the 2021 BMW M5 CS has arrived in Daytona. The fastest and most powerful BMW ever built will be the pace car for tomorrow's Michelin Pilot Challenge. This 4-hour opening event is a battle for manufacturers and drivers, with all teams running identical Michelin rubber. To make sure the new beast is ready for action, Daytona Winner and BMW wheelman Connor De Phillippi shook it down at BMW's South Carolina headquarters. As Saturday approaches, he will suit up and climb back into his M8 GTE to take on the world. If you need 635 horsepower at all wheels, we have all the details here! BMW M5 For Sale Image (C) BMW USA

By Andrew Nabors – January 22, 2021

2022 BMW i4 Final Testing

Batteries are here to stay, so we're thankful that the 2022 BMW i4 is in final testing. In their latest press release, Project Manager David Camacho explains their focus is on razor-sharp handling and everyday usability. The prototypes are rated at 530 horsepower which allows 62 mph to arrive in 4 seconds flat. Aiming for a range of over 373 miles, another goal is comfort on long road trips. He hints at unique suspension abilities along with a low center of gravity. We'll keep you informed as the launch gets closer, so tell us what you'd like to see in the comments below. Image (C) BMW

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