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

Bugatti News

Bugatti news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated as each story breaks, covering the Chiron in its many forms, the Mistral roadster and the track-only Bolide. Our reporting also follows the V16 hybrid Tourbillon and the auction results that set values for the earlier cars. Bugatti builds in very small numbers, so a single sale can reset the market for a whole model. That is where our marketplace helps readers most. Bugattis covered here are often listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, which puts the reporting and a real asking price side by side. For Bugatti news today, and the hypercar news and exotic car market news around it, start below.

By Andrew Nabors – December 31, 2020

Bugatti Carbon EB.02 Champagne Autographed By Andy Wallace

Things might become normal again as soon as 2020 is over. If you need the perfect beverage to ring in the new year, Bugatti is offering a limited run of Carbon EB.02 champagne bottles autographed by Andy Wallace. EB.02 debuted back in September, almost a year after the record-breaking run. The bottle is designed to mimic the design of a new Bugatti Chiron for sale, and it is filled with 2006 blanc de blancs Grand Cru. Mr. Wallace has had the privilege of shaking down the fastest production cars in recent history, and his signature is a hot commodity. Click the button below to learn more about this limited vintage, and have a happy New Year's. Learn More

By Andrew Nabors – November 12, 2020

Bugatti Speedline Is A History Of Breaking Records

Bugatti builds fast cars. While no one can deny the attributes of the Veyron and Chiron, you might not realize that Bugatti's Speedline is a history of breaking records. Their latest press release is a chronology of raising the bar. Forcing everyone else to scramble in an attempt to keep up is the best way to show the world what you are capable of. While it would be impractical to list every Bugatti Speed Record, we would like to share the most significant speeds with you. 100 km/hIn 1903, Ettore Bugatti achieved a speed of over 100 km/h in a vehicle he developed himself, the De Dietrich 60 CV Course Bugatti Type 5. The vehicle was powered by a four-cylinder engine with a 12.86-litre capacity, one ignition coil per combustion chamber, overhead valves and hopper cooling. The 60 PS two-seater was even able to achieve a top speed of 120 km/h. Only two of the racing cars were produced within two years. 200 km/hBugatti showcased a brand new racing car with the Type 35. Its eight-cylinder engine with a capacity of two litres initially delivered 95 PS and powered the vehicle at speeds up to 190 km/h. With the Type 35 B, the capacity increased to 2.3 litres and a compressor helped to deliver even more power. With 140 PS, the racing car achieved speeds of over 215 km/h. Bugatti won around 2,000 races in the Type 35 in the years that followed. This makes the vehicle the most successful racing car of all time. With its Type 57 S, the Bugatti surpassed the 200 km/h mark in 1934 in a car that was intended exclusively for road use. Over 300 km/hEttore Bugatti first came up with some ideas for a roadworthy high-speed car that travels over 300 km/h in 1929. Technical drawings and sketches indicated that the eight-cylinder in-line engine from the Type 41 Royale in combination with a Type 50 gearbox would theoretically have achieved the targeted speed. But he did not pursue the project for economic reasons. Bugatti kept the magic number in mind for decades, before Romano Artioli later took on the mission. The Italian, who purchased the Bugatti trademark in 1987 and built the super sports car of the 1990s in the form of the EB110, broke the 300 km/h mark in 1992 and set a new speed record at 342 km/h. The EB110 featured a 3.5-liter V12 mid-engine with five valves per combustion chamber. Depending on the model and development stage, the output generated was between 560 PS in the GT and 610 PS in the Supersport (SS). Bugatti Chiron Price, Specs & Review Over 400 km/hIn 2005, the Bugatti Veyron became the first hyper sports car of the 2000s to achieve speeds of over 408.47 km/h. This made the Veyron, with the 8.0-liter 16-cylinder engine and a power output of 1,001 PS, the fastest series-production sports car in the world. A second key, known as the Speed Key, had to be activated in order to reach the speed of more than 400 km/h. On 26 June 2010, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport broke the world speed record for road-approved super sports cars. Under the supervision of Guinness World Records™ and the German TÜV, the SuperSport reached a top speed of 431.072 km/h, making it the fastest series-production sports car in the world. In 2013, the open-top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse set yet another record: reaching 408.84 km/h, it became the world’s fastest road-approved roadster. 490 km/h / 304 mphIn summer 2019, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ raised the bar to a level that has yet to be matched. With its 8.0-liter W16 engine and 1,600 PS power output, the hyper sports car from Molsheim became the first-ever series-production car to reach more than 300 mph: it achieved an exactly measured speed of 304.773 mph, which corresponds to 490.484 km/h. “In recent decades, Bugatti has shown that we build the fastest and most exclusive vehicles in the world. We are very proud of our history. However, we don’t just define ourselves by records or maximum speeds,” says Stephan Winkelmann. Hyper sports cars from Bugatti offer more than just top speeds: unimagined dimensions of performance, luxury, exclusivity, design and automotive hand craftsmanship. And Bugatti will continue to focus on this in the future. Browse Bugatti For Sale

By Edward Jones – October 27, 2020

How Much It Costs To Lease a Bugatti Chiron

If there's one car in the world most people know is expensive without even knowing much about the automotive world, it's any car from Bugatti. Flaunted by celebrities, these cars have become synonymous with the ultra-luxury lifestyle thanks to their high price tags and insane capabilities. But how much does it cost to lease a Bugatti Chiron? To answer that, Brooks from DragTimes went to Bugatti Broward to learn for himself. After getting a walkaround of the Chiron Pur Sport, he came back two days later to get the numbers on the 2019 Chiron. After trading in his new Ferrari F8 Tributo for $350,000, he would have monthly payments of $65,950 for a 24-month lease or $52,196 for a 36-month lease. You can see the entire talk and walkaround in the video down below. See All Bugatti Chirons For sale

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By Edward Jones – August 24, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Stops in Switzerland Before Comi...

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is finishing up its European tour with a stop at the village of Gstaad in Switzerland. This was a beautiful way to wrap up the hypercar's tour. With exclusive châlets, boutiques and hotels, the Chiron Pur Sport had the idyllic backdrop. “Surrounded by winding mountain roads, Gstaad is the perfect location to fully enjoy a ride with a hypercar as agile and performant as the Chiron Pur Sport," says declares CEO of Bugatti Gstaad, Chris Schenk. "Each and every expert belonging to our team is proud to work for the prestigious Bugatti brand. We are celebrating the end of a highly successful roadshow at a very special place with an incredible car." Now, it's time for the Chiron Pur Sport to make its way over the USA, where clients across the country will be able to experience the new hypercar. So, be on the lookout for more exciting Bugatti coverage from us. See All Bugattis for Sale

By Edward Jones – June 26, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Delivered by a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon

The Bugatti Chiron is anything but a common car. In fact, this French hypercar starts at around $3 million and the Chiron Super Sport 300+ is the fastest car in the world at the moment. So, you can imagine how stressful it would be to ship such a prestigious automobile. For one man in London, however, delivering a Chiron worth $3.5 million was just another day on the job. YouTuber 'TheTFJJ' caught him delivering a Chiron via a trailer being pulled by a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. With earpods in, he opened the back of the trailer, dropped the ramp, hopped in the hypercar and drove it out onto the road. Do you think you would handle a delivery this well? Let us know in the comments below. If you need a car shipped, check out our shipping partners by clicking the button below. View Shipping Solutions

By Edward Jones – May 20, 2020

New Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Colors Revealed

Bugatti has unveiled two stunning color combinations for the new Chiron Pur Sport on their Instagram account. The first is a yellow/black color combo that Bugatti says Ettore Bugatti would've loved. Why? Because this was actually his favorite color combo. The interior of this Chiron Pur Sport continues the two-tone scheme and includes some beautiful stitching on the seats. They also unveiled a lime green/black combination that's incredibly striking. Inside this hypercar is an all-black cabin that's as sporty and sleek as ever. Last, but not least, is an orange color combo that's similar to the yellow/black but with... orange! Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of colors for the new Chiron Pur Sport now that Bugatti is back to work testing the car. See All Bugatti Chirons for Sale Source: Instagram/@bugatti (1,2)

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By Edward Jones – May 15, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is Now Undergoing Serious Track ...

Bugatti engineers are now able to test the Chiron Pur Sport again due to the lockdown caused by COVID-19 starting to lift. Their current track of choice for testing is none other than the Bilster Berg circuit in the Teutoburg Forest, Germany. This circuit consists of 19 turns, 44 crests and dips, 20 percent uphill and 26 downhill grades, and an elevation change of 70 meters over 4,207 meters. All of these track details make Bilster Berg the perfect circuit to test the capabilities of the Chiron Pur Sport. "With the Chiron Pur Sport, we’re pursuing a more extreme and radical development approach," says Stefan Ellrott, Head of Development at Bugatti. "It’s the perfect car for all those drivers who enjoy cornering at the limits and want to feel a connection with the road." Because the new Chiron Pur Sport has a firmer chassis, new tires and a shorter-ratio gearbox, Bugatti's engineers are taking this time at the track to fine-tune the engine. The goal of the engineers is to make sure the Chiron Pur Sport is launching out of corners as quickly as possible, making it the most track-formidable hypercar Bugatti can make. "Thanks to the new suspension geometry, the softer Michelin tires with even better grip and the enormous rear wing, the acceleration of the Pur Sport out of corners is even more brutal," explains Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Chassis Development at Bugatti. "It’s simply a pure, uncompromising driving machine." Bugatti will continue testing the Chiron Pur Sport on more tracks in the coming weeks. And, yes, that includes Nürburgring Nordschleife. All Bugatti Chirons for Sale

By Edward Jones – April 29, 2020

Learn Everything About the Chiron from Bugatti's Andy Wal...

If there is one man that knows the Bugatti Chiron hypercar, it's Andy Wallace. Wallace has been testing Bugattis since 2011 and was the driver of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+'s top speed run of 304.773 mph. To put it bluntly, he knows the car inside and out. Bugatti knows this, and decided to release a new series of YouTube videos of Wallace teaching us all "How To Chiron". In the videos you'll learn things like the drive modes, how to use launch control, what the speed key does and so much more. Check each of the videos out down below, because they're all so incredibly interesting to watch. It's not every day that you get a chance to learn about a car as extraordinary as the Chiron from someone as legendary as Wallace. All Chirons for Sale " width="680"> " width="680"> " width="680"> " width="680"> " width="680">

By Edward Jones – March 03, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Revealed: Built For Agility

Engine: Quad-Turbocharged 8.0-liter W16Horsepower: 1,500 hpTorque: 1,180 lb-ftTop Speed: 217 mphPrice: 3 million euros (around $3,356,000 USD) With a focus on agility and cornering ability, the new Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is ready for winding roads and track days. While the Chiron Super Sport 300+ was created for a max speed of over 300 mph, the Chiron Pur Sport wants to fly through corners as quickly as possible. When it comes to creating an agile car, downforce has to be a priority. Bugatti recognized this and went to great lengths to ensure the new Chiron model is grounded through a vast amount of downforce. Most notably, the new rear wing and front splitter work together to hold the car down. Dropping the weight of the car was also necessary if Bugatti wanted to make the Chiron Pur Sport nimble. Inside, the cabin is "sporty and raw," according to Bugatti. This just means they saved as much weight as possible by making the interior as minimal as possible. Bugatti went so far as to upholster all surfaces in Alcantara in the name of saving weight. All trim and controls are also made of either aluminum or titanium. But the weight savings don't stop there. Bugatti has a new optional split paintwork for the Chiron Pur Sport that leaves the lower portion with exposed carbon fiber. Less paint means less weight. See All Bugattis For Sale Bugatti is introducing newly designed magnesium wheels for the Chiron Pur Sport that save weight and work to increase aerodynamic efficiency. When these wheels are fitted with the option aero blades, they move air out from the wheels, pushing it towards the rear of the car. This improves the airflow along the side of the hypercar. A stiffer suspension as also needed if this new model was going to take on tight corners. Bugatti tightened up the suspension, making the springs 65% firmed upfront and 33% firmer in the back. Bugatti says that all of the changes they have made make the "connection between chassis, suspension and body 130% firmer at the front and 77% firmer at the rear." Of course, this is a Chiron we're talking about and that means there's plenty of power available via the quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine. In total, it generates 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. However, Bugatti revised the transmission for the Chiron Pur Sport's agility goal. A total of 80% of the transmission has been revised, making the overall gear ratio 15% closer together. Bugatti has also dropped the Chiron Pur Sport's top speed to 217 mph because of the increased downforce. "We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power," says chin Schwalbe, Head of Bugatti Chassis Development. "The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance. Most of all when coming out of corners the Chiron Pur Sport1accelerates even more aggressively in conjunction with the added grip as well as the more direct chassis and suspension." As a result of these changes, the Chiron Pur Sport can accelerate from 37 mph to 74.5 mph two seconds faster than the Chiron. Production on the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport will begin in the second half of 2020. There will be 60 units created, each with a price of 3 million euros (around $3,356,000 USD) excluding VAT.

By Andrew Nabors – February 19, 2020

Bugatti Unveils First Chiron Noire

Inspired by the dark La Voiture Noir, Bugatti has unveiled the first Chiron Noire. It is the 250th Chiron to be produced, and it is being prepped for the Geneva Auto Show. There will be two versions of the car: the Chiron Noire Elegance in a black exposed carbon fiber exterior, while the Chiron Noire Sportive has an exposed carbon fiber body with a matte black finish. Click the button below to find your Bugatti, and stay with us for all your Chiron news. “Every Chiron that has left our Atelier in the past three years is a technological masterpiece. This also applies to the 250th specimen. Reaching this mark in such a short amount of time is an amazing accomplishment that fills me with pride. I am looking forward to the second half of the production cycle”, says Stephan Winkelmann. Browse All Bugatti CHiron For Sale Related: Bugatti Chiron Price, Specs, Photos & Review

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