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 Edward Jones – July 24, 2020

Bugatti Baby II's Performance and Specs Revealed

All the way back in 1926, Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean built a scaled-down version of the Bugatti Type 35 for Roland, Ettore's youngest son. This tiny car was meant to just be a birthday present for Roland, but it actually ended up going into production after customers visiting Molsheim fell in love with it. Sold from 1927 to 1936, the original Bugatti Baby only had 500 examples created, making it a sought-after car for car collectors. Now, the Bugatti Baby II has officially entered production in 2020. The new Bugatti Baby Ii is coming int the world in three different variants: Base - composite body and a 1.4kWh battery pack Vitesse - carbon fiber body, 2.8kWh battery pack and an ungraded powertrain including a Speed Key like the Chiron. Pur Sang - hand-formed aluminum bodywork and 2.8kWh battery pack. Each model comes with two different modes: Novice and Expert. For the each model, when novice mode is active, power is rated at 1.3 bhp and the top speed is limited to 12 mph while the Expert mode jumps the power up to 5.4 bhp for a top speed of 30 mph. As for the Vitesse and Pur Sang models, the Bugatti Speed Key allows the electric motor to produce 13.4 bhp and a top speed of 42 mph. The Bugatti Baby II will be limited to just 500 examples like its predecessor. The Base model has a start price of €30,000 (around $35,000 USD), the Vitesse at €43,500 (around $50,500 USD) and the Pur sang at €58,500 (around $68,000 USD). For more information, click the button below to visit BugattiBaby.com. Visit BugattiBaby.com " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – July 21, 2020

Bugatti Divo Delivery Team Prepares First Production Car

We know you are anxious to get behind the wheel of your new Bugatti Divo. However, the delivery process takes two days and dedication from a dozen employees. Because each Bugatti is handbuilt, it makes sense to allow a different team to shakedown the car to ensure objectivity in spotting potential issues. Starting with a six-hour body inspection, four automotive artists scour every surface inside a light tunnel. Fluorescent bulbs can magnify any paint defect, and the team members compare notes after each one inspects the car inside and out. Then a protective film covers the car for the shakedown runs. Bugatti Divo Price, Specs, Photos & Review They repeat the process outside in sunlight before giving the keys to test driver Steve Jenny. He has signed off on 95% of Bugatti production cars, and his process is very thorough. Starting with removing the wheels and belly pan, test parts are installed to protect the car. From there, a 4-wheel alignment is finalized and he embarks on a 5-hour test drive. From the Vosges mountains to city streets, an HD microphone records the interior for any unwanted noises. After several heat and cooling cycles, a runway at Colmar Airport is used to test launch control, aerodynamics, and the engine's ability to offer 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque at 211 mph. Back at the factory, the paint protection film is removed and the fluids are changed. The production belly pan and wheels are put back on before a final 30-mile test drive. Engineers scrutinize the audio recordings to confirm the car is ready to meet its new owner, and then all delivery team members discuss and address any issues. When you are spending $5.6 Million on the world's greatest hypercar, you will surely get your money's worth. Due to such an involved process, only 40 cars will be delivered in the coming months. Be sure to stay with us, because we will cover them arriving stateside. Click the button below to browse all Bugatti for sale. Browse Bugatti For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 10, 2020

How The Bugatti Chiron A/C Keeps You Cool at 248 MPH

Here in the Sunshine State, driving a car without Air Conditioning is sadism. In the old days, manufacturers skimped out on climate control to offer more power. But thanks to an ingenious design, the Bugatti Chiron Air Conditioner keeps you cool at 248 miles per hour. In a press release this morning, engineer Julia Lemke explains the prominent details without giving up Bugatti's closely guarded trade secrets. Her Doctoral Dissertation "Energy assessment of car air conditioning systems with secondary circuits” looked forward to a world where the compressor would have two circuits to offer optimal cooling without wasting horsepower. When the Chiron was still in the virtual realm, her team realized that Europeans prefer to be around 71 degrees, but Americans like it much colder. Therefore they chose to give the car two massive condensers that hold nearly 7 lbs of refrigerant. The compressor was tested to destruction several times under the most punishing conditions. That is how it easily transforms 28 psi on the low side to almost 440 psi on the high side. Bugatti Chiron Price, Specs, Photos & Review In a normal car, air is forced into the cockpit from the high pressure that builds at the base of the windshield. This would literally blow the windows out of most cars, so Bugatti switches to negative pressure at 155 mph. By pulling a slight vacuum through the vents, its keeps the car sealed tight and the cool air right where you want it. With enough capacity to cool a 900 square-foot apartment, your Bugatti will be comfortable traveling 4 miles a minute. This is just one aspect of how each Bugatti is offered without any compromises. Click the button below to find one for yourself and stay with us for all your Bugatti news. Browse Bugatti 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 – June 25, 2020

Bugatti Divo Spotted Testing at the Nurburgring

After it was announced in April that the Bugatti Divo deliveries would start this year, we've been waiting to see more of this insane hypercar. That's why I'm happy to present this video of the Divo being tested at the Nurburgring. Filmed by YouTube channel Automotive Mike, the video was taken during the Industry Pool at the Nurburgring. This was a perfect place to capture the Divo in action because this hypercar has been designed to be an absolute beast on the track. And the fact that only 40 examples of the Divo will be made, instances like this where the Divo is being ripped on the track will be hard to find even when deliveries are completed. So, turn up your speakers and enjoy, because the Divo sounds like a dream. See All Bugattis for Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – June 24, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Tour Delights Downtown Düsseldorf

Nothing at Bugatti is arbitrary. From the stitches of the interior to the insulated power window motors, nothing is overlooked. This adherence to perfection is also seen in the planning and execution of the Chiron Pur Sport's tour of Europe. Paris offered historic backdrops and the attention of the fashion world. Hamburg allowed the car to be seen by bankers and industrial magnates, and now it delights the residents of downtown Düsseldorf. Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Engineering Details Explained As the cultural capital of the Ruhr Valley, the city's center is home to young, well-educated professionals. The old harbor was riddled by rusting industrial eyesores, and now it features architecture by Steven Holl, David Chipperfield, and Frank O'Gehry. World-renowned buildings are a perfect setting for the Chrion Pur Sport, so stay with us for insights on its next destination. Browse Bugatti For Sale " width="680">

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 19, 2020

See the Bugatti Designer's 6 Favorite Veyrons of All Time

It’s already been 15 years since the introduction of the unprecedented Bugatti Veyron 16.4, and the rest of the automotive world is still working to catch up. The Veyron entirely redefined what the world defined as a supercar and what cars could be capable of, and led a march of modern supercars and hypercars that we are still amazed by to this day. To celebrate, Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti’s design director, shared a few words about his six favorites. See All Veyrons for Sale Pur Sang (2007) Constructed of unpainted carbon and aluminum, the Pur Sang celebrates the look and texture of those materials and used their natural colors to design the entire car, paying homage to the brand’s classic Type 35. Super Sport (2010) The Veyron Super Sport was Buggati’s proof that even five years into holding their top speed record, they weren’t done. With the ability to reach 268 mph, and a new world record, the Veyron Super Sport was yet another milestone in automotive history. Grand Sport L’Or Blanc (2011) Made in collaboration with the Royal Porcelain Factory of Berlin, the L’Or Blanc was a one-off Veyron Grand Sport with a blue and white china-like color scheme in both the exterior and interior, evoking the look of a Chinese Ming vase. Grand Sport Vitesse (2012) After the incredible feat of the Super Sport, Bugatti decided that they wanted to push the limits of a roadster too. 92 of these incredible cars were produced, and they provide their drivers the potential to drive at incredible speeds in a coupe-like cocoon or al fresco. Grand Sport Venet (2012) French artist Bernar Venet was the inspiration for this bespoke Veyron Grand Sport, with an orange and brown color scheme and mathematical livery to celebrate the science of Venet’s work, which continues to the interior as well. "Les Légendes de Bugatti" (2014) Made to celebrate the end of the Veyron’s life cycle, this final edition made sure that the Veyron went out with a bang. Exposed dark blue carbon and satin-polished aluminum panels are the color scheme of the exterior, which is complemented by a chocolate-brown interior.

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)

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 – May 06, 2020

Bugatti Releases Stunning New Divo Configurations

When it comes to designing your new Bugatti Divo, it's much more involved than just going on a configurator and clicking some buttons. Owners of the new Divo have the ability to truly dive into the look of their car, creating a truly personal hypercar that's one-of-a-kind. To make it happen, customers go to Bugatti's headquarters in Molsheim to meet with the automaker's team. The process can take upwards of five hours, but that's because they're learning every little detail about the car and customizing every detail. Aspects of the Divo that can be customized include the body color, centerline, engine covers, air intakes on the wing, interior materials, and so much more. “Some customers might know exactly what they want. But we also have customers whom we advise in detail, we work together with them and come up with suggestions,” says Anne Beynat, Sales Coordinator at Bugatti since 2011. “Customers often have their own ideas, such as family crests, national flags, their own logos or special color schemes. We then try to implement the ideas in technical terms." Bugatti can make just about anything happen, having embossed a child's footprints in the rear panel of a Veyron or put crystals into the cockpit. If the customer wants special grilles or logos in the wheels, they can make that happen too. What I'm trying to get across is that the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to customizing a Divo. In fact, it took one customer more than a year to finalize his Divo's customization. Bugatti knows that their cars are special to their customers, so that's why they put so much time and effort into making sure they deliver something that's personal and extraordinary. What's more, we're going to start seeing the fruits of Bugatti's labor soon as they will start delivering Divo's shortly and production has once again restarted. See All Bugattis for Sale Source: Bugatti

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