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 – June 08, 2017

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse: By The Numbers

A blast from zero to 60 in 2.6 seconds is guaranteed to have anyone grinning from ear to ear. A max speed run at 255mph would get the heart pounding like a jackhammer. Drop the Veyron’s top, and at 255mph you’d have nothing left to worry about. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse was the grand finale of the car that changed how we define exotic cars when it debuted back in 2003. Now that Chiron production is in full swing, we can take a look back at how the Veyron changed the world of exotic cars. Vitesse is French for ‘speed’ - and it combines the manic 1,200 hp of the record-breaking Super Sport coupe with the targa-topped body of the Grand Sport. What you have here is quite simply the world’s fastest production convertible. Power comes from essentially the same 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder nuclear reactor that motivated the original Veyron, but now with a quartet of enlarged turbos and even more cooling capacity. The result is a power hike from a crazed 987 hp to an absolutely insane 1,183 hp - that’s an extra 196 hp. Max torque takes a similar leap; from 922 lb-ft to 1,106 lb-ft. This is the motor that punched a Veyron Super Sport to a record top speed of 267.81 mph at Volkswagen’s test track. Bugatti rightly caps the Vitesse’s top speed of 255 mph with the roof in place. Without the roof, the top speed is limited to 233 because of cockpit turbulence. A big chunk of that $2.3-million purchase price goes to the hundreds of hours of wind tunnel testing that helped create seemingly small but extremely effective features like the clip-on aero lip that attaches to the top of the windshield. It makes conversation actually possible at 200 mph-plus. Though we’re not sure what kind of conversation a driver should be engaging in when the world is screaming past at 293 feet every second. Yes, there is a carbon fiber hardtop, but if you remove it you'll have to leave it at home as there’s no place for it inside the car. Just as in 2003, there is still no car that compares to a magical Veyron. It’s a car everyone should be given the opportunity to drive just once in their life. The last Veyron was a Grand Sport Vitesse known as La Finale, and it signaled the end of an era. LIST PRICE $2,300,000 ENGINE 8.0-liter quad turbo W-16 HORSEPOWER 1,183 hp @ 6,450 rpm TORQUE 1,106 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic 0–60 2.6 seconds TOP SPEED 255 mph WEIGHT 4,378 lbs LENGTH 176 inches TIRES Front: 265-680 YR-500 Rear: 365-710/YR-540 PRO The world’s fastest production roadster CON Losing your favorite ball cap at 230 mph

By Edward Jones – May 18, 2017

Exposed Carbon Fiber Bugatti Chiron Spotted, Proceeds to ...

Before, we looked at the colors of the Bugatti Chiron, but now we get to see what the hypercar looks like without any paint at all.NYCarspotter recently traveled to Monaco and, of course, has spotted a litany of rare supercars and hypercars. Amongst those cars was one particularly special one: an exposed carbon fiber Bugatti Chiron. This may be the first time the public has seen a Chiron of this kind, but we all knew that an exterior like this would be produced. Does it live up to what we all expected? You bet.Not only does the video below show off the exterior and interior of the car, we also get to hear the car start up its massive W16 engine. What do you guys think of the exposed carbon fiber body? Better than any paint out there? Let us know in the comments below.

By Edward Jones – August 18, 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo Arrives Home With New Bugatti Veyron

To celebrate his Euro Championship 2016 win with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated by buying himself a Bugatti Veyron. Even though many soccer fans have strong feelings for Ronaldo, either good or bad, he still has pretty good taste in cars. His black French hypercar is a perfect addition to his garage, considering how fast the car is and how fast he is on the pitch.In a new Instagram video posted by @cristiano, his personal account, Ronaldo arrives home in his Veyron. What will he bring home if he wins the Ballon d'Or in January 2017? Maybe a new Chiron, or even a Ferrari LaFerrari? We'll have to wait to find out!View All Bugatti Veyrons For Salehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BJN-7E5gr6U/

By Edward Jones – August 09, 2016

Future Meets Armani in a Bugatti Chiron

If you know who Future and Giorgio Armani are, you'd think that the two really have nothing in common. Future's a rapper and Armani is a designer. But, after a photo shoot at Armani's home, the two left with an appreciation for what the other brings into the world.The photo shoot, which was arranged by GQ, was conceived after Bugatti announced that Armani would be designing a collection for their brand. And with Future's hit song being called "Bugatti," GQ naturally flew the rapper to meet the designer, along with a new Bugatti Chiron.In GQ's article covering the photo shoot, they quote Future as saying: "“He’s the top designer in the world. I’m the top rapper in the world. Some hits are going to come from this experience for sure.” Armani seemed to have connected with Future, saying "“I know how much he suffers to be where he is. He’s suffered just like I’ve suffered. So...we’re friends in a way.”See the two meet with a Bugatti Chiron in the video below.View All Bugattis For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 04, 2016

This Guy Really Bought the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo

Most concept cars like the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo stay with the automaker in a museum or at their headquarters, but not this time. In a Facebook post from July 30, Bugatti announced that their Vision Gran Turismo car was purchased by Prince Badr bin Saud, also known as @b14 on Instagram. Along with the Vision GT, he also purchased the Chiron that appeared at the Geneva International Motor Show. This means these two are the same Bugattis making a special appearance at The Quail in Monterey.https://www.instagram.com/p/BIqOGFwBD53/If you're upset at the fact that these cars have been purchased, don't worry, because Bugatti also announced that more than 200 examples of the Chiron's planned run have been ordered. That means there are still around 300 more that are available for order. And if you want to see the cars before they go to their new home, check them out at The Quail come August 19.View All Bugattis For Salehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BIfWRgZBlzJ/https://www.instagram.com/p/BInPi3ZAg-C/

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – August 02, 2016

Bugatti Chiron and Vision Gran Turismo Make Joint Appeara...

For the first time ever, two iconic Bugatti models, the Chiron and the Vision Gran Turismo, will debut together at the week's Monterey Car Week events. First, the Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, will host the Bugatti Chiron on Friday, August 19, 2016. Then, the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo makes its U.S. debut at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on the concept lawn on Sunday, August 21, 2016. To make Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegante a little sweeter, the Vision Gran Turismo will be joined by the Chiron.Sure to excite the crowds, the Bugatti lineup makes for a once in a lifetime experience.Dubbed the "worlds most powerful production super sports car" thanks to 1,500 PS output, the Chiron currently stands at 200 orders and is prepared for series production in Molsheim. The first customer will take delivery in the fall.One thing is for sure, this is an event Bugatti enthusiasts need not miss.View All Bugattis For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 27, 2016

Bugatti's Newly Designed London Showroom Excites

Reopened and ready for business, the newly designed London showroom marks a milestone for Bugatti. The showroom now features Bugatti design and will be the only location that houses and sells the iconic Bugatti Chiron.Set up to provide the ultimate buying experience, the new Bugatti showroom, which is situated among H.R. Owen's Bentley and Jack Barclay dealerships, is staffed with a factory trained team and a secluded environment for potential buyers. Customers can rest assured they are speaking with trained professionals regarding personalization and customization of their new supercar, and they are able to have up close interaction with the Bugatti line.(Also Read - McLaren Set to Open Four New U.S. Dealerships) The showroom features Bugatti home decor, a crisp, clean design and the brand's signature blue throughout. The company's press release stated of the showroom details:H.R. Owen Bugatti is furnished with items from the recently launched Bugatti Home Collection. The specially designed armchairs are made using the finest leather and blue carbon fibre, the same high-spec materials that feature in Bugatti’s cars. As well as the present and future, the showroom will also reflect Bugatti’s history and heritage, with a selection of art installations and sculptures that celebrate the brand beyond the cars. H.R. Owen Bugatti is more than just a car showroom, and is designed to convey a shared passion for the Bugatti brand and everything it stands for.The London-based showroom is an important one for the dealer, as many of its clients are located in the area.View Bugattis For Sale

By Edward Jones – July 27, 2016

Bugatti Veyron Vitesse "Hellbug" Hits 230 mph on Highway

One false move at this speed and you could lose your life. Seriously, going over 200 mph is absolutely no joke. But when you have a car like the Bugatti Veyron Vitesse "Hellbug", an open highway and the nerve to handle such speed, it's hard to not give it a shot.On July 22 and 23, exotic cars from around the country gathered in Ketchum, Idaho for no-speed-limit runs on a closed public road. In the past, we've seen Veyrons hit top speeds before and this year we get to see it again. Sometimes repetition can be a bad thing, but not when it involves speeds way over 200 mph in a French hypercar.(Also Watch - Koenigsegg Agera R Tests Top Speed Against 918 Spyder on Autobahn)Since just about all of us weren't able to attend the event, TheStradman was on-hand during the Hellbug's run to record what happened. In a video uploaded to YouTube, we get to see multiple perspectives of the Hellbug's run, including some that truly portray the car's rate of speed. Check it out below!Do you think you could handle driving a car at 230 mph? Let me know in the comments below.Bugatti Veyron For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 18, 2016

A Day in the Life of a Bugatti Owner

For their YouTube series, SCD-TV, Supercar Driver met up with Bugatti Veyron owner, Carl Hartley, to find out what's it like to own one of the most iconic supercars to date. Hartley first gave insight into the type of seat he has (comfort) and where he purchased the car (an owner in Vienna) and then went into needing to have the car serviced. Apparently, servicing the Veyron to bring it to tip top shape cost a, "mere 32,000 pounds," he stated with a bit of a sarcastic chuckle. (That's an approximate $42,000).(Also Check Out - Cristiano Ronaldo Buys Bugatti Veyron to Celebrate Euro Win)He also talks about having the ability to drive just about any car thanks to his work, but he always wanted a Veyron. He speaks to the Veyron's superiority as a supercar and it's investment opportunity.He then goes through some of the expenses associated with owning the Veyron, which, in themselves, cost more than some of us make in a year. Insurance apparently equals the cost of, "a nice new car," on a yearly basis. Driving the Veyron? Like piloting an F16. Check out the full video to find out more about what it's like owning a Bugatti Veyron.Bugatti Veyrons for Sale

By Edward Jones – July 15, 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo Buys Bugatti Veyron to Celebrate Euro Win

Whether you're a fan of soccer/football or not, you more than likely have heard of Cristiano Ronaldo at some point in your life. And it's funny, because even though he's arguably one of the finest players on and off of the field, people are so divided in their feelings for him. Essentially, either you love him or you hate him. Well, now I'm giving you another reason to either love him or hate him.Yesterday, Ronaldo posted images of a present he gave himself after winning the 2016 Euro Championship with the Portugal national team. That present? A Bugatti Veyron.(Also Check Out - BMW Reveals New Shoes Based On Concept Car)https://www.instagram.com/p/BH2Y5wngFd_/I'd saying buying a hypercar worth over $1 million is a decent gift you can give yourself. So the question remains: how do you feel about Ronaldo? Let me know in the comments below. Personally, I think his kind gestures off of the field are amazing, as are his skills on the pitch. Though, some might say he's a bit too "emotional" when it comes to fouls.View Bugatti Veyrons For Salehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BH2rYASAbL7/

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