Bugatti 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 Edward Jones – July 22, 2021

See the Final Bugatti Divo Hypercar

Bugatti has reached yet another milestone. It's sad to say, but the final Bugatti Divo has been delivered. Yes, all 40 examples of the Divo are now with their owners. That means the production run of the incredible hypercar is over. While it may be sad for many, it most certainly is exciting for Bugatti as they have reached yet another milestone in their 110-year history. The specific Divo that was delivered belonged to a customer in Europe and they personalized this example in a beautiful manner. It features an EB 110 LM Blue paint with contrasting Dark Blue carbon. My favorite part of this spec? Those beautiful matte gold metallic wheels. Inside is a bright and dark blue interior that matches the exterior perfectly. The production run for the Bugatti Divo certainly ended on a high note as this example is phenomenal. See Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Jordan Aquistapace – July 19, 2021

Check Out This Bugatti Chiron Finished In Blue Royale Carbon

While the exterior features a stealth-like look, the interior pops with a vibrant orange leather design. While the Bugatti Chiron continues to be considered to be one of the most popular hypercars on the market, they are few and far to come by for owners looking to acquire a chassis. For the lucky few that have the opportunity to configure a dream spec, it's made sure to personalize it as close to a one-of-one as possible. Bugatti makes this possible with one of the most versatile design operations in the industry, allowing for an owner's wildest dreams to become a reality. Bugatti recently took to its Instagram page to highlight a custom Chiron that looks like no other. The Bugatti Chiron is presented in a stunning Blue Royale Carbon finish, which displays the lightweight body design of the multi-million dollar hypercar. The Chiron’s interior is where the colors really pop, with a fully customized Tangerine and Lake Blue leather cabin to pull together the owner’s design. This Bugatti Chiron will not only reach 273-miles per hour from its Quad-Turbocharged W16 but also turn heads whenever it drives through the streets. View all of the Bugatti Chirons currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Bugatti Chiron Horsepower, Specs, MSRP View All Bugatti Chirons For Sale https://www.instagram.com/p/CReQcrfrXpw/ For more Bugatti news, Check out Bugatti Celebrates French National Day With Epic Hypercar Trio

By Edward Jones – July 13, 2021

Bugatti Celebrates French National Day With Epic Hypercar...

A proper way to celebrate. On July 14th, France will be celebrating what we typically call "Bastille Day," which is the anniversary of the storming of Bastille. Being regarded as the French National Day, the day is filled with celebrations around the country. From parades to massive gatherings, it's a happy day all around France. This includes celebrations at Bugatti's headquarters in Molsheim. The automaker is celebrating France's most important national holiday with a very special tricolore that includes three Chiron Sports. The three Chiron Sports are finished in blue, white, and red, symbolizing the nation's flag. “As a French brand with a large proportion of French employees, we regard ourselves as part of the French identity,” says Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. “Molsheim stands for technical perfection and an exceptional sense for quality but also for French savoir vivre – a lifestyle that attracted and shaped Ettore Bugatti and which is reflected in our vehicles up to this day. This is what our products stand for and this will remain in the future.” See All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Edward Jones – July 09, 2021

Watch the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Blast Through the Good...

It's that wonderful time of the year again. The Goodwood Festival of Speed has kicked off and that means supercars, hypercars, race cars, classic cars, trucks and more are making their way through the famous hill climb. Bugatti showed up to the prestigious event with multiple cars, including the Chiron Pur Sport which they unleashed on the hill climb. What makes the hill climb event so special is that does not discriminate, as cars of all types will make their way through the course... even hypercars like the Chiron. You can see the Chiron Pur Sport's sprint in the video down below. Expect to see much more from this event in the coming days, so be on the lookout. https://player.vimeo.com/video/572952691 Source: Bugatti

By Edward Jones – July 06, 2021

Rimac Takes Over Bugatti With the Help of Porsche

Meet the new hypercar company known as Bugatti RImac. It has just been announced that Porsche and Rimac Automobili will be creating a new joint venture with Bugatti. The name of this joint company will be Bugatti Rimac, as the two companies will be working cooperatively to create come of the most incredible vehicles on the planet. For this to happen, Bugatti will be brought into the company by Volkswagen with the shares then being transferred over to Porsche. From here, shares of the new Bugatti Rimac company will be split with 55 percent being held by Rimac Automobili and 45 percent by Porsche. The formation of Bugatti Rimac is set to take place in the fourth quarter of 2021, pending approval from antitrust authorities. Even though Bugatti will be a part of this new company, they will still stay at their headquarters in Molsheim, France. The main difference now is that Bugatti will be contributing to Bugatti Rimac with the expertise that they have accrued over the past decades. Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche AG, had this to say regarding the new joint venture: “We are combining Bugatti's strong expertise in the hyper sports car business with Rimac's tremendous innovative strength in the highly promising field of electric mobility. Bugatti is contributing a tradition-rich brand, iconic products, unique quality standards and craftsmanship, a loyal customer base and a global dealer network to the joint venture. In addition to technology, Rimac is contributing new development and organizational approaches.” See All Bugattis For Sale " width="680"> Source: Bugatti

By Edward Jones – June 22, 2021

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Speeds Up to 273 mph During Te...

Testing a hypercar requires a very special track. Bugatti is continuing work on the Chiron Super Sport, ensuring that it offers a comfortable ride, even at speeds well over 200 mph. The French automaker recently took the new hypercar out to a high-speed track where it would have enough room to really open up. While they've tested the car at speeds up to 236 mph, they have no successfully tested the Chiron Super Sport all the way up to 273 mph. During these tests, engineers placed an additional 100 sensors across the Chiron Super Sport. These sensors keep track of many factors, including temperature, pressure, and more. After high-speed tests, the engineers go over what was recorded and then optimize the hypercar for better results. Things like the car's height, damping, steering, and rear wing angle can all be adjusted on the fly, making these tests very productive. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport comes with a starting price of 3.2 million euros, or about $3,810,000 USD. Its production run will count within the initial Chiron production run of 500 units. All Bugatti Hypercars For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Edward Jones – June 08, 2021

Ride a Bugatti Horse in the 'Black Desert Online' Video Game

You can wear a Bugatti suit of armor, as well. The gaming and automotive worlds continue to mesh as Bugatti and Black Desert Online have just announced a collaboration. Black Desert Online (BDO) is a massively multiple online video game where players explore an expansive world, leveling up, defeat enemies and even build a home. Because the world of BDO is so massive, players use horses to travel around. Now, those horses and the players can look even more fancy and luxurious than before thanks to this collaboration. Players who purchase the Bugatti Chiron Horse Gear & Outfit sets will get a whole new appearance. With the Bugatti logo and striking blue color, these sets will allow any player to stand out in the packed world of BDO. If you've ever wanted to be a knight in shining Bugatti armor, now is your time. Shop Black Desert on Gamestop.com Source: Pearl Abyss/Black Desert Online

By Edward Jones – June 08, 2021

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Revealed: A 273 MPH Hypercar

Travel to an insane top speed in absolute luxury. The new Bugatti Chiron Super Sport has been revealed as the latest model from the French automaker. This new Bugatti hypercar was created with comfort, elegance and speed in mind. "With this new creation, we established another distinct personality within the Chiron family," says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. "It is the essence of what we learned and developed in recent years – the ultimate grand tourer." To make the Chiron Super Sport stand out in Bugatti's lineup and give it even greater aerodynamics, the body of the new hypercar has been upgraded with new components. This includes the front splitter, rear diffuser, front side air intakes, hood exhaust holes and so much more. All of these changes were made so that when it's at its top speed of 273 mph the downforce and aerodynamics are absolutely perfect. “Our aim was to give the vehicle a neutral setup at its top speed while also giving it as streamlined a shape as possible,” explains Frank Heyl, Deputy Design Director at Bugatti. "The design process was therefore in particular about achieving aerodynamic efficiency.” As mentioned before, the new Bugatti Chiron Super Sport's top speed is an insane 273 mph. The aforementioned body aids the immensely powerful 8.0-liter W16 engine in the hypercar's pursuit for top speed. This engine produces an insane 1,578 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. Sprinting from 0 to 124 mph in the Chiron Super Sport will take just 5.8 seconds, while 0 to 186 mph will happen in 12.1 seconds and a climb up to 248.5 mph will be seven percent quicker than in a Chiron. When traveling at high speeds, there's more than just power and aerodynamics to consider. The chassis for the Chiron Super Sport, for instance, is made specifically for the model. This new chassis gives the model firmer dampers and steering system, harder springs, and more. Bugatti also installed newly developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that have been optimized for top speed. These new tires can consistently drive at speed of up to 310.6 mph. Deliveries of the new Bugatti Chiron Super are scheduled to start in early 2022. It comes with a price tag of $3.9 million. See All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Edward Jones – June 07, 2021

New Bugatti Model Being Unveiled

New Bugatti models are always welcome. Bugatti has just announced that they will be unveiling a new model on Tuesday, June 8, at 4AM EST. This new model was teased in the image found up above, which shows a Chiron-esque hypercar with most details in the dark. Bugatti notes that this new model will have "unique visual cues that shape its design" and that these cues "give it characteristics steeped in a rich heritage without being bound by history and promise performance like no other car on earth." While I'm not sure what that means, we will find find out tomorrow morning. You can view the unveiling on Bugatti's YouTube channel if you're up to waking up early. If not, we'll have all of the information here. See All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti, Bugatti/Facebook

By Edward Jones – June 04, 2021

Bugatti Puts On Epic Photoshoot With Four Legends

From past to present. Bugatti recently brought four incredible automobiles together for a truly epic photoshoot. The cars included the new Chiron Super Sport 300+, Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, EB 110 Super Sport and the classic Type 55. Joining the cars were the three Bugatti drivers, Loris Bicocchi, Pierre-Henri Raphanel, and Andy Wallace. Brought together at the Bugatti headquarters in Molsheim, the group posed for photos that can be found below. Check them out by scrolling through the gallery. If you're looking for a Bugatti to add to your garage, be sure to click the button below. See All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

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