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 Caitlin Duffy – September 14, 2015

Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Concept Debuts at IAA

This one was built for the fans.Well, perhaps not this exact one, in particular. But this design, as Bugatti has said before and says again, "is for the fans."Today, ahead of the official start Sept. 17 of the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Bugatti introduced the physical version of their Vision GT concept, bringing a video game's design to life. First introduced Sept. 2, the concept for the Gran Turismo video game series is a true example of futuristic racing, and features such concepts as augmenting the dashboard with visuals displayed on the driver's goggles."Bugatti has transformed its Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo from the virtual world of bytes and pixels into a real carbon-fibre racer specially for the 66th International Motor Show (IAA). ‪#‎imaginEBugatti,‬" describes the caption of a gallery showing off the model on Bugatti's Facebook page, as well as the press release.This is the first unveiling in a series of events that, Bugattis release tells us, will culminate in the revealing of their new super sports car. The Vision Gran Turismo pays tribute to the marque's racing designs of the 1920s and 1930s, while also providing insights into the future of the brand's "design language."The headlights on the Vision GT seem similar to the ones peeking through the camoflauge of the Chiron test mules spotted around the world, which could mean that the Chiron's final form may not be far off from what the GT shows us.(See Also: Bugatti Veyron vs. Kawasaki Ninja H2)Check out the photos of this carbon-fiber video game character below, stay with us for more updates from Bugatti as they are released and find your own model from the marque's existing cars from our exclusive listings.Bugattis For SaleGallery (Source: Bugatti, Facebook) See More Bugatti News

By Edward Jones – September 02, 2015

Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo: The Most Intense Bugatti, Ever

Gran Turismo 6 has become one of the most well-known racing games thanks to the physical and digital Vision Gran Turismo models that are being released by prestigious automakers for use in the video game. The latest company to create one of these concepts is Bugatti, who just released their model in a press release issued today.Called the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo, this new model was crafted by the Bugatti design team to be created as a physical show car and digital race car. The team drew inspiration for this car from the company's racing history, more specifically, the Bugatti Type 57 Tank. In fact, the two-tone exterior finish of this new concept car is borrowed from the Type 57 G Tank that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937.“In the Bugatti Veyron, we have developed a super sports car which unites two characteristics, the beauty and the beast,” explained Achim Anscheidt, the head of Bugatti Design, in the press release. “The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo embodies the performance beast. It has a more radical and extreme style. This is a thorough-bred Bugatti for the virtual race track, not for the street.”(View Bugattis For Sale)For the overall design of the car, Bugatti wanted to bring the brand "back to its roots," according to Sasha Selipanoc, the Head of Exterior Design Creative Development. From the side, it has the same line as the Veyron, while the front also has the iconic horseshoe grille. But, these two aspects are just about all that it and the Veyron hold in common.The front of the car has an extreme front splitter, large air intakes and canards on the sides. Solid headlights have also been ditched for four separate LED lights on each side. Head to the back and you'll find a rear more extreme than any other made by Bugatti. A thin and solid rear LED taillight and a quad-exhaust setup sits between a massive diffuser and rear wing. The sides have air vents for the front and rear wheel wells, while a stylised air intake for the engine creates an almost elliptical line that flows into the side windows and front wheel well.One design element that really harks back to Bugatti's past is the center fin, which was first found on the 1936 Type 57 Atlantic. This fin runs across the front hood and along the roof, ending at the rear wing.Inside, the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo's intense design continues. The press release states that, because this is a race car, all the necessary indicators, displays and controls are within arm's reach of the driver. A racing seat with massive bolsters hold the driver in place, as an appropriately designed racing steering wheel with a digital display in its center sits in front of them. From the picture of its interior, we also see a cluster gauge that consists of a rather large electronic display. As for its aesthetics, the two-tone interior is comprised of massive amounts of exposed carbon fiber and what looks like Alcantara.Regarding its powerhouse, Bugatti's press release did not indicate what would be powering the car.The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo show car will be on display at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt from September 17-27.Bugattis For SaleGallery (Source: Bugatti) See More Bugatti News, Pics and Videos

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By Caitlin Duffy – August 20, 2015

Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Vehicle Introduced

Bugatti has confirmed the creation of a new vehicle - but this one is only available through the digital world."This is for our fans," states an Aug. 19 press release from the French manufacturer, which announced the creation of their first vehicle for the video game series "Vision Gran Turismo." The full view won't be released until the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), which is scheduled from Sept. 17-27, but it will give us a look at the marque's new design direction."Bugatti is the world's most exclusive super sports car brand and Bugatti cars are only available to an extremely small group of automobile consumers," said President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. Wolfgang Dürheimer in the release. "At the same time Bugatti is admired and loved by countless people... The 'Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo' will make our brand available to them as well as to gamers... This is a project for our fans."Stay with us for more info on this Vision Gran Turismo creation as it is released, and find a real world Bugatti for yourself from our exclusive listings below.Bugattis For Sale (Source: Bugatti) See More Bugatti News

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