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 Jordan Aquistapace – October 10, 2022

Bugatti Opens Its Doors For An Exclusive 'One Night At Th...

Dinner was carried out with the same precision that Ettore Bugatti applied to the engineering and design of his cars. While Bugatti’s heritage is is built upon iconic hypercars that helped shape the automotive industry, the brand prides itself on delivering its clientele a luxury experience like no other. Founder Ettore Bugatti further enhanced Bugatti ownership with gatherings at the Château Saint Jean, a magnificent property acquired by the Bugatti family in 1928 as a place to welcome welcome guests, customers, racing drivers and family. The château was first built in 1857 by the Wagen de Geroldseck family, where 20th Century elite would come for lavish dinner parties. Although only a privileged few have had the opportunity to visit and stay at the Château Saint Jean over the years, Bugatti is proud to open its doors to specially selected guests for a special ‘One Night at The Château’ event. MUST-READ: Rare Sighting of Bugatti Divo Racing Up Mountain Pass Isolated on 57-acres of land, the Château’s expansive accommodations allow guests to enjoy the luxurious environment created in the spirit of Ettore himself. A large transparent geodesic dome is constructed in the back to give those in attendance a warm and comfortable view of the natural surroundings. During their one-off ‘Night at the Château’ guests rode in a Bugatti Type 51, bearing witness to the cracked leather that results from a lifetime of continued enjoyment. The ride of a lifetime continues with extreme sensations from the Chiron Super Sport, transforming guests into genuine Grand Prix racers. Other areas of the property showcase aspects like Bugatti’s extensive configuration process, as well as its grand portfolio of additional luxury accessories. This very special day ends in the open sky dome, settling in for a night under the stars, surrounded by a forest of oak trees. From pristine landscape to Ettore’s self-engineered pasta machine, guest can expect to be fully immersed into Bugatti’s prestigious lineage. View all current Bugatti inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle and automotive news. VIEW ALL BUGATTI FOR SALE Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 26, 2022

Bugatti Debuts The New Mistral W16 In Europe At The Chant...

One of the world’s greatest pieces of automotive art complements the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille show. Since 2014 when the show began, Bugatti has been a significant supporter of the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille event, and Bugatti makes the perfect partner for the event as it celebrates the fine luxury and culture in the automotive, culinary, fashion, and art worlds. At Chateau de Chantilly just 28 miles north of Paris, the event, which lasted from September 23 to September 25, the event attracted a total of 16,000 visitors. Three automotive competitions take place at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille: Concours d’Elegance, Concours d’Etat, and Grand Prix des Clubs. Bugatti was present in all 3. MUST READ: The 39th Bugatti Festival Featured Dozens Of Bugattis Celebrating Ettore Bugattis Birthday In Molsheim However, it was the brand new Bugatti Mistral W16 that stole the show, as it made its European debut at the event’s Sunday Chantilly Concours d’Elegance. First unveiled in California at the Quail during Monterey Car Week, all 99 examples of the car sold for around $5 million before the car was even revealed to the public. Like the Bugatti brand itself, the incredible Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille event combined the highest excellence in the automotive world, along with art, fashion, culture, and rich French history. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 21, 2022

Bugatti Introduces A New Certified Pre-Owned Program For ...

Bugatti’s dedication to peerless quality extends to pre-owned examples. When they’re being crafted at the brand’s Molsheim Atelier, Bugatti’s cars are subject to intense quality assurance, through inspections, drives, stress tests, and more, to make sure that the owners who pay millions to drive the unprecedented hypercars that Bugatti makes enjoy the luxury, performance, innovation, and engineering of their car with unbeatable safety and ease of mind. Now, that strict standard for quality goes beyond just the production process of Bugatti cars as Bugatti has announced a new Certified Pre-Owned program for the brand. MUST READ: The 39th Bugatti Festival Featured Dozens Of Bugattis Celebrating Ettore Bugattis Birthday In Molsheim Veyrons and Chirons purchased from an authorized Bugatti partner will now have a one-year warranty and a guarantee of Bugatti quality. The warranty for Chirons covers parts and labor for the car’s electrical and mechanical components, and also issues with corrosion or paintwork, making it just as comprehensive as the warranty provided for new Bugattis. For Veyrons, mechanical and electric components are covered, and the warranties apply worldwide. Genuine Bugatti replacement parts, installed by authorized Bugatti Service Partners have their own two-year warranty and inclusive annual service within the first year of ownership. With the new Certified Pre-Owned program that Bugatti has introduced, preserving the automotive marvel of Bugatti hypercars is easier than ever. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 19, 2022

The 39th Bugatti Festival Featured Dozens Of Bugattis Cel...

Molsheim is the hometown and birthplace of the Bugatti brand, and it is still one of its most important facets. Ettore Bugatti’s birthday is September 15, and annually on the weekend closest to the date, the Bugatti festival is held on the streets of Molsheim, the small town in Alsace, France where the Bugatti brand was born. The event is organized by the Enthousiastes Bugatti Alsace, and began with a visit to Ettore Bugatti’s final resting place at the Dorlisheim Cemetery. The celebrations truly kicked off as 56 vintage Bugattis gathered in Molsheim along with 5 customer-owned modern Bugattis to tour Alsace together. MUST READ: The Bugatti Centodieci Builds On The EB110 Supersport’s Innovation With loads of racing and luxury heritage to many of the cars’ names, the tour was full of automotive excellence in many aspects. Festival participants were invited to the brand’s Molsheim headquarters, and the second day of driving was joined by more vintage and modern Bugattis, as well as a Chiron Pur Sport and Chiron Super Sport provided by Bugatti itself. Sunday, however, was the greatest day of the festival, as the public display of Bugattis was held. The show was juried, and the Coupe Bugatti Automobiles award was given to a Type 57C Cabriolet Corsa, a car that served as inspiration for the Bugatti W16 Mistral of today. After the festival, Bugatti is displaying a transparent cube that features the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Edition in Molsheim’s city center until at least the end of September, marking an incredible celebration for an incredible brand. View All Bugattis For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 16, 2022

The 11th U.S. Bugatti Grand Prix Put Historical Bugatti R...

This celebration of Bugatti history looks back on the brand’s racing roots. In 1928, the Bugatti Grand Prix at Le Mans was a thrilling event where Ettore Bugatti showed off the racing prowess of his brand’s cars, and while the event was done again in 1929 and 1930, it went dormant until 1987 when the American Bugatti Club revitalized it. Now, the event celebrates its 11th iteration, which happened this past weekend alongside the American Bugatti Club Finger Lakes Rally, with Bugatti’s historic models showing off their still-impressive performance on the track. MUST READ: The Final Bugatti Chiron Sport L’Ébe And A Similar Chiron Sport Were Delivered To Two Brothers The race took place at Watkins Glen International circuit, and the lineup consisted of 15 historic Bugattis, including the Type 35, Type 37, Type 57, Type 59, and more. The pace car was a very special one: one of the 1933 works cars, a Type 59 Bugatti raced by Rene Dreyfus at the 1933 Spanish Grand Prix. The trophies, done by Corning Glass were reimagined versions of Rembrandt Bugatti, Ettore Bugatti’s brother’s “Dancing Elephant” sculpture, which is known for having adorned the hoods of the Type 41 Royale cars, Ettore Bugatti’s most luxurious creations. After two days of racing and four classes, the victory for Class 1: Over 2.3 liters supercharged and 3.3 liters naturally aspirated, went to Brad Baker and his Type 51. The other winners were a Type 35 Bugatti for Class 2, a Type 37A Bugatti for Class 3, and a Type 35 A Bugatti for Class 4. The American Bugatti Club, founded in 1960 and dedicated to preserving the glory of Bugatti’s creations, is proud to host events that remind everyone of one of the most important parts of Bugatti’s history, which is racing. View All Race Cars For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 13, 2022

The Bugatti Centodieci Builds On The EB110 Supersport's I...

With over a century of rich history, Bugatti looked at its recent past for inspiration when creating the Centodieci. Bugatti’s iconic EB110 supercar was the product of the 1990s Romano Artioli era of the brand, and the Supersport version of the car, like the Super Sport versions of modern Bugattis, showed an increased focus on performance, with things like weight reduction and added downforce with an unmistakable Bugatti look that serves the need for speed. With the Supersport performance version of the car and the quad-turbocharging of the V12 engine of the EB110, it was an integral precursor to the Bugatti brand that we know today. MUST READ: The Final Bugatti Chiron Sport L’Ébe And A Similar Chiron Sport Were Delivered To Two Brothers The design of the new Bugatti Centodieci, limited to just 10 units, pays homage to the EB110 Supersport with the placement of its vents, its spoiler, and even the square quilting on the interior. The performance honors the EB110 Supersport by exceeding it, with a 0-60 time under 2.4 seconds, and a top speed electronically limited to 236 mph. It’s a highly exclusive hypercar that is not only the stuff of legends in itself but also builds on the legend of the EB110 Supersport. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 12, 2022

The Final Bugatti Chiron Sport L’Ébe And A Similar Chiron...

Bugatti has its roots in one of the most important values: family. Bugatti has some of the richest roots in the entire automotive industry, as it started as a family business, and not just any family business, but one from the Bugatti family, which even before the success of the incredible automotive brand, was known for being full of artists. Ettore Bugatti was born into that family of artists and decided to venture toward bringing that artistry to cars and creating an entirely new legacy that would endure for generations as it has. To do that, he enlisted the help of his son, and today, Bugatti is one of the most revered names in the entire automotive industry throughout its history. MUST READ: 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport First Drive The final iteration of the Bugatti Chiron, the Chiron Sport L’Ébe, was inspired by Ettore’s oldest daughter, and its gold highlights throughout reference the exquisite beauty of the Art Deco era in which she lived. The customer who took delivery of the third and final Chiron Sport L’Ébe showed a similar passion for family to the one that the Bugatti brand has itself, as his brother was inspired to specify his own Bugatti Chiron Sport with the same gold accents to be paired with a body finished in red and black carbon fiber. Even after over a century, family is still one of Bugatti’s central values and part of what makes the brand as excellent as it is. View All Bugatti Chirons For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by BUGATTI (@bugatti) Source: Instagram/Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 06, 2022

The 1-Of-1 Bugatti La Voiture Noire Gets In On The Action...

One of the greatest automotive legends is seen in action. The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is one of the most expensive cars in the world, and that’s because the only way to describe it is “over the top.” Based on the Bugatti Chiron, it boasts the power of Bugatti’s W16 engine and the stunning hypercar performance, and craftsmanship that Bugatti is known for, and on top of that, it continues the story of one of the world’s most famous cars, let alone most famous Bugattis: Jean Bugatti’s own Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic that went missing since the Second World War. The La Voiture Noire, being a one-off Bugatti with all of this going for it, is an incredibly valuable and legendary car, and the opportunity to see it is nothing short of mythical. MUST READ: Bugatti’s High Demand Means Vehicles Are Sold Out Until “Well Into 2025” Those who bore witness to the incredibly prestigious Supercar Owners Club Tour in Croatia got to see the La Voiture Noire in action, as it underwent the same testing and quality assurance as any Bugatti does, and was driven with the rest of the cars on the tour for more than 600 miles throughout the most stunning driving roads in the country of Croatia. Joined by other rare and incredible Bugattis like the Centodieci, Chiron Super Sport 300+, and the Divo, the La Voiture Noire was in amazing company for a journey that is truly once-in-a-lifetime. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 01, 2022

Bugatti's High Demand Means Vehicles Are Sold Out Until "...

There’s no doubt that Bugattis sell as fast as they drive. Bugatti cars have always been sold at an incredibly steep price point. Still, with their exclusivity, innovation, luxury, style, speed, power, and personalization, they are incredibly popular cars. As a matter of fact, Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac says that the Bugatti brand is completely sold out of build slots well into 2025 and that he is confident the brand and group will be strong despite economically difficult times. The new Bugatti W16 Mistral Roadster, a final swan song for Bugatti’s legendary W16 engine which changed the hypercar world will only have 99 examples produced, and all of them have sold out for an incredible $5 million a piece. MUST READ: The Most Amazing Bugatti Fleet Comes Together At Passione Engadina In St. Moritz After the Mistral, Bugatti is set to begin a shift to hybrid and electric cars, especially since it joined forces with electric hypercar power player Rimac. Rimac’s Nevera, the 1,900-horsepower all-electric hypercar is also seeing strong U.S. orders, even with its $2.1 million price tag, and for the entire group, one of the biggest sources of growth and innovation is Rimac Technology, which expands EV research and development beyond personal vehicles and is exploring “robotaxis” to prepare for a world in which shared transportation becomes more common. In addition, Mate Rimac says that Bugatti Rimac will go public “at some point” after incredible amounts of private investment, but that the IPO could happen years from now. The future is bright for Bugatti Rimac, and the impacts of it might be bigger than they ever have been before. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: CNBC

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 30, 2022

The Most Amazing Bugatti Fleet Comes Together At Passione...

St. Moritz was paid a visit by an incredible fleet of Bugattis. One of the most desired and famous Swiss alpine destinations in the world is St. Moritz, and the luxury ski destination is also home to one of the world’s most exclusive automotive events, Passione Engadina. The event, which is in its 11th year, celebrates rare classics built as recently as 30 years ago in 1992. This year, Bugatti was the event’s featured brand, which caused Passione Engadina to look at the history of Ettore Bugatti and his family of artists in Milan, which raised him before he went to start his car company in France. MUST READ: New Bugatti W16 Mistral Revealed as a $5 Million Roadster Hypercar The special exhibition that Passione Engadina put together to celebrate Ettore Bugatti’s history was called “Pavilion Bugatti,” and what it showed were 13 cars, ranging all the way from the first Bugatti, the Type 1 Prinetti Stucchi, which was a motorized tricycle, all the way to the new Bolide, which will be delivered to customers starting 2024. The display was donated by Bugatti customers and was on display until August 28, and consisted of the Type 1, a Type 13, a Type 25 B, a Type 57 Atalante, a Type 55 Figoni, a Type 59 Sports, a Type 101 Antem, an EB110 Super Sport, a Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, a Chiron Super Sport 300+, a Divo, the La Voiture Noire, and the Bolide. Over 20,000 visitors got to witness the incredible lineup of Bugattis, and it chronicled over a century of history for one of the greatest names in the automotive world. View All Bugattis For Sale Source: Bugatti

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