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 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 Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 12, 2016

Who Wins? Two Bugatti Veyron Grand Sports Hit the Drag Strip

The guys at Gumbal had the opportunity to film not one, but two Bugatti Veyron Grand Sports in Germany while attending a supercar event. Supercars racing each other is definitely a highlight during events like these, but two Veyron Grand Sports pitted against each other is definitely a sight to see.(Also Watch - Pure Supercar Drag Races: Bugatti Veyron, Carrera GT and More)Though we don't know anything about what's under the hood of these two cars, the vehicles should be pretty well-matched, but again, we don't know what or if any mods have been made. From the video angle presented, it looks like the blue Bug might have a bit of a head start, but the 1/4 mile drag is nevertheless a sight to see.Check out the video below!Bugattis For Sale

By Edward Jones – July 08, 2016

Sound Off: Bugatti Chiron vs Pagani Huayra BC

Sure, France has moved past Italy in the EUFA Euro 2016 tournament, but can a French car sound better than an Italian? In a video from Drag Games we get the chance to hear the brand-new 2017 Bugatti Chiron rev-off against the also new 2017 Pagani Huayra BC in one video. When the Huayra BC revs, you're hearing a new titanium exhaust system that weighs only 6.4 lbs and ends in four tips. When the Chiron revs, you're hearing a titanium exhaust system complete with four pre-converters, two main catalytic converters and four tips. As for the engine that provides the force, the Huayra houses a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 12-cylinder, while the Chiron is home to an immense 8.0-liter W16 powerplant. Click play on the button below and let us know who you think sounded better. Pagani FOR SALE

By Edward Jones – April 13, 2016

Bugatti EB110 GT Revs and Accelerations: Better Than The ...

Years ago, in 1991 more specifically, Bugatti unveiled the EB110 exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's date of birth. It came with an unheard of quad-turbocharged 3.5-liter V12 that was capable of 552 hp, a 0-62 mph sprint in 3.2 seconds and top speed of 213 mph. It was a revolutionary car that put France on the supercar map.Now, well over a decade later, the EB110 is still one of the finest cars on the road. Due to the fact that most of us will never see one of these fine automobiles cruising, it's YouTubers like 19Bozzy92 that give us automotive enthusiasts a chance at witnessing the event. During a car meet in Italy, he spotted an EB110 GT revving for the crowd and accelerating pretty forcefully down the road.Watch the video below to see and hear the rare beast for yourself and let us know if you'd prefer this sound or the sound of the new Chiron's quad-turbocharged W16 engine.Bugattis For Sale

By Edward Jones – April 12, 2016

Black Bugatti Chiron Cold Start Up and Unloading

The monster that is the Bugatti Chiron is making its way around the globe, most recently the United States. But now, the Chiron has been spotted in the land of luxury: Monaco.Uploaded by WorldSupercars to YouTube today is a video showcasing the euphoric exhaust note that the Chiron carries. In the video we see and hear the Chiron taken off of a delivery truck at its destination. Once unloaded, it made its way into the showroom of a Bugatti dealership, along with a Carbon Blue Vitesse.Check out the sound of the car below and let me know what you think about its exhaust note when compared to the Veyron. Personally, I think this car sounds leagues better than the Veyron.Bugattis For Sale Bugatti Chiron For Sale

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