Cadillac

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 Tyler Rampersaud – June 22, 2022

Cadillac Teases The New All-Electric CELESTIQ Show Car

The CELESTIQ shows how Cadillac plans to build on 120 years of American automotive luxury. The Cadillac CELESTIQ show car, which is set to debut in late July, is a concept that shows off what the future of Cadillac is going to look like. Being a purveyor of American luxury in the automotive world for 120 years, Cadillac has always been at the forefront of the States’ take on what a luxury car should be: what it should look like, how it should feel, how it should drive, and what message it should send out. The CELESTIQ is an all-electric car with features that evolve the concept of luxury, like separate smart glass roof panels allowing each passenger to adjust their level of roof transparency, and over 100 3D-printed components. MUST READ: Cadillac’s New Project GTP Race Car Will Compete For A 24 Hours Of Le Mans Win A new set of images of the CELESTIQ show a daring new approach to American luxury, with a focus on the vast and inviting interior and a more striking evolution of Cadillac’s signature angular design language than we’ve seen before. While the new images still don’t reveal the full car, we can already tell that this is a Cadillac through and through, staying true to the brand’s uncompromising luxury while bringing it to the future. View All Cadillacs For Sale Source: Cadillac

By Christopher Smith – February 11, 2022

Cadillac Teases New GTP Prototype That Will Race At Le Ma...

This article was originally published on Motor1.com. It's called the Project GTP Race Car and will be co-developed with Dallara. Cadillac isn't unfamiliar with the racing scene. The brand has a presence in IMSA, having won the WeatherTech DPi Manufacturer Championship in 2021. The company is defending its title for 2022 while also looking ahead to more lofty goals. To get there, a new car race car is needed and we're getting a glimpse of that now. Say hello to Project GTP. Partly, anyway. These two teaser photos represent our first look at Cadillac's next race car, utilizing a hybrid system for competition in the new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) category. The car is being developed by Cadillac Racing and Design, with race car manufacturer Dallara also on board for the project. The luxury brand isn't ready to offer details on the car regarding its powertrain, save that a new Cadillac engine package will fuse with the GTP common hybrid system. Image Source: Cadillac What we do know is that Cadillac intends to compete with this car at the granddaddy of all endurance races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That's on the docket for 2023, but before that happens, this fourth-generation Cadillac prototype will make its racing debut at the 2023 Rolex 24 of Daytona to kick off the season. "While the new race car will take into account IMSA and ACO regulations, Cadillac’s brand characteristics will be instantly recognizable, many of which are seen on our V-Series vehicles today," said Chris Mikalauskas, lead exterior creative designer for Cadillac. "It will artistically combine form and function to influence the development of the forthcoming race car. Elements of Cadillac's brand DNA, such as vertical lighting and floating blades, will be present throughout." From the teasers images, we can see some resemblance to Cadillac's current Daytona Prototype that won last year's championship. Project GTP looks edgier, but we'll get the full picture later this year when Cadillac officially debuts the new car. Provided everything goes to plan, Project GTP will mark Cadillac's return to Le Mans after a 21-year absence. Source: Cadillac

By Edward Jones – August 19, 2016

Cadillac Escala Concept Revealed, Shows Future Design

Cadillac has released images and information on their new Escala Concept, a new vehicle that shows what's to come from the American luxury automaker. The concept officially debuts tonight in California and will give guests a chance to see what's to come from Cadillac.“Escala is a concept with two clear objectives,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Global Cadillac. “First, Escala is a statement of intent for the next iteration of the Cadillac design language, and also technical concepts in development for future Cadillac models. Secondly, Escala builds Cadillac’s aspirational character, signaling the brand’s return to the pinnacle of premium.”(Related: In the Driver's Seat: 2016 Cadillac CTS-V Review) The name Escala does not come as a shortened version of the SUV, but it's actually Spanish for "scale." Why would they name a concept car scale? It's because it's a "concept for a larger, more elite and expressive companion to the recently launched 2016 Cadillac CT6." Having spent a week with the CT6, I can tell you that it provides one heck of a luxurious drive. Massaging seats? Yes, please. Cadillac’s Escala concept previews craftsmanship and technical ideas in development for future models.Cadillac notes that the new design cues will start appearing on production models very soon. The most noted cue would have to be the new vertical lightning, which are now thinner and set deeper within the front fascia. Inside, the interior houses two different zones. In the front is an area dedicated to technology, while the rear is a haven of luxury. Cadillac’s Escala concept previews craftsmanship and technical ideas in development for future models.As for power, the Escala uses a new 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. This powertrain is a prototype for a new system to be used in future Cadillac models.View All Cadillacs For Sale The Escala Concept introduces the next evolution of Cadillac design.

2013-Cadillac-Elmiraj-Concept-001-medium

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – August 17, 2016

Cadillac Brings New Concept to Monterey

Monterey Car Week, one of the biggest automotive events to date, is ripe with exclusive auctions, unveilings and appearances by some of our favorite brands. This year, Cadillac is joining the ranks and plans to unveil their new concept vehicle. While not much has been revealed yet, the automaker states the concept, "will feature an array of curved OLED screens."(Related: McLaren 570GT by MSO Concept Debut at Pebble Beach)Cadillac hasn't been very active with concept cars since the Elmiraj (pictured above and below) in 2013, so we're definitely excited to see what they've come up with. Curiosity piqued? Ours too. Look out for more information as details are revealed!View All Cadillacs For Sale

Cadillac

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe