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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 Jordan Aquistapace – February 14, 2023

Watch Hennessey Performance Race The 682HP Cadillac Escal...

With both supercharged V8 platforms on completely stock settings, the result will surely surprise you. While the market for efficient EVs continues to make a push for the norm of everyday transportation, manufacturers like RAM and Cadillac are fighting back with new models that harness pure performance from V8 engines with forced induction. Since the release of the all-new Cadillac Escalade V, the horsepower professionals at Hennessey Performance picked up one of their very own to test it for future aftermarket upgrade testing. In their newest upload to Hennessey Performance YouTube, the team decides to go head-to-head in the Cadillac Escalade V versus the RAM 1500 TRX without any modifications. Although the TRX generates over 702 horsepower from a 6.2L Supercharged V8, the Escalade V proves to be no slouch with a 6.2L Supercharged V8 that makes 682 horsepower. MUST-READ: Watch Hennessey’s New 708-HP C8 Corvette On Track & Dyno With the RAM TRX taking victory from a dig, it's easy to see that Cadillac’s new 10-speed transmission may have enough hesitation to create an unwanted gap between the two. Even from a 20mph roll race, the full-size SUV fell short of the pickup with 133 pounds less weight in its favor. The Escalade V proved its worth on the track when the TRX gave it the slightest jump from the line, which resulted in a close sprint to the end of the finish line. Now that we understand the baseline performance for the new Cadillac Escalade V, we are more than excited to see what it will be capable of once upgraded by Hennessey Performance. View all Hennessey Performance inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Hennessey Performance Inventory Source: Hennessey Performance

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 23, 2023

The New Hennessey Performance 'H650' Package Upgrades The...

The 'H650' engine and exhaust package boost V8 power from 420 to 650 horsepower, a 55 percent increase. Always evolving its performance lineup with the automotive industry’s latest and greatest reveals, Hennessey continues to release new comprehensive upgrades for the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon. Setting its eyes on the new Cadillac Escalade and its popular 6.2-liter V8 (L87 EcoTec3) engine, Hennessey Performance is pleased to debut its H650 Package for the ultra-luxury American SUV. The H650 kit includes a 2.9-liter supercharger, intercooler, upgraded pushrods, enhanced engine management, and a stainless-steel cat-back exhaust system.' MUST-READ: Watch Rafa Martinez Take Delivery Of His 1-of-1 Bespoke Hennessey Venom F5 The Texas-based high-performance vehicle creator takes the Cadillac Escalade’s factory 420 horsepower output and increases it to an impressive 650 horsepower. Fitting the Escalade with forced induction allows for a 658 lb-ft torque figure, which achieves a 0-60mph sprint in just 5.3 seconds. Although the performance of the 6.2-liter V8 is altered, Hennessey’s engineers retain all the legendary ride and drivability of the stock SUVs, leaving suspension modes, drive modes, and all-wheel drive modes unaltered. Each upgraded ‘H650’ is fitted with a serial-numbered engine plaque backed by Hennessey’s comprehensive 3-year / 36,000-mile limited warranty. The all-new Hennessey ‘H650’ upgrade is currently available for order through authorized GM retailers for $27,950. View all current Hennessey Performance inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View Hennessey Performance Inventory Source: Hennessey Performance

By Andrew Nabors – January 25, 2021

Hennessey HPE1000 Cadillac CTS-V Screams When Provoked

Superchargers make their presence known by more torque at any RPM, but the Hennessey HPE1000 Cadillac CTS-V screams when provoked. When the 3rd-generation V-Series arrived in 2015, John and his team created a comprehensive series of upgrades. Starting with their 3-liter blower, the cam specs are closely guarded. Ported heads, full stainless exhaust, and a new cooling system allow them to back each car with a 2-year/24k warranty. Miles of street tuning allows it to offer 1,000 horsepower and 966 lb-ft of torque on Shell 93 octane, so click the button to learn more. Learn More If you missed it, our friends at Elder Ford have a 2020 Hennessey HPE 800 Heritage Mustang for sale Image (C) Hennessey Performance Engineering

By Andrew Nabors – February 24, 2020

Hennessey HPE850 Cadillac CTS-V is a Perfect Daily Driver

Eight years ago we gathered around the proofing table to look for any final errors before the World's Greatest Car Magazine went to print. I saw a black Cadillac listed with a V8 & manual transmission for $15,000. I called the owner and asked why the price was so low, and it was a divorce sale! I hated to low-ball the gentleman, but he didn't care. It was the perfect Cadillac CTS-V for sale. I never considered driving a Cadillac until I paid him, and I have never looked back. Since then, it has only required a differential brace and regular fluid changes. The moral of this anecdote is that the harder you drive, the more you are rewarded, and it has been the most reliable car I have owned. Sure you could get it to 1,000 horsepower and still be reliable, but you will need new rear tires every other week. That is why the Hennessey HPE850 Cadillac CTS-V is a perfect daily driver. 2017 Cadillac CTS-V Review, Specs, and Pics To make 850 horsepower, their master technicians install ported heads, a new cam, lifters, valvetrain, and a supercharger pulley. Because the stock fuel pump and blower are potent, the only other upgrade is a larger heat exchanger for the intercoolers. Without the optional H10 monoblock wheels, it could pass for a stock V to many average enthusiasts. After remapping the transmission points and firmness, this beast will cruise on happily on premium fuel for years. Yes, even our unfortunate states where 91 is the highest octane offered can enjoy the HPE850. It is available for 2016 to 2020 cars, so call John and his team at 979-385-1300, or click the link below for more information. View Hennessey Cars For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – September 04, 2015

2016 Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V For Sale

Our friend John Hennessey is not content to leave any car in its original form. That’s why he unleashed his engineers on the already potent third generation of the Cadillac CTS-V. One of the primary ways to add more power to any engine is to move more air, so first to be installed is a new supercharger pulley that spins the blower faster than before. Since this generates exponentially more heat, a larger air-to-water heat exchanger is installed behind the grille. Equally larger intercoolers are placed in the intake for a chilly shot of air to the back of the valves. Speaking of those valves, they are dancing to a new beat thanks to a proprietary camshaft design. The specs of this cam are more guarded than the recipe to Coca-Cola, because it takes many hours of computer modeling and several prototypes to lock down the final design. Ported cylinder heads and a custom engine calibration complete the package that dynos at 800 bhp. Of course, the package includes a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty along with serialized dash and engine plaques. If you need lessons on how to handle the power, John is always willing to teach you a few new tricks. If a basic CTS-V just won't cut your need for high horsepower, then check out the listing on our website to learn how you can make the 2016 Hennessey Cadillac yours. Hennessey Car Brand Inventory

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