Cars &amp; Coffee

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 Edward Jones – November 23, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: November 2016

Another month, another amazing duPont REGISTRY Cars and Coffee event. For this month, we had a tremendous showing of cars and guests, including a few surprise guests.Showing up with an unbelievable setup at our headquarters was Vossen Wheels. With their four cars, including a drop-dead gorgeous Audi R8, and a few customer cars, Vossen Wheels were definitely the most popular wheels at the show.(Related - Nashville International Auto Show 2016 Recap) We'd also like to thank our local dealers who showed up: Crown Eurocars, Eurocycles, Mercedes-Benz of Tampa Bay, and Reeves Import Motorcars.Providing shade for guests was the massive MRAP vehicle that was owned by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Seriously, this truck is absolutely massive. This was, unfortunately, the last time we'd be seeing the truck, as they will be getting a replacement vehicle that's more modern. Photo by Jonathan FussBut, the star of our event had to be the Richard Petty #43 cars. They were driven to our event by the owner and he even started them up for the crowd. To say they were loud would be an understatement; they were as loud as rockets! What made the cars' appearance even more special was the trunk-load of toys they brought for our Toys for Tots collection.You can check out the views of the event through the eyes of the many photographers that showed up in the galleries below.Mike Nicholls Big Buckwheat Cars and Coffee time!Posted by duPont REGISTRY on Saturday, November 19, 2016

By Andrew Nabors – October 21, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: October 2016

All Hallows Eve is rapidly approaching, which usually means an end to Florida's daily rain. But the weather was not in our favor last weekend when it started pouring just as the last cars were parked. Instead of us looking at the cars of our fans, everyone ran inside our showroom and next door at BLVD customs. A few convertibles who left their tops at home decided to speed away once the rain arrived, so it allowed more for spaces for our more loyal readers. Some of the more notable attendees were two wild Jeeps from Bruiser Conversions, a new Maserati Levante. Our hardworking volunteer Frank Pinto arrived in a vintage Crosley tractor-trailer, which made for great discussions on economies of scale. A big thanks to Dimmitt, Reeves, Euro Cycles, and Sheriff Gaultieri for making it a great show.Buddy Brew stayed open through the downpour, since their breakfast is hard to beat and rain couldn't stop guests from picking up a cup of their coffee. Once the rain ended, we had three lots of wet cars that offered unique opportunities for our photographers. Some rides can pull off the wet look better than others, and some owners were in disbelief over having to wash their cars again. Weather is a great test of endurance and it levels the playing field when it comes to judging. So take a look at the photos below and tell us which glistening ride gets your approval. See you next month!Steve Sloman Shoen Tripp Third Axis Mike Nicholls

By Andrew Nabors – September 19, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Davis Island Cars & Coffee: September 2016

Our monthly Cars and Coffee event is always a fun and exhilarating way to start a Saturday. If you stayed home Saturday morning, you missed something amazing. The show takes place every third Saturday, rain or shine, and this month, we decided to break away from our regular location in St. Petersburg at the duPont Registry HQ and take our event out into the community. It took a few months to choose the perfect spot in the Tampa Bay Area and we were thrilled to announce Tampa's Aviation Authority opened the gates of their oldest field for an unprecedented event: Peter O. Knight Airport.Located on the southern end of the Davis Islands, Peter O. Knight Airport was Tampa's main terminal from 1933 to 1945. We thought it would provide ample space for our regular attendees. As we arrived at 5 am cars were already in line waiting to join the show. Buddy Brew was first in with much welcomed coffee and breakfast. Cheerleaders from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers arrived on their party bus to promote the fall season, and PDQ began preparing for brunch. Our local sponsors, Reeves Import Motorcars, Dimmitt, Mercedes-Benz of Tampa, Ferrari of Tampa Bay, Jaguar of Tampa, and Producer's Realty Corp, showed their support and helped us set up the show. Presenting sponsor BMO Harris Bank offered a VIP pavilion with hors d'oeuvres and refreshments. SeaVee Boats took the opportunity to showcase their latest center console powered by Mercury's new 400 horsepower Verado R. BLVD Customs arrived with the latest in Focal Audio in their latest builds. Cycle Springs offered two-wheeled entertainment with a host of Suzuki & Kawasaki bikes. For those needing Italian inspiration, Ducati was represented by Euro Cycles.At first we weren't too sure about the turnout because of the new location, but I was witness to a line of waiting supercars that spanned over a mile long. The show officially started at 7 am, but the traffic jam did not dissipate until after 10:30. We packed in as many cars as we could, but sadly we had to park hundreds of late arrivals on the grass along the fence. (Early bird gets the worm!)Friday morning our esteemed publisher appealed to the motoring masses with an interview on WTSP Channel 10 News. Along with an extensive local promotion campaign, it helped make this show one for the record books. We hope everyone had a great time, and if you have any ideas on how we can improve on it, please let us know in the comments below. Stay with us for info on our fall events.Evan Lewis Michael Bartley PhotographMike NichollsToby Edwards Photography

By Andrew Nabors – August 26, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: August 2016

Record setting temperatures couldn't keep the crowds away last weekend. Even with humidity hovering around 85%, our parking lot was full by 7 am. We had to turn away several supercars, so our apologies to those who couldn't find an open spot. First in was Buddy Brew, and we are thankful for their tasty breakfast and gourmet coffee. Sheriff Gaultieri arrived in an armored SWAT transport truck, so we let him take the prime real estate at the main entrance.Ferrari of Tampa Bay brought two flavors of the new 488, showcasing the different options for color and wheels. To promote their upcoming season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set up their party bus for the ultimate in early morning tailgating. Several attendees mentioned the quality of cars was almost unprecedented. A late model Porsche 911 Turbo S could be seen next to a Viper ACR. The Corsa America Rally wrapped a Lamborghini and they seem to recruit new members each month. We couldn't do these shows without the support of our local dealers, so please consider Mercedes-Benz of Tampa, Reeves Import Motorcars, Dimmitt Automotive and Eurocycles for your next purchase.As a reminder, next month's Cars & Coffee will held at Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Island. Stay tuned to Facebook for updates, because it will be one for the record books. Tell us who took the best photos in the comments below C12 Productions Michael Paramore Tim Bright

By Andrew Nabors – July 20, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Cars and Coffee: July 2016

Summer on the west coast of Florida can be a wonderful time, to test the limits of your radiator. Our regular attendees arrived early Saturday morning, and it was easy to identify which cars had A/C. For the hardcore muscle cars, their decision to remove all pleasantries in the name of acceleration left them sweat stained by 6 am. The west lot was filled with classics and late model muscle, with rarities including a 1989 Turbo Trans-Am along with a bright yellow Plymouth Superbird. Ford GT's need ample room to open their doors, so we parked him on the corner to facilitate ease of entry. By Matt LongBuddy Brew arrived before we did, and offered several iced coffee creations along with breakfast options. As always we want to thank our local dealers including Reeves Imports, Dimmitt Cadillac, McLaren Tampa Bay, Roush Performance, Vanderhall Motor Works, Mercedes of Tampa Bay, EuroCycles and Elder Ford. And thank you to our fans who brave the year's hottest temperatures to join us for a morning of cars & camaraderie.By Bruce Clem Mike Nicholls See you next month!

By Andrew Nabors – June 27, 2016

Cars & Coffee Recap: June 2016

For most of us, Cars & Coffee in June is cause for celebration. Only 3 days before the Summer Solstice, we arrived at 5 am to take advantage of the extra sunlight. In typical summer fashion, humidity was at 100% thanks to a cool front the night before. This made for a brief but torrential rain around the bay area. That didn't stop our fans, both of our lots were packed, with attendees occupying our neighbors at Bic Graphic.Buddy Brew was open for business as the first cars rolled in, and their breakfast menu should be on your bucket list. Roush made a loud arrival with a new Stage III Mustang. Alfa Romeo-Maserati of St Petersburg brought 2 new 4C coupes to alert every one of their grand opening celebration, and Dimmitt Cadillac arrived in a customized ATS-V. We are thankful for all of our supporting dealers, such as Mercedes of Tampa Bay, Reeves Import Motorcars, McLaren Tampa Bay and Lincoln Land.Since Teslas can float, they brought out the entire club. One particular Model S happened to have the same color changing paint scheme as a customized McLaren 570S, so Mr. duPont had them face off for a photo op. Thank you to our local photographers for waking up early, we will see you next month!Mike Nicholls Michael Melone Eric Henning

By Edward Jones – February 26, 2016

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee – February 2016

This past weekend, our February 2016 edition of the duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee took place, bringing hundreds of fine automobiles to our headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida.Among the cars, including a very special DeLorean that was set for the future, were some of our local clients. This included Dimmitt Automotive Group, Crown Eurocars, Lincoln Land, Quality Boats and Reeves Imports.Check out the images above, by Laurie Goossens of InfinityImages.Photos, to see what our Cars & Coffee event is all about.

By Edward Jones – December 01, 2015

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee - November 2015

Every month we have a great showing of cars at our Cars & Coffee event, but the cooler months definitely draw out the large crowds. Example #1: our recent November edition of our Cars & Coffee.Cars started showing up at around 5:50 a.m., before the sun even thought about creeping up. As the cars rolled in, our lots were bring filled with exquisite models from just about every automotive manufacturer.There were bright cars, like the Ferrari and Lexus shown in the gallery below and some more interesting vehicles, like Pinellas County Sheriff's Office's robot. And, whether you were looking for classics, or modern cars, we had 'em all.Along with the individual car owners, quite a few local businesses showed up, including luxury dealerships and even the local Sherrif's Office.Dimmitt Auto Group | Mercedes Benz of Tampa Reeves Import Motorcars | Lincoln Land Pinellas County Sherrif's Office As with all of our Cars & Coffee events, admission is free for all and anyone can show off their car (as long as you show up bright and early). There's always fresh coffee, donuts, free magazines and hundreds of like-minded automotive enthusiasts. So, if you happen to be near St. Petersburg on the third Saturday of the month, stop by. The show typically runs from 6-8 am, with some staying later. Our headquarters is located at 3051 Tech Drive St. Petersburg, Florida 33716. Questions? Call us at (727)573-9339. Now, it's time for my favorite part. Below are photos from local photographer's that they sent in. Check them out to see what our Cars & Coffee event is all about. Rory Mad Studios Jonathan Fuss Autofluence

By Edward Jones – October 21, 2015

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee - October 2015

The cool Florida mornings have finally arrived for our Cars & Coffee event this month, making the gathering more enjoyable than ever. Guests from all around the state woke up extra early to catch the crisp morning air, packing up our lots before the clock hit 7 am.There were cars of all makes, models and years in attendance; whether you're a fan of classics or exotics, there was something for you. Lamborghinis, Ferrari, Porsches, Rolls-Royces, you know it, they were there. In a fitting Sunshine State manner, we had more than a handful of bright orange vehicles show up, including a Bentley Continental GTC, Lexus RC F, McLaren 12C Spider and two Dodge Vipers.Guests were able to peruse through the fine selection of automobiles, drink coffee, eat donuts and enjoy the company other like-minded automotive enthusiasts. Once again, we want to thank these guests for making these Cars & Coffee events possible. Without them, it wouldn't be possible.Attendees of this event included the area’s finest dealerships and car clubs as well as the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department. Guests included:Fields Motorcars | Dimmitt Auto Group | Mercedes Benz of Tampa First Class Detailing| Reeves Import Motorcars | Crown Automotive Group Ferrari of Tampa Bay | Lamborghini Sarasota| The Firm Rally School | Volcan 4x4 Gallery by Christopher Brut Gallery by Michael White Gallery by Curtis Crowder Gallery by Joshua Chmil Gallery by Autofluence

By Caitlin Duffy – September 23, 2015

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee - September 2015

Long before the sun cracked through a low layer of clouds, when much of Tampa Bay was still sound asleep, a massive crowd gathered in the parking lots surrounding our St. Petersburg headquarters, kicking off what became one of our largest Cars & Coffee events to date.The main lots were full up well before our 7 am start time, and the overflow lot next door reached capacity by 7:10. Full families and groups of friends walked among them all, coffees in hand, as some of the world’s rarest and most beautiful vehicles sat on display. Inside the showroom, the cover was lifted on the Aston Martin One-77; outside of the building, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Aston Martins and more caught the glow of the rising sun.Attendees of this event included the area’s finest dealerships and car clubs as well as the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department, with a massive SWAT MRAP vehicle, motorcycle and jeep. Other guests included:Fields Motorcars | Dimmitt Auto Group | Mercedes Benz of Tampa First Class Detailing| Reeves Import Motorcars | Crown Automotive Group Ferrari of Tampa Bay | Lamborghini Sarasota| MAZ Exotics Lexus of Tampa Bay | Superior Custom Classics | Just Toys Classic Cars Lincoln Land | Tuning DynamicsTake a moment to enjoy the photos from this month's Cars & Coffee event, and be sure to mark you calendars for October 17, and join us at our headquarters from 7 am to 9 am.Submission from Paul Ziegler, Car Camera Story Submissions from Jonathan Fuss Gallery by Tanner Bordonaro Gallery by Curtis Crowder Gallery by Anthony Stuart's Photography Gallery by Mike Singson, Third Axis Media Gallery by Michael White, RoryMad Studios Gallery by Joshua Chmil Gallery by Nicholas James, Thru My Eyes Photography Gallery by Autofluence

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