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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 Edward Jones – July 19, 2019

Vin Diesel's "Fast" Friends Surprise Him With Muscle Car ...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0EYfVGlIWG/ Vin Diesel has been part of the "Fast and Furious" family for well over a decade. Heck, he was there when it all started. Because of the closeness between everyone in the films, they go all out when it comes to special occasions. For Vin Diesel's birthday, for example, they got him a wicked muscle car as a surprise gift. The muscle car he was given was actually Speedkore's Tantrum, a custom 1970 Dodge Charger. Powering this beast is a twin-turbo Mercury Racing V8 engine that puts out 1650 horsepower on race fuel and 1350 hp with standard fuel. And yes, it has a six-speed manual gearbox. Its exterior is made entirely from SpeedKore carbon fiber parts, while the inside has custom leather and Alcantara upholstery. It's truly menacing, just like Kevin Hart's SpeedKore "Menace". see all dodge chargers for sale https://www.instagram.com/p/B0GbfTTFJuZ/

By Edward Jones – July 17, 2019

Jason Statham Rides to 'Hobbs and Shaw' Premiere in McLar...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0AuQlRnOu8/ The film 'Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw' is set to release to theaters on August 2, 2019, bringing tons of action along with it. For the premiere of the film, one of the stars, Jason Statham, rolled up in a McLaren 720S. Mclaren Automotive shared a shot of Statham posted up in front of the supercar on their Instagram account (see above). Why a 720S? Because it's also one of the stars in the film. In both of the trailers released for 'Hobbs & Shaw', the 720S can be seen whipping around and being driven like mad. You can check out the trailer down below to see it for yourself. Get ready for the release of the film. It's sure to be a wild ride! see all mclaren 720s for sale

By Edward Jones – July 08, 2019

Kevin Hart's New Muscle Car is Mean

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqcOr3hM2M/ SpeedKore has just shown off Kevin Hart's latest addition to his car collection and it's a beast. Well, it's actually a menace. Okay, so its name is actually "Menace." However, Menace is all based a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, but it is definitely menacing. This custom muscle car for sale is powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger attached. SpeedKore notes on their website that this setup produces a mean 720 horsepower. Brutal. As for everything else, it has carbon fiber exterior components, custom "Lakeshore Blue" PPG paint, custom dashboard, custom leather interior and a lot more. Seriously, this is an absolute beauty. MUST SEE: Kevin Harts Car Collection

By Edward Jones – July 05, 2019

'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' Season 11 Trailer Rele...

The eleventh season of 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' now has a new trailer showing off what's to come in the upcoming episodes. It all starts with Jerry Seinfeld calling out the shows that have copied his style, which is apparently is a lot of shows. But then, the trailer gets into the goods. In the upcoming season, there will be a long list of celebs joining Seinfeld for coffee, including Seth Rogen, Ricky Gervais, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Matthew Broderick, and more. Cars that we will be seeing will be very varied. The Porsche Carrera GT, Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Volkswagen Thing and more have been chosen to be the cars for this season. Check out the trailer above and get ready for the season to drop on July 19, 2019 on Netflix.

By Edward Jones – July 03, 2019

Mad Mike's New Lamborghini Drift Car Takes On Kamaz Truck

In the world of drifting, there are some absolutely out of this world creations. Some of these drifters take cars and completely reinvent them so that can be properly slid around corners. One such drifter is Mad Mike, who just showed off his latest drift creation in a video from Red Bull. The creation? A Lamborghini Huracan that's unlike any other you've seen before. The video itself is quite cheeky, involving a race between Mad Mike in the Huracan and Eduard Nikolaev in a Kamaz Truck built for the Dakar Rally. Their finish line? The Goodwood Festival of Speed parking lot. © Patrik Lundin / Red Bull Content Pool Their entire trek to the parking lot involves drifting, speeding, racing and the truck even jumps over the Huracan at one point. It's worth the watch for sure. © Patrik Lundin / Red Bull Content Pool Archie Hamilton, who made an appearance in the video, also posted a video that gives us a deep look into the Huracan thanks to Mad Mike himself. Mad Mike talks all about the car, like how it's paint (not wrapped), he only drove it five laps before shooting the video, how they adjusted steering for drifting, its suspension, its engine and more. Surprisingly enough, this Huracan remains naturally aspirated. That being said, Mad Mike notes that they will be able to push out 900 horsepower out of it after its upcoming tuning session. Check this video out down below. See All Lamborghinis For Sale

By Edward Jones – July 02, 2019

What It's Like to Have Justin Bieber Get Arrested in Your...

All the way back in 2014, Justin Bieber was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence and careless driving. When it happened, the internet went abuzz and every celebrity gossip website was talking about the incident. It was a lot. While the event was a big deal for Bieber, it was also an ordeal for our friend John Temerian, who owns Curated. You see, John used to run LouLaVie, an exotic car rental company in Miami, Florida. It was because of this that he was involved with the Bieber situation. Speaking more specifically, it was his cars that Bieber and crew were driving: a Lamborghini LP 550-2 Gallardo Spyder and Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M. You can imagine that John had to go through quite a bit of trouble to get his cars back after being impounded but it all actually worked out in his favor. I mean, his company's name was everywhere because of Bieber's arrest. John went to VINwiki's headquarters to tell the story of how he got involved in Bieber's arrest. Check it out above and be sure to check out his inventory of cars by clicking the link below. view curated's inventory Image Via " rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube Screenshot

By Edward Jones – July 01, 2019

Aston Martin Shines in New "Bond 25" Teaser Images

https://twitter.com/007/status/1145424895142240257 A new James Bond film is on its way. Its name is still unknown, so the film is being regarded as "Bond 25." What's also been unknown is what cars Daniel Craig will be driving in the upcoming film. Thanks to a new slew of social media images from the official James Bond Twitter account, we now have a glimpse of Bond's automobiles of choice for the new film. Well, we know one of the cars that will be featured: an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. This model also showed up in the 1987 Bond film "The Living Daylights." It's a perfect classic car for the classic spy to be driving. However, there's also word that Bond will get behind the wheel of the new Valhalla supercar in the film. I guess we will just have to wait and see! "Bond 25" will release on April 8, 2020. See All Aston Martins For Sale https://twitter.com/007/status/1145353418803834880 Source: Twitter/@007

By Edward Jones – June 13, 2019

Ken Block and Idris Elba Are Making a New Car Show

https://www.instagram.com/p/Byp-h4QhcIt/ Ken Block is an accomplished driver that has built an empire around his ridiculous driving. From Gymkhana to his rally racing successes, he's done it all. Idris Elba is an accomplished actor that has built an empire around his amazing acting and gentlemanly demeanor. He's also an automotive aficionado that has an obsession for cars. What do these two men have in common? The love for cars. This love for the automobile has blossomed into a new show, announced by Ken Block on his Instagram, called "Elba vs. Block." Block notes in the description of his Instagram post that the new episodic series will involve the two going head-to-head in "vehicular challenges." The two have been filming in the United Kingdom for over a week now, putting on what I can only imagine is one heck of an entertaining show. Expect "Elba vs. Block" to hit Quibli in April 2020. Also Check Out: Ken Block Unveils New Raptor Powered Supra Boat Hoonigan & SVC Unveil Ken Block’s new Raptor Ken Block Previews Gymkhana 10 in his 1977 F-150 Hoonitruck

By Edward Jones – June 11, 2019

Porsche 911 GT2 of Jan Koum, Co-Founder of WhatsApp

Jan Koum co-founded WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, and sold it for a reported $19 billion. At the time of purchase, this was Facebook's largest acquisition ever and one of the largest of its kind, ever. This has afforded Koum the luxury of pursuing his passion for cars. According to Frank Troche, a Porsche aficionado, in a recent article from Porsche, Kaum's collection involves around 100 cars. This includes his prized 993 911 GT2. Kaum's 911 GT2 is one of just 194 examples that were ever created. What's more, it's the only 993 GT2 that was delivered in the Arena Red Metallic paint. After seeing the paint in the images, I wish there were more than just one. View All Porsche 911 GT3 For Sale Porsche's article also goes on to note how Walter Röhrl, the rally racing legend, has a "life-long free pass to take any of Koum's sizeable fleet out for a spin." This pass was given after Troche gave Kaum an amazing birthday present: a day driving around with Röhrl behind the wheel. Kaum was so impressed by Röhrl's precise driving that he gave him special permission when it came to his collection. Letting your friends drive your cars may be scary, but I can't imagine you'd have anything to worry about if someone like Röhrl is behind the wheel. See All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche Newsroom

By Edward Jones – June 10, 2019

Coldplay Bassist, Guy Berryman, And His Beautiful Classic...

Guy Berryman, the bassist for Coldplay, started loving the Porsche 911 back when he saw Steve McQueen driving one in "Le Mans" (1971). We learn this tidbit of info in a new video from Porsche, where Berryman talks about his classic 1967 Porsche 911 S. The 911S came into the world as a more powerful example of Porsche's air-cooled sports car. How much power did it have? A whopping 160 horsepower. Okay, so that doesn't sound like a lot but it had an extra 30 horsepower than the first 911 models. All Porsche 911 GT2 RS for Sale In the video up above, Berryman talks about how he just had to have a 911 in his collection and he picked a winner. If you're going to have a 911 in your collection, a classic one is a perfect way to go. Berryman would agree, saying that his model is the "first iteration, the first design of the 911." He then goes on to say it's "very pure in its form." Also, Be sure to check out Guy Berryman's car collection. View All Porsche 911s For Sale

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