Celebrity Cars

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 – April 13, 2021

Behind the Scenes With Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and ...

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc make a great team. Last month, Ferrari put Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc behind the wheel of an SF90 Spider and SF90 Stradale and put them against each other at Imola. In a video published by Ferrari, the pair could be seen ripping the hybrid supercars around the famous track, going toe-to-toe. Now, Ferrari has released yet another video that takes us behind the scenes of the first video. In this new video, we get a little more personal with the duo and seeing their reactions to the car. Ferrari also showed off how some of the equipment that was used to make the video. For me, the most interesting bit was seeing inside the chase car that was used to follow the SF90s around the track. Click play up above to see the video for yourself and also click the button below to see all Ferraris listed for sale on duPontREGISTRY.com. See All Ferraris For Sale

By Edward Jones – April 12, 2021

David Beckham is Now a Maserati Brand Ambassador

Drive it like Bechkam. Most automakers have a lineup of brand ambassadors that typically consists of celebrities and athletes. Their role as "brand ambassador" is to be the face of the brand and bring awareness to their products. So, naturally, these brands want to bring in celebrities or athletes that have a large following. For Maserati, they have just hired an athlete/celebrity that is a true legend in the world of soccer: David Beckham. Paolo Tubito, Maserati Chief Marketing Officer, commented: “The Brand is moving forward, inaugurated a new Era. Maserati is driven to challenge the status quo being innovative by nature, powered by passion, and unique by design. The partnership with David is the embodiment of all these values.” Beckham had this to say regarding his new role: “It’s an exciting time for me to begin this partnership with Maserati; an iconic Italian brand which shares my appreciation for the very best innovation and design. I’m looking forward to working closely with the brand at such a pivotal time in their history and continuing their growth on a global scale.” In the video up above, you'll see Beckham's first appearance as brand ambassador, so be sure to click play. If he happened to talk you into a Maserati, click the button below to see what's for sale. See Maseratis For Sale Source: Maserati

By Edward Jones – April 07, 2021

Ian Poulter Rolls Up to the 2021 Masters in a Mercedes-Ma...

You have to roll up in style when it comes to The Masters. Professional golfer and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador Ian Poulter is getting ready for The Masters to start on April 8 through practice and a luxurious drive. The Mercedes-Benz USA Instagram account recently shared a photo of Poulter at the Augusta National Golf Course next to his ride for the tournament, a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600. This is a perfect choice for someone who is looking to get into the competitive mindset. Why? It's interior provides the driver with an incredibly comfortable atmosphere that's quiet and plush. This quiet space inside the luxury SUV allows athletes like Poulter to breathe easily and get rid of pressures from the outside. What's more, his muscles can get some relief in the driver's seat as he's able to pick through a wide-range of massage features that will ease tension before he tees off. There are many reasons as to why the GLS 600 is such a fantastic SUV. You should actually check out our recent article that looked at why the ultra-rich are buying the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600. See GLS 600s For Sale The 2021 Masters. Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador Ian Poulter during a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club. (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

By Andrew Nabors – April 06, 2021

Hot Ones x Ford Mustang Mach E 1400 & Vaughn Gittin Jr.

Can you handle the heat? Ford has a new electric race car that is literally the hottest Mustang ever offered. In order to give us a preview of what to expect, Sean Evans sat down at Hot Ones across from Vaughn Gittin, Jr. One of the most popular shows on YouTube, Sean subjects celebrities to the hottest sauces on Earth without breaking a sweat. There is a fine line between heat, taste, and pain, and the Mustang Mach E drifts across while you beg for mercy. Unfortunately, Ford won't offer the sauce or the car to the public because both are insane. The regular production Mach E GT offers 480 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque with a range of 235 miles. Our dealers are selling them as soon as they arrive, so click the button to learn more and stay with us for all your Mustang news. Browse Mustang Mach E For Sale Images (C) Ford

By Andrew Nabors – April 06, 2021

Tim Allen Shows Off His Growing Car Collection

Including the Impala SS that was too fast for GM Unlike Mr. Late Night, Mr. Allen has a smaller but more interesting garage. Thanks to the Petersen Museum, the Toolman shows us his growing celebrity car collection. Back in the 90s, GM didn't put any money into performance cars, so they subbed out SEMA builds to celebrities. Such was the case when Tim and his team built a pair of 96 Impalas. Borrowing power from the ZR1 Corvette, the 5.7 quad-cam was bored and stroked to 7-liters to give it consistent 12-second timeslips. The car was too fast for GM's bean counters at the time, but his collaborations led to Cadillac's renaissance. Aside from this centerpiece, a 66 Ferrari demands to be driven on a regular basis. He laments not driving it enough, something we can all relate to. It must be nice to have a Demon as a daily driver, every collection needs a '40 Ford, now on his 3rd build of the car, he bit the bullet and did a complete resto-rod from bumper to bumper. A Cab-Over with an early sleeper cab sits next to a Escort RS200. Tell us your favorite part of this collection in the comments below. Shop Exotic Cars For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 05, 2021

Jerry Seinfeld's 2016 GT3 RS Can Be Yours!

Amelia Island is a great place to find your next Porsche 911 The Bonham's auction back in 2016 made waves around the world. It is there that Jerry Seinfeld's incredible collection was opened to the highest bidder. He has decided to make more room, and his 2016 GT3 RS can be yours. Loaded with options you never knew of, Liquid Chrome Blue Metallic interrupts every conversation. Inside you are treated to contrast stitching, leather everywhere, navigation, and the PDK transmission. Officially rated at 520 horsepower, this car carried a sticker price of $449,890 from all the "Special Wishes" requested by the original owner. The 991 series went out on top, and this example has only been outside for 1,500 miles. Estimated to bring upwards of $330,000, you need a new centerpiece for your collection. Tell us your favorite celebrity car in the comments below! View Details Images (C) Bonham's

By Edward Jones – March 30, 2021

Check Out Kim Kardashian's Custom Cadillac Escalade

Kim Kardashian's latest ride is a lesson in class. The Cadillac Escalade is already a lavish and classy vehicle but the creation that Platinum Motorsport just unveiled is on another level. This Escalade Platinum ESV belongs to Kim Kardashian and has been given perfect touches by the company. For the exterior, KK Silver paint was picked for the finish which looks stunning. Joining the new finish are the new 26-inch wheels from Platinum Motorsports as well as a lowered ride. These touches complete the look of this Escalade and make it a true luxury SUV. Check it out for yourself in the gallery below shot by @paid2shoot. If you'd like an Escalade of your own, be sure to click the button below to view what's currently for sale. View Escalades For Sale Image Source: Instagram/@platinum_group + @paid2shoot

By Edward Jones – March 30, 2021

Kevin Hart Picked Up a "Mint" Corvette at Barrett-Jackson...

Kevin Hart is back at it again with yet another incredible addition to his collection. At the recent Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event, you may have spotted Kevin Hart roaming around with his crew. That crew happened to be the Plastic Cup Boyz and they've actually started their own car club. During their visit to the world-famous event, Hart picked up a new addition to his collection, a custom 1959 Corvette. While it may look untouched, aside from the wheels, it's actually been completely rebuilt with modern technology. That includes a new LT1 6.2-liter V8 engine, an Art Morrison C7 independent front suspension, fully adjustable ride height and Strange coil-overs. It's a fantastic build and perfect addition to Hart's collection. As for the Plastic Cup Boyz Car Club, you'll be able to see all of their antics on their upcoming show on the Motor Trend app. The Barrett-Jacksons Scottsdale 2021 event was full of momentous occasions, like the sale of the first Hummer EV that resulted in a seven-figure hammer price. See Kevin Harts Car Collection Source: Instagram/@kevinhart4real

By Andrew Nabors – March 24, 2021

will.i.am is Driven by Dreams in AMG Uncovered

It's a long way to the top in the entertainment industry, and the story of William Adams involves amazing cars along the way. This is the premiere of a new series by Mercedes-AMG where they will look at the dynamic personalities of their customers. As a founding member of the Black Eyed Peas, he could certainly afford to drive anything. But aside from his AMG GT, he has built several wild customs. Perhaps my most favorite so far has been a 2016 Tesla Model S Widebody, and you can see many of the others on his social media accounts. Tell us your favorite part of his collection in the comments and stay with us for all your celebrity car news. Shop Mercedes-Benz Image (C) Daimler A.G.

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By Jordan Aquistapace – March 18, 2021

Joe Rogan Talks About His Hennessey Velociraptor 600 On H...

Joe Rogan is commonly known for hosting The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most listened to podcasts in the world. As a true car enthusiast and collector, Joe occasionally mentions one of the many desirable vehicles in his collection, whether it be a performance-focused track car or a 4x4 set to tackle any terrain. In a recent Instagram post by Hennessy Performance Engineering, the team thanks Joe Rogan for mentioning how much he enjoys his Hennessey Velociraptor 600 during his interview with former CIA agent Mike Baker. The heavily modified Ford Raptor is equipped with an upgraded twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder, which delivers 600-bhp and a 4.2 second 0-60 time. On the topic of highly-modified vehicles, Joe explains that the Hennessey Ford Raptor was his first truck purchase and is best described as his “Texas Truck”. He then goes on to voice his disbelief behind the performance upgrades that Hennessey Performance is able to accomplish on project chassis like the 1,000-horsepower C8 Corvette. Check out The Joe Rogan Experience podcast featuring Mike Baker on Spotify. Joe Rogans Car Collection: Click Here

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