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 – August 28, 2017

Dwayne Wade Teaches Son to Drive in Ferrari

Dwayne Wade of the Chicago Bulls is enjoying his off-season with his son by teaching him one of life's biggest lessons: how to drive.In a series of Snapchat clips, uploaded to the Basketball Hoops YouTube channel, Wade is seeing teaching his son how to drive in his new Ferrari GTC4Lusso. Learning to drive in a car at a young age is scary enough, but learning in a Ferrari is on another level. At the learning driver's foot is the ability to tap into the GTC4Lusso's massive V12 engine, capable of a hearty 680 horsepower and 514 lb-ft of torque. If he wanted to, he could rocket from a standstill to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. Thankfully, he didn'. He actually drove well enough for his pops to hop out and let him drive up the driveway by himself. Not bad.The Rock Buys His Dad a New Ford Explorer for Christmas

By Edward Jones – August 25, 2017

Floyd Mayweather Calls Out Conor McGregor With Lamborghin...

The big fight is about to happen and the trash talking is still in full force. In episode two of the "Mayweather vs McGregor Embedded" series, Mayweather called out McGregor for "renting" a Lamborghini. Best of all, he did this in his 1996 Mercedes-Benz S600.To push the talk even further, mentioned in a recent video uploaded by FightHype.com that he owns the Lamborghini he drives and the Rolls-Royce his son drives. Did he mention ownership as a jab towards McGregor? More than likely.(Call out is around 7:40)But is McGregor really renting the bright green Lamborghini Huracan he's been driving around in? After checking out his Instagram account, he's posted the car as far back as July 21 and he's also posted another Huracan with European license places, likely kept at his home in Ireland. I can't say for sure he's not renting the car while he's over here for the fight, but it's safe to say he's not shy from purchasing supercars and luxury cars (Conor McGregor's Car Collection). Also, with being in the United States for so long while he trains for the fight, it would make sense that he rented a supercar to cruise in for his stay in the states.

By Edward Jones – August 24, 2017

Deadmau5 Buys a New McLaren 720S Supercar

Famous music producer Deadmau5 has unveiled on his Instagram page that he has purchased a new McLaren 720S for his garage in Canada. His 720S purchase doesn't come as a surprise when you consider that he's purchased a McLaren 650S and P1 in the past.In his revealing picture, Deadmau5 is standing next to a white 720S with the caption: "Mine!" It looks like this picture was taken at the McLaren headquarters. He also got to test drive an orange example of the car, saying that it's "quite a step up from the 650S."https://www.instagram.com/p/BYLLE3qnff4/?taken-by=deadmau5His new McLaren is powered by a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 710 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. With this much power, along with a dry weight of just 2,828 lbs, the 720S has a power-to-weight ratio of 0.251 horsepower per 1 lbs. With this power and light weight, the 720S will rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and 0-124 mph in 7.8 seconds. Top speed is also stated to be 212 mph.https://www.instagram.com/p/BYLYlsDnd3Y/Buy an Exotic or Collector Car

By Edward Jones – August 23, 2017

Kylie Jenner's New Ferrari 488 GTB on Lexani Wheels

Kyle Jenner, from reality television, has added a new car to her stable and it's quite the looker. The car i=she purchased is a new Ferrari 488 GTB that was wrapped in Gloss White by West Coast Customs.Tyga Gets Kylie Jenner a 458 Spider for Her BirthdayAs for its shoes, Jenner's Ferrari is rocking a set of Lexani's LF Sport Series wheels (LZ-105: Front - 21x9, R - 22x11.5). These wheels are just one model of wheels that Lexani offers, all of which can be customized to the customer's liking. Their range of customization is on full display with Jenner's car, having matched the wheels perfectly with the wrap that was chosen. Of course, if she wanted to do a neon color two-tone finish, or just about anything else, Lexani could've done that as well. But, I'm glad she kept it simple because this 488 looks as clean as can be.

By Edward Jones – August 21, 2017

Michael Fux's Custom Rolls-Royce "Dawn in Fuxia", Inspire...

Michael Fux's color of the year has to be fuchsia. Last week we revealed his new McLaren 720S painted in "Fux Fuchsia." Now, we have all the info on another car he had finished in fuchsia: the Rolls Royce "Dawn in Fuxia."Last year, when Fux took delivery of his "Fux Blue" Dawn at Pebble beach, he came across a flower that caught his eye. He then presented the flower to the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design team and asked to have another new Dawn, but finished in the same color as the flower in front of him. One year later at the same place, Rolls-Royce made good on the commission.“When I commissioned my first Bespoke Rolls-Royce in 2005, I wanted something completely different than any of the other cars commissioned at the time. I knew the designers had a lot of creativity that I wanted to explore,” said Mr. Fux. “I love the heritage of the Rolls-Royce brand and I love these cars. I always challenge my fellow owners to push the Bespoke envelope.”Kylie Jenner's 458 Spider

By Edward Jones – August 18, 2017

Michael Fux's New McLaren 720S is a Gem

The man, the myth, the legend, Michael Fux, has ordered and taken delivery of a one-off McLaren 720S that is unlike any other. Ever. In fact, the paint that its wearing? That's even called "Fux Fuchsia." This paint was originally created for Fux by Rolls-Royce, and was developed by McLaren Special Operations. What's more? He will have exclusive rights to use Fux Fuchsia on any other McLaren.Michael Fux Gets His LaFerrari Aperta Challenging the art of the possible to meet the most demanding customer requirements and then delivering beyond expectations are integral to the service that McLaren Special Operations offers,” says Jolyon Nash, McLaren Automotive Executive Director, Global Sales and Marketing. “MSO provides McLaren owners with virtually limitless possibilities to tailor a car exactly to their needs and tastes; unique paint colours and finishes, custom leather and stitching and exotic materials are all available within a bespoke commission, while beyond this there are opportunities all the way up to complete vehicles designed to individual specification.”Fuchsia Fux can also be found on the wheels and inside the car. The cabin also features MSO Bespoke white leather, white stitching, and White Alcantara can be found.This 720S will join Fux's set of commissioned McLarens: 12C in McLaren Orange, 12C Spider in bespoke purple and P1 in bespoke green. This is without a doubt one of the coolest cars in the world.

By Edward Jones – August 09, 2017

John Cena Shows Off One of Ferrari's Last Manual Cars

John Cena, one of my favorite people to come out of the wrestling world, has been pushing out some awesome videos under The Bella Twins YouTube channel based around cars. The series is called John Cena : Auto Geek, and on his latest episode he talks about his 2007 Ferrari F430 Spider.Ferrari F355 For SaleNow, in the video he notes that this is the last manual Ferrari ever made, but the automaker did have a manual option for both the 599 and California. Ferrari decided to call it quits on the manual transmission after the amount of people that ordered a standard California could be counted on one hand.The Ferrari F430 - Owners PerspectiveAt the end of the video, Cena teases the car for the next video. Sure looks like a Lamborghini Huracan! But we'll have to wait to find out the real answer.

By Edward Jones – August 08, 2017

Lil Wayne's Unreleased CD Reportedly Shows Up in Bugatti

Martink Shkreli has been in the news lately after he was found guilty of fraud. However, that didn't stop him from making his own headlines. Shortly after being convicted, he played the first 10 minutes of the secret Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon A Time In Shaolin. Then, he reportedly has managed to get his hands on Lil Wayne's The Carter V, an unreleased album from the famous rapper.How in the world did he manage that? Alex Pfeiffer says he has the inside scoop and posted it on Twitter.https://twitter.com/PfeifferDC/status/893549798669688832Yes, the new owner of the Bugatti Veyron sold Shkreli the album after finding it in his new hypercar. Will he release the album? Who knows, but he's said to have already leaked two songs from the album.Update 8/9/2017: Shkreli did not buy the Bugatti, but bought the album from the new owner of the hypercar. The article now reflects this.

By Edward Jones – July 24, 2017

Swizz Beatz Gets Hit New McLaren 720S

Legendary hip-hop artist Swizz Beatz has been producing tracks since he was 16, selling his first beat to DMX at an incredibly young age. Now, he's 38-years-old and is the proud owner of a new McLaren 720S.While examples of the 720S have been delivered before, Swizz Beatz says in his Instagram debut video of the car that he's the "first one with this one." In the video, he also expresses how surprised he was at how fast the car was delivered to McLaren of Greenwich | Miller Motorcars.Check Out: Floyd Mayweather's Car Collection in Las VegasSwizz Beatz's new McLaren is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 710 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. With this much power, along with a dry weight of just 2,828 lbs, the 720S has a power-to-weight ratio of 0.251 horsepower per 1 lbs. With this power and light weight, the 720S will rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and 0-124 mph in 7.8 seconds. Top speed is also stated to be 212 mph.https://www.instagram.com/p/BW3bQltDKHw/https://www.instagram.com/p/BW8gIEXDZgj/?taken-by=therealswizzz

By Andrew Nabors – July 14, 2017

Jay Leno Wraps His New Ford GT

Do you want to change the color of your car? We know you are probably wondering why Jay Leno would vinyl wrap his brand new Ford GT, but appearances can be deceiving. He's not looking to destroy the resale value of the supercar, in fact quite the opposite. Vinyl can be ordered in any color one could imagine, but for those looking to protect their investment, clear wrap is a clever solution. Vinyl protection technology has made great leaps in technology in the past two years, so if you value your paint its time to give it another thought.Also Check Out: Jay Leno Reviews His Ford GTProtective Film Solutions is one of the major players in the industry, supplying their dealers with pre-cut kits that are measured and produced with laser precision. A competitive advantage is being first to market with a new model, so their team was able to scan the 2017 Ford GT in Dearborn before it was launched. As an OEM supplier, PFS kits are dealer options and are an affordable way to keep your paint factory fresh. If you would like a quote, our Elite Detailer Alliance will be happy to find a specialist near you. If your garage is lacking a supercar worthy of protection, check out these Ford GT for sale. Stay with us for all the updates from Jay Leno's garage, and we'll keep you on the cutting edge.

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