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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 Nicole Slaughter-Graham – February 08, 2016

Antonio Brown Sports Rolls-Royce Ghost Wrapped in Gold

If you were in and around the San Francisco area during Super Bowl 50, you might have noticed a less-than-conspicuous Rolls-Royce Ghost wrapped in gold traipsing through the streets. As it turns out, the luxury car brand created this custom wrap for Antonio Brown, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brown is known for his affinity for the Rolls-Royce brand, as seen last year when he attended training camp in Steelers-inspired Rolls-Royce Phantom.The semi-gloss matte gold wrap includes the receiver's well-known catch phrase, "Business is Boomin" painted across the doors and the football player's number and initials are inked on the front fenders. On his Instagram, Brown posted a photo of him sitting on top of the Ghost seemingly in prayer. What do you think of this wrap job? Tacky or in good taste? Let us know in the comments below.Rolls-Royce Ghosts For Salehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BBeEjJ7qfli/ SourceRelated Video

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – February 05, 2016

Celebrities Selling Cars for Super Bowl 50

It's pretty well-known that many companies use famous names to help sell their products during prime-time advertising like the Super Bowl, and the auto industry is no exception. For Super Bowl 50, carmakers are pulling out all the stops and have some of the hottest celebrities featured in their commercials. Check out some of our favorites below.AudiAudi strikes an emotional chord with their audience, depicting an aged father, once an astronaut, staring blankly out the window until his son comes in with a little relief. He hands his father the keys to a brand new Audi R8 and climbs into the passenger seat as new a new light shines in the eyes of his father. Throughout the commercial, we see glimpses of the aged man's time as an astronaut, juxtaposed with the proud look of his son, while David Bowie's "Starman" echos in the background.Check out the heart-warming commercial below.AcuraThe 30-second commercial slot for Acura's new NSX features the famous vocals of the one and only David Lee Roth of famed band, Van Halen. As the brand introduces different angles of the popular NSX to a backdrop of bold colors, Van Halen's iconic hit, "Running with the Devil", saturates the background. Acura sure knows how to make a statement.Check out the senses-grabbing video below.Mini USAWith a 30 second slot during the 2016 Super Bowl, Mini USA wants to you know that regardless of how you feel about the car maker, they don't care what you think. Starring Serena Williams and Tony Hawk, two athletes known for their no-holds-barred approach to criticism, star in Mini's commercial alongside a host of other celebrities that have faced their own fair share of public judgment. Mini is well aware of the social construct centered around its car and those who own the vehicle, and the car maker is looking to "Defy Labels" as the commercial is aptly titled.Check out the behind-the-scenes video below.HyundaiThere's nothing quite as terrifying as picking a girl up for a first date, and Hyundai brings in a dose of humor with Kevin Hart. Hart, who plays the father of the aforementioned teenage girl, shows off Hyundai's new "Car Finder" feature as he hilariously follows his daughter and her date from one location to the next. Check out the video of the commercial below.Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

By Edward Jones – February 04, 2016

Matt LeBlanc New Top Gear Co-Host

This morning, Top Gear announced on it's website that its newest host will be none other than Matt LeBlanc. You may know him from his role as "Joey" on the hit show "Friends", but I know him as the fastest Star in a Reasonably Priced Car (this record lap of 1'42.1" was done in a hot Kia cee'd - seen below). He's also driven The Stig in a McLaren 12C (seen below) and was the star of the "Top Gear: The Races" spin-off.“As a car nut and a massive fan of Top Gear, I’m honoured and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter,” said LeBlanc in Top Gear's article unveiling the new host. “What a thrill!”Chris Evans, the host that LeBlanc will be joining, said: “Matt’s a lifelong fellow petrolhead and I’m thrilled he’s joining Top Gear. Acting out our craziest car notions on screen is a dream job and I know we’ll both be debating some epic road trip ideas."To keep us even more excited, the article states that they'll be announcing more Top Gear cast members shortly. Who will it be? Could we still have hope for Chris Evans or Sabine Schmitz? And what do you think about LeBlanc being a host? Let us know in the comments below.Exotic Cars For Sale His Fastest Lap LeBlanc Drives The Stig in a McLaren 12C

By Edward Jones – February 02, 2016

Floyd Mayweather Reportedly Buys Bugatti Chiron

We all know that Floyd Mayweather has a very extensive car collection, especially his Las Vegas collection. According to TMZ Sports, his collection just got bigger (and way more expensive) with the addition of his latest car, a Bugatti Chiron.Sources have told TMZ Sports that the champion boxer put down $3.5 million for Bugatti's upcoming hypercar. To make room for his new car, he also reportedly sold one of his Veyrons. Out with the old, in with the new, as they say. The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo (A good idea of what the Chiron will look like)And why wouldn't he? The new Chiron's specs are more than impressive. The hypercar is said to deliver up to 1,500 hp, hit a top speed of around 290 mph and accelerate from 0-62 mph in 2.2 seconds.Unfortunately, Mayweather's going to have to wait a little while longer to hop in the seat of his Chiron, as it won't be officially revealed until the Geneva International Motor Show, which starts on March 3. In the meantime, check out the video below of two Chirons spotted with a Bugatti Veyron, Porsche 918 Spyder, Lamborghini Huracan and BMW i8.Bugattis For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – February 02, 2016

Pink Floyd's Nick Mason Gives Inside Look at his LaFerrari

Nick Mason, 72-year-old drummer of British band Pink Floyd, showed off his LaFerrari for the team at Goodwood Road & Racing. Though most well-known for his musical skills and chart-topping hits with Pink Floyd, Mason is also an avid car collector and racing driver.In the video, Mason begins by telling the view just how difficult it is to obtain a LaFerrari, stating that one essentially must be invited by Ferrari to purchase one. (We're thinking being the drummer of one of the most iconic bands in history might have done the trick). Mason then details the electric and petrol engines and how much power is received from the electric engine. He also gives insight into the launch control feature, which gives the driver more precise control based on weather and road conditions. The driver that hops in the front seat is none other than Emanuele Pirro, and Italian racer famed as a five-time winner in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.What's interesting about the drummer's LaFerrari is the license plate, which is labeled "F150 OK". Ferrari fans are probably aware that "F150" has multiple meanings for the company. What do you think it means? Check out the video and then let us know in the comments below.Ferrari Laferrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 01, 2016

Transformers Optimus Prime and Bumblebee Sell at Barrett-...

If you were to ask Optimus Prime and Bumblebee how much it'd cost to make them your personal Autobot, they probably wouldn't respond on account of them being fictional. But the resto mod 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS and 1992 Peterbilt 379 used in Michael Bay's "Transformers: Age of Extinction" are most definitely real, and they just sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2016 event.The owner that put them up for auction was none other than Bay, the director of the Transformers movies. The first of the duo to go up for sale was the Camaro SS, which was used to depict Bumblebee in the movie. After it rolled out across the block, it's final bid was $167,200. As for the Peterbilt truck, otherwise known as Optimus Prime, it sold for $121,000, and that sold to Rick Hendrick. These numbers seem tiny when set next to the price of the first Acura NSX, which sold at the same event to none http://www.dupontregistry.com/autos/results/acura/nsxother than Hendrick.Is owning two Transformers for under $300,000 a steal and a life goal of mine? You bet.Exotic Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – December 21, 2015

President Obama to be in "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee"

Jerry Seinfeld's web series, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," has been a huge hit, with famous comedians making appearances left and right. Heck, Stephen Colbert was just on the show, along with a 1967 Morgan Plus 4.But, for next season, Seinfeld is going to be joined by a very special guest: President Obama.In a video uploaded today, seen below, we were given a sneak peek into the next season of the caffeinated automotive show. Along with the President, comedians like Will Ferrell and Steve Martin will be making appearances.Check out the video below to get excited about the new season, which premieres December 30 at 11:30 PM ET.(Featured Image Source: CBS News Politics / Facebook)

By Edward Jones – December 14, 2015

Jay Leno Drives Hot Wheels Darth Vader Car

As you get bigger, Hot Wheels cars get smaller. This is why Jay Leno asked the toy car manufacturer to bring in a car that would be more his size. Did they deliver? Yes, young Jedi (or Sith), they did.More specifically, Bryan Benedict, Senior Staff Designer at Hot Wheel, delivered.Benedict brought over a real-life, working Darth Vader car, built on a Chevrolet Corvette chassis, to Leno's garage.Essentially, the car is what would happen if you took Vader's helmet and morphed it into a car, with appropriate design cues mixed throughout. For example, if you look at the side exhaust pipes, they look quite a bit like the Sith Lord's lightsaber. Also, on the hood is the control panel unit found on the big man's chest.Does its engine sound like Vader breathing when it starts up? That would be amazing, but of course not. How in the world could you get the exhaust to sound like the iconic respiration of Vader? That being said, they did include some speakers that put out the sound of his breathing on command.Billy Hammon, the builder of the car, also showed Leno around the car, showing him the intricacies of the engineering found within the car, like the mechanism created to get into the car.Check out the video below to see just how awesome a life-size Hot Wheels Darth Vader car really is. (Source: YouTube)

By Edward Jones – December 11, 2015

RM Sotheby's Auctions Off Janis Joplin's Porsche for Reco...

Last night at RM Sotheby's New York City "Driven by Disruption" auction, Janis Joplin's 1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet sold for a record-breaking $1,760,000. This number was well above what they estimated it to go for, which was a respectable $400-600,000. In total, there were seven bidders getting in on the bidding for the car, but the final bid was the highest for any Porsche 356 sold at public auction.This psychedelic car was bought by Janis Joplin off of a used car lot back in 1968. She then had her friend and roadie, Dave Richards, customize the car with a "History of the Universe" mural. RM Sotheby's said in an email last night that this could be one of the first true "art cars" in existence and one of the most important Porsches of all-time.For full results from the "Driven by Distraction" auction, be sure to check back with us soon.(Source: RM Sotheby's)

By Edward Jones – December 07, 2015

LeBron James Proves He Drives a Kia K900

Everyone knows that LeBron James is one of the world's biggest athletes, in physical stature, talent and in fame. His rise in the NBA has been a storied one since he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003 (seems like it was just yesterday). HOver the past decade, James has most certainly accrued a massive amount of money from both endorsements and team contracts, meaning many cars have been added to James' car collection. One endorsement that has been drawing eyes is with Kia, the South Korean automaker.With so much money to spend, people are wondering: does LeBron James actually drive his Kia K900 luxury sedan?The K900 is actually a great sedan, chock-full of luxuries and features that some may not expect in a Kia. And, at a starting MSRP of $54,5000, it's the highest price model in Kia's lineup, beating the Cadenza by $20,000.To answer the question people have been asking, Kia and James teamed up for a new video that shows King James, himself, cruising in his K900, instead of something like a limousine or exotic car.Check out the video below and tell us if you think he actually drives it in the comments below. (Source: YouTube)

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