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 – February 10, 2015

Bid To Win Warren Buffett's 2006 Cadillac DTS

If you watch economic news, or news in general, odds are you have heard of Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha. Regarded as the most successful investor of the 20th century, Buffett is one of the world's wealthiest people and is the chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway.While you may not be in the same shoes as Buffett, you now get a chance to be in the same car as him. He recently handed over his Shale 2006 Cadillac DTS to Girls Inc. for them to auction off in order to raise funds for 2015.The winner the auction will get more than just the Cadillac with Buffett's signature on the dashboard. After the auction is complete, the winner will have the opportunity to travel to Omaha, Nebraska to personally receive the keys to their new Cadillac from Buffett himself. This is sure a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.(See Also: Top 10 Cars to Buy This Week: Feb. 9)The auction will take place Feb. 11-19 with an opening bid of $10,000. Click here to learn how to bid on this car.(Source: YouTube, Proxibid) See More Celebrity Cars

By Caitlin Duffy – January 29, 2015

#TBT Elon Musk Accepting Delivery of McLaren F1 in 1999

At only 28 years old, Elon Musk was already venturing into the world of supercar ownership. It was 1999, PayPal was still called X.com and the internet was finally being taken seriously as a thing.At least, that's what this interview with a young Musk tells us. Posted to YouTube by EveryElonMusk Video Oct. 5 of last year, this CNN Perspectives interview watches as he accepts delivery of a McLaren F1, then a $1 million car. The CNN feature follows the culture of Silicon Valley and its overnight billionaires, one of which was Elon Musk.(See Also: Deadmau5's New Jeep Rubicon by Design 1 Customs)At the time of filming, he was engaged to now-ex-wife Justine Wilson, who says she's concerned about losing a sense of perspective because of the new found wealth. Musk then explains the basic plan behind his next business venture, X.com, which became the early version of PayPal, the company that created funding for Tesla to come into existence.We can only imagine that as he drove the F1 around, Musk became inspired to create his own version with a moral twist - an environmentally friendly energy source. Of course, we now know this as the Tesla Model S P85D, which beats the F1's acceleration with a completely electric motor.Check out the video of a young Elon above, and stay with us for more updates from the automotive world.(Source: YouTube via Road & Track) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – January 26, 2015

"Mr. Bean" Star Rowan Atkinson Selling McLaren F1

For those seeking a McLaren for their collection with a story more impressive than its performance figures, perhaps an F1 is in your near future. Photo by: Tim ScottBritish actor Rowan Atkinson of "Mr. Bean" fame has owned his McLaren F1 since it was new, but recently he went on a drive with Andrew Frankel and talked about how it was time for his beloved car to have a new chapter in its life. Despite 41,000 miles on the odometer and two accidents in the 17 years Atkinson has owned it, Frankel still estimates the asking price will be high.(See Also: McLaren Unveils Sneak Peek at Track-Focused 650S)How high? "My very strong suspicion is that it will begin with a ‘1’ and be followed by not six, but seven, digits," he wrote in an article about the experience for Goodwood Road & Racing. He credits this estimate not just with the car's history, or the fact that it has only had one owner, but with the overall rarity of the supercar. Only 107 were ever created, 64 of which were standard road cars like Atkinson's. In addition, a reputable source tells us that the car is listed for £8 million, which is approximately $12 million USD at the current exchange rates. Stay with us for more information on the car's price as it is revealed. Photo by: Tim ScottSurprisingly though, it isn't the F1's performance that Atkinson fell in love with, but the design of the car. Another article from Frankel in the Telegraph's Cars section touched on the more specific qualities that make this car fascinating overall, and surprisingly, going slow was one of his favorite aspects.“What I enjoyed most about it when I first drove it was how lovely it was to drive slowly. To pootle is a pleasure. Of course I’ve gone to a track and done 200mph in it, but for me it was always the vision of its designer Gordon Murray that made the F1 unique," Atkinson told Frankel. Photo by: Tim Scott"Look at a modern supercar of comparable performance and it will be vast, heavy and offer little or no space for your luggage," he continued. "By comparison the F1 is tiny, yet it will seat three, store enough for you all to go on holiday and still finds space for a proper, normally aspirated 6.1-litre V12 engine. And it weighs the same as a shopping car. Nothing has ever been designed before or since with such imagination and clarity of thought."Both articles state that the car is for sale through Taylor & Crawley, a London-based dealer of historic and race cars. As of now, their website does not include the F1 in its inventory, but be sure to stay with us for updates on pricing and how to purchase as it is released.What do you think is a fair price for this F1? Let us know in the comments below.Gallery Photos by: Tim Scott (Website, Instagram) (Source: The Telegraph, Goodwood Road & Racing, Taylor & Crawley, Twitter) See More Celebrity Cars

By Caitlin Duffy – December 19, 2014

Minecraft Creator Outbids Beyonce for Beverly Hills Megam...

It's reportedly the most expensive home ever sold in Beverly Hills, and its sale closed in only six days - a neck-breaking speed for a $70 million listing. But after what seemed to be a high-profile bidding war against contenders Beyonce and Jay-Z, Minecraft Creator Markus "Notch" Persson was able to declare victory.(See Also: duPont REGISTRY Cars and Coffee 2014 Recap)A Dec. 19 press release from the John Aaroe Group, a leading luxury residential brokerage based out of Los Angeles, announced Persson's successful purchase of the property through their brokerage, a deal which included cases of Dom Perignon. Of course, the truly phenomenal part of this home is found in the supercar displays.In both the garage and the basement levels of this home offer viewing areas for the most spectacular vehicles in Persson's collection. A video tour of the property posted to Vimeo by Tri-Blend Media on Aug. 7 shows off the hydraulic lifts of the drive-in garage and the rotating displays in the basement, with an impressive grouping of classic and modern exotics on display. The spinning displays are located next to the candy room and bar filled with priceless and iconic movie memorabilia, all of which was included in the sale of the home."Persson’s purchase included everything in the house from luxury furnishings to exotic electronics such as the automated 54–foot curved glass door in the living room that opens onto an infinity pool with iPad-controlled fountains and spectacular views. Cases of Dom Perignon were part of the deal," described the release.The eight-bedroom, 15 bathroom house is a contemporary design sure to delight the 35-year old Swedish-born billionaire. In September of this year, he sold his company Mojang to Microsoft for a reported $2.5 billion, according to the release. However, for someone who "programmed his father's home computer at the age of seven and created his first game at eight," his immense success with Minecraft and Mojang isn't terribly surprising.If this were your new home, which cars would you choose for the showroom? Let us know in the comments below. See More Celebrity Cars

By Edward Jones – October 20, 2014

C.J. Wilson's Purple McLaren P1

C.J. Wilson, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, has a very interesting life when he is off the mound. For starters, he drives a wonderfully purple McLaren P1 that has a finish just as unique as the car itself. He also enjoys photography, as noted on his Krop account. He states that both of his parents were photographers and they seemed to pass the trait on to him at a young age.(See Also: McLaren P1: 2015 Best Supercar)When you combine his photography skills with his P1, you get a gallery of images that need to be seen. Check them out below and also be sure to visit his photography page to see more of his original works.Gallery (Source: C.J. Wilson / Krop) See More Celebrity Cars

By Edward Jones – September 18, 2014

Johnny Cash's 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow For Sale

Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, famed singer Johnny Cash had his own television show, appropriately titled "The Johnny Cash Show." During this show's short run, ABC Television Network purchased a black 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow LWB for the star and namesake of the show himself.(Also Read: BMW 760Li Owned by Lebron James For Sale)Now, Barrett-Jackson will be offering this very Silver Shadow at their 2014 Las Vegas auction, according to the car's lot on Barrett-Jackson's website. With the vehicle comes the "build to order" paperwork. This luxury sedan was ordered with a left hand drive setup, a privacy partition and factory-provided JRC initials in gold on the rear doors. Other paperwork included with the car's lot is the Tennessee registration showing Cash's ownership of the car.For more information about the car and how it could potentially become yours, be sure to visit BarrettJackson.com.Gallery (Source: Barrett-Jackson) See More Celebrity Cars

By Edward Jones – September 17, 2014

BMW 760Li Owned by Lebron James For Sale

For sale at Marshall Goldman Motor Sales, located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, is a 2010 BMW 760Li that was ordered and once owned by LeBron James. The car is finished in a matte pearl white with a full platinum merino leather interior.The car is equipped with more than $30,000 in extras, including: navigation, BMW individual composition, rear seat entertainment, wood inlay steering wheel, rear view camera, heated and ventilated front seats, rear power seat package, massaging front and rear seats, 22-inch white wheels, white out trim, tinted windows and smoked rear taillights.The original listing price for this car was $153,475, and now, with only 9,000 miles, it can be yours for just $89,900. For more information, be sure to click the button below.View Listing and More InfoGallery See More Celebrity Cars

By Lauryn Howell – May 23, 2013

Cars of Fast and Furious 6

The upcoming release of Fast and Furious 6 has got car enthusiasts all over the nation buzzing. The line-up in this movie is impressive to say the least. They're bringing back old Fast and Furious classics while introducing a couple new cars to the silver screen. Before we get into the lineup we've got to take a look into a car that is making its Fast and Furious debut in this movie. Ramp Car The aptly named Ramp Car was custom built for Fast 6. This car is made from a ladder from 3-by-6 inch rectangular steel tubing. The front suspension of this monster is from a 3/4-ton mid-80s GM pickup truck with the original coils replaced by air springs. Bringing it around to the backside you'll find a Dana 60 rear axle. It is also equipped with hydraulic steering. It's probably not the most comfortable ride with its three separate passenger pods, not that that matters as long as it's fast. The car houses a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine and is rated at 430 horsepower. Uniquely however, the LS3 is mounted backward. Power is sent into a GM turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission. This monster may ride low, but it is actually pretty long and wide stretching out about 160 inches over a 130-inch wheelbase. Its low riding body make it easy to see the read Hoosier 31-by-16.5 inch tires. The ramp car also has custom pipes for each cylinder. These pipes can be seen snaking over the engine, this may not be the most efficient design, but it sure looks cool. 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Moving on to the poster boy of Fast 6, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. Unfortunately this is not an authentic Daytona, it was built for the mover to decrease costs as well as shorten the standard nose length. They also changed the headlights fixing them under Plexiglas unlike the original pop-up design. Several other modifications were made to this reproduction, but let's skip that and get to the interesting stuff. It is powered by a GM 6.2-liter LS3 V8, as are most of the cars in this movie. It also has the identical 430 horsepower rating. Like the Ramp Car it houses a GM Turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission. Apparently the inside is all custom done and nothing like the original Dodge Dayton design, it was completely customized for the movie. The rear seat is completely taken over by a pair of Magnaflow mufflers. This car is definitely deserving of the poster spot. 1970 Ford Escort RS1600 Five of these British beauties were bought for this movie, and all 5 were completely rebuilt. They added new engines, roll cages, racing seats, and 5 speed transmissions. The gauges and instruments were replaced with black Revotec gauges. You won't find an ignition key in this car. Its place was taken by a battery connector plug and fuel pump and ignition switches. Of course they had to do away with the standard tires and replace them with Federal Super Steel 595 tires. In the movie you'll see this awesome little car make some pretty daring jumps, sadly two of the five did not make it out alive. Lucra LC470 One of the three Lucra LC470's purchased for the movies was completely built by Lucra in the United States. Unlike the other cars it has a GM LS7 7.0-liter V8 engine and a Tremec five-speed manual transmission. The other three mimicked the engine and transmission of the Ramp Car and Dodge Daytona. The front end houses 17 inch Nitto NT01 tires which help its 505hp cruise seamlessly. The Lucra LC470 has some pretty nice stats with a 2.5 second 0-60 and a 9.4 second quarter-mile trip. This little car can move. 2011 Wide-Body Dodge Challenger This Dodge Challenger is a car you might recognize. It made its debut in Fast and Furious 5 and is back in Fast 6 to stir things up. This classic houses a 6.4-liter V8 engine, and surprisingly the Fast 6 crew didn't change much. When it made its debut in Fast 5 it was still a new car, they crew really didn't need to change anything. 1971 Jensen Interceptor This may not be a car you would expect to have a leading role in Fast 6, but this little guy really make an impact on the silver screen. They did do away with its original European engine only to replace it with the movie favorite GM LS3 6.3-liter V8 American engine. They took the 400 three-speed automatic transmission and fed it back to a 9-inch solid Ford rear axle. They had to find a way to accommodate the oversized rear tires so they widened the wheel wells a bit. And just to make sure it was fully Americanized they used four-wheel disc brakes from a 2010 Ford Mustang GT. 2010 Nissan GT-R This is another familiar face from previous Fast and Furious movies making an appearance in Fast 6. Amazingly no replicas were built of this Nissan GT-R, this one managed to survive all of the action. This car houses a Switzer P800 turbo kit, so you know it's going to be fast. This kit includes two massive intercoolers, high-pressure wastegate actuators, a revised intake, Niagra-spec fuel injectors, and new ball-bearing turbochargers. The GT-R engine is a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 with 485 horsepower stock rating. So all in all it has around an 800 hp. Nissan has its own all-wheel-drive system which helps to keep the car grounded. Each tire contains 290-millimeter Yokohama Adan A005 racing slicks. This car is definitely far from stock, but it has maintained the essence of the Nissan GT-R that car enthusiast love so much. 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda This classic Plymouth Hemi Cuda was the real thing. The actual Plymouth used in Fast 6 was borrowed from a local car collection. Of course nothing was changed, but even if they could, what would the redo? Its classic Hemi 500-cubic-inch 8.8-liter worked just fine. All aesthetic changes were made by the owner. However, the Hemi was done up to have an aluminum- headed elephant engine capped by two four-barrel carburetors. When you pop the hood you'll find a polished aluminum plate. This plate uses only one serpentine belt that drives the alternator and A/C as well as the compressor and power steering pump. This engine is nothing short of impressive. 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 If you take a look under the hood of this Charger you'll find a 470-horsepower, 6.4-liter Hemi V8. They made a few modifications to this car adding 20-inch Viper wheels and blacking out the interior. It also exhibits front and rear nerf bars. In the movie you'll see a snap shot of NOS system; odds are it's not actually installed in this vehicle. 2010 BMW M5 This BMW is notorious for its complex 5.0-liter V10, 500-horsepower engine and 7-speed automatic transmission. Spoiler alerts, none of the BMW M5s seen in the movie are actual M5's. But that doesn't mean it's not an awesome car. These stunt cars were one up to look pretty similar to the M5 with M5 wheels, front vents, and plastic bits. Fourteen were used in the making of Fast 6. Similar to the Ford Escort, not all of these made it out alive. Only three of the original fourteen M5 copies survived the making of this movie.

By Steve Chapman Jr – January 15, 2013

Ben Ballers Lexus LFA

Lexus LFA For Sale

By Edward Jones – June 05, 2012

Bill Gates' Porsche 911 Turbo sells for $80,000

If you recall, last month we wrote an article about a certain Porsche 911 Turbo that was owned by a certain Bill Gates. It recently went on the auction block in Vienna and sold for $80,000. It was expected to fetch around $55,000 to $71,000, but a German bidder just had to have this 911 and bid $80k via the phone.Porsche 911 For Sale

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