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 – June 01, 2016

Drake Just Got A New Lamborghini Aventador Roadster

Update 6/1/2016: Driving Emotions Motorcar uploaded some new photos of Drake's Grigio Titans 2016 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster to Facebook and gave us a little bit more info on the car itself. The pictures, taken by George Bucur, show the HRE S200 wheels that have custom Diamond center caps. They also note that the exhaust has been upgraded by Lamborghini, who also provided additional tuning.Sports Cars For SaleI want that Ferrari then I swerve, I want that Bugatti just to hurt. ---Drake, "Know Yourself"Well, it looks like he got a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster instead of a Ferrari or Bugatti.Tony Bet of Driving Emotions Toronto shared pictures of a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster that they customized specifically for Drake, aka @champagnepapi.https://www.instagram.com/p/BFmcVvgCACL/In the captions, Bet notes that Drizzy's new whip has HRE Wheels installed and that "stock is boring." But, even if the car was untouched, the Aventador Roadster is most definitely anything but a boring car. It comes with a 6.5-liter V12 engine that can pump out 700 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque. This mean Drake can go from 0-60 mph in just 3 seconds and hit a top speed of 217 mph.The best part about all of this? His Instagram post with the caption: "Like I'm Christian Bale."https://www.instagram.com/p/BFzxurbDQDv/

By Edward Jones – September 28, 2015

Chris Brown Buys Lamborghini Aventador SV

Celebrity Chris Brown recently took the first delivery of the Rezvani Beast, an American sports car that can rocket from 0-60 mph in just 2.7 seconds. Now, he has taken delivery of a beast of another name: the Lamborghini Aventador SV.https://instagram.com/p/8Ce4PhvpZU/?taken-by=chrisbrownofficialBrown first posted his new supercar on his Instagram account Friday, Sept. 25. In the picture, his daughter is seated in the driver's seat of the red and black Aventador SV.What's even better than this picture is his post from yesterday, Sept. 27. In this new picture, Brown is seen sitting on the supercar inside of his house, while his daughter's "fun-sized" Aventadors are parked next to the real thing. Who knows, maybe when she's 16 she will be driving around in the real thing.https://instagram.com/p/8IOrBcPpVW/?taken-by=chrisbrownofficialFor those wondering, the full name for the car is the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce. It comes packing a 6.5-liter V12 engine that generates 750 hp and 509 lb-ft. Mated to the engine is a 7-speed automatic transmission, which will rocket the car from 0-62 mph 2.8 seconds and 0-124 mph in 8.6 seconds. Its top speed is said to be over 217 mph. Aventadors For Sale(Source: Instagram via TheSupercarKids.com) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – September 24, 2015

Tyson Fury Arrives in Aventador Dressed as Batman for Pre...

If there's one way to draw attention to your upcoming boxing match, it's showing up at a press conference in a bright yellow Lamborghini Aventador while dressed as Batman.Heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury tested that theory and proved it right, when he arrived at a Sept. 23 press conference in just that fashion Sept. 23. The room of reporters in London was pleasantly bemused as Fury jogged through the door, ran a lap around the crowd and then took his seat at the table, preparing to discuss his upcoming Oct. 24 fight against Wladimir Klitschko.In a video posted to YouTube Sept. 23 by iFL TV, you can see Fury, 27, stepping out of the Aventador before heading into the building, saying calmly, "Who called Batman? Got a call from Gotham City, I'm here."After he sat down at the table, he jumped back up when a man dressed as the Joker arrived, and a short scuffle ensued. As we can see in another video, shared in a Sept. 23 BBC article, he proceeded to throw out a few taunts at Klitschko before changing into a suit for the rest of the panel.(See Also: James Bond's New Jaguar and Land Rovers for "Spectre" Revealed)Check out Fury's unique arrival in the video above, and find your own Aventador for when you need to arrive in the same fashion from our exclusive listings below.Aventadors For Sale (Source: YouTube, BBC Sports) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – June 30, 2015

Chris Brown's "The Dark Knight" Aventador Before & After

At the beginning of this month, on June 3, Chris Brown and Jc Customz both began posting photos to Instagram of Brown's Aventador after some special treatment.His Aventador LP700-4 became "The Dark Knight" after its original orange color was covered and its entire structure modified. DH Wraps gave it its matte black appearance, Misha Designs' body kit made it more fierce than before and Savini' Wheels' 18k gold Forged SV59-D wheels added an exclamation point of color, all supported by Pirelli tires. Jc Customz assembled the final product.(Related: Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster Production Confirmed at Goodwood)A post to Savini's news and blog site shared the details of its construction and photos of the final result, while some posts from Jc Customz to Facebook April 10 and 28 give us a good look at the Aventador from Lamborghini Newport Beach before undergoing its transformation. Misha Designs also shared a photo of the finished Dark Knight June 23 to their page.Check out the before and after shots of this Lamborghini below, and when you're finished, find yourself another Aventador from Lamborghini Newport Beach by browsing their listings at the button below. When you find your perfect car, let us know in the comments what your plans are for customization.Lamborghinis For SaleGallery (Source: Facebook, Savini Wheels) See More Celebrity Car News

By Edward Jones – June 08, 2015

Chris Brown's "The Dark Knight" Matte Black Aventador

Chris Brown is familiar with changing up the appearance of his Lamborghini Aventadors, yet his latest work may be his best. Starting June 3, Brown and JC Customz began posting pictures of his Aventador and began referring to it by its new name: "The Dark Knight."(See More Celebrity Cars)It gets its name from a matte black wrap that mimics Batman's suit. Contrasting against the dark wrap are a set of golden Savini wheels. There is no denying that this is an amazing car.Check out the images below and let us know what you think in the comments below.Aventadors For Salehttps://instagram.com/p/3fTItbvpeC/https://instagram.com/p/3fiFLEvpUm/https://instagram.com/p/3hv6u7hV66/https://instagram.com/p/3iJnsjvpYb/https://instagram.com/p/3jH68tPpRc/https://instagram.com/p/3mdDnPBV_H/(Source: Instagram)

Celebrity Cars

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe