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 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 Edward Jones – November 02, 2015

Floyd Mayweather's Ferrari Enzo to be Auctioned

Floyd Mayweather has been hitting the headlines recently thanks to his multiple multi-million dollar automotive acquirements, including his $3.5 million Bugatti Veyron. Now, his name is in the headlines because of his Ferrari Enzo, which will be auctioned at the RM Sotheby's New York - Driven By Disruption auction Dec. 10.This specific Italian supercar is chassis number 135440 and was the 295th example of the Enzo built. It was purchased by the famous boxer just last year and has only gained an additional 200 miles on its odometer, giving it a total of 560 miles from new. With such a low amount of road use, this is what RM Sotheby's calls in the vehicle's description, "one of the lowest-mileage Enzos known."To keep the car in tip-top shape, it was given its 5,000 miles service this year, where its fluids, oil and air filters were all changed. It comes with service invoices from Ferrari of Beverly Hills, the original seat covers, steering wheel cover, car cover, bags, owner's manuals and tool kit.RM Sotheby's hasn't given an exact estimate yet, but they did happen to auction off the last Enzo ever created for $6,050,000 during their Monterey event. And, we currently have an Enzo listed for $3.85 million by Ferrari Maserati of Newport Beach.Stay with us for more information on this auction as we draw closer to its date.Gallery (via RM Sotheby's) More Celebrity Car News

By Edward Jones – October 27, 2015

Floyd Mayweather Buys $3.5 Million Bugatti Veyron

Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the man who plans to have a $30 million car collection, just got closer to his goal. Yesterday, Oct. 26, he shared a picture on his Facebook page of his latest purchase: a $3.498 million Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse from Braman Bugatti Miami. This car also happened to be the cover car of the January 2015 reported $6 million on both an Aston Martin One-77 and Pagani Huayra. After this Veyron and those two supercars, the value of his collection is just a couple million shy of his $30 million goal.For those unfamiliar with the legendary car, the Grand Sport Vitesse enjoys a number of enhanced features over the Grand Sport, including four larger turbochargers, larger air coolers, reduced exhaust gas back pressure and much more. Each of the previously mentioned modifications, along with an adapted drivetrain, work together for a total output of 1,200 hp and 1,106 lb-ft of torque.Original Listing (Source: Facebook) More Celebrity Car News

By Edward Jones – October 23, 2015

Floyd Mayweather Buying Two Supercars, Aims for $30 Milli...

Famous boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is looking to increase the value of his car collection by a few million with the addition of just two cars.TMZ Sports reported Oct. 21 that Mayweather is very close to acquiring both an Aston Marton One-77 and a Pagani Huayra. According to the article, these cars have a price tag of around $3 million each. But, this multi-million dollar supercar acquisition is just the tip of the iceberg for Mayweather.Sports cars For Sale "Floyd's car collections is worth about $16 million right now and he wants to push it up to $30 million, and the biggest challenge for me is to find him very special unique cars," Obi Okeke, co-owner of Fusion Luxury Motors, told TMZ Sports. "So these two cars I've been working on getting for a while and they showed up in my showroom yesterday."(See Also: Floyd Mayweather Reveals $4.8 Million Koenigsegg Purchase)Yes, you read that correctly: Mayweather wants to essentially double the value of his car collection. And the examples he's about to acquire are stunning; Fusion Luxury Motors shared a few images of them on their Facebook page Oct. 21 and 22, with the caption of one reading, "'LANDED' - ONE-77."What will he purchase after these cars? Who knows, but we know they will be some high-ticket items.(Source: TMZ Sports, Facebook) More Celebrity Car News

By Edward Jones – August 24, 2015

Floyd Mayweather Reveals $4.8 Million Koenigsegg Purchase

After winning the fight against Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has undoubtedly seen an increase in his personal wealth. And with this money, Mayweather has gone out and purchased an incredibly rare Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita, which was actually listed on duPontREGISTRY.com (View Listing).The purchase was unveiled by the famous boxer in an Instagram post from his official account yesterday, August 23, where he claims ownership by saying, "My new 4.8 Million dollar car." There have been rumors that he was going to acquire the car, being sold by Fusion Luxury Motors, but this post seems to prove the rumors to be true.https://instagram.com/p/6ta0ARx3W2/In the post's description, he states that he purchased the car for a staggering $4.8 million and also gives us some facts about the car itself. As for the image in the post, he can be seen sitting on the car, engine bay and doors ajar.What's next for Mayweather? Let us know what you think he's going to buy next in the comments section and check out his already substantial car collection in the video also found below.Gallery (Source: Instagram) See More Celebrity Car News, Pics and Videos

By Caitlin Duffy – June 15, 2015

Floyd Mayweather's Ferrari Enzo is For Sale

Cars come and go through Floyd Mayweather's collection faster than styles go out of fashion, and even some of the finest cars produced in automotive history can't count on staying in his garage long.Case and point, his Ferrari Enzo. As we reported Jan. 26, Mayweather added the pinnacle pony to his collection, posing for a few photos with it the day it was delivered by Fusion Luxury Motors.(Related: The Rise of the Ferrari 575M Superamerica)But June 11, Fusion's Facebook page showed the Rosso powerhouse back at their showroom."HIS NAME IS 'ENZO' !" states the caption of its photo. The next day, June 12, they shared a video of the Enzo driving up to the dealership, and shortly after it appeared on their website's listed inventory.Check out the photos below to get a closer look at this piece of Ferrari's history, and hit the button to learn more about purchasing details.View Listing and PriceGallery

Celebrity Cars

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe