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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 Caitlin Duffy – October 20, 2015

Gordon Ramsay Enjoys His LaFerrari in London

It's no secret that spotting a supercar is easy in London. What's a little harder is finding a supercar with a driver that's as recognizable as the marque.But as YouTuber TFJJ proved, if you hang around on the right streets for the right amount of time, you just might see such a pairing.On Knightsbridge's Sloane Street, just a few blocks over from the famous Harrods department store, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was seen with his Grigio LaFerrari, the hybrid monster from Ferrari capable of creating a total of 949 hp. An Oct. 17 upload from TFJJ gives us a look at the crowded street and unique cars sitting along its sides.As the LaFerrari sits on the side of the street, we get a chance to see a few of the other supercars London is notorious for hosting, including multiple Lamborghini Huracans and a Ferrari 458. Ramsay then pops in to the driver's seat as a crowd of people snap pictures, and heads out.Of course, it should come as no surprise that Ramsay enjoys such a fine Ferrari. On Oct. 16, the Italian luxury manufacturer shared a press release and video of the chef's recent visit to Maranello, where he took the 488 GTB out for a few laps around the track. While he may be known for being difficult to please, the smile on his face behind the wheel of the 488 is unmistakably massive.(See Also: Chris Harris Tears Up Track in Renault Sport R.S. 01)Check out the videos of Ramsay enjoying a few Ferraris above, and find your own Italian prancing horse for your collection from our exclusive listings.Ferraris For Sale (Source: Ferrari, YouTube) See More Celebrity Car News

By Edward Jones – October 16, 2015

Chris Harris Tears Up Track in Renault Sport R.S. 01

The new Renault Sport R.S. 01 race car weighs less than 2,425 lbs and packs 500+ hp, twin-turbo Nismo 3.8-liter V8 engine, an engine derived from the Nissan GT-R. From that one sentence, you can see why Chris Harris had interest in the car and took some tim1e in early September to whip the car around Silverstone."...this car has proper aerodynamic grip, so much so than a GT3 car," said Harris in a video Renault Sport uploaded October 15.Renault designed the Sport R.S. 01's aerodynamics, that at its top speed of 186 mph, it has downforce that is equivalent to that of a Formula Renault 3.2. If the aerodynamic grip wasn't enough, the suspension and braking systems provide grip for when it counts: going into, around and out of corners.(Source: YouTube) More Automotive News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 15, 2015

Mercedes-Benz Preps for Back to the Future Day

In 1989, a movie was released that proposed a view of what the world might look like in the future. Hover cars, hover boards, holograms and crazy fashion were just the first few things director Robert Zemeckis thought might appear in such a world, and who better to navigate it than the dynamic duo of Doc Brown and Marty McFly?"Back to the Future Part II" saw the time-traveling pair check out a time 20 years ahead of their own, taking the DeLorean to the far distant future of 2015.They didn't quite get every prediction right; fashion may have gotten weird, but it didn't go space punk, and holograms are limited to stage performances, rather than jumping out of billboards, but there were a few things they hit right on the head.Of course, that future isn't exactly distant anymore. In fact, their landing date in the future was Oct. 21, 2015 - just six days from now.And Mercedes-Benz is hoping to make up for the difference between what they predicted and what we actually have.In honor of the upcoming Back to the Future day, the German manufacturer has released a series of short videos on YouTube, each looking at ways their innovative F 015 Luxury in Motion Research Vehicle could plausibly fit into the world visited by Doc, played by Christopher Lloyd, and Marty, played by Michael J. Fox.Toyota has also jumped in on the "BTTF2" bandwagon, and has a few celebrations in store for the date they visited. Ahead of those, they released a YouTube video Oct. 14, bringing the movie's two stars together for a quick chat in a diner about what their predictions did and did not get right.Check out the videos above and below, and find your own DeLorean for proper Back to the Future celebrations from our exclusive listings.DeLoreans For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 12, 2015

Jon Olsson's Audi RS6 DTM by Mats Bulters

Photos and article by Mats Bulters, Mats Bulters PhotographyThe world famous Audi RS6 ‘DTM,' built for freestyle skier Jon Olsson.My first encounter with this car was during the Gumball 3000 rally. The cars came from Germany and were heading to Amsterdam. I made sure I was at the German border and waited there with a Tesla Model S. Because most of the cars were fitted with a GPS tracker I could follow where they were going, and due to some problems in Germany they didn’t stop at Brabus for a break, and instead took another route to Amsterdam. Luckily, I noticed that on time and raced to the new spot where they would enter The Netherlands.The lead car was the Ferrari F50 owned by Mike Schein. We followed him for a while but wanted to wait for Olsson's RS6. We started following the F50 at 3 pm, and 7 hours later we finally spotted the RS6 and went in pursuit. All those carbon parts and the amazing sound were worth the wait. Sadly though, it was getting dark, so taking pictures became difficult.(See Also: Photographers' Perspective: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering)When we arrived in Amsterdam I took a look at the pictures and was really satisfied with what I had. Returning home a happy man, I never expected I would have another more personal encounter with the car.Because Jon was using another car for the US leg of the Gumball 3000 rally, he parked his Audi RS6 DTM in a public car park underneath the hotel, and after 2 days in the car park, it was moved by a car shop owner to somewhere in The Netherlands just to keep it safe.While Jon was still in the US, the RS6 was taken to a supercar event in The Netherlands, of course, with the permission of Jon. The car got a lot of attention from spotters but also from a friend of mine who owns a very exclusive dealership in Alkmaar. He made an offer that Jon couldn’t resist.Jon Olsson sold his RS6 to a man I know?! I was stunned, but really happy.I spoke the him about the car and made an appointment to do a photoshoot. He wanted pictures he could use for his database, so it all happened in a special room at the dealership but that was all fine for me. The fact that I was able to shoot the car up close was awesome enough.The noise the car makes when you are so close to it is unbelievable. The Miltek Exhaust sounds just great on it, but if you thought that was it for upgrades, you would be wrong. Apart from the exterior and the exhaust, Jon went all-in with the RS6. Both turbos were replaced with 2 bigger turbos layered with 18 carat gold on the inside. This is because gold conducts heat very fast.After all these modifications the car went on for a dyno run, and with regular euro 95 octane fuel the car packs a whopping 950 bhp. Fill it up with octane 105 and the engine puts out more than 1000 bhp.For now, I hope you will enjoy the pictures!Gallery See More Photographers' Perspectives

By Caitlin Duffy – October 09, 2015

Ferrari Gets Visit from Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti

She's a Captain in the Italian Air Force, the first Italian woman in space, the record holder for longest single mission on the International Space Station (ISS) of any European astronaut and now she's experienced the LaFerrari first hand.In a recent trip to Maranello, Samantha Cristoforetti, better known as "AstroSamantha," took a tour of Ferrari's headquarters with two fellow crewmates from the Futura Mission to the ISS, American Terry Virts and Russian Anton Skaplerov, as well as representatives from the Italian Air Force, Italian Space Agency and European Space Agency.Sergio Marchionne, Chairman of Ferrari, acted as their guide, taking them through the Classiche Department, 12-cylinder assembly line and New Mechanical Machining Department. The leaders of rocket-powered exploration were treated to ground-based engineering excellence, and as an Oct. 8 press release from Ferrari shares, they were impressed; "Terry Virts probably said it best in a single word: 'Wow!'."Cristoferetti returned from a 200-day stay at the ISS on June 15, when it was confirmed that she "set a new duration record for a single mission for ESA astronauts, Italian astronauts and all female astronauts."Considering the fact that the ISS travels at an average speed of 17,150 mph, she'd become accustomed to high velocity action. So, of course, enjoying Dario Benuzzi taking the LaFerrari around the Fiorano Circuit was like being back on familiar ground.(See Also: 4 FXX Ks at New Orleans' Motorsport Park Ferrari Racing Days)Check out the video, added to YouTube today, and photos of their visit above and below, and find your own Ferrari from our exclusive listings.Ferraris For SaleGallery (Source: Ferrari, YouTube) See More Ferrari News

By Edward Jones – October 09, 2015

Horacio Pagani's New Porsche 918 Spyder

Just because you're the mind behind a famous automotive manufacturer doesn't mean you're limited in your choice of cars to add to your collection. Specifically speaking, Horacio Pagani, the mind behind Pagani, recently added a gorgeous blue Porsche 918 Spyder to his personal collection. News of Pagani's latest hypercar addition comes to us from Marchettino. The automotive YouTuber was at the Misano World Circuit when the man himself pulled up with his son in a Zonda S and the 918 Spyder. His example of the German hybrid hypercar is finished in what appears to be the factory "Sapphire Blue Metallic" paint. And, by way of a quick glance, you can see that it is also fitted with the Weissach Package. (Related: Lamborghini Countach Price & Specs) Marchettino uploaded a video today of the car at the circuit, where Pagani and son took it around the track for a few laps. Mind you, they only took delivery of the car less than a week ago, so they took a few laps to get used to the car in a track setting. Check out the video below and also check out the Porsche 918 Spyders for sale on duPontREGISTRY.com by clicking the button below.

By Caitlin Duffy – October 08, 2015

Ford GT Getting a New Front at Gas Monkey Garage

The guys at Dallas' Gas Monkey Garage were able to work their magic on a Ferrari F40 that was nearly totaled, but can they bring this Ford GT back to life?Andy House, Owner of Ultra Hot Motor Sports, had a visit from Richard Rawlings and Mike Coy of Gas Monkey Garage, who came to check out one of their Ford GTs that was in particularly rough shape. The front end was almost completely torn off after it was hit from the left, but as House explains in one of the Oct. 5 YouTube teasers from Discovery, it still runs and drives just fine.Thanks to the rear-engine layout, the truly important parts of the GT remained essentially untouched. But aside from the front axle and wheels, the car's entire front end sat in pieces a few feet away.With just 4,000 miles on its odometer, there's no doubt this car could be worth a pretty penny - Ford GTs with under 10,000 miles can be priced anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000. And with the Gas Monkey Garage touch, the $140,000 Rawlings spent on this GT could easily be half of what he'll sell it for.Ford GT Price, Specs, Photos 2004-2005To see what winds up happening, be sure to catch their show "Fast N' Loud" on Discovery Channel Mondays at 9 pm EST, and find your own GT that's already quite whole from our exclusive listings at the button below.Ford GTs For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 05, 2015

Jay Leno Goes Undercover as an Uber Driver

When ordering an Uber or taking a cab, you never really know exactly who it is behind the wheel of that car. Maybe you've met them before, maybe they've given you a ride before, maybe they're a complete stranger or, maybe, their voice is oddly familiar.A couple of Uber passengers in Los Angeles definitely heard a familiar voice coming from "Rocco," their Uber Black driver who kept asking questions about late night television. Late night icon and unabashed automotive enthusiast Jay Leno went undercover as Rocco for a day, leaving a few lucky passengers with the story of a lifetime, and maybe a few selfies.As part of the promotion for Jay Leno's Garage moving from the internet to CNBC, a video of Leno's Uber encounters was shared to YouTube Oct. 2, just five days ahead of the show's Oct. 7 premier. The show has been a YouTube web series since 2006, with episodes ranging anywhere from 5 to 50 minutes in length added every Sunday.(See Also: Griff's BMW 633CSI from "Back to the Future Part II")Check out Leno's stint with Uber in the video above, find your own rare car for your collection from our listings below and catch the television premier of Jay Leno's Garage at 10 pm EST Oct. 7.Browse Listings (Source: YouTube via Autoblog) See More Celebrity Car News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 02, 2015

Griff's BMW 633CSi from "Back to the Future Part II"

There's no denying the fact that the "Back to the Future" movies are one of the most iconic movie series to ever be produced.You're hard pressed to find an American who doesn't know that a DeLorean can travel through time at 88 mph, or that only a bolt of lightning could create 1.21 gigawatts of power. But would they know that the car Griff is driving in 2015 is actually a 1976 model?Jeff Chabotte does. And that's because he owns it.Not just the same model, but the actual car used in the filming of "Back to the Future: Part II."In his latest video, added to YouTube today, Chris Rutkowski of TheAficionAUTO spent a little time with Chabotte and his 1976 BMW 633CSi, which is the exact one used to portray a flying car in the filming of the series' second movie. They sat down at Chabotte's home in Connecticut to learn a little more about the movie car and how it came to be in Chabotte's possession, as well as its restoration process. They even go over just how the directors were able to make it fly for the film - it's a much more simple answer than you might expect.(See Also: 5 Best Winter Driving Academies for 2015-2016)In the film, it belonged to local bully Griff Tannen, resident of Hill Valley, California, in October 2015 and grandson of Biff Tannen from the first movie. We see this car when Marty and Doc arrive 30 years in the future from the time they exist in. That date? Oct. 21, 2015.In honor of the arrival of that date, Rutkowski is releasing a video a week documenting cars from the "Back to the Future" series, so be sure to keep an eye on his channel for more. Or, look back a few months, and check out the time he spent with a replica of the DeLorean from the first film - the one that takes 1.21 gigawatts, created by a plutonium based nuclear reaction, to make a leap.Update 10/05/15 - Those who are interested in owning this piece of movie history can submit their bid at the Oct. 24 Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Celebration Auction in Los Angeles. Learn how to register a bid at bttfbid.com.DeLoreans For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More BMW News

By Edward Jones – September 30, 2015

$36 Million Worth of Cars Destroyed for New "Spectre" Film

Update 10/26/2015: Though earlier reports indicated that 7 of the 10 DB10s created for "Spectre" had been destroyed, we have just learned that is not the case. PR Manager for the DB10 tour Mark White has informed us that all 10 are, in fact, still intact, and have not been destroyed.When a crashed exotic car shows up on the internet, you can't help but cringe a little bit at the sight. But, that's just one car. For the new James Bond film "Spectre," around $36 million worth of cars were destroyed, according to a Sept. 26 article from The Daily Mail.The article states that £24 million worth of cars were destroyed for the filming of the movie, which equates to roughly $36 million USD. This number surely includes some Aston Martins, Jaguar and Land Rovers. In fact, seven examples of the Aston Martin DB10 were destroyed. "We set the record for smashing up cars on Spectre," chief stunt coordinator Gary Powell told The Daily Mail. "In Rome, we wrecked millions of pounds worth. They were going into the Vatican at top speeds of 110 mph. We shot one entire night for four seconds of film." The total value of smashed cars is about eight percent of the total cost of the movie, which reached an astonishing £200 million (approx. $302 million USD according to exchange rate at time of publishing). This makes it the most expensive Bond film ever created. To see these cars being destroyed for yourself, "Spectre" will be in movie U.S. movie theaters come Nov. 6. (Source: The Daily Mail via Autoblog) See More Celebrity Car News

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