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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 Edward Jones – January 03, 2019

Floyd Mayweather Takes a Walk in His All-Black Car Garage

Floyd Mayweather Jr. just won a bout against Tenshin Nasukawa with what looked like an incredibly easy-to-come-by TKO. That fight netted him a cool $9 million. He mentions on Instagram that he called the fight a "9 minute walk thru." It seems he wasn't bothered or worried about the fight at all. Actually, it looks like he had a more difficult decision picking out which car to drive in another Instagram post. In the post, we see a video of Mayweather strolling through his car garage full of all-black cars. They include a Ferrari 488, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Phantom, Phantom Drophead, Wraith, and Mercedes-Maybach S600. Yeah, we'd have a tough time choosing which of these cars to drive as well. https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3TKk3BRWm/

By Edward Jones – December 24, 2018

Post Malone Gets Massive Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6 for C...

Back in October, Post Malone posted a pic to his Instagram of him with John Hennessey. Now, if you're familiar with John Hennessey, you know that he is the madman behind the Hennessey car brand. They specialize in some of the craziest cars, like a 1,000 horsepower Cadillac CTS-V and 1,200 horsepower Dodge Demon Redeye. Hennessey Performance has also created the VelociRaptor 6x6, which was apparently what John and Post were meeting about in the pic he posted up earlier this year. See Post Malone's Exotic Car Collection Hennessey Performance revealed on their Facebook page that they have delivered a gorgeous white VelociRaptor 6x6 to the famous Post Malone. " width="680"> This custom Ford Raptor comes with an extra set of rear axles that turn the truck into an off-road monster. Whether Post opted for the twin-turbo upgrade is unknown, but I would not be surprised he went for the additional power. Congrats are in order for Post on his new truck, because it's a beauty! Images by Taylor Sanger Photography via Hennessey Performance

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By Andrew Nabors – December 18, 2018

Hulk Hogan and Mecum Auctions Join Forces for a Great Cause

Pro-Wrestler Steve Chamberland started the 50 Legs Foundation to help amputees get the necessary care they need. Veterans and amputees find often themselves at the mercy of bad prosthetics or caught up in the healthcare system. 50 Legs Foundation aims to provide amputees with prosthetics and care that they could otherwise not afford. The organization is based in Tampa, so it receives a healthy dose of Vitamin H (for Hulk Hogan). The Hulkster will be joining the Mecum Kissimmee Auction along with a classic 1952 Ford truck, which was donated by the seller. Proceeds from the sale of this classic F1 will go to 50 Legs, so we hope it brings six figures. It has a flathead V8, dual carburetors, front disc brakes, and a gorgeous wood bed. Inside you will find a beautiful interior finished in grey and red. The original 3-speed manual with restored gauges and controls. Finding an unmolested F1 is getting very hard to do, so dont miss this opportunity. Click the link below for more details and be sure to tune in to Mecum on their YouTube channel starting January 3rd. View Price & Listing " width="680">

By Edward Jones – December 18, 2018

Deadmau5 Takes Delivery of New McLaren Senna

Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman) is no stranger to melodic tunes, video games or cars. In fact, a quick look at his Instagram will show you that he's constantly posting about those three things, with cats peppered in between. One of his latest automotive purchases that will surely be shared on his Instagram is a McLaren Senna. The news of his purchase comes from George Farquhar's Instagram. Farquhar is actually the VIP Relations Manager over at McLaren Automotive. Zimmerman actually revealed earlier in 2018 at E3 that he had ordered a Senna. https://www.instagram.com/p/Brf8eB6gCUH/ The new McLaren that Zimmerman ordered is a truly wicked one. It has a black exterior with green trim found on the centerlock wheels, sides of the massive rear wing and on the front active aero. As for the car itself, it's powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 789 bhp and 590 lb-ft of torque. That power will launch the Senna from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and will go on until it hits a top speed of 211 mph. Congratulations are in order for Deadmau5/Zimmerman in regards to his latest acquisition. It's a beauty! Also Check Out: Deadmau5 Buys a New McLaren 720S Supercar Deadmau5 Unveils the Purracan Deadmau5 Reveals New McLaren P1 Wrap Featured Image via Instagram

By Andrew Nabors – December 17, 2018

Gymkhana TEN: The Ultimate Tire Slaying Tour

The Hoonigans have done it again. With major support from Ford, Gymkhana TEN has destroyed tires around the world. It was uploaded 10 days ago to Amazon Prime, and now it is live on YouTube. Starting off in Luleå, Sweden, Ken Block takes his 2018 season Ford Fiesta WRC across a frozen lake. Then we get to see an old favorite. The streets of Detroit are decimated by a refreshed version of the Hoonicorn Mustang. RTR updated the AWD Mustang to make 1,400 hp scream through Motor City. Going south of the border, Guanajuato, Mexico is paralyzed by the Focus RS RX Rallycross car. Drifting though the narrow streets and tunnels from the colonial era are a brilliant blend of Hooning and history. Then it's back to LA where Ken climbs into his favorite machine. His beloved Cosworth lost some rubber along the way, with a few scenes showing steel sparking across the improvised course. Ken Block's Hoonitruck Secrets Revealed The grand finale is in Shamrock, Texas. A sleepy town east of Amarillo was besieged by the1977 F-Series Hoonitruck, with flames spewing from the turbos of the Roush-Yates EcoBoost V6. A press release from Hoonigan Racing credits Detroit Speed, Forza, Toyo Tires, Pennzoil, Monster Energy, Can-Am, and the Hoonigran crew who spent over 2 years preparing for the shoot. Tell us your favorite scene and be sure to watch what happens after the credits! Related: Ken Block Takes on Britain in the Hoonicorn Ken Block’s New Gymkhana Show Gets a Trailer

By Edward Jones – December 14, 2018

The Grand Tour is Ditching the Studio in Season 4: Road T...

The Grand Tour that we have seen in previous seasons will now be changing their format, says the TV series' Twitter account. According to a post from them, which includes remarks from Amazon, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be ditching the studio. The Grand Tour Video Game Has Been Announced! However, that doesn't mean the show is done for. This just means that they will only be focusing on road trips, ditching the tent with an audience inside. Clarkson reiterated this sentiment in a tweet because many news outlets took the news as fact that the series was ending. https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1073576362500333568 Don't worry, the famous trio will be back for season 3 with the current road trip/studio setup. However, season 4 will only be taking on adventurous road trips. Related: Scary: The Grand Tour Hosts Become More American The Bugatti Chiron: A Lesson From The Grand Tour

By Andrew Nabors – December 13, 2018

Ken Block's Hoonitruck Secrets Revealed

If you haven't been watching the progress of the Hoonigans, The Gymkhana Files is Amazon's hottest show. It details the trials and tribulations leading up to Gymkhana 10, including outtakes from their previous films. Aside from Mr. Block, the real star of the show is the Hoonitruck. Taking inspiration from the Hoonicorn Mustang, this twin-turbo 1977 F150 is All Wheel Drive. But unlike their previous builds, they chose the skilled fabricators at Detroit Speed. Starting with a stock 1977 Ford truck, the body and frame were 3D scanned, leaving only the cab floor and A-pillars original. Their modular system has revolutionized the aftermarket. Our friends at BLVD customs transformed a 1969 Camaro into a pro-touring masterpiece with their complete system. It uses clevis joints to join each section, which transforms service and replacement from days to minutes. Doors and bed sides were hammered out of aluminum, and they are replaced with steel when filming. The EcoBoost V6 has the same internal dimensions as the Raptor's production engine, but it uses a Roush-Yates billet block and heads from the LeMans-winning Ford GT. Ken lost his dad at an early age, and many of his warmest memories revolve around learning to drive in a '77 Ford. We're excited to see what this mean machine is capable of, so Amazon Prime members get ready for the action. If you don't have prime, it will eventually make it to YouTube, so stay with us for all your updates. Related: Check Out the Sultan of Brunei's Collection! Ken Block Previews Gymkhana 10

By Edward Jones – December 10, 2018

Tony Stark and Iron Man's Car Collection Over The Years

The inception of the Marvel movie craze, in my opinion, was the very first Iron Man movie, starring the one and only Robert Downey Jr. Released on May 2, 2008, the first movie netted over $580 million at the worldwide box office and become an instant hit. Two years later, Iron Man 2 was released and Iron Man 3 followed in 2013. Each of the movies was more than successful and introduced us to the invincible Iron Man. In these movies, Tony Stark, the man underneath the metal suit, is played by Downey Jr. To say he does a great job of playing the wealthy, sarcastic, and sometimes brash hero is an understatement. From beginning to end, the attitude and style of the Iron Man found in the comic book is portrayed with fantastic accuracy. Of course, praise could also be given to the directors and casting crew. It's these same directors who realized that a man like Stark should not only be played by a fitting actor, but he should also be driving the right cars. From the very first movie, it's made clear that the cinematic Iron Man would be known for his extensive car collection. Iron Man 1 In the first movie, audiences were introduced to the hero's Audi R8. After the movie's release, the R8 became synonymous with the hero. In fact, I heard many people refer to the car as "the car Iron Man drives." Joining the German sports car in the hero's garage was a slew of other cars, including a Shelby Cobra, Saleen S7, Tesla Roadster and a 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster. Iron Man 2 Appearing in the sequel was the new R8 Spyder, which is shown just a few minutes into the movie. Also making an appearance was the Ford Flathead from the first movie. However, it seems that after the first movie Stark decided to either sell a few cars or house them in a garage where they were kept out of harm's way. Iron Man 3 The most successful out of the Iron Man movies was by far the third one, grossing over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Stark's starring car in this movie was his new R8 e-tron, with a Bugatti Veyron Supersport making a brief appearance. Photo by Charley Gallay/WireImage via Audi The Avengers One movie that the entire world had been waiting for in 2012 was the massive blockbuster known as The Avengers. In this movie Iron, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Black Widow, and Hulk all came together for the first time to kick some alien butt. Of course, Stark couldn't go a movie without a flashy car, so he opted for an Acura NSX concept car. Looking back on this car, you can see the differences between it and the production version. The Avengers: Age of Ultron Acting as a sequel to the first Avengers movie, The Avengers: Age of Ultron centered around one of Stark's creations, Ultron, who sought to render humans extinct. Even in such a perilous scene Stark still had time to make a scene in his brand new, redesigned Audi R8. Captain America: Civil War In 2016, we got to see Iron Man and his team of heroes take on Captain America and his team in the film Captain America: Civil War. In this film, Stark drove yet another Audi R8. Copyright: Getty Images for Audi Spider-Man: Homecoming For the reboot of Spider-Man, starring Tom Hollands as the web-slinging superhero, Tony Stark drove a new Audi A8. For the world premiere of the film, Spidey rode on top of a camouflaged A8 as it had not been unveiled yet. Robert Downey Jr. and John Favreau showed up in an R8 Spyder. " width="680"> Avengers: Endgame For the upcoming film, and possibly the last one for Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, we're not sure what cars will be showing up. However, RDJ did recently help unveil the new Audi e-tron GT Concept car and noted that he had already driven the car as Tony Stark in the film.

By Edward Jones – December 05, 2018

DJ La Fuente's TECHART GrandGT

DJ La Fuente, the famous electronic artist from The Netherlands, is a huge fan of cars. If you check his Instagram, you'll see plenty of different exotic cars, including his new TECHART GrandGT Supreme. This car is a based on the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Turismo and a sleek new style thanks to TECHART's distinctive kit. The TECHART GrandGT kit comes with a list of new body pieces that provide the new look. Up front is a new front apron with a splitter, as well as larger air intakes. Covering the engine is a new hood made of carbon fiber, which helps reduce the car's weight. Side skirts add flair, as do the wheel arches that widen the car by 50 mm in the front and 80 mm in the rear. Step to the back end and you're greeted with a new diffuser with four fins that border the tailpipes. You can learn more about TECHART by visiting their website.

By Edward Jones – November 26, 2018

See the Moment Stephen Curry's Porsche Gets Smashed in an...

Stephen Curry, the two-time NBA MVP from the Golden State Warriors, was recently involved in a pretty awful series of traffic accidents in Oakland, California. The California Highway Patrol of Oakland were the ones who reported to the incident and detailed it all in a Facebook post. To summarize the ordeal, here's what happened. Curry was driving down the road in the far left lane when a Lexus lost control in the far right lane The Lexus then veered across all lanes and into his black Porsche Panamera Turbo. Thankfully, everyone was okay. As Curry was waiting for police to arrive in the center median, a Honda Civic lost control in the far left lane. The Civic then proceeded to veer into the median and, ultimately, Curry's disabled Porsche. No injuries arose from this accident either. Now, TMZ Sports has published a video on YouTube of the exact moment the Lexus slams into Curry's Porsche. You can view it below. " width="680"> Images via CHP - Oakland/Facebook Also Check Out: Top 5 Celebrity Car Collections Graham Rahal’s Debuts His Purple Ford GT Justin Verlander’s New Ferrari 488 Pista

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