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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 Jordan Aquistapace – September 19, 2023

The Triple F Collection Specs Out Their Upcoming Bugatti ...

With an already impressive collection of desirable automobiles, the Triple F Collection is set to welcome yet another Bugatti. Gracing the great state of Ohio with a garage full of ultra-exclusive supercars and hypercars, the Triple F Collection aims to entertain its 376K YouTube followers by documenting multi-million dollar car ownership. Constantly rotating inventory as if they were a luxury car dealership, Jordan and Jason Frecka continue to add and sell new vehicles as they release from manufacturers like McLaren, Lamborghini, and Ferrari. Amongst the entire lineup of industry-leading track weapons, the guys hold a special place in their hearts for the Bugatti brand. The Triple F Collection currently owns a Bugatti Chiron ordered from new and a Bugatti Veyron Vitesse once owned by professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the newest upload to their YouTube channel, the Triple F Collection sits down to configure the allocation for their upcoming Bugatti Mistral. Originally debuted in 2022 and commencing production this year, the Bugatti Mistral stands out as one of the marque's most expensive and exclusive hypercar releases. Using the Bugatti configurator to bring their Mistral to life, Jordan, Jason, and their father come to an agreement that a light and dark blue two-tone exposed carbon finish is the best option. Inside, dark blue carbon fiber and French Racing Blue leather layer the driver-focused cabin with polished aluminum trim accents. Along with their own configuration, the Triple F Collection decides to let Bugatti create their own spec in the Mistral's gold launch color. With only 99 examples sold to Bugatti's most celebrated clientele for a whopping $5 million, incorporating breathtaking design and a monstrous 1,578 horsepower 8.0L quad-turbocharged W16 engine. Stay tuned into duPont REGISTRY for more updates on the Triple F Collection's upcoming Bugatti Mistral. View all Bugatti hypercars currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Bugatti For Sale Source: Triple F Collection YouTube

By Jordan Aquistapace – September 18, 2023

Watch MrBeast & His Friends Rank And Test Cars From $1 to...

The list features everything from factory firsts to futuristic concepts, and everything in between! Exploring and discovering some of the world's most expensive offerings, YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, dedicates a portion of his channel to entertaining his 184 million subscribers with informative content. After shocking the automotive world by crushing a Lamborghini Gallardo with a hydraulic press, MrBeast and his crew of friends are scaling cars from $1 to $100,000,000 using a $250 million car collection. Before getting behind the wheel of supercars like the Ferrari 812 Competizione, Ford GT, and McLaren 720S, the group had to start by purchasing a rusty barn find for only a dollar. Along the way, MrBeast gets up close and personal with Tesla's $100K self-driving Model X, Lamborghini's $200K track-focused Rezvani's $300K explosion-proof Vengeance SUV, a $500K Jeep boat, and a $600K flying car. Arriving at the million-dollar mark with so many options to choose from, MrBeast chose to bring out 10 of the coolest $1 million supercars. The seven-figure lineup features a hydrogen concept car, Guntherwerks Porsche 911, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, McLaren 765LT, custom Shelby GT500, Ferrari 812 Competizione, and four Ford GTs. MrBeast then told each of his friends to hop in their favorite supercar for some high-speed laps on the open track. Choosing to take a position as a passenger, MrBeast hops in the front seat of the Ferrari 812 Competizione with his friend and fellow YouTube creator Cody Ko behind the wheel. In addition to these experiments, MrBeast gets his chance to experience true automotive excellence with a ride in Koenigsegg's $10M Agera RS "Vader" and Jay Leno's $20M McLaren F1. Diving into a class of cars that are better referred to as museum-grade examples, the Petersen Museum crossed the $80M milestone with a classic $30M Ferrari and $50M. The final car taking MrBeast's $100M top spot is Ferrari's first car, the 125 S, which is only allowed to be driven by one museum representative in perfect weather conditions. Whether you an aficionado or a novice to the world of exotic cars, it's safe to say that MrBeast brought out the best to scale cars from $1 to $100,000,000. View all supercars and hypercars currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Supercars And Hypercars For Sale Source: MrBeast YouTube

By Jordan Aquistapace – September 15, 2023

JAY-Z’s Iconic “Off White Lexus” Parks At The Brooklyn Li...

While Jay-Z now owns a fleet of luxury cars, the classic 1993 Lexus GS 300 will remain one of his favorites. After recently announcing a special edition LC 500 to commemorate Beyoncé's tour, Lexus is partnering with Jay-Z on a new NYC exhibition. Roc Nation and Lexus are driving cultural narratives forward with the inclusion of a 1993 Lexus GS 300 in The Book Of HOV display at Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Location. This iconic vehicle was first showcased in JAY-Z’s “Dead Presidents” music video and immortalized in his hit songs like “Can I Live” and “Empire State Of Mind.” Since the exhibit's July 14th launch, the library has seen an exceptional spike in foot traffic, hosting over 255,000 visitors (almost four times more than the same period last year.) Card sign-ups have also surged, with over 21,000 new accounts thanks to the JAY-Z limited edition cards. The Book Of HOV serves as an expansive tribute to Shawn Carter, better known as JAY-Z, highlighting his global influence as a musician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. “We're excited to partner with Lexus to bring JAY-Z’s iconic ‘Off-White Lexus’ to The Book of HOV,” says Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation. The vehicle adds another layer to an exhibit that has already captivated attendees. The exhibit will extend its run until December to accommodate new and returning visitors. "The vehicle display is a recognition of the mutual respect and admiration between Lexus and JAY-Z," says Mia Phillips, senior manager of Lexus Advertising & Media. As a brand frequently mentioned in hip-hop lyrics, Lexus remains connected with a lifestyle that defined an era. The 1993 Lexus GS 300 will remain on display, sealing its place in both automotive and hip-hop history. View all Lexus models currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Lexus For Sale Source: Lexus

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By Jordan Aquistapace – September 11, 2023

Jacob & Co. Founder Configures His Own Bugatti Chiron Sup...

Three years after the start of their partnership, Jacob Arabo finally specs his very own Bugatti Chiron Super Sport.

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By Jordan Aquistapace – September 01, 2023

Travis Scott's Upcoming Nikes Match His G-Wagon And Lambo...

With a style for earth tones, Travis Scott even wraps his cars in fashionable colors.

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 31, 2023

Manny Khoshbin Takes Delivery Of His New Porsche 911 Dakar

Going with the desirable Rough Roads livery, Manny is sure to have a blast off-road in his new Porsche 911 Dakar.

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 30, 2023

Ryan Reynolds Takes Delivery Of His Arc Vector Motorcycle

The world-renowned actor and entrepreneur adds a new motorcycle to his collection.

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By Jordan Aquistapace – August 28, 2023

UFC Star 'Suga' Sean O'Malley Buys A New Chevrolet C8 Cor...

From the UFC octagon to the exotic car dealership, Suga Sean is making all the right moves.

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 25, 2023

Tennis Star Hubi Hurkacz Takes A Dream Drive In A McLaren...

ATP tennis star Hubert Hurkacz drives his dream car, the McLaren 765LT Spider, experiencing the thrill of speed.

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 24, 2023

Rezvani Motors Delivers Vengeance #001 To NFL Star Amari ...

The Cleveland Brown wide receiver just scored the keys to Rezvani's first military-inspired Vengeance SUV.

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