Chiron Super Sport

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 Tyler Rampersaud – February 27, 2024

New Bugatti Chiron Super Sport "Hommage T50S" Honors Le M...

Bugatti looks back on its factory debut at Le Mans. Bugatti made history in 1937 with its first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the Bugatti Type 57G Tank finishing the incredibly daunting and legendary endurance race victorious. However, it was six years earlier in 1931 when Bugatti made its official factory debut at Le Mans, with the Type 50S, a car that Bugatti is now celebrating with its latest stunning Sur Mesure project: the Chiron Super Sport “Hommage T50S.” The customer brief was an all-black bespoke Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, which led him to the story of the Type 50S. In its time, the Type 50S was the flagship of Bugatti’s line of vehicles with large, powerful engines, with the 50S specifically featuring a 5.0-liter supercharged inline 8-cylinder unit with a dual-overhead camshaft, with nearly 250 horsepower, an immense figure at the time. With its powerful engine and its luxurious long-distance comfort, Jean Bugatti believed that it could win the 24-hour race. One of the three cars was painted black instead of the traditional French racing blue, because of the French government’s refusal to sponsor Bugatti’s entry to the race, and that car survived after one tragically crashed after showing strong performance potential. The black number 5 car would go on to serve as the inspiration for this new bespoke Sur Mesure Bugatti creation, with the racing number on the grille and sides of the car, and an echoing black exterior. Subtle details include “Le Mans 1931” script, a map of the circuit on the underside of the rear spoiler, and engine covers with a historically-inspired “Perlée” engine-turned ornamental pattern. The black interior features accents in the same “Perlée” pattern, with a glass roof that reflects the classic, open thrill of the Type 50S’s silhouette, and “Le Mans 1931” details throughout the interior, as well. With an incredible story that stretches back nearly a century, this new bespoke creation from Bugatti Sur Mesure is yet another true automotive masterpiece. View All Bugatti Chirons For Sale Image Source: Bugatti

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 31, 2024

Bespoke 1-of-1 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport "Elephant Blanc...

You can own a 1,600-horsepower bespoke creation. Bugatti has been known for years for creating some of the world’s greatest and most desirable hypercars, however, its Sur Mesure bespoke program has taken its artisan craftsmanship to a whole new level, showing off unique, curated, and bespoke creations, that have stories behind them that speak to their owners’ personalities, to Bugatti’s history, or to inspiring and breathtaking sights from throughout the world. This specific 2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport for sale is a Sur Mesure example, commissioned by none other than the founder of TOYZ autoart, and created as a collaboration between him, Grand Touring Automobiles, and the Molsheim Atelier, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport “Elephant Blanc” stands out as an automotive masterpiece. Finished in bright and crisp “Glacier White,” the car pays homage to the historic elephant sculpture by Bugatti family member and artist Rembrandt Bugatti, which famously served as an opulent hood ornament on the Bugatti Type 41 Royale from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. Inside, a striking contrast is provided by an interior finished entirely in French Racing Blue leather, with white elephant details, hence the “Elephant Blanc” name. Referencing Bugatti’s French heritage, another subtle yet spectacular detail is a French flag design incorporated into the underside of the retractable spoiler. This bespoke, rare, and incredibly powerful 1,600-horsepower masterpiece of a hypercar is one of the greatest examples of Bugatti’s and its Sur Mesure program’s ability to deliver incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail, and this legendary hypercar is available at TOYZ autoart in Mont Royal, Canada, and could be yours. View the price and listing by clicking below. View Price And Listing Image Source: TOYZ autoart

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 29, 2024

Bugatti Shows Off The New Chiron Super Sport "Red Dragon"

Bugatti’s newest bespoke spec evokes mythical power. While Bugatti is of course known for the excellence of its hypercar engineering, design, and luxury, its craftsmanship, artisan attention to detail, and ability for bespoke personalization are just as worthy of the attention and admiration of the automotive world, and Bugatti’s latest Chiron Super Sport example, shown off in a new Instagram post, is definitely proof. Delivered to a Bugatti client in Singapore, this new example of the exclusive and incredibly fast and powerful Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is called the “Red Dragon.” That’s because it’s finished from back to front in a stunning exposed carbon fiber which is tinted in red. Paired with subtle and elegant Nocturne in accents throughout the exterior, the Red Carbon exterior conveys a sense of legendary power like the dragon it’s named after. With its Red Carbon finish adorning the entire exterior, with accents in “Nocturne” and black carbon fiber, this stunning new spec of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport shows the breadth and incredible ability of Bugatti’s design, luxury, and style. View All Bugatti Chirons For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by BUGATTI (@bugatti)

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 14, 2023

Bugatti Unveils 2 Matching Chiron Super Sports Owned By A...

These hypercar masterpieces are two of a kind. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is one of the most important moments in automotive history, as it represents the pinnacle of engineering capability, craftsmanship, luxury, and design before electrification completely transforms the automotive industry. With nearly 1,600 horsepower and the ability to reach unfathomable speeds, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is in a league of its own when it comes to hypercar excellence. However, what brings it to a level of exclusivity and excellence that’s even higher is the Sur Mesure program, which gives clients the opportunity to configure their Chiron Super Sports with stunning bespoke details and features throughout, which has most recently resulted in a stunning matching pair of Chiron Super Sport examples, created out of the love between a husband and wife. Both ordered Chiron Super Sport examples, and the husband’s was delivered first, while the wife needed time to realize her Sur Mesure dream: a “Vagues de Lumière” hand-painted livery inspired by the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport “L’Or Blanc.” The result was a beautiful design that gave an illusion of reflected light, and once it was delivered, the husband was so moved and inspired by the creation, that he too asked Bugatti to add the design to his car, and Bugatti made it happen. The car was shipped from Tennessee back to its original home: the Molsheim Atelier, where its design was transformed to be a visible carbon design with sweeping lines in French Racing Blue, which matched his wife’s car, featuring Rosso Efesto with lines in Arancia Mira. Together, the two bespoke hypercars: “L’Aura” and “Coup de Foudre,” are a complementing pair, bringing romance to the Bugatti Chiron’s existing mix of exclusivity, automotive excellence, and stunning design. View All Bugatti Chirons For Sale Image Source: Bugatti

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