Concept 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 Andrew Nabors – May 04, 2020

2020 SSC Tuatara Screams Across the Desert

The race for 300 mph is getting hotter each day, and the team at SSC looks ready to fight. The Tuatara has finally found an engine that can utilize its slippery drag coefficient of 0.279. Tom Nelson routinely builds 2,500 horsepower beasts for racers around the world. In order to give it a unique sound and extreme RPM, it has a flat-plane crank to reach 8,800. Top 50 Best Sports Cars Of All Time Because this isn't a drag racing machine, power was dialed back to 1,750 (on E85). Still making 1,350 horsepower on 91 octane, it is the most American supercar to-date. Backed by a 7-speed sequential transmission, the Tuatara is finally ready for 300. Tell us what you think in the comments below. " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – April 21, 2020

Bollinger Prototype Caught Testing in Snow

America's latest electric SUV is poised to revolutionize 4WD performance, and it will come in two flavors. The B1 is a full-size SUV with styling influences from the classic Defender. The B2 will utilize the same chassis and powertrain with a pickup body. Deliveries will begin next year, so engineers are putting the final touches on the software. Thanks to cold weather so late into the year, the headed for Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where a Bollinger prototype was caught testing in the snow. Top 50 Best Sports Cars Of All Time With motors at each end, power can be distributed equally or to the axles that have the most grip. Continental's winter proving grounds would be fun with fresh powder, so we're a little jealous. The team will be the next feature on Jay Leno's Garage, so stay with us for all your Bollinger updates. " width="680">

By Edward Jones – April 07, 2020

Electric Polestar Precept Concept Detailed in Close-Look

Due to the Geneva Motor Show being cancelled this year, many cars didn't get their rightful time in the spotlight. One such car was the Polestar Precept concept, an innovative new car that's built around sustainability. In fact, Polestar says it's built around their three pillars: sustainability, digital technology and design. The design is clearly there, but what about the other two? For sustainability, its packed with components like vegan interior, seat covers 3D-printed from bottles, carpets woven from recovered fishing nets and more. As far as technology goes, you need to look no further than its electric drivetrain and massive 15-inch digital interface that can actually recognize the driver. To learn more about this beautiful Swedish car, click play on the video down below.

By Andrew Nabors – March 17, 2020

Roland Gumpert Previews the Nathalie First Edition

Tomorrow will be a momentus day for Mr. Gumpert. He and his team have poured years of research into the world's first methanol-fueled EV. You read that right, they have a fuel cell that converts methanol into hydrogen, producing voltage to charge the batteries. With the full unveiling schedulled for 5 PM CET tomorrow, Roland Gumpert has previewed the Nathalie First Edition. When making gin, vodka, moonshine, or any clear liquor, methanol is the enemy. It causes blindness and a methanol fire is invisible. However, it stores a ton of energy in long carbon chains, so it makes the perfect fuel for dragsters and other high performance vehicles. Instead of burning it, the liquid is forced across a membrane that rips the carbons apart. The result is voltage to power an electric motor at each wheel, or it can be stored in a battery for later use. The fuel is available at drag strips and almost all race fuel stations. The manufacturer claims a range of 500 miles and 536 horsepower. Only 500 examples are planned, at $460,000 each. We will have all the details after the formal unveiling tomorrow. Browse Exotic Cars For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – March 16, 2020

It's Here: APEX AP-0 Concept EV Unveiled

It's been teased many times, but the new APEX AP-0 Concept EV sports has officially been given its debut. This new all-electric sports car comes into the world as an ultra-lightweight car with a kerb weight of just 2,645 lbs. That kind of weight is possible thanks to the carbon fiber tub and body panels. For power, APEX is sending it all to the rear wheels. They say it will be able to launch from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 190 mph. Typically, electric cars have a lower top speed that's electronically limited, but not this one. As for range, APEX says the battery can deliver enough juice for 320 miles. The AP-0 is also more than just a quick car. Packing LiDAR sensor technology, these sensors can generate very detailed maps of what's ahead of the car. It can measure down to a few centimeters at distances of more than 100 meters away. Cheap Exotic Cars for Sale This is most definitely an exciting car and we can't wait to see it in person. Hopefully, the production version will look and operate just like this concept model.

By Andrew Nabors – March 12, 2020

Zenvo TSR-S is Street Legal and Loaded With Carbon Fiber

Sitting at the crossroads between Scandinavia and Western Europe, Denmark is ripe for a hypercar revolution. That is why the latest Zenvo TSR-S is street legal and loaded with carbon fiber. Although they only build 5 cars annually, each one is commissioned by the buyer. Wanting to foreshadow the future of the brand, this build incorporates a hybrid transmission and fragmented carbon fiber wheels. They receive 1,177 horsepower from a twin-supercharged V8. Zenvo TSR-S Drag Races Pagani Huayra Roadster Its angry soundtrack is augmented by the whine from helical-cut dog gears in the 7-speed sequential transmission. This unique gearbox uses a hybrid electric motor to provide reverse gear, and an 8th forward gear when needed. It allows 62 mph to arrive in 2.8 seconds and in 6.8 you are doing 124 mph. Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, and stay with us for all your Zenvo updates. Used Sports Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 09, 2020

APEX AP-0 EV Concept to be Unveiled Soon

After the cancellation of the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show, APEX is going ahead and rescheduling the launch of their new AP-0 EV concept car. The unveiling is set to occur on March 13 at 10:30 AM EST. APEX is planning on unveiling the car with a kerb weight of just 2645 lbs, which is astounding for an electric car. For this, APEX had to utilize a carbon fiber chassis to help cut the weight. If you want to see the unveiling, be sure to check out APEX's various social media channels as that is where the livestream will occur.

By Edward Jones – March 04, 2020

BMW Concept i4 Revealed: All Electric, All New

The new, and all-electric BMW Concept i4 has finally been unveiled after a long period of teasing. This new concept car shows off a car that's similar to what's expected from the production version of the i4. As you can plainly see, this is a very unique BMW that stands out from the rest of the automaker's models. Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, describes its design as being "dynamic, clean and elegant." The electric drivetrain of the Concept i4 produces up to 530 horsepower. It's 0 to 60 mph time is expected to be around 4 seconds and its top speed at over 124 mph. While this speed may not blow you away, it's other aspects of the driver that should entice you. In the press release detailing the new Concept i4, BMW puts this line in: "The interior of the BMW Concept i4 focuses on those times when the driver chooses to pilot the car themselves." While the press release does not mention autonomous driving, this clearly hints that the new i4 will have the ability to drive itself. Still, this is a concept and the true details of the BMW i4 are yet to come. SEE ALL BMW I8 FOR SALE

By Edward Jones – March 02, 2020

Audi Unveils Two New e-tron S Prototypes

Audi's push for more electric models is now stronger than ever as the automaker unveils two new prototypes. These new prototypes are meant to be test mules for the e-tron S-models. To power these prototypes, Audi has installed three electric motors. A large electric motor powers the front axle, while two small and identical models are in the rear. Together, they provide 496 horsepower and 717.6 lb-ft of torque, power that's good enough for a 0 to 62 mph sprint in 4.5 seconds. Furthermore, when these e-tron S models hit production, they will be the first electric cars with three motors in mass production. We're definitely excited to see Audi's electric movement and what comes out of it. Maybe we'll have that electric R8 soon.

Drako GTE at Thermal RacewayPhoto: James Lipman / jameslipman.com

By Andrew Nabors – February 26, 2020

Valentino Balboni Debuts the Drako GTE at Thermal Club

It is not wise to entrust your latest creation to an amatuer. Many late nights and years of simulation have led to this point. With so much riding on making a grand entrance, Valentino Balboni has debuted the Drako GTE at Thermal Club. This new American electric supercar is the brainchild of two Silicon-Valley entrepreneurs. Each wheel has its own electric motor, and they are controlled by the DriveOS software. Tuned by relentless laps of the Nürburgring, the famous Italian test driver said: " My professional life has been all about finding innovative solutions to improve performance and the driver’s feeling from behind the wheel. Now after driving Drako GTE, I have entered a completely new world of incredible power and amazing control. However, it is the turn in feel which elevates GTE above any GT car I have driven. I truly love the way this car feels as it turns in and transitions through the corners - it is something I have not experienced before in a car with these dimensions. I didn’t want to stop, it’s a really compelling and addictive drive." Browse Sports Cars For Sale " width="680">

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