Dodge

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 Charles Bradley – November 03, 2026

Dodge Returns to NASCAR Cup Racing in 2027

Dodge is heading back to NASCAR. After more than a decade away from the Cup Series, the American performance brand will return to competition in 2027 with Kaulig Racing, where it will compete against teams from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, marking a significant new chapter in its motorsports history and a renewed commitment to gasoline-powered performance. Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection division, Stellantis North America, announced the move during a preview of the Stellantis display at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The message was direct: Dodge intends to put performance back at the center of its identity, both on the road and at the track. "Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, 'watch this,'" said Kuniskis. "Sure, we could spend three years planning, testing and perfecting ... or we could do all three in real time, on the track. It's going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA. LFG." The return reconnects Dodge with a series that has played an important role in shaping its competition credentials. From the brand's first NASCAR Cup Series victory in 1953 to the 2012 championship won by Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Dodge Charger run by Penske Racing, Dodge has a history that spans generations of stock car racing. Its 2012 campaign was also its final season in the series. Now, the brand is preparing to write another chapter. A New Racing Partnership The comeback builds on Stellantis' expanding North American motorsports presence. Ram returned to NASCAR competition in 2026 with Kaulig Racing, which will now serve as the anchor team for both Dodge and Ram. That factory-backed presence has established a foundation for the company's next phase of American motorsports involvement, with Dodge's return to the Cup Series representing its latest major step. Leading the effort is Dodge SRT Racing, responsible for the brand's North American motorsports programs, including NASCAR, NHRA and additional racing series. The road to the 2027 season will include several milestones. During NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kaulig Racing will announce its driver lineup for the upcoming campaign. The next major moment will arrive at the 59th annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. There, Dodge will stage The Dodge Sno-Brawl, a head-to-head challenge in which celebrity drivers will compete in equally prepared Dodge Charger late-model stock cars. Additional details about the competition will be announced later. The event will also provide the setting for the reveal of the race car that will carry Dodge's livery in NASCAR Cup Series competition. Fans can watch the unveiling via livestream on FloRacing and on the NASCAR Channel courtesy of Flo Racing on Dec. 4. Performance, Reaffirmed Dodge's racing ambitions arrive alongside a renewed emphasis on high-output, gasoline-powered vehicles. The brand's 112-year history, rooted in the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge, continues through a lineup built around American performance. At its center is the Dodge Charger, now offered with a range of powertrains and configurations. The latest addition is the 2027 Dodge Charger Super Bee Launch Edition, rated at 600 horsepower. Dodge describes it as the quickest, fastest and most powerful SIXPACK Charger, as well as the highest-specific-horsepower muscle car ever. The broader Charger lineup includes the SIXPACK-powered, 420-horsepower Charger R/T and the 550-horsepower Charger Scat Pack, which uses the 3.0-liter twin-turbo SIXPACK high-output engine. Dodge identifies the R/T as the muscle car with the most standard horsepower and the Scat Pack's powerplant as the most powerful Hurricane engine in production. Every Charger comes standard with all-wheel drive, while buyers can choose between two-door coupe and four-door sedan configurations. That combination of power, traction and body-style choice gives the lineup a broader range of appeal without moving away from its performance focus. The same philosophy extends to Dodge's SUV range. The Durango SRT Hellcat, with 710 horsepower from its supercharged HEMI V-8, is positioned as the most powerful gas-powered SUV ever. The Durango SRT Hellcat Jailbreak adds an extensive personalization proposition, offering more than 20 million potential customization combinations. The Next Chapter Dodge's NASCAR return is more than a new entry on the 2027 racing calendar. It brings the brand's competition heritage back to the Cup Series while reinforcing the performance identity reflected in its latest road-going models. With Kaulig Racing providing the team foundation, Dodge SRT Racing leading the program and the new Charger stock car set for its reveal at the Snowball Derby, the countdown to 2027 is underway. For Dodge, the message is unmistakable: the wait is over, and the brand is back. IMAGES COURTESY OF STELLANTIS

By Khris Bharath – October 29, 2026

Mopar Marks Its 90th Anniversary With 270 Special-Edition Dodge Chargers Bound for SEMA

Few names are as closely associated with American muscle as Mopar. Short for “MOtor PARts,” the name dates to 1937, when Chrysler first used it for a line of antifreeze products, before it became synonymous with performance parts during the muscle-car era and beyond. Mopar will turn 90 in 2027, and it is marking the occasion with 270 limited-production Dodge Chargers. The $10,995 Mopar ‘27 package will be available on the two-door Charger R/T and Charger Scat Pack Plus, making its public debut at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals before appearing at the 2026 SEMA Show, which runs November 3-6 this year. Both versions receive a Direct Connection carbon-fiber front splitter, functional hood and rear spoiler, along with a cold-air intake. Mopar will build 90 cars in each of three colors: Bludicrous, Diamond Black, and White Knuckle. Mopar Blue accents feature prominently across all three specifications, appearing on the hood, lower bodysides, and rear-quarter graphics, while serialized plaques further distinguish each car. The Scat Pack Plus adds leather performance seats, 20-by-11-inch wheels, and the Carbon and Suede and Blacktop packages. Each car also comes with an owner kit containing a personalized certificate of authenticity with its serialized build number and a rendering from the Mopar design team. Dodge has offered similar owner-focused exclusivity before, including special products for Challenger SRT Demon 170 customers. The Mopar ‘11 and ‘15 cars were HEMI-powered Charger R/Ts, while the ‘23 Charger still belonged to the V8 era. This is the fourth Charger to receive the full Mopar treatment since 2011, and notably, the first without a V8. The ‘27 instead employs Dodge's 3.0-liter twin-turbo SIXPACK inline-six. The R/T produces 420 horsepower, can hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, and covers the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds. The Scat Pack Plus raises output to 550 horsepower with forged internals and larger 54mm Garrett turbochargers, cutting those figures to 3.9 and 12.2 seconds, respectively. Both also pack standard all-wheel drive, but crucially have an on-demand rear-wheel-drive mode. Of the planned 270 cars, 243 have been allocated to the United States and 27 to Canada. Dealer orders open in January, with production starting in spring 2027. The Charger will share Mopar's SEMA stand with two Ram Rumble Bee builds, three Jeep concepts, and a Hellcrate Redeye-powered 1969 Charger Daytona tribute. View All Dodge for Sale Images: Stellantis, Dodge

By Khris Bharath – August 07, 2026

The Super Bee Nameplate Makes a Comeback With Dodge’s Most Powerful SIXPACK Charger Yet

Following the updates introduced for the 2027 Charger lineup, Dodge has revived one of its most iconic performance nameplates with the 2027 Charger Super Bee Launch Edition, a limited-production model that pushes the twin-turbocharged SIXPACK platform to 600 horsepower. The reveal took place at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, during Roadkill Nights 2026, where Dodge celebrated the return of the Super Bee with drift demonstrations, burnouts and street-legal drag racing on Woodward Avenue for the 11th consecutive year. The new Super Bee becomes the most powerful version of the nameplate ever produced, surpassing the 485-horsepower 2023 Charger Super Bee by 115 horsepower. Its 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six produces 531 pound-feet of torque, helping the new model get from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and complete the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds. But for the Mopar faithful, the biggest change is not the performance figures but what's under the hood, unlike the previous-generation Super Bee, which featured the potent 6.4-liter HEMI V8, the new model transitions into Dodge's SIXPACK era with a turbocharged inline-six. This change marks a major shift for a nameplate that has long been associated with traditional American muscle. The Super Bee debuted back in 1968 on the Dodge Coronet platform, offering big-block performance in a more accessible package. Available with legendary powerplants, including the 426 HEMI, the Super Bee became one of Mopar's most recognizable muscle-car names. It joined the Charger lineup in 1971, returned as a limited-production modern Charger variant in 2007, and most recently closed out the previous generation in 2023. For this latest Super Bee, Dodge's goal was not simply to create a higher-output Charger, but to build a performance model capable of delivering repeatable power on both the drag strip and the road course. The additional output comes from larger 56 mm Garrett turbochargers, revised engine calibration, increased airflow and upgraded cooling systems. Compared with the 550-horsepower Charger Scat Pack, Dodge says the Super Bee delivers stronger boost response, a broader torque curve and greater sustained performance during repeated high-performance driving. The thermal upgrades are equally significant. A redesigned high-flow front fascia increases airflow to the cooling stack by 30 percent, while additional radiators raise high-temperature cooling capacity by more than 50 percent. Dodge also claims the revised aerodynamic package adds more than 100 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. The chassis too receives upgrades to match the increased output, starting with 16-inch Brembo vented rotors at all four corners, paired with six-piston front and four-piston rear fixed calipers. Forged 20-by-11-inch wheels wrapped in 305/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tires provide additional grip, while new dual-valve adaptive dampers and revised suspension tuning are designed to make this the most track-focused Super Bee yet. Standard all-wheel drive remains, but you can switch to rear-wheel drive at any speed using a dedicated steering-wheel button. Track Mode, Drag Mode, Torque Reserve, Launch Control and Line Lock are also included, giving the Super Bee the tools to attack both corners and straight-line acceleration. The front end also carries Dodge’s revived Fratzog emblem, a geometric badge originally used across the brand’s performance cars from the 1960s through the 1970s. The redesigned Super Bee logo incorporates a turbine-inspired element to reflect the twin-turbo SIXPACK engine, while new cloth high-back performance seats add a more focused cabin experience. <- Gallery -> Like the rest of the Charger lineup, the Super Bee will be available in both two-door coupe and four-door sedan configurations. The Launch Edition will be offered in Sucker Punch, Shady and Diamond Black, with unique Super Bee graphics, Hyper Lime brake calipers and model-specific interior trim. Dodge has not yet released curb weight or top speed, whereas pricing, production numbers, and availability details will be announced later in 2026. View All Dodge Charger For Sale Image Source: Stellantis

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