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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 Khris Bharath – March 13, 2026

$1.31 Million McLaren Elva Leads duPont REGISTRY Live Results This Week as an Eclectic Mix of Cars Near Closing

Following last week’s headline-grabbing sale of a monotone red 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, duPont REGISTRY Live recorded yet another seven-figure result this past Wednesday. The week’s top lot, a 2021 McLaren Elva finished in MSO Napier Green, closed at $1,314,600 (including Buyer's Premium) with just 653 miles on the odometer. The result lands almost exactly in line with the duPont REGISTRY Index (dRi) valuation of $1,297,500, reinforcing the continued strength of McLaren’s Ultimate Series in the collector market. While Speedsters have previously crossed the platform’s digital auction block, the Elva represents the first Barchetta body style to sell on duPont REGISTRY Live. Inspired by McLaren’s open-cockpit 1960s CanAm racers, the roofless Elva forms part of the British marque’s Ultimate Series lineup alongside the Senna and Speedtail. Production was strictly limited to 149 units worldwide, and this highly specified example carried nearly $88,000 in factory options. It is believed to be one of roughly 30 Elvas delivered to the United States, adding another layer of rarity to the final result. Several other noteworthy sales reinforced the platform’s diverse mix of modern supercars and enthusiast favorites. A 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, the rally-inspired off-road supercar, closed at $294,000. Porsche continues to show strong demand on the platform, with a 2018 911 GT2 RS equipped with the highly desirable Weissach Package, bringing $515,550. Ferrari also delivered two standout results. A 2025 Ferrari Purosangue closed at $500,625, while a low-mileage 2007 Ferrari F430 equipped with the factory six-speed gated manual fetched $415,800, highlighting the continued demand for analog Ferraris with traditional open-gate transmissions. The week also marked another milestone for the platform with the first Lotus to sell on Live, a 25th Anniversary Lotus Esprit Turbo, which closed at $97,125. Lots Closing Next Week: Highlights <- Gallery -> Looking ahead, momentum on the platform continues to build. Nearly 15 cars are currently listed on duPont REGISTRY Live, with several notable consignments already drawing attention ahead of next week’s closing dates. Among the exotic highlights is a highly specified 2023 Maserati MC20 Cielo, featuring a striking Blu Mondrian leather-and-Alcantara interior and just 726 miles on the odometer. Lamborghini Murciélagos have become increasingly sought after in recent times, with even more demand for factory manual examples, of which fewer than 50 of the V12 flagship were built. Having said that, a 2008 Murcielago LP640-4, finished in rare Herra Blue, currently listed on Live could also generate significant buzz, since it only carries 1,200 original miles. American performance machines also add variety to the current online catalog. A supercharged 2013 Chevrolet Caprice ex-law-enforcement sedan joins a rare 2013 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon finished in Glacier Blue, one of just 15 produced in that color. Rounding out the lineup is a selection from the tuner and restomod scene, including a 1967 Ford Shelby GT500 Tribute, a highly modified 1969 Ford Bronco, a custom 1968 Chevrolet Suburban built by Relic, and a repainted Rubystone-finished 1990 Porsche 911 (964). With new consignments arriving and multiple high-profile lots closing in the coming days, duPont REGISTRY Live continues to expand its footprint in the digital collector-car auction space. View All Lots on duPont REGISTRY Live

By Jordan Aquistapace – February 04, 2026

dR LIVE Sets Murcielago Record With a $686K LP640 Sale

dR LIVE marked a milestone this week, selling a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 for $686,700, the highest price ever paid for a non-gated manual Murciélago. The result came as part of its 100 percent sell-through and 14-day return window, a structure that’s becoming increasingly common as buyers grow more selective and informed. The headline number matters, but the context matters more. It points to a growing appreciation for late-2000s supercars that still sit in the space between analog and modern, a space the Murciélago occupies so well. When Lamborghini updated the Murciélago in 2006, the LP640 didn’t try to rewrite the formula. The V12 grew to 6.5 liters, chassis tuning was sharpened, and the exterior received subtle improvements that modernized the look. Underneath it all remained the defining elements: a wide stance, scissor doors, and a naturally aspirated V12 that puts on the power in a way modern turbocharged or hybrid cars don’t. With 631 horsepower and permanent all-wheel drive, the LP640 still feels like a substantial supercar that could be a daily driver. The LP640’s importance and influence become more obvious when viewed against what came next. It was the last Murciélago before the Aventador introduced a carbon-fiber monocoque, a single-clutch gearbox, and a more digitally enhanced driving experience. Designed by Luc Donckerwolke, the Murciélago’s shape has aged like a fine wine, and its mechanical character remains front and center for purists. That balance is increasingly hard to find, and collectors are paying attention and paying premiums. The 2009 car that set the record boosts that appeal. Showing just 303 miles on the odometer, it’s essentially a time capsule finished in Balloon White, a color unique to the final model year. Factory options include Hermera black wheels, gray Brembo calipers, a transparent engine cover, and a Nero Perseus interior with the Q-Citura package and carbon trim. With limited production numbers and delivery-level mileage, this LP640 represents a broader shift in how collectors are starting to value Lamborghini’s last truly analog V12 era. Discover dR LIVE

duPont REGISTRY Live Highlights: Big Results Across Icons, Exotics, and Modern Collectibles

By Edward Jones – January 09, 2026

duPont REGISTRY Live Auction Highlights

If you’ve been watching the collector market lately, you already know the action isn’t limited to in-person events and private deals anymore. duPont REGISTRY Live has become a go-to destination for high-end auctions online, pairing curated, enthusiast-grade inventory with a bidding experience that’s designed to be transparent and competitive. The cars below are some of the most recent highlight auctions that have sold on the platform, spanning everything from ultra-bespoke restorations to rare-spec Ferraris, modern supercars, and genuinely hard-to-find enthusiast pieces. (All prices listed include buyer’s premium.) 1992 Porsche 911 Targa Reimagined By Singer — $998,550 This is the kind of modern collectible that sits in a category of its own: Singer craftsmanship, Special Wishes-level personalization, and extremely low kilometers. Known as the “Rio Commission,” it was completed in April 2024 and finished in Bespoke Green over a handcrafted Burgundy and Sunset Orange interior. It was also specified with the coveted Ed Pink-built, fuel-injected 4.0-liter flat-six, showing just 936 kilometers at the time of cataloging. View Auction Page 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano — $740,250 A front-engined Ferrari V12 grand tourer is already special; a factory 6-speed manual 599 is the unicorn spec collectors chase. This example was presented as one of just 30 built worldwide, pairing the 599’s long-hood V12 drama with the kind of analog involvement that’s all but extinct in modern exotics—exactly why these cars have become so important to serious Ferrari collections. View Auction Page 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series — $589,092 Modern AMG doesn’t get more hardcore than the GT Black Series, and this one was further elevated by the Project One Edition package. It was presented as one of 40 examples worldwide, with only 409 miles, in an Obsidian Black specification that perfectly matches the car’s track-first mission. The result reflects strong collector confidence in limited-production modern AMG halo cars. View Auction Page 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia — $458,850 The 430 Scuderia remains one of Ferrari’s most rewarding modern classics, blending lightweight focus with a naturally aspirated soundtrack that’s getting rarer by the year. This example stood out with just under 18,800 miles, extensive documentation, and recent Ferrari dealer service records—exactly the kind of pedigree buyers want when hunting for a truly collector-grade Scuderia. View Auction Page 2018 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet — $656,250 If you want the ultimate “anything, anywhere” luxury statement, the G650 Landaulet is hard to top—especially when production is capped at 1 of 99. Finished in Pearl White with 16,949 miles, this example pairs Maybach-level indulgence with the headline powertrain: a 6.0-liter bi-turbo V12. It’s one of the most extravagant takes on the W463-era G-Class ever produced. View Auction Page 2022 McLaren 765LT Spider — $599,550 The 765LT Spider hits that sweet spot of modern performance and long-term collectability, and this example leaned hard into specification. It was offered with $134k in options, finished in Velocity Blue over a Black/Blue Alcantara interior, and showed just 2,188 miles. For buyers who value both pace and presentation, it’s the kind of modern McLaren that feels purpose-built for serious collections. View Auction Page 2005 Ford GT — $492,975 The first-generation Ford GT has become a cornerstone of modern American collecting, and this one checked the right boxes. Finished in Quick Silver Metallic with the desirable factory stripe delete, it showed only 9,704 miles and was presented with clean history documentation. Add the supercharged V8 and Ricardo 6-speed manual, and you’ve got one of the most iconic analog-era supercars of the 2000s. View Auction Page 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS (Sold during Black Friday flash sale) — $193,200 Sold during a limited Black Friday flash sale that lasted 24 hours, this 78-mile Cayman GT4 RS read like a dream spec for anyone who wants the most extreme Cayman Porsche has ever built. It was equipped with the Weissach Package, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, and front axle lift, and it’s powered by the 4.0-liter flat-six derived from the 911 GT3—an engine that defines the car’s high-revving, track-focused personality. View Auction Page 1995 BMW M3 (Pre-Prod Prototype (E36) Lightweight) — $95,025 For BMW collectors, this is the kind of deep-cut result that turns heads: an E36 M3 Lightweight presented as a documented pre-production prototype and one of only ten examples built. With 26,916 miles and ties to BMW’s motorsport-era development story, it’s a reminder that rare, historically significant variants can be just as compelling as headline-grabbing supercars. View Auction Page 2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (Manual Conversion) — $532,875 The Challenge Stradale is already one of the great modern Ferrari driver’s cars—but a gated manual conversion takes it into a niche that’s exploding in popularity. This example was presented in Nero with a blue and white center stripe and a custom blue suede interior, bringing an added layer of exclusivity to a model revered for its raw, lightweight character and direct connection to Ferrari’s track DNA. View Auction Page

By Khris Bharath – November 27, 2025

12 Hour Black Friday Sale: duPont REGISTRY Live to offer ...

Black Friday always brings around something unexpected, and this year, duPont REGISTRY Live will add to the excitement in its inaugural Black Friday sale. At exactly 6:00 AM EST tomorrow, a 12-hour window will open, closing at 6:00 PM EST, for a single surprise auction with a limited opportunity to acquire something with limited availability. What sits behind the countdown is a stealthy, highly optioned track-focused machine configured in a specification that has become very difficult to acquire. Availability, not numbers on a sheet, defines the real value here, and if you pay attention to modern high-performance cars, you already know how swiftly the most desirable configurations vanish from dealer lots and how rarely they return to market in untouched condition. This particular example follows that pattern. The car in question features a naturally aspirated engine located behind the seats that revs to 9,000 rpm and delivers just under 500 horsepower, exclusively to the rear wheels. Induction happens through visible ducts positioned directly behind the driver’s shoulders, creating a distinct sound profile inside the cabin. The dash to 60 mph happens in 3.2 seconds, and top speed is rated at just under 200 mph. Delivered new to a Canadian dealer, titled in the United States in August, and now showing only 78 miles, it is showroom fresh. While this mid-engined carbon-clad performance car is pretty well equipped from the factory, optional extras on this specific vehicle add up to about 40,000 Canadian dollars, approximately $28,500, elevating the specification far beyond the standard configuration. High demand continues to tighten allocations for this model, and low-mileage examples in the condition like the one we’re offering seldom surface. For 12 hours only, duPont REGISTRY Live is making one accessible, and if you want more than a spec sheet, this is your chance to secure one, so be ready at 6:00 AM Eastern tomorrow. View All Cars on dR Live Images: duPont REGISTRY

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