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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 Edward Jones – April 02, 2019

Gumball 3000 North American Route Revealed at Prestige Im...

The route for the Gumball 3000 North American route has officially been declared at an exciting event at Prestige Imports. Gumball 3000 took over Prestige Imports' Exotics & Espresso to announce the route that the Gumball 3000 North America rally will take. Brett David, the CEO of Prestige Imports, even turned his Pagani Huayra, named Project Vulcan, into a Hot Wheels toy car for the occasion. The route will be as follows: Toronto (May 22-23) Indy 500 (May 23-24) Nashville (May 25) Atlanta (May 26) Miami (May 27) Havana (May 28-29) That's right, the Gumball 3000 will conclude in Havana, Cuba! Now that will be an exciting trip for sure and we can't wait to see all the wild antics and impeccable cars that will be a part of the rally. view prestige imports' cars for sale

By Edward Jones – March 12, 2019

RM Sotheby's Amelia Island 2019 Auction Results

The 21st annual RM Sotheby's Amelia Island auction at the Ritz Carlton during the Amelia Island Concours d-Elegance finished up with over $38.1 million in sales and 84 percent of all lots were sold. Coming in as the highest seller was a rare Ferrari that become the most valuable car sold during the Amelia Island auction week. See the top 10 results down below. 10. 2017 Ferrari F12tdf - $967,500 9. 1992 Ferrari F40 - $1,017,000 8. 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder - $1,187,500 7. 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Sedan - $1,325,000 6. 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet Le Dandy - $1,352,500 5. 2015 McLaren P1 - $1,490,000 4. 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 'Sang Noir' - $1,650,000 3. 1930 Duesenberg Model J 'Sweep Panel' Dual-Cowl Phaeton - $1,650,000 2. 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra - $1,792,500 1. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB - $2,205,000 Images: ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

By Andrew Nabors – March 12, 2019

duPont REGISTRY's Amelia Island Concours 2019 Recap

What began as a small group of classics has evolved into the 2nd largest automotive event. Only Monterey Car Week is larger than the Concours d'Elegance of Amelia Island. Our schedules were full as we hit the ground running on Wednesday. After procuring the supplies for 4 locations, our silver trailer was parked at the entrance of the Ritz-Carlton. A plethora of Porsches gathered at the Werks Reunion Friday morning. The adjacent fairway was being prepped for Festivals of Speed, and we positioned ourselves between our clients. Terradyne brought their latest Gurkha, and Superformance overloaded the crowd with several flavors of the Future GT Forty. This modern interpretation of the GT40 can be had with all the modern conveniences. Also on display were a few stunners from Naples Classic Car. The stunning HYT Skull watch. The Festivals of Speed was 10 am to 4 pm, which directly impinged on our ability to attend the Concours d'Lemons, a show aimed at misfits and odd survivors you forgot about. More importantly, our crew was split between Cars & Coffee, Motor Expo, and a Porsche Parade to downtown Fernandina Beach. We turned in early on Saturday night, in order to be ready for the 24th Annual Amelia Island Concours. We rallied at 7 am, ready to welcome our guests at Motor Expo, the main entrance, and our VIP Suite overlooking the field. The duPont REGISTRY crew rocking Robert Graham. Attendees were dropped off at Motor Expo, where we had a new Tommy Bahama Edition Airstream Interstate on display. Next to it were our friends from Nmoto, fielding their R7-inspired BMW motorcycle. Overfinch brought their latest in bespoke Range Rovers, and their carbon fiber trim caught everyone's eye. We couldn't look this sharp without the attire provided by Robert Graham. Check out their latest styles in the link above! @racecardyl on the NMOTO Nostalgia Project. Superformance brought the Future GT Forty examples with carbureted big-block and supercharged Coyote power. The crowds proceeded to the main gate, with the duPont REGISTRY command center welcoming them to the event. Opening the event was John Oates singing the National Anthem, and it was a wonderful day. The only casualty was a gorgeous Lamborghini Miura SV, whose carburetors flooded on the way to the podium. Valentino Balboni diagnosed the problem and brought it back to life. We'll see you this Saturday at Cars & Coffee, and stay with us for all your exotic car events. Shop Exotic Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 05, 2019

Bullfest 2019 Recap

Lamborghini Miami Hosted a Fabulous catered breakfast and a Stellar Send-off for BullFest 2019. After breakfast, Over 100 Exotics, & Hyper-cars left Lamborghini Miami, with Biscayne Boulevard lined with enthusiastic onlookers, family and friends cheering them on as they headed down to Key Largo for lunch and an epic South Florida drive. VIEW DEALER INVENTORY

By Edward Jones – March 01, 2019

2019 Cars on 5th Recap: Over 600 Cars!

The 2019 Cars on 5th show was the best one yet. There were 607 cars spread across many classes. This included more than 150 Ferraris and supercars, 70 Corvettes, 70 Porsches, 80 muscle cars, 20 antiques and classics, 30 British cars, and 30 cool cruisers. Photo by Hannah Worboys Photo by Hannah Worboys Cars on 5th added a new Ferrari Scuderia VIP area this year that had 30 vintage and limited edition Ferraris. The sponsored dealer, Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale, had a great display of new Ferraris and race cars. The event is the largest one-day event in Naples and raised more than $400,000 for St. Matthew’s House this year. The next show is currently scheduled for February 8th, 2020. visit carsonfifth.com

By Andrew Nabors – February 27, 2019

2019 Geneva Motor Show Preview

It's time for Europe's largest auto show, so get ready for a glimpse of the future. We have compiled the most significant cars heading to Switzerland, so here is our 2019 Geneva Motor Show Preview. Also, be sure to check back to see new cars that are added as we draw closer to the show. Hispano-Suiza This concept could inspire a revival of the historic Spanish-Swiss automaker. It looks like a carbon fiber monocoque, McLaren will be watching this one closely! Nathalie by Roland Gumpert Our old friend Mr. Gumpert is at it again. A stunning new carbon fiber concept arrives with battery power and AWD. Under the hood is a 5kW fuel cell that converts methanol into voltage. Since methanol is a byproduct of the alcohol business, Nathalie would be cheap to drive. Twisted Automotive Making news by purchasing the final 240 Defenders from Land Rover, Twisted's 'Remake History' series will include Series II, IIA, Lightweight and V8 models. Each build will highlight a specific milestone in Defender history. ABT Sportsline RS5-R One of the leaders in the German aftermarket, ABT has pushed the Audi RS5 into uncharted territory. You will see a 530 horsepower coupe with 509 lb-ft of torque. It will arrive on 21" wheels wrapped in meaty 275/25 tires. Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept Gazoo Racing worked with Toyota to build a perfect Supra before it was introduced. This hardcore example uses carbon fiber body panels and lexan instead of glass. Drifters rejoice, your new master has arrived. Hennessey Performance Did you expect to have a world-class car show without John Hennessey? The Venom F5 is named for the most powerful rating of a tornado, the 1,600 horsepower beast has a 7-speed single clutch sequential transmission and a curb weight of 2,950 lbs. Pininfarina- Hybrid Kinetic The historic Italian coachbuilders have joined forces with Hybrid Kinetic. This low-emission concept has a large capacity battery, twin electric motors, and a range extender. Zenvo TSR-S Our favorite Danish automaker is arriving with one caveat. Only one example will be sold in each nation annually. The TSR-S is a mid-level offering, using the best features of the street legal TS1 GT and the race-focused TSR. Italdesign Now that they are under the VW umbrella, Italdesign is poised to shakeup the world. This concept has no name or specs, so we will have them as soon as they are released. This is what we have so far, so tell us which ones you want to see more details on, and you will see them here first. Related: Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder Heading to Geneva TECHART GTstreet RS Unveiled Ahead of Geneva McLaren 600LT Spider by MSO Heading to Geneva

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By Andrew Nabors – February 25, 2019

2019 Boca Raton Concours Recap

Last weekend marked the 13th annual Boca Raton Concours. What began as a small show by Rick & Rita Case has grown into a weekend unto itself. Friday night was our duPont REGISTRY Live Hangar Party. We were joined by our friends at Nmoto Motorcycles, Lux Lease Partners, Excell Auto Group, Global Trans, RENNtech, Overfinch, Airstream, and the best exotic cars in South Florida. The Master of Ceremonies was none other than Jay Leno. The event paled in comparison to his own collection, so he had no incentive to hold back on the automotive humor. All of the proceeds from the weekend went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. Judging started at 9am Sunday morning, as scorching heat was impending. We have to thank the Case family along with Jay Leno and Wayne Carini for making it the best show yet. Stay with Autofluence for complete coverage of the Amelia Island Concours March 8-10th! " width="680">

By Edward Jones – February 11, 2019

Glickenhaus Bringing Serious Power to Miami Concours

The Miami Concours is pleased to announce the participation of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and Glickenhaus North American Racing in the 2019 Miami Concours on Sunday, February 17. SCG and GNAR will be displaying the SCG 003CS (seen above) and a 1/5 scale model of their newest release the 004S (seen below). Jim Glickenhaus will be attending the event to showcase his latest creations and talk with the public about the brand and his designs. “The Second Annual Miami Concours will position 75 of the world’s greatest cars on the Red Carpet throughout the Miami Design District. We are honoring Horacio Pagani and celebrating the 20 Years of the Zonda. We are also excited to welcome visionary Jim Glickenhaus and his incredible Hypercar the SCG 003CS,” stated co-founder John Temerian. For more information regarding the event, please contact info@miamiconcours.com or visit their website at www.miamiconcours.com. For any information regarding Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and the SCG brand please contact Connor Cogan of Glickenhaus North American Racing at Connor@GlickenhausNAR.com or +1.502.609.9529. learn more about SCG

By Edward Jones – February 11, 2019

WannaGOFAST South Florida 1/2-Mile Results

WannaGOFAST's South Florida 1/2-Mile Shootout was a tremendous event, but that's always expected with their events. There were some amazing showings during the two-day event, like the Jeep World Record and McLaren World Record being broken. Scrolls down below to see all of the winners from both Saturday and Sunday. If you missed it, don't worry, because they're throwing another South Florida 1/2-Mile Shootout event on April 13-14. For more informations, visit WannaGOFAST.com. Saturday Class Winners Sponsor Division: Overall Exotic/Import & AWD - Dallas Performance, LLC - Lamborghini Huracán - David Pearlman - 217.81 Overall Domestic & Heavyweight - VanDrake Racing - Jeep SRT8 Suspect 2.0 - 197.62 (Jeep World Record!) RWD - ANRKY Wheels - McLaren 720S - Alejandro Ayo - 180.65 4-Door - Five Bar Motorsports LLC - 2015 BMW M3 - Jeff Monscour - 155.97 Manual - Vengeance Racing - 2006 Corvette Z06 - Chuck Greer - 191.32 All Motor - Vengeance Racing - 2002 Corvette Z06 - 181.15 Privateer Division: Overall Exotic/Import & AWD - Jonathan Clavijo - 2014 Nissan GTR - 200.00 Overall Domestic & RWD - Hugo Segura - 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - 183.37 4-Door - Troy Badalty - 2015 Audi RS7 - 156.79 Manual - Rick Diogo - 2014 Dodge Viper GTS - 174.75 FWD - Andrew Nichols - 2014 Ford Fiesta ST - 133.92 Heavyweight - Alex Gheorghiu - Dodge Demon - 167.16 All Motor - David Azari - 2008 Corvette Z06 - 156.84 Sunday Class Winners Sponsor Division: Overall Exotic/Import & AWD - Dallas Performance, LLC - 2015 Lamborghini Huracan - David Pearlman - 223.54 Overall Domestic & Manual - Vengeance Racing - 2008 Corvette Z06 - Chuck Greer - 200.26 RWD - ANRKY Wheels - McLaren 720S Pure Turbos DME Tuning - Alejandro Ayo - 189.87 (McLaren World Record!) 4-Door - Five Bar Motorsports LLC - 2015 BMW M3 - Jeff Monscour - 159.91 Heavyweight - VanDrake Racing - Jeep SRT8 Suspect 2.0 - 197.28 All Motor - Vengeance Racing - 2002 Corvette Z06 - 190.03 Privateer Division: Overall Exotic/Import & AWD- Nick R - 2016 Lamborghini Huracan Underground Racing - 207.56 Overall Domestic & RWD - Hugo Segura - 2016 Chevrolet corvette Z06 - 188.04 4-Door - Petar Lubina - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C63S AMG - 168.03 Manual - Rick Diogo - 2014 Dodge Viper GTS - 181.89 FWD - Theodore Mavrou - 2000 Honda Insight - 162.74 (TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM ONTARIO, CANADA!) Heavyweight - Joel McGee - 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat - 161.98 All Motor - Carlos Rios - 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Action Auto Care - 161.34

By Edward Jones – February 06, 2019

Eberhard & Co. Announces the Winner of the 2019 Winter Ma...

Guido Barcella and Ombretta Ghidotti, in a 1963 Porsche 356 A Coupé, have won the 31st Winter Marathon, the regularity event exclusively for historic cars built before 1968 and rally cars manufactured prior to 1976. Divided into two loops, and gifted with magnificent weather featuring clear skies, no snow, but bitter cold throughout the two days, and some -14 degrees on the Pordoi pass. In total, competitors completed 420 km over some of the most beautiful roads of the Trentino Alto Adige, with stunning views of the Dolomites. Second place went to the crew of Franco Spagnoli and Giuseppe Parisi in a 1938 Fiat 508 C, while the final podium place was awarded to Gianmaria Aghem and Rossella Conti in a 1965 Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.2. 100 cars had entered, 94 were at the start. The bright sunshine allowed spectators to fully enjoy the spectacular Madonna di Campiglio Frozen Lake Eberhard Trophy (Trofeo Eberhard del Lago Ghiacciato), the exciting knockout challenge reserved to the top 32 crews, won this year by Alberto Riboldi and Paolo Sabbadini in a 1933 Fiat 508 S Balilla Sport, who prevailed, to be a ‘family-final’ over Riccardo and Federico Riboldi in a 1939 Fiat 508 C, Alberto's son and brother respectively. Third place went to Marco Gatta in his 1959 Porsche 356 A Coupé. Along with the organizers, Mario Peserico, Eberhard & Co. Managing Director, and the guest of honor and Brand Ambassador Miki Biasion, World Rally champion, presented the winners with the awards. view eberhard & co's website Sponsored by Everhard & Co. Eberhard & Co. watches boast over a century of research and passion. Since 1887 the Swiss brand has been synonymous with excellence and innovation, which are represented in precious timepieces with high technical content that have marked important stages: the pocket chronograph, the first wrist chronograph, right up to dual time watches. View Website

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