Events

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 – July 24, 2018

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: July 2018

Rain is in the forecast for this month, as we experience brief but torrential downpours on a daily basis. Saturday was not spared, and the storm arrived at 5am. Since our west parking lot has a tendency to become Lake duPont REGISTRY, we decided to set up our display in the garage. The fine folks at T&T Coffee rode the storm out, and surprisingly cars began to arrive.The sun eventually shined on our loyal fans, and it reminded us that some things are better when wet. Notable cars included a new Guards Red Porsche 911 GT3, the Green Hell Magno AMG GT-R, and a new 2019 Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Manufaktur.Taking center stage and behind our stanchions are a Grigio Titanio LaFerrari and the first McLaren P1 GTR. Both of them are fully charged and waiting for you! The only force of nature that has ever canceled our event was a Hurricane last year. We have to thank the local Corvette and Camaro clubs, Sheriff Gualtieri and our neighbors at BIC for all the support and cooperation. So even if it rains next month, come to see us for a great start to your weekend.

By Andrew Nabors – July 17, 2018

Top 10 Cars From Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018

If you didn't catch any of the live streams this weekend, you missed some serious action from this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.10. Toyota SupraThis car will sell like hotcakes as long as it looks and sounds like this. Developed by BMW and Toyota, it will also be the new BMW Z4.9. VW I.D. R Pike's PeakThe same car that won Pike's Peak also delivered a blistering run up a much smaller hill8. Ford Raptor It jumps because the Fox Racing suspension is made to handle the world's roughest terrain.7. Singer Porsche 911The ultimate 964 Series 911, this air-cooled beast has a 500 hp 4.0L from Williams. Singer represents everything that is right with the restoration industry. Their team will transform your 1989 to 1994 Porsche into the ultimate 911.6. Nick Mason's Ferrari 250 GTOOne of the most highly valued cars at the event, Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason has a collection that will knock your socks off. In addition to this pristine Ferrari, he also has a McLaren F1 GTR and a few helicopters.5. Koenigsegg RegeraWho needs a transmission? The Regera uses a magnetic torque converter and 2.73 gears to do it all without shifting. Using a twin turbo V8, the engine is directly coupled to the driveshafts over 80 mph.4. NIO EP9This one came out of nowhere to become the fastest production car on slicks. With 1,360 horsepower, it ran a 6.45.9 around the 'Ring.3. Ford RS200 Pike's PeakThe RS200 is an icon of rally racing history, unfortunately, this one suffered a failure of the rear bodywork. The loss in downforce made the car lose control, but thankfully the driver walked away.2. Formula Drift CarsGoing up Goodwood hill a little slideways was neat to see. Everything from Ford's Eagle Squadron Mustang to a Viper ACR left trails of burning rubber and smoke in their wake.1. Porsche's 70th AnniversaryThis compilation represents Porsche's seven decades in building amazing machines. Many examples were shipped from the Porsche Museum, and it is nice to see them in action once again.Tell us your favorite run of the weekend and stay with us for more Goodwood news.

By Edward Jones – June 29, 2018

ParkUpFront Exclusive Events

Last weekend was full of events. Here is a look at one of our favorites: ParkUpFront Restaurant Rally. Check out the Dallas Team's play-by-play of last weekend's event. Stay tuned for a Restaurant Rally coming to a city near you! EVENT SPOTLIGHT:RESTAURANT RALLY - DALLASOn Saturday we hosted our monthly Restaurant Rally. We started off at Cars and Cannoli at the APEX Hangar in Addison Airport and enjoyed kolaches and mimosas. EUROPA DALLASIf that wasn't enough, you could swing by Europa Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center all weekend to check out our booth promoting the Supercar Expo in December!UPCOMING EVENT SPOTLIGHT:APEX KABOOM TOWN WATCH PARTYJoin ParkUpFront for an evening at Cars and Cannoli's Kaboom Town Watch Party. This event will take place inside of Addison Airport at the APEX Hangar on July 3rd.This unique and exciting evening will be filled with food, airplanes, an airshow, activities for the kids, exotic and ultra-luxury automobiles and the best fireworks show in the south. Register for this exclusive event using your ParkUpFront app.We are growing and constantly working behind the scenes on adding some really cool new features!Here are the latest features we recently rolled out. Make sure to download the most recent version of ParkUpFront in the App Store.Visit ParkUpFront.com

By Andrew Nabors – June 28, 2018

California Dealership For Sale by Rabin Worldwide

This July is an exciting event for Rabin Worldwide, as, after 60 years in the auction industry, the auction house will conduct their first car dealership auction. Located in Sonora, California, and formerly a Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership, the auction will be on-site and online July 12th.At this auction, you’ll find a wide variety 2015-2017 of pickup trucks, sedans, and many SUVs. We’ll have Dodge RAM 1500’s, 2500’s, Laramie 2500 and Rebel Turbo Diesel. There will be several Jeeps available, including Grand Cherokee SRT’s, Summit’s, LTD’s, and Compass. Four 2016-2017 Dodge Durango and Journey SUV and Crossovers will be for sale, as well as three 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring LTD Mini-Vans. See the list of vehicles below, but I’ll highlight only a few more vehicles, such as our Batman vs. Superman edition Jeep Wrangler, as well as two 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats.The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has a 6.2 liter Hemi supercharged V-8 engine and rocks 707 HP, 6000 RPM, 650 Lb.-Ft. Torque, with 4000 RPM. A rear-wheel drive type, it also has a 19.2” turning radius. They have two colors for you to choose from, one red, which has a 6-speed manual transmission, and one black, with an automatic transmission. Also on hand will be a mango colored SXT Hellcat, with a 3.6 liter v6 24 valve engine and an automatic transmission, if the V8 is a little too hardcore.If the Hellcat doesn’t suit your fancy, one other interesting vehicle for all you DC Comic fans the 2016-2017 Renegade latitude 4x4—Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice Special Edition. Its features include a Carbon Black exterior, black deluxe cloth interior, and features a 2.4-liter multi air engine, a 9 speed 948TE automatic transmission. Sporting 18-inch black rims and gloss black wheels, power seats, and a remote start system, you truly will feel like the Dark Knight riding in this awesome Jeepmobile. Please see the list below, but make sure to check our website regularly for the complete list of vehicles.Learn About This Auction

By Andrew Nabors – June 26, 2018

Ferrari Cavalcade 2018 was a Dream Ride

If you have ever dreamed of touring northern Italy, we can think of no better way than in a Ferrari. That's why over 100 examples from around the world converged on Valle d'Aosta last week. For the 7th annual Ferrari Cavalcade, participants met up at Saint Vincent. The villagers were delighted in the display of Italian pride, and the drivers had an opportunity to enjoy the ancient town.Wildest Camo LaFerrari Revs Hard (RIP Ears) and Looks MeanOn Thursday, the tour kicked off en route to LaThuile and Little St. Bernard Pass. After the first hill climb run, they crossed the pass into France for lunch at Courchevel.Friday was another high speed run over Great St. Bernard pass, crossing briefly into Switzerland. Dinner was on Mont Blanc, with participants parking at the base of the Skyway cable car station. We have never seen so many LaFerraris in one photo before!My invitation was lost in the mail, so Ferrari apologized by publishing these photos for me to see. Tell us which car you would choose for an Alpine Attack in the comments below and stay with us for all your Ferrari news.Browse Ferrari For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 21, 2018

Barrett-Jackson Northeast 2018 Preview

If you happen to be near Connecticut this weekend, you should definitely check out the bidding frenzy at this year's Barrett-Jackson auction. Mohegan Sun is the perfect setting, as their casino, hotel and spa are world-class.For the last 47 years, enthusiasts from all over the world have flocked to Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions. Widely regarded as a barometer of the collector car industry, the auctions have evolved over the years into world-class automotive lifestyle events where hundreds of the world's most sought-after, unique and valuable automobiles cross the block in front of a global audience - in person and on live national and international television.Last year we were outside in the staging lanes because their new exhibit hall was under construction. This year we are thankfully inside, and our clients are with us. First in was AirStream with their latest Interstate. Utilizing the latest in Mercedes-Benz technology, they arrive loaded with every luxury imaginable. Our 3-wheeled friend from Utah are Vanderhall Motor Works. They built light and comfortable roadsters on their patented front wheel drive chassis. The inboard suspension allows for incredible grip and a smooth ride.The Acura NSX is a powerful hybrid V6 that competes with cars several times its price. If you would like to help families in need, Ronald McDonald House Charities are selling raffle tickets for a pristine Callaway Supercharged Corvette Z06. Not just any Callaway would do so, this one is also the Carbon 65th Anniversary Edition. And what would we be without a Ferrari 488?If you can't make it to the show, be sure to watch live coverage on Velocity and Discovery channel, and Barrett-Jackson also has two streams on their homepage. Click the link below for all the details and stay with us for all your Barrett-Jackson updates.Auction Details

By Edward Jones – May 21, 2018

SupercarSunday 2018: $50 Million Hypercar Gathering

Once a year at the TT-Circuit in Assen, a municipality and city in the Netherlands, hosts SupercarSunday. This event draws hypercars and supercars from around the world to the circuit where they can race around with each other. For the 2018 edition of the event, some of the world rarest cars showed up. Don't believe me? Check out the video below from Carspotter Jeroen.Get Chased by Hypercars on the Track"Every year the organization try's to get the best cars to the show. And also this year they stepped up the game big time," says Carspotter Jeroen. "A lot of the cars were from the German car dealer Esser but also manufacturers like Apollo joined the event."In the video, you'll see just how insane this event really is. When all cars were lined up, the front line consisted of a LaFerrari, Zenvo TSR-S, Apollo IE, Koenigsegg Agera RS and Rimac Concept_One. That is one hell of a lineup. And directly behind these cars are models like the Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Centenario, new Ford GT, Pagani Huayra and a Koenigsegg Agera R. Simply put, this event is heaven for any hypercar/supercar fan.While the event has passed, the video below will live on. Click play below to see and hear it all for yourself! And be sure to subscribe to Carspotter Jeroen's Channel for more awesome videos like this one!

By Dylan Orluck – May 11, 2018

Formula Drift Orlando Recap

After kicking off Formula Drift 2018 in Long Beach, California, it was time to take a trip down to Orlando for the second stop of the season. Thanks to Nexen Tire, we here at the duPont REGISTRY were able to check out the action first hand.Images by C12productionsThe Orlando Speedworld track is only a figure eight course. This type of track may not sound very exciting at first, but when you hear the engines fire up and echo off the wall while they slide sideways over bumps and across the angled track, it is one million times cooler than you would ever imagine. The technical aspects and the ability to see the entire course from anywhere around the track is what makes this event so special.We came across Frederico Sceriffo’s Ferrari 599 drift car early on which is right up our alley with a twin supercharged V12 that makes around 900 horsepower and sounded fantastic. After catching on fire in Long Beach, he was doing much better in Orlando. Unfortunately, he did not make it to the finals.Heavy hitters like James Dean, Chris Forsberg, Ryan Tuerck, and Fredric Aasbo battled their way to the top and found themselves in the Top 4. Which means that three out of the top four drivers could be found on Nexen Tires. Fredric Aasbo won the event last year and was looking fantastic throughout the day, but when it came down to the Final Battle it was between Chris Forsberg and James Deane. Chris Forsberg was able to battle it out and take the win! Fredric Aasbo is still in first place in terms of points for the season but Forsberg put on one heck of a show in Orlando. If he can continue to perform the way he did on Saturday, especially on the second part of the track, he should be able to keep the momentum and maintain a spot on the podium.Next up, is Formula Drift at Road Atlanta. Don’t forget to tune in live and let us know who you think is going to win it all.

By Edward Jones – May 08, 2018

Hypercar Circle Event Raises Money for Charity

Residents of Greenwich, Connecticut have recently been treated to a very special event thanks to Jared Rosenberg, a 14-year-old with a passion for cars. Jared wanted to turn his love for the automobile into an opportunity to help those in need, so he created "The Hypercar Circle," an event that revolves around the world's fastest cars. duPont REGISTRY was on hand at the event as a sponsor and couldn't be more excited to be a part of it.Showing up to the event were some incredible cars like "Orion Nebula" Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Aston Martin V12 Zagato, Gemballa Mirage GT and many more.All proceeds from the event went towards the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation. Why this specific charity? Jared lost his grandfather to Alzheimer's ten years ago.We want to applaud Jared for this awesome gesture and hope to see more Hypercar Circle events!Related Video -

By Andrew Nabors – April 25, 2018

Lingenfelter Collection Spring Open House

For 105 years, the American Cancer Society has been working to eliminate the disease and help those who are fighting it. This noble cause needs all the help it can get, so the Sultan of Michigan is opening his doors this Saturday, April 28th in order to help out.Ken Lingenfelter is a cousin of the late John Lingenfelter, whose performance took the aftermarket to new levels. John passed away in 2003 due to complications from a drag racing crash, so Ken carried on his legacy by continuing to build incredibly fast cars. He is also a collector of rare & exotic cars, with Corvettes taking up 40% of the 40,000 square foot building. Guests who visit this Saturday will also be able to see the world's first street-legal electric car to exceed 220 mph, made by Genovation Cars.If you are near Brighton, Michigan, you should try to make it to this event, because it doesn't happen often. Click the link below for more information and stay with us for all your Lingenfelter updates.Event Details

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