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 – 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

By Andrew Nabors – April 23, 2018

duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee: April 2018

While other shows come & go, our Cars & Coffee event keeps expanding. If you weren't here on Saturday, you missed one for the record books. Without any other competition in the 6-8 AM time slot, our friends and fans came out to enjoy the nice weather.Multiplicity could be seen in several examples of rare cars. From Toyota Supras to Lamborghini Huracan Spyders, you could see it here. Allow us to clarify here for you. Our building might be the center of the action, but once our lot is full you will find exotic cars parked down the road and at the businesses next to us.That's why we have to thank our friends at Bic Graphics, along with the restaurants in close proximity. Front and center are our dealers, so let's hear it for Bruiser Conversions, Crown, Reeves, McLaren Tampa Bay, Bert Smith, Corsa America Rally, and Mercedes-Benz of Tampa.Since we have such loyal fans around Tampa Bay, we're heading across the bay for May. Last year was the first time in over a decade that we were rained out. Hurricane Season forced us to postpone our Davis Islands Event until next month. We'll see you at Peter O Knight Airport on May 19th. Until then, tell us your favorite Cars & Coffee story in the comments below.

By Andrew Nabors – April 17, 2018

Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2018 Recap

Everyone knows Scottsdale is Barrett-Jackson's biggest auction. But if we had to choose a favorite, Palm Beach is fueled by our friends & clients in South Florida. The results are in, and this year's event saw $39.4 Million in sales and charity roll across the block.The press release on their homepage says 692 cars found new homes, and a record 700 new bidders joined in on the fun. If you know anything about classic car collectors, you have probably heard of John Staluppi. He and his wife Jeanette own the Cars of Dreams Museum in North Palm Beach. They like to keep the collection ever-changing, so they decided to divest of 145 cars, a fraction of their private collection. They were lined up in a parade to kick off the bidding on Thursday, and their primetime sales totaled $13.96 Million.“Our guests have made the Palm Beach Auction such an electrifying event year after year,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We were especially honored to be trusted to auction three incredible collections, including the ‘Cars of Dreams’ owned by our good friends Jeanette and John Staluppi. Their 145 vehicles, which all sold at No Reserve, represented some of the finest examples of ’50s-, ’60s- and ’70s-era American cars. It was a pleasure working alongside John and Jeanette to find new homes for the vehicles in his remarkable collection, and we so appreciate their philanthropic support of our charity efforts over the years.”Top 10 Sales: 2012 Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition (Lot 724) – $770,000 1959 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible* (Lot #718.1) – $330,000 1970 Plymouth Superbird (Lot #708)* – $286,000 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Convertible (Lot #719)* – $275,000 2006 Ford GT (Lot #726.1) – $244,200 1959 Cadillac El Dorado Convertible (Lot #719.1)* – $231,000 1957 DeSoto Adventurer Convertible (Lot #720)* – $231,000 1956 DeSoto Fireflite Convertible (Lot #717.1)* – $225,500 1959 Dodge Custom Royal Super D-500 Convertible (Lot #718)* – $220,000 1960 Chevrolet Corvette 283/290 Fuelie Convertible (Lot #712.1)* – $209,000 *indicates Cars of Dreams CollectionThe Bandit himself, Burt Reynolds helped three classic Trans-Ams bring big money, and other celebrities included the Zac Brown Band and ourselves. Our duPont REGISTRY Live experience was located between the salon cars and the auditorium, so attendees were happy to see our clients' latest offerings. During the event, the crew was clad in the latest pieces of fashion from Robert Graham.First in was Airstream with their latest edition of the Interstate RV. These luxury rides feature all the amenities of a posh hotel, along with 22 mpg from a Mercedes-Benz V6 turbo diesel. Our buddies at Bruiser Conversions never disappoint, so they brought the latest in Wrangler-based trucks. The Honcho is stretched by over 2 feet and the entire frame is gusseted and reinforced to handle 42" tires and LS3 power.Excel Auto Group arrived in a stunning McLaren 720S, and these rare supercars took the crowd by surprise. Vanderhall Motor Works builds the latest in American 3-wheelers using GM turbo-four cylinder engines and automatic transmissions for an efficient cruise. Hummer1.com restores the Hummer H1 Alpha to better-than-new condition, and they brought a tan example with serious upgrades. Front and center was Ronald McDonald House, who are selling raffle tickets for their December drawing. Choose from a resto-mod '67 Camaro, numbers-matching 62 Corvette, or a new Corvette Carbon 65, all proceeds go to fund their facilities. Thank you to all our fans and dealers who helped make this event possible, and stay with Autofluence for a preview of Barrett-Jackson's next events.

By Edward Jones – April 12, 2018

Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2018 Preview

The 2018 edition of Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach is underway, and that means some serious metal is rolling across the block. There are a lot of stars that are set to be auctioned off, including a Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition, the Zac Brown Band Ferrari, custom Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, cars from Jerry's of Alabama Collection and many more.duPont REGISTRY will be on hand at the event, of course. We have our booth set up with a fine selection of vehicles from Bruiser Conversions, Excell Auto Group, Ronald McDonald House Charities,, MambaGT, Hummer1, Vanderhall, Airstream and more. Come stop by our booth to get a free magazine, check out the cars and chat with us!Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2018 event is taking place at the South Florida Fairgrounds. It's running April 12-15, with the gates opening at 8AM each day. For tickets, click here.

By Edward Jones – April 12, 2018

duPont REGISTRY Cars and Coffee Davis Island 2018 Preview

The second annual duPont REGISTRY Cars and Coffee Davis Islands is back by popular demand! A few times a year, duPont REGISTRY’s famous Cars and Coffee event goes on the road and is hosted by an area landmark. Join us May 19th, from 7AM to 10AM, for an exhilarating and fun-filled morning of exotic supercars, luxury and classic vehicles, airplanes, raffles and more! We will be taking over the Peter O. Knight Airport to create the best Cars and Coffee event of the year! This is a family-friendly FREE event for the general public! Full of history, the Peter O. Knight Airport served as Tampa Bay’s main airport from 1935 to 1945. Home to many special events, Peter O. Knight Airport offers one of the best views in all of Tampa Bay. Pull your favorite car out of your garage, drive it to the airport and park on the tarmac alongside some amazing planes provided by Atlas Aviation. Last year’s show was so positively received by the picturesque community of Davis Islands we wanted to make sure you had enough notice to be more involved. We have a VIP area for pre-qualified supercars and great sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested please contact us at info@dupontregistry.com.

By Andrew Nabors – April 12, 2018

Top 10 Results From Mecum Auctions Houston 2018

If you weren't in Houston last week, you missed out on another great auction from Dana Mecum and company. Their fast-paced bidding is unlike any other event, and their hammer prices are used to feel the pace of our industry. The NRG center is a large venue that contains the Astrodome along with a massive parking lot. It was witness to a 70% sell-through rate.The three-day event saw 621 cars find new owners, for a total of $21,400,000 in sales. Proving that limited supply causes bidding frenzy, a new Dodge Demon with only 8 miles hammered for $170,500, and a 2nd example sold for $143,000. The Ford GT will never go out of style, and a 2006 example with 138 miles went for $368,500. Vintage muscle was represented by a 1971 Hemi Challenger ($184,250) and a 1970 Superbird ($181,500).Top 10: 2006 Ford GT (Lot F225.1) at $368,500 2015 Rolls-Royce Ghost (Lot S156.1) at $198,000 2001 BMW Z8 Convertible (Lot F203) at $192,500 1971 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T (Lot S181) at $184,250 1970 Plymouth Superbird (Lot S112) at $181,500 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (Lot S74) at $170,500 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (Lot S154) at $170,500 2012 Bentley Mulsanne (Lot S80.1) at $154,000 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (Lot S190.1) at $143,000 1967 Shelby GT500 Fastback (Lot S108) at $133,100 Just like their other auctions, Mecum streams every event on YouTube. If you missed out on the action, click on the video below for hours of commercial-free action. Nothing beats being there in person, so get ready for Indianapolis, May 15th to 19th. You will see each year of the Big Tank Corvettes, every year of Indy Pace Car, and over 2,000 of the world's most valuable rides. We'll see you there!Click Here For More Details

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