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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 – July 28, 2015

Seven Minutes of Supercar Accelerations and Burnouts

At the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb, a vast array of automobiles of the supercar category took to the famous track to show off for the crowds. Cars that participated in the event included the upcoming Aston Martin Vulcan, Ferrari FXX K, LaFerrari, Lamborghini Aventador SV, McLaren P1 GTR, Koenigsegg One:1 McLaren F1 GTR, Pagani Huayra and many more.(Related: Bugatti Veyron Hits 235.7 mph at Sun Valley Road Rally 2015)Uploaded July 27 by TheTFJJ is a video that features these cars and the start of their hillclimb runs. Naturally, these cars either sped off like rockets or laid down rubber for some amazing burnouts.Sportscars For SaleCheck out the video below to see seven minutes of pure automotive speed and sound. You won't regret it. Below is the list of cars in the video, in order of appearance, straight from the video's description. McLaren F1 GTR Longtail Lamborghini LP750-4 Aventador SuperVeloce Lamborghini LP610-4 Huracan McLaren 570S Koenigsegg One:1 Ferrari Enzo FXX Pagani Huayra Bentley Continental GT3 Noble M600 Ferrari LaFerrari FXXK Ferrari 599 XX Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Ferrari F12 TRS McLaren P1 GT-R Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Ferrari LaFerrari McLaren 650S LM Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package Porsche Cayman GT4 Corvette Stingray Z06 Zenvo ST1 2015 Koenigsegg Agera N Lamborghini LP610-4 Huracan Mercedes AMG GT edition 1 Jaguar F-Type Project 7 Porsche 996 911 GT1 Ferrari F12 TRS Ferrari LaFerrari Aston Martin Vulcan Aston Martin DB9 GT Rolls-Royce Wraith Audi R8 Coupe 2015 Porsche 991 GT3 RS BAC Mono Rolls-Royce WraithMclaren 650S GT3 Ferrari 488 GTB Koenigsegg Agera N Corvette Stingray Z06 Aston Martin Lagonda 2015 Aston Martin CC100 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package Porsche Cayman GT4 McLaren P1 GT-R Porsche 911 Singer McLaren 570S Ferrari 458 GT3 Mercedes C63 AMG 2015 Lexus LFA Ford Mustang GT Koenigsegg One:1 Porsche 991 GT3 RS McLaren F1 GTR Nissan Juke (Source: YouTube) See More Event Coverage

By Andrew Nabors – July 28, 2015

Exotics on Cannery Row at Monterey Car Week

Whatever you may have planned for August 14, clear your schedule and head to Monterey, California.The founders of the goldRush Rally are bringing together 125 of the world’s most sought-after cars for Exotics on Cannery Row. As one of the sponsors, we received the inside scoop a few days before their press release. On Cannery Row between David Ave. and Drake Ave. will be your favorite exotics and supercars along with performance and car care vendors.You will see the likes of Pagani, Bugatti and even the Lykan HyperSport along the historic wharf. The show will run from 4 to 8 pm, and parking is available in the City of Monterey Garage on Foam Street.(See Also: Dimmitt Automotive's July 2015 Cars & Coffee Afterparty) “Exotics on Cannery Row is certain to be an incredible showcase of automotive engineering,” said Ted Balestreri, CEO of the Cannery Row Co., in the release. “We’re thrilled to share the excitement of some of hottest cars at Monterey Car Week in this public event on Cannery Row.”We know that this is our type of event, so stay tuned to Autofluence for complete coverage, check out their website at www.ExoticsOnCanneryRow.com for more info and browse our listings for the perfect exotic to show. See you there!Browse All Listings See More Event Coverage

By Edward Jones – July 27, 2015

Dimmitt Automotive's July 2015 Cars & Coffee Afterparty

This past Saturday, Dimmitt Automotive Group hosted their monthly Cars & Coffee Afterparty in St. Petersburg, Florida. Guests arrived at the Aston Martin and ultra-luxury pre-owned showroom at 8:30 am, immediately after the monthly duPont REGISTRY Cars & Coffee event.While enjoying a free light breakfast, guests and their families learned about some unique animals from the Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. Shirts and other items were raffled off to raise money for the zoo. Overall, $270 was raised and the Dimmitt Family matched this amount, bringing the grand total to $540.(Related: 570S Unveiling Party by Dimmitt Automotive & Isleworth Realty)The Dimmitt Automotive Group would like to thank Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for bringing a few animals to the July Cars & Coffee Afterparty. Please visit their website for more information.We also encourage everyone to attend the August 15 Cars & Coffee at duPont REGISTRY and the Dimmitt Afterparty, where the Tampa Aquarium will have some aquatic creatures on display.To RSVP for the next event, click here.Gallery

By Caitlin Duffy – July 22, 2015

Supercar Track Day: BAC Mono vs. McLaren P1

Oliver Webb is 24, but he's already living the dream.Webb is an award winning racecar driver, the current European Le Mans champion and an official test driver for BAC, and yesterday, July 21, he partnered with the British organization Supercar Driver to host a Supercar Day track day. The turn out for the event included a Pagani Huayra, Porsche 918 Spyder, a fair share of McLaren P1s and Ferrari F40s, a 458 Speciale, Mercedes SLS AMG and, of course, the BAC Mono. "20 of the most elite and rare Supercars/Hypercars joined forces to create one of the most spectacular driving experience's seen in Europe," described Webb in an email, sharing a video of his time chasing a P1 around the Anglesey track. Added to YouTube today, the video, above, shows a fair match up - though the P1 may have an advantage on straightaways, the Mono definitely takes over when it comes to corners. Another video added to YouTube today by Webb shows us a preview of the full track day, and you can check it out below. Supercar Driver will be releasing a longer, more in-depth video from the event, which certainly seems to be one of the most successful supercar gatherings in quite some time. A photo added to their Facebook page today shows seven of these supercars in action, and we can't wait to see more. Take a moment to give both of these videos a good look over, and when you're finished, pick out your own supercar to take to the next Supercar Day from our exclusive inventory. Browse All Listings (Source: YouTube, Facebook, Oliver Webb) See More Automotive Videos

By Edward Jones – July 17, 2015

Gallardo Spyder vs M4 vs C63 AMG vs R8 Drag Race

I'm a fan of drag races at the track, especially when the contestants are a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, BMW M4, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG tuned by Wimmer Performance and an Audi R8. Why these cars? Because those are the exact cars racing in MDKSuperCars' new YouTube video uploaded today.(Related: Seven Hypercars and Supercars for Sale at Naples Motorsports)The video shows the Gallardo pitted against its German competitors during individual drag races at Spring Event 2015 at the Weeze Airport in Germany. This event hosted hundreds of drag races on the airport's runway, where cars of all makes, models and tunes gave it their all on the asphalt.Check out the video below for just a taste of what happened at the event.(Source: YouTube) See More Event Coverage

By Andrew Nabors – July 13, 2015

Lamborghini Concept S Up for Auction

Though their upcoming auction in Monterey, California may be headlining most news stories, RM Sotheby’s is saving a piece of Lamborghini history for their New York Auction: the Lamborghini Concept S.If you don’t mind arriving with a unique hairstyle, this Gallardo’s lack of a functional windshield is a throwback to vintage open-air motoring. As the lot description on RM Sotheby's Auctions website tells us, a rolling chassis was shown at Geneva in 2005 to gauge public interest in a Gallardo speedster. The crowd and the motoring press went wild, so it received a few more styling touches along with a functional drivetrain. All aspects of the car were made ready for a limited production run, but it never came to fruition.(Related: $65 Million Car Collection Walk-Around: The Pinnacle Portfolio)With one owner since new, the street legal Concept S has seen just over 111 miles of engineering shakedowns and Concours fields. Lamborghini concepts tend to be show stoppers, and this one stands to return a nice profit when it crosses the block on November 18.Stay tuned to Autofluence for more auctions and wild concept cars.Gallery (Source: RM Sotheby's Auctions) See More Event Coverage

By Caitlin Duffy – July 13, 2015

100+ Supercars & Show Cars Accelerating Down Road

Aston Martins, Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Jaguars, McLarens and Ferraris on Ferraris on Ferraris.Mats de Kort, better known as YouTuber MDKSupercars, has captured an 11-minute symphony of more than 100 supercars leaving SuperCarSunday, and shared the video with the world on YouTube July 7. Included among the 100 are Audi R8s, Jaguary F-Types, Ferrari 458s, 599 GTBs and Californias, Lamborghini Aventadors, Diablos and Gallardos, a Mercedes SLS AMG and more, and a few of the cars are recognizable from their Gumball Rally livery. " width="560"> It's the perfect soundtrack for a Monday morning - just sit back, hit play and let the sound of more than 100 perfectly tuned engine notes fill the air.When you're finished, pick your favorite of the 100 and find one for yourself from our exclusive listings at the button below. Browse All Listings (Source: YouTube) See More Automotive Videos

By Andrew Nabors – July 10, 2015

$65 Million Car Collection Walk-Around: The Pinnacle Port...

The auctions that take place during Monterey’s car week always seem to accomplish the impossible: improving upon a perfect experience. This year, RM Sotheby’s is bringing an unprecedented collection known as the Pinnacle Portfolio. It is comprised of some of the most famous racers of the 1950s and 1960s, along with late model supercars.YouTube car enthusiast DLMphotos gained access to the collection and uploaded a video back on July 8 showing final checks and detailing in preparation for transport. Some of the most historically significant cars of all time are shown, such as the final Enzo built for the Pope, as well as a Lamborghini Reventon and Porsche 959.The current combined value of this collection stands at $65 million, but since this many of these cars are rarely seen, let alone seen together, it will probably drive the final numbers into the stratosphere. They are slated to cross the block Thursday, August 13 at the Portola Hotel. A certain world famous publisher with a penchant for green slacks will be in attendance, so hopefully we will have a few wild rides shipped home. For more information about the collection, check out the official brochure here.(Source: YouTube via Jalopnik) See More Event Coverage

By Caitlin Duffy – July 09, 2015

Keith Richards' Bentley "Blue Lena" Set for Auction at Bo...

Summer 2015 is turning into one of the best seasons yet for adding rare, collectible and iconic vehicles to collections, with auction houses left and right lining up some incredible lots.Bonhams has recently listed one particularly notorious Bentley. "Blue Lena," after Lena Horne, was its nickname when Keith Richards owned this 1965 S3 Continental Flying Spur Sports Saloon, and as recently as June 7, 2013, when a Soundcloud recording was added to KeithRichards.com, it was still in his garage.With an owner like Keith Richards, there are few doubts that this particular Bentley has seen more wild things than most humans could ever imagine. There are references to Blue Lena throughout Richards' autobiography "Life," including the time he drove down to Morocco to find some things that are illegal in most countries.There are reports that it was modified to add a hidden compartment for the things they didn't want police to find, and Car and Driver's July 8 article tells us he bought it new when he was 22. But after about 50 years of ownership, it's time for Lena to find a new home.(See Also: Miami Vice's Ferrari Testarossa Set to Cross the Block at Mecum)Bonhams is estimating the lot will sell for between $610,000 and $920,000 at the September 12 Goodwood Revival auction in Chichester, Goodwood, UK. But, if you'd prefer a '65 Bentley S3 that you can get stateside before that point, check out our listings at the button below.Bentley S3s For Sale Gallery (Source: Bonhams, KeithRichards.com, Car and Driver) See More Celebrity Car News

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By Caitlin Duffy – July 08, 2015

Auctions America Santa Monica: 300 Rare Cars Set to Cross...

What do a Ferrari Enzo, a custom Bubbletop Ford, Rita Hayworth's 1941 Continental Coupe and a 1954 Sorrell-Manning Special all have in common? 1955 Ford "Beatnik Bubbletop" CustomThey'll be crossing an auction block and finding new owners in Santa Monica next week.On July 17 and 18, approximately 300 hand-selected cars will assemble at Santa Monica's historic Barker Hangar for Auctions America's annual California Sale. Owned by presidents, celebrities and private collectors alike, each represents a distinct point in automotive history, capturing the essence of a different era in their design and construction.Among the main highlights found in the Auctions America event are a few rare Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes-Benz models, as well as some radiantly beautiful custom designs. A 2004 Enzo is estimated to sell for between $1,700,000 and $2,100,000, while an older Prancing Horse, a 1967 330 GTS, could go for anywhere between $2 million to $2.6 million. The 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special RoadsterFrom Mercedes-Benz is a 1938 540K Special Roadster by Nawrocki. Considered a supercar at the time of its production, the 540K Special Roadster is an incredibly rare model, as only 58 examples were created. As Car and Driver stated back in May 2002, a 1937 540K sold for $3.6 million, which, when adjusted for inflation, amounts to around $4.75 million. With the rate at which the values of collector cars has increased over the past few years, there's no doubt that this will fetch an incredibly high price. Estimates for this specific Roadster are set for $2+ million.In the truly unique category are the 1955 Ford "Beatnik Bubbletop" Custom and a few vehicles who were once owned by a person of note, including President Kennedy's 1962 Lincoln Continental Presidential Town Limousine, George M. Cohan's 1917 Pierce-Arrow Model 48B Series Four-Passenger Touring and a 1967 Shelby GT 500 Eleanor Tribute Fastback from the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds." 1955 Cadillac Series 75 Presidential Parade Limousine, specially ordered for Mamie Doud Eisenhower (Est. auction price: $100,000-$150,000)A gallery of some of the main highlights can be seen below, and to learn more about the lots, be sure to check out the digital catalog for the auction at the button below. The event will kick off with previews on July 16 at 10 am and July 17 and 18 at 9 am, before the auctions begin at 10 am. A full weekend pass is just $20, and while you're there, be sure to keep an eye out for the duPont REGISTRY booth, and grab a copy of our latest issue. For more information, visit Auctions America's website at Auctions America.View Digital Catalog

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