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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 Andrew Nabors – April 22, 2018

Porsche 930: Specs, Price, Photos & Review

What has become the most beloved Porsche 911 of all time is the Porsche 930. It is the product of experimenting with turbos in the late 60s and early 70s. Their goal was to only build enough cars to homologate the racing of a Porsche 911 Turbo. Project 930 required many changes to the suspension and body that it became its own model. This will focus on the 930, which was Porsche's internal code for the turbo cars. Larger brakes and a four-speed transmission set it apart from the base Porsche 911 Carrera which had a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter flat-six. It arrived in the US for the 1976 model with 276 horsepower. This was shocking to the industry, as pollution-choked V8s couldn't offer anything comparable. Every example came with a single large turbo, and that is why the Porsche 930 Turbo gained a reputation as the "Widowmaker." Almost all turbos have a 4-speed manual, so It took a few seconds to spin up the big turbo. Boost eventually arrived like a freight train, and it sent many professional drivers into the wall or the infield. The 1989 930 Turbo was the only one to receive a 5-speed transmission, and it actually hurt performance by allowing the car to fall out of boost between gears. Porsche 930 Turbo Cabriolet Specs: Price: $49,720 Engine: Turbo 3.0L Flat Six Horsepower: 282 hp Torque: 278 lb-ft 0-60: 4.9 seconds 1/4 Mile: 13.1 @ 109 mph That's why if you are considering a Porsche 930 for sale, it needs to be scrutinized inside and out by a reputable Porsche shop. These are old cars now, and survivors will need suspension bushings and pushrod tubes addressed. Rust is also a common issue. The rear cross member and motor mount area can be expensive to fix, so be sure to check them out. Here is the data you need to make an informed buy: A Porsche 930 for sale is a dream-find for many Porsche purists. If it is a numbers-matching condition, it is the most desired Porsche Turbo on the market. Convertibles were not popular in the '70s, but by the '80s they were back in vogue. So the Porsche 930 Cabriolet and 930 Targa were released in 1985. It was also the 80's that saw the aftermarket develop Porsche 930 twin-turbo kits. These Porsche 930 turbo kits allowed for an instant boost by eliminating turbo lag. 930 Production Numbers The first three years had 3.0-liter engines and were known just as 930 Turbo, and 2,819 cars were produced. From 1978 to 1989, the name was changed to 930 Turbo Carrera, and the engine was enlarged to 3.3 liters. As one of the fastest cars on the market, 18,7770 vehicles were built. The 3.3-liter engines were the first Porsche 911 to have intercoolers from the factory. This allowed for more boost, but it caught the eye of the US EPA. The 3.3-liter cars were never legally imported after 1979, they used the gray market to get around DC's dumb laws. Nevertheless, they made it in, and since they are over 25 years old, the government doesn't care anymore. Porsche 930 Turbo Coupe Specs: Price: $37,000 Engine: 3.0 or 3.3-liter Flat Six Horsepower: 282 Torque: 298 lb-ft 0-60: 5.5s 1/4 Mile: 13.7 @ 1.6 mph 930 Prices 1977 Carrera Turbo Coupe Retail: $30,630 1988 Carrera Turbo Cabriolet Retail: $ 85,060 You can see the jump in base prices through the years. Porsche knew their customers were willing to pay for the quality and performance. If you adjust these for inflation, you won't even come close to what they are selling for. Porsche stopped selling the 930 Turbo in the US at the end of 1979. They continued to be imported through gray-market importers, who charged a premium for the luxury. Porsche realized this was a massive error on their part and the 1988 model's retail reflects its acknowledgment of the American market's booming economy. 930 S Slantnose Racing the 930 developed many iconic body modifications, but none have been as famous as the 935 race car. To maximize aerodynamics, the nose and fenders were redesigned for high-speed tracks. They were known as "Flachbau" or flat nose. Most examples were naturally aspirated Carrera models, powered by the 3.2 engine with a 5-speed manual. The Holy Grail would be a 930S (Turbo Slantnose) Cabriolet. Here in the US, dealers and 930 owners dubbed it the Slantnose 930 S, and it was a popular upgrade in the early 80s. Porsche 930 Carrera Slantnose Specs: Horsepower: 270 Torque (lb-ft): 318 0-60 mph (seconds): 5.2 Top Speed: 139 mph 1/4 Mile: 14.5 @ 95 mph Weight (lbs): 2,668 Production: 800 Porsche realized its popularity and decided to build them in-house. Built-in limited numbers, production peaked in 1985. If you are considering a 930 Slant Nose for sale, keep in mind they were also offered by Kremer, Ruf, and other aftermarket companies. No matter who built it, they are a piece of history with a price tag to match. 930 Speedster To celebrate the anniversary of the 356 Speedster, Porsche built 2,100 examples of the 930 Speedster. Only 800 came to the US. They are turbos with all non-essential weight removed. The windshield is short and raked, and an aerodynamic decklid covers the rear seats when the top is down. The naturally aspirated 3.2 was state of the art, and it had fast numbers for an 80's car. Porsche 930 Speedster Specs: Horsepower: 215 Torque (lb-ft): 195 0-60 mph (seconds): 5.9 0-100 mph (seconds): 15.2 1/4 Mile: 14.5 @ 95 mph Weight (lbs): 2,668 Production: 800 Browse Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – February 01, 2018

Why You Should Buy A Porsche 911R

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. President Jefferson was making a point that your style should always go with the flow, but you shouldn't sacrifice what you believe in. We believe in Porsche's abilities to stay on top of automotive design without altering the formula for a true 911. Give it a powerful flat-six and a manual transmission, what more could you ask for? The Porsche GT3 RS is a great car, and in most aspects it is the state of the art. But like every other modern car, it is loaded with computers, communications, and entertainment systems. Many publications and customers made it known that offering the top-level 911 without a manual transmission was a travesty. So in a bold move, Porsche took and old page from their playbook and went back to basics. The 2016 Porsche 911 R is a mic drop to every other car in recent history. It has two seats, a steering wheel, and three pedals. Spartan yet elegant is the Porsche 911 R interior. Dual-clutch automatics can shift faster than any human, but they are heavy and expensive. Even manual transmissions have become too complex, with dual mass flywheels that kill performance. So Porsche went back to basics with a traditional flywheel and pressure plate. Seventh gear was deleted to make room for six stronger gears with ratios close to what is found in the automatic of the GT3 RS.The pedal is stiff, but very consistent and predictable-- it has to be in order to survive being coupled to a 500 hp engine. Even the base model Carrera is now turbocharged, so the 911R is one of the last naturally aspirated supercars. The Porsche 911 R engine is the 4.0 liter flat six from the GT3 RS, with the ability to rev to 8,600 rpm. Most of the other 911 R specs are close to the GT3 RS. Porsche 911 For Sale By Owner Every non-essential system was omitted to save weight. The roof is magnesium and carbon fiber was used for the hood and fenders. Even the famous die-cast hood emblem was replaced with vinyl. With front axle lift and rear wheel steering, the curb weight is a svelte 3,021 lbs. Being six hundred pounds lighter than the 911 Turbo makes it a blast to drive, I just wish I could have kept it for the weekend. You hear everything. You feel everything. And you do it without the outrageous aerodynamics. A full-length belly pan and rear diffuser keep the car glued to the road. Only 991 cars were built, and they are among the last non-turbo stick shift cars we will encounter. If you do not enjoy driving, this is not the car for you. Ferdinand would be proud to see such a machine bearing his name, so don't hide it away in fear of the odometer. The Porsche 911R is as solid as titanium with the precision of a scalpel. Without any options the suggested Porsche 911 R price was considerably less than a convertible Turbo S, a relative bargain for a piece of history. Here are our top 5 listings: View Price & Listing View Price & Listing View Price & Listing View Price & Listing View Price & Listing

By Edward Jones – April 06, 2017

Our Top 10 Most Sought After Porsche 911 Models in 2017 S...

On duPontREGISTRY.com right now there are 39 different new and used Porsche 911 models available for sale. That's almost double the amount of Porsche 911 models that are currently in the new lineup (21). The models offered on our website range from the furious GT3 RS to the rare 911 America Roadster.With there being so many variants available, I decided to check out our analytics and see which of these models have received the most page views from Jan 1 - April 6, 2017. Below are the results from my research, showing in ascending order which models are the most looked at 911 models on duPontREGISTRY.com.10. 911 Speedster The original Porsche 911 Speedster was introduced back in the late 1980's after enthusiasts essentially begged for it. The first prototype was unveiled at the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Speedster is not being created anymore, meaning fans of the car are searching for them left and right.9. 911 Carrera 4S The 911 Carrera 4S has all-wheel drive that makes it an extremely competent car around corners when compared to a rear-wheel drive model. The current 2017 models come with 420 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of just 3.8 seconds with the PDK transmission.8. 911 GT2 Unfortunately, Porsche does not currently have a GT2 in their lineup, but they did for many years. Even though it was based on the 911 Turbo, the 911 GT2 was lighter and more powerful, making it a very sought after model.7. 911 GT2 RS Porsche introduced the 911 GT2 RS variant in 2010 as an upgraded version of the GT2. It came with 612 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque on tap. Production of the 911 GT2 RS was limited to 500 units worldwide when it was revealed, making it a hard find in the marketplace.6. 911 Targa 4S The 911 Targa was revived in 2014 with the Targa 4 and Targa 4S models. It features an electric cabriolet roof, as well as all-wheel drive. Many are picking up this car for nostalgia purposes as it harks back to the classic Targa. Will this model stick around in the lineup? Only time will tell.5. 911 Carrera GTS In January 2017, Porsche announced that their 911 GTS lineup would be entirely turbocharged. The 911 Carrera GTS is RWD and offers an exciting drive.4. 911 R The Porsche 911 R was limited to just 991 examples, this model is one of the hottest 911s on the market. It comes with a six-speed GT Sport manual transmission and an extremely light weight that makes it a Porsche purist's dream car. Getting one of these when they first came out was tough considering they were already sold out before delivered.3. 911 GT3 Named after the FIA Group GT3 class, the 911 GT3 is a high-performance model that has been around since 1999. The current model is lightning quick with a 0-60 mph time of just 3.2 seconds.2. 911 Turbo S Many think of the 911 Turbo S as the quintessential sports car. With a powerful turbocharged engine (540 hp in the current model) and the classic styling we all know and love, it doesn't get any better than this.1. 911 GT3 RS First introduced in 2003, the GT3 RS is a more track-capable version of the already excellent GT3 model. The RS in the model name actually stands for RennSport, which translates to "racing sports" in English.

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