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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 – May 19, 2020

June 2020 duPont REGISTRY Uncovered - Free Issue

For the cover of the June 2020 issue of duPont REGISTRY, we're featuring the brutal Hennessey Performance C8 Corvette. Once Hennessey took delivery of the new 2020 Corvette, there was no time to waste. Upon the careful study of the intake and exhaust systems, the car was treated to a pair of billet turbochargers, Air to Water intercoolers, and methanol injection. With only 5 lbs of boost, the car gained 177 horsepower at the rear wheels and 119 lb-ft of torque. Incredible gains with a conservative setup have reinforced their goal of reaching 1,200 horsepower by the end of the year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, duPont REGISTRY is now offering our complete virtual magazine for free to everyone. Now you can browse through the pages of our magazine from the comfort of your home entirely for free. Down below is the new June 2020 issue of duPont REGISTRY in its entirety, including all of the exotic cars for sale, luxury lifestyle products, exciting experiences, and more. We send our best wishes to everyone during this trying time and hope that you enjoy the pages of our magazine. While our magazine is free, we do ask our readers to help out by donating to the American Red Cross by clicking the button below. Donate Now Read The Full Issue Now

By Edward Jones – May 15, 2020

Best News Of The Week - 5/15/2020

By Andrew Nabors – May 11, 2020

Discover the Cover – June 2020: Hennessey's Mean C8 Corvette

Sightings of an orange blur have been reported on Interstate 10. Rumors abound that the world's most powerful 2020 C8 Corvette lives a few miles west of Houston, and a fleeting glimpse has put aftermarket on alert. Why? Because the successes of Hennessey Performance Engineering are based on doing what others would never attempt. In addition to building 6x6 GM & Ford trucks, this team is putting the final touches on the Venom F5. With dozens of builds in-progress, John Hennessey has pulled his best technicians together for something unprecedented. Visit HennesseyPerformance.com Once delivery of his new 2020 Corvette was taken there was no time to waste. Upon the careful study of the intake and exhaust systems, the car was treated to a pair of billet turbochargers, Air to Water intercoolers, and methanol injection. With only 5 lbs of boost, the car gained 177 horsepower at the rear wheels and 119 lb-ft of torque. Incredible gains with a conservative setup have reinforced their goal of reaching 1,200 horsepower by the end of the year. Most shops would be reticent to take on the most unconventional Corvette in Chevrolet's history. But John sees it as an advantage. Chevrolet couldn't offer a true tunnel-ram intake because it would block the driver's view. The new Corvette has a tall manifold with long runners to optimize breathing. It is a great design, but many agree that a supercharger would look better. As you are reading this, Hennessey Performance is already working on a billet blower for those who don't want to go turbo. Another first is digging into the dual-clutch transmission. Whatever you choose, it will include a transmission upgrade to handle the power. As with any high-horsepower build, there is a limit to the engine's original parts. That is why they are burning the candle at both ends to develop forged internals, stronger springs, and high-flowing heads to make use of more boost. You can't rush perfection, so all of this is being done in the virtual world before the first prototypes are machined. In the meantime, your Corvette can be treated to bigger brakes, a Hennessey Performance suspension upgrade package, and several carbon-fiber aerodynamic enhancements. Developed simultaneously with the turbo kit, a new stainless exhaust is a great way to add power and personality to your car. As always, all Hennessey news can be found on blog.dupontregistry.com, so stay with us for all your Hennessey Performance Engineering updates. Visit HennesseyPerformance.com

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By Edward Jones – May 08, 2020

Best News Of The Week - 5/8/2020

By Edward Jones – May 08, 2020

May 2020 duPont REGISTRY Uncovered - Free Issue

For the cover of the May 2020 issue of duPont REGISTRY, three very special Porsche race cars at Byers Imports are the stars. These cars are currently for sale at Byers Imports, who is presenting this glorious cover. Since 1987, Byers Imports has been a fixture in our magazine as the most successful Porsche dealer in the Buckeye State. Sure a perfect location plays a major part, but unbelievable inventory is the other half of the recipe. By keeping their finger on the pulse of Porsche Purists, they scour the nation looking for cars that will take your breath away. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, duPont REGISTRY is now offering our complete virtual magazine for free to everyone. Now you can browse through the pages of our magazine from the comfort of your home entirely for free. Down below is the new May 2020 issue of duPont REGISTRY in its entirety, including all of the exotic cars for sale, luxury lifestyle products, exciting experiences, and more. We send our best wishes to everyone during this trying time and hope that you enjoy the pages of our magazine. While our magazine is free, we do ask our readers to help out by donating to the American Red Cross by clicking the button below. Donate Now Read The Full Issue Now

By Edward Jones – May 07, 2020

Virtually Tour The Top Luxury Car Dealerships

When we started our duPont REGISTRY Virtual Dealer Tours back at the beginning of March, we did so to help out dealerships that had been shut down. Like many businesses, these dealerships were blindsided by the shutdown and need to find a way to bring customers onto the showroom floor. For that, we teamed up with our partners to create the duPont REGISTRY Virtual Dealer Tours. Since then, we have added over 50 dealer tours to our portal page. When we started our magazine back in 1985, we never would've imagined that we would have the technology to bring these showroom floors to our readers in such a way. Because we are so dedicated to connecting buyers and sellers of fine automobiles, we're working hard every day to find new ways to make that connection. These Virtual Dealer Tours are just one of our latest ways to connect buyers and sellers. And don't forget that if you want to sell one of your luxury cars, always make sure to get some professional help. The dealers featured in our Virtual Dealer Tours are located across the United States and a couple are even found in other countries. We're continually updating our portal pages with new virtual tours and also updating existing ones with newer tours, so the cars featured are current. To get a taste of our Virtual Dealer Tours, you can find a playlist below. If you'd like to visit the portal page to see them all for yourself, be sure to click the button below.mailto: If you happen to be a dealer that is a part of the duPont REGISTRY Dealer Network and would like to have your Virtual Dealer Tour listed on our platform, be sure to email us by clicking here. View All Virtual Dealer Tours " width="700"> Currently Playing Bentley Gold Coast Virtual Dealership Tour Bentley Gold Coast Virtual Dealership Tour Exotic Car Dealer Ferrari of Austin Virtual Dealership Tour Exotic Car Dealer Ferrari of Atlanta Virtual Dealership Tour Exotic Car Dealer TECHART Virtual Dealership Tour Exotic Car Dealer Ferrari Lake Forest Dealership Tour Exotic Car Dealer

By Alyssa Mammano – May 06, 2020

duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® June 2020...

COVER PROPERTY IN THE PAGES SUBSCRIBE PREVIOUS ISSUES COVER PROPERTY A yachtsman’s paradise! 12,724 total square feet, Smart Home, Lutron System, Crestron System, 272 feet of water frontage. Elevator, fireplace, magnificent library, amazing clubroom/home theater, 3rd floor exercise room, impact glass, chef’s gourmet kitchen, whole house 100-kw generator, master suite with panoramic views, sitting room and his and her marble spa baths and wardrobes, salt water aquarium, resort style pool and spa. This prestigious gated Intracoastal point lot estate has the finest outdoor living one could imagine with a summer kitchen, dockage galore and outdoor entertaining. Brand new 15K hurricane rated boat lift. 90-degree elevator boat lift. Minutes to the famous Atlantic Avenue hot spots, best dining restaurants, shopping, beaches, nightlife, brand new Whole Foods Fresh Market, movie theaters, world-class fishing, ten minutes to the private airport and 25 minutes to the West Palm Beach airport. Live the dream lifestyle! view listing IN THE PAGES Issue Preview SUBSCRIBE Choose Your Offer 12 issues for $25.00 Automatic Renewal 12 issues for $29.95 24 issues for $49.95 36 issues for $59.95 click here PREVIOUS ISSUES duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® May 2020 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® April 2020 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® March 2020 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® February 2020 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® January 2020 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® December 2019 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® November 2019 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® October 2019 Uncovered duPont REGISTRY A Buyers Gallery of Fine Homes® September 2019 Uncovered

By Edward Jones – May 01, 2020

Best News Of The Week - 5/1/2020

By Steve Chapman Jr – April 24, 2020

Best News Of The Week - 4/24/2020

Every week the duPont REGISTRY DAILY Team strives to provide you all with the best stories and news revolving around exotic, luxury and classic cars, luxury lifestyle, real estate, gear and so much more. This week was a wild one, where we discovered everything from a Two New Ferraris to be Unveiled in 2020, A $400,000 Mattress, A $1 Million Sub you can Tow yourself, Bill and Melinda Gates New $43 Million Beach House and More! Scroll down to check out our weekly news recap and make sure to stay tuned for more next week. Automotive E 6×6 Jeeps: Wicked 3.0 Turbo Diesel Jeeps on Six Wheels Two New Ferraris to be Unveiled in 2020 The Best 90’s Cars You Can Buy Today Porsche Classic Unveils Communication Management Low Mileage 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO For Sale The Best Air-Cooled Porsches You Can Buy Today RENNtech Unveils RPS 10.2 Forged Wheels Highly Optioned 2018 Ferrari Atelier 812 Superfast For Sale Lexus Unveils 2021 GS 350 F SPORT Black Line New Futuristic Koenigsegg Concept Revealed Last Porsche 911 Speedster Auction Hammers for Record Price The First Bugatti Divo Deliveries Happening This Year 2020 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Cancelled Behind the Scenes With the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team Ride in a Lamborghini Speedboat With Dennis Rodman Luxury Real Estate Jeff Bezos Just Bought Another Manhattan Property for $16 Million Bill and Melinda Gates Buy $43 Million Beach House Newly Listed $21 Million Private Island Mansion Perfect for Social Distancing Home of the Day: Napa Vineyard and Notable Winery Offered for $29.8 Million $11.2 Million Penthouse Sells at Brickell Flatiron Building in Miami Kevin Durant’s Former Rental Hits Market for $6 Million Home of the Day: Experience Florida Waterfront Lifestyle in $29.9 Million Mansion Gear Melin Premium Headwear Introduces “The White Branded Pack Limited Release” Meet the New Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Blue Titanium Exclusive and Rare Kobe Bryant Memorabilia Being Auctioned Hublot Debuts the Big Bang GMT All Black Yohji Yamamoto Hästens and Ferris Rafauli Launch New $400k Bed Watches & Wonders is Going Virtual for 2020 Porsche Design Workout Collection and Challenge is a Perfect Pair Bid on Bubba Watson’s Richard Mille Watch and a NASCAR Ride-along With Denny Hamlin Gunther Werks Limited Edition Clock Benefiting American Red Cross Now Available Lavish Hero Fund: Helping Out Frontline Heroes Puma Motorsport Drops New Mercedes AMG Petronas Slides Pre-Order Porsche Design’s New Limited Edition Sunglasses Casio Debuts Limited Edition Edifice Honda Racing Watch Tesla Cybertruck 1:64 RC Car Now for Sale Cabot Guns Offers Hand Built Perfection Latest Virtual Dealer Tours Ferrari Lake Forest Dealership Tour Fort Lauderdale Collection South Virtual Dealership Tour iLusso Virtual Dealership Tour Driving Emotions Virtual Dealership Tour Toy Barn Virtual Dealership Tour Ferrari of New England Virtual Dealership Tour Ferrari Quebec Virtual Dealership Tour

By Edward Jones – April 20, 2020

duPont REGISTRY's Gentleman's Best 2020

Every year, we at duPont REGISTRY release the Gentlemen's Best feature. This annual feature in our magazine highlights a collection of vehicles, gear, fashion items, watches and more to create a truly distinctive luxury lifestyle guide. You'll find the latest vehicles by automakers like Bugatti, McLaren, Koenigsegg, Porsche and more. For horologists, we have timepieces by Corum, Eberhard & Co., Franck Muller and Richard Mille. There's a lot to discover, so scroll down below to see this year's Gentlemen's Best. Automobiles Bentley Mulliner BacalarBRABUS 800 Adventure XLPBugatti Chiron Pur SportFord F-250 Harley-DavidsonHennessey C8 CorvetteKoenigsegg GemeraLexus LCMcLaren 765LTPorsche 911 Turbo S CabrioletSVE 2020 1000HP Stage 1 Yenko Camaro Destinations and Locations Collection Suites Luxury Storage SuitesFlorida Keys Estate for SaleMetron GarageThe Oaks EstateThe Thermal ClubWide Open Baja Gear NightRider Sheepdog Interlock BraceletsOrbita Artisan Series - Salvador DaliWOLF AXIS CollectionRobert Graham Collection Watches Heritage Corum Lab 01Eberhard & Co. 1887 RemontageFranck Muller Vanguard Master Banker Signature TimepieceRichard Mille RM 50-04

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