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

Ferrari News

Ferrari news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated daily with model reveals, first drives, auction results and current market prices. Our coverage runs across the whole line-up, from the 296 and 296 Speciale to the SF90 XX, the 12Cilindri and the F80. We also follow the earlier cars that built the reputation of the Prancing Horse over seven decades. Reporting comes from the Monterey and Pebble Beach auction floors, and from first drives of new models as they arrive. One thing separates this from other supercar news: many of the Ferraris covered here are listed for sale on the duPont REGISTRY marketplace. Read the story, then see what an example is genuinely worth. For Ferrari news today, and the exotic car news around it, start here.

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By Caitlin Duffy – October 23, 2015

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale Engine Sounds

Petrolicious believes that your collection is missing an important piece, and we have to say that we agree.In just one minute and sixteen seconds, they've profiled the beauty of a Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale's engine sounds, sharing them in an Oct. 22 YouTube video, created in partnership with the Ferrari Approved Certified Pre-Owned Program, titled "The Ferrari Challenge Stradale Belongs In Your Garage." It's a title that we couldn't agree with more.(See Also: Ferrari Stock Debuts on NYSE as "RACE")Introduced in 2003, the 360 Challenge Stradale was designed to be "a racing car for road use," as Ferrari's website describes. They took the existing design of the 360 Modena and 360 Spider, cut the weight, smoothed out the gearbox, increased performance and power output and refined every last detail, resulting in a powerful and beautiful V8 beast.Power sits at 425 hp and 275 lb-ft, which results in a 0-62 mph acceleration time of four seconds flat. For a road car that now sits at 13 years old, those numbers are impressive for a road-going model. And as Petrolicious describes, these are just a few of the reasons why one of these cars belongs in your collection.Their video is accompanied by an Oct. 22 article listing off their ten reasons for why this particular Ferrari is one you should consider. Give it a read to see their ideas, and when you've been convinced, find one now from our exclusive listings at the button below.360 Challenge Stradales For Sale (Source: Ferrari, YouTube, Petrolicious) See More Ferrari News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 22, 2015

Ferrari Stock Debuts on NYSE as "RACE"

Just nine days after announcing their ticker symbol, Ferrari (RACE) reached the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and ended its first full day as a public company with a bang.On Oct. 21 at 9:30 am, Sergio Marchionne, Chairman of Ferrari, and John Elkann, Chairman of Fiat Chrylser Automobiles (FCA), rang the opening bell in New York City, marking the beginning of the day's trading and the first official day of Ferrari being a publicly traded company.It was estimated that their initial shares would price somewhere between $48 and $52 when the company's value of just under $10 billion was first announced Oct. 12, with most estimating that $50 is where it would land. As it turns out, they priced at the highest estimate of $52 a share.As the Wall Street Journal reported Oct. 21, they traded as high as $60.97 in their first day, a 17 percent increase in their initial price, before closing the day at $55 a share. As of press time, it's trading at a price of $56.75 and has been held steady around $56.50 most all day.It's undoubtedly exciting to see Ferrari's overall value grow as it becomes a publicly traded company, but many still have concerns about what this might mean for the manufacturer's future.(See Also: Oslo to Ban Private Cars by 2019)The Wall Street Journal's article reports that Marchionne hopes to ramp up production from 7,000 to as many as 9,000 cars per year by 2019, and there's the chance that pressure to grow from investors could push quality down in favor of quantity. That being said, Enzo Ferrari's son Piero will continue to retain a 10 percent ownership stake in the company, leaving many hoping he'll continue to steer the manufacturer in the right direction.Stay with us for more updates from the automotive industry, and find your own prancing horse from our exclusive listings below.Ferraris For Sale Gallery (Source: Ferrari, Wall Street Journal, NYSE) See More Industry Reports

By Caitlin Duffy – October 20, 2015

1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti Could Sell For $28 Million

Ferraris fetching high prices at auctions may be part of an overall trend, but the numbers being shouted at the block continue to amaze each time.And, as it seems, RM Sotheby's Dec. 10 event in New York City, "Driven by Disruption," will be no exception. An extremely rare, historic and beautiful Ferrari is listed among their lots, offering up an unparalleled opportunity to own an undamaged piece of racing history.The 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti was crafted for one famous driver in particular, Argentinian five-time Formula One World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio Déramo. Chassis number 0626 with engine number 7, this particular Ferrari, as a release from the auction house describes, is one of the most significant ones to come from Maranello.“Driven by the greatest drivers of the 1950s and built for possibly THE greatest driver in history, this is a car with which Enzo Ferrari was personally involved and is a fundamental part of Ferrari folklore," describes RM Sotheby's Car Specialist Peter Wallman in the lot description.It was created for Fangio to drive during the 1956 Mille Miglia, a 1,000-mile race in which he and this model finished in fourth place despite grueling weather and intense rains. It was not one of the many cars that crashed during that race, and, in fact, has never crashed at all.Of course, just because it's never crashed doesn't mean it couldn't use a little sprucing up. It is, after all, nearly 60 years old, and a Ferrari of this stature demands the utmost care. It was recently restored and certified by the Ferrari Classiche department, and includes all relevant documentation, including the original Mille Miglia entry form.(See Also: LaFerrari Powerslides Out of a Roundabout)A car of this magnitude and quality will not go cheaply - in fact, it's estimated that the final bid could reach as high as $28 million, making it one of the most valuable Ferraris ever sold.Learn more about this listing from its official lot description on RM Sotheby's website, and stay with us to learn more about this auction opportunity. In the meantime, find yourself another one of Ferrari's creations from our exclusive listings.Ferraris For SaleGallery (Source: RM Sotheby's) See More Ferrari News

By Edward Jones – October 20, 2015

LaFerrari Powerslides Out Of Roundabout

Is the LaFerrari a monster of a hypercar? You bet. That means it must take a bit of skill in order to perform a delicate powerslide that smoothly transitions into acceleration in one.Automotive Mike recently caught a LaFerrari driver doing just that on Vienna, Austria's Ring Boulevard as the road was closed for the arrival of the Rallye Germania. He uploaded a video of the Italian hypercar today, which can be seen below.(See Also: Gordon Ramsay Enjoys His LaFerrari in London)We want to advise all readers to not try something like this at home, whether in a LaFerrari or something more civilian. This appears to have happened on a closed road, leaving normal traffic out of the question.(Source: YouTube) More Ferrari News

By Edward Jones – October 15, 2015

How Ferrari Modified the F12tdf's Engine For Maximum Power

Ferrari's new F12tdf not only sports a new design for the F12berlinetta, it also has a more powerful engine. For comparison's sake, the original F12berlinetta makes 730 hp and 508 lb-ft of torque. The new F12tdf has its V12's power increased to 769 hp and 519 lb-ft. But where is this added power coming from?Cue Ferrari's media team.Yesterday, Oct. 14, Ferrari put together a great video that displays just how they ramped up the V12's power for the new F12tdf. What's included in the upgrades? It ranges from "wider, but lighter airbox capacity," to the mechanical tappets. Check the video out for yourself by clicking the play button below.(Source: YouTube) Ferrari Videos, News and Picshttps://instagram.com/p/8y6Y9Ry3od/

By Edward Jones – October 15, 2015

Ferrari F12berlinetta vs Tuned Porsche 911 Turbo S

The Italian front mid-engined car known as the Ferrari F12berlinetta has been highly regarded thanks to its massive 6.3-liter V12. And now, Ferrari has one-upped the car by creating the F12tdf, a more powerful and capable variant of the berlinetta.While the Italian automotive manufacturer has been creating the powerful monster that is the F12, Porsche has been plugging away at their most famous car: the 911. While it may be small in stature and not as powerful as the F12berlinetta, it's nimble and quick.(Also Read: Breathtaking Sounds of the Aston Martin Vulcan’s V12 Engine At Full Throttle)Between these two cars, there are a lot of gaps in the comparisons. For instance, the Porsche 911 Turbo S, the most powerful 911, packs 560 hp, while the F12berlinetta is rated at 730 hp. That being said, the 911 Turbo S can run from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds and the F12berlinetta runs a 0-62 mph time of 3.1 seconds. The .2 seconds the 911 shaves off is partially in thanks to its all-wheel-drive system, a huge bonus over the Ferrari's rear-wheel-drive.Recently at the Unlim 500+, a more powerful and tuned version of the 911 Turbo S (650 hp) took on a stock F12berlinetta. Because most of were more than likely not at the race, DragtimesInfo recorded it for us all to see and uploaded it to YouTube today. Check it out below to see who wins.Porsche 911 Turbo S Listings Ferrari F12berlinetta Listings (Source: YouTube) Porsche Videos, News and Pics

By Caitlin Duffy – October 14, 2015

Ferrari F40s Cruise Through Monaco And Burnout

Editor's Note: Do not attempt to recreate or reenact this video at home._________________________The Ferrari F40 is one of the marque's more famous vehicles - and for good reason.Not only was it the last model to be approved by Enzo Ferrari, but it could accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds, a feat for when it was released in 1987. There's no question about the fact that the F40 is an incredibly potent vehicle, and its engine note can back that claim up from three blocks over.(See Also: Ferrari Valued Just Under $10 Billion, IPO Terms Announced)But when you add a Tubi Style exhaust to the F40, as YouTuber Gumbal recently saw in Monaco, it sounds even better.In a video uploaded today, we get to see what seems to be multiple F40s driving around Europe's supercar capital. Gumbal managed to capture one of them revving their engine up and burning out. Of course, we don't ever recommend driving recklessly, especially when there's a large crowd of photographers nearby.Check out the video to see what how much rubber an F40 can lay down on the street, and find your own Ferrari from our exclusive listings at the button below. Ferraris For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Ferrari News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 13, 2015

Ferrari Valued Just Under $10 Billion, IPO Terms Announced

Investors have been awaiting details about Ferrari's planned initial public offering (IPO) for months, but the marque's parent company has finally put some rumors to rest. The newly announced Ferrari F12tdfThe Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Group finally confirmed to the world that Ferrari's IPO is, indeed, occurring, and once the exotic car manufacturer enters the stock market, you can find it under the ticker name "RACE." An Oct. 12 press release from the group announced that prices are set at $48 to $52 per share, but held back from stating exactly when these shares will be available.As the release explained, FCA currently owns 90 percent of Ferrari, while Piero Ferrari, son of Enzo Ferrari, still owns 10 percent. A total of 9 percent of the company's ownership will become available to the public during the IPO, leaving FCA with an 80 percent stake.The 9 percent making its way to the stock market will be broken up into 17,175,000 shares, each valued at $48 to $52 - assuming a midpoint of $50 is met, this puts the total value of this stake at $858,750,000. An additional 1 percent, or 1,717,150 shares, is being offered to the banks underwriting the IPO, which include UBS Investment Bank and BofA Merrill Lynch.(See Also: Tesla Autopilot Coming for Model S & Model X This Week)Speculation in July of this year set Ferrari's total value at $11 billion, and with the amount asked for these shares, that estimate wasn't far off - these prices will set the total value of Ferrari at just under $10 billion, at $9,446,075,000.After this 10 percent has had a chance to be traded publicly for a few months, FCA will make its remaining 80 percent ownership available to stockholders, putting 90 percent of Ferrari's valuation into the market. Piero will still retain his 10 percent at that point in time.Though the date still has yet to be set, CNBC's Bob Pisani has an estimate - in an Oct. 12 article, he says he's been "told the deal will likely price on Oct. 20, with trading at the NYSE to begin on Oct. 21."Stay with us for more updates from Ferrari and the industry as they are released, and find your own Ferrari from our exclusive listings below.Ferraris For Sale (Source: FCA Group, Ferrari, CNBC) See More Industry Reports

By Edward Jones – October 13, 2015

Official: Limited Edition Ferrari F12tdf

A brand-new and extreme variant of the Ferrari F12berlinetta has just been unveiled to the world: the Ferrari F12tdf. Unlike the past F12 special editions, this one will have a higher production number that makes it much more attainable.Why "tdf?" This car is meant to pay homage to the Tour de France Automobile, a historic race that ran between 1899 and 1986. It was a race that Ferrari dominated back in the 1950s and '60s.Do all of these modifications to the powertrain and overall build of the car result in faster performance? You bet.• 0-62 mph: 2.9 seconds (.2 secs quicker)• 0-124 mph: 7.9 seconds (.6 secs quicker)• Fiorano Lap Time: 1'21" (2 secs quicker)Inside, Ferrari breathed more sportiness into the cockpit through a wrap-around effect and the extensive use of carbon fiber. They also used Alcantara instead of traditional leather, and technical fabric for the seats.Ferrari is only planning on making 799 examples of the car. So, if you're interested, you better act quickly.F12s For Sale (Source: Ferrari) Ferrari News, Pics and Videos

By Caitlin Duffy – October 08, 2015

4 FXX Ks at New Orleans' Motorsport Park Ferrari Racing Days

The big band city of New Orleans saw an Italian takeover at the NOLA Motorsports park the weekend of Oct. 4, and it was a show of incredible power.Ferrari Racing Days saw the arrival of three Ferrari programs at once at the southern location, with the North American Ferrari Challenge, XX Program and F1 Clienti all converging for two days of horsepower and energy. An Oct. 4 press release from the marque and videos shared to YouTube Oct. 7 give us a look inside the event, including an in-cabin perspective for one lap around the track.The Ferrari FXX K debuted on American soil for the first time at this event, with not just one, but four examples of the LaFerrari's racing variant arriving for the trip. As the release reminds us, its engine creates 860 hp while the hybrid system creates an additional 190, leading to an insane 1,050 hp total from the FXX K.(See Also: Extreme Shooting and Donuts in a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta)"With nearly four hours of track time at NOLA," the release described, "the Tifosi were enthralled by the roar it made. In addition, the FXX Ks were joined by two 599XXs on the 2.74-mile circuit."Check out the videos above and below to get a better look at this event, and find your own Ferrari from our exclusive listings for the next Ferrari track day near you.Ferraris For Sale (Source: Ferrari, YouTube) See More Ferrari News

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