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.

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 17, 2023

Jay Leno Drives & Fixes A 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 "Daytona"

One of the world’s most famous car enthusiasts gets behind the wheel of an important classic Ferrari. Just about as well as he is known for his career in comedy and television, Jay Leno is known all over the automotive world for his passion for classic cars and automotive history, which is why his time with the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 “Daytona” was quite special. The car, a classic itself, is created with a timeless formula for excellent sports cars: a powerful engine at the front that sends power to the back wheels, and a roof that can come down for the driver to feel the wind rushing past. What’s extra special about the Daytona is the fact that it is powered by the legendary Colombo V12 engine, which would make it the last front-engined Ferrari Spider to be powered by a V12 for an incredible 50 years until the reveal of the much-loved Ferrari 812 GTS of today. MUST READ: Ferrari Celebrates 30 Years In China With A New Tailor Made Roma The stunning yellow example of the Daytona that Jay Leno drives is from the collection of Ferrari collector David Lee, and it features the classic Ferrari gated shifter for its manual transmission. Touches like that make the Daytona a true classic, and a visceral car to drive that connects the driver and the machine in a way that many modern cars fail to, and to that point, during their drive together, Lee and Leno noticed a slight issue with the ignition, detected by a popping noise during acceleration, and after the drive, Jay Leno even fixed the issue by reconnecting and tightening a wire with needlenose pliers, something that’s just about unheard-of as it relates to the Ferraris of today. This video of the legendary Ferrari Daytona goes to show that some cars are just too good to fade from glory. View All Ferraris For Sale Source: YouTube/Jay Leno's Garage

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 08, 2022

Watch Jay Leno Drive The Rare 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta

A Ferrari modern classic hosts a celebrity driver. Jay Leno is one of Hollywood’s most well-known and prolific car enthusiasts, with an extensive collection and knowledge of some of the world’s greatest cars, and with his excellent taste, he got to experience and give his two cents on a stunning example of automotive excellence: a Ferrari from 21 years ago. The Ferarri 550 Barchetta employed a classic formula, with an open-top, front-engined, V12-powered setup, and it took the irresistible ingredients of a classic sports car and made them excellent, with acceleration that remains impressive and a top speed above 200 mph. MUST READ: Verde Zeltweg 2022 Ferrari SF90 Spider Listed for Sale The car represents a recent past for Ferrari that automotive purists look back on with nostalgia, especially with the iconic Ferrari gated shifter used to operate the car’s manual transmission. The car, limited to just 448 examples, was built to celebrate the design house Pininfarina’s 70th anniversary. It’s owned by collector Doug Cohen, who wanted specifically to buy an example with miles already on it so that he could experience its driving pleasure without worrying about driving a like-new car. With that in mind, Leno and Cohen took the car for a spin in California, where the perfect weather for an open-top car like the 550 Barchetta was readily available. On Jay Leno’s Garage, the 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta showed off the elegance and splendor of classics from even our recent memory. View All Ferrari 550 Barchettas For Sale Source: YouTube/Jay Leno's Garage

By Tyler Rampersaud – March 07, 2022

Jay Leno Takes Ultra-Rare Yellow Ferrari F50 For A Spin

Any true car enthusiast knows that a color can mean everything. The Ferrari F50 is a legendary car that served as the flagship Cavallino Rampante-wearing supercar for years during the golden age of supercars. It’s rare, coveted, beautiful, and blindingly quick, even by today’s standards. However, in its Giallo Modena color, only 31 were made, making it all the more rare and legendary. Jay Leno had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a yellow Ferrari F50, and like a Guards Red Porsche Carrera GT, or a Sunbeam Yellow (ironically) AMG GT, the color made all the difference. MUST READ: Ferrari 296 GTB First Drive Review: The Return Of The V6 The owner of the yellow F50, and also a red F50, Ferrari collector David Lee, talked about the fact that the yellow is an incredibly coveted color of the F50, estimating that his own would sell for a whopping $5 million, as compared to a $4 million value for his red car. Being a convertible, the F50 comes with either a soft-top or a hardtop, both of which are actually difficult to install and remove. For this reason, his yellow F50 features a hardtop in the video, while the red counterpart features a soft top. One of the first cars to use carbon fiber in the chassis and body, the F50 pushed innovation and engineering forward almost as quickly as the car itself drove. Thanks to collectors like David Lee, these incredible cars get to live out their full legacy and stay on the road, impressing us just as much today as they did over 27 years ago. All Ferrari F50s For Sale Source: YouTube/Jay Leno's Garage

By Andrew Nabors – May 03, 2021

Jay Leno Drives A New Ferrari SF90 Stradale

The latest Ferrari flagship doesn't disappoint! When their F1 team began toying with hybrid energy storage, it led to the amazing LaFerrari. This hybrid hypercar led to the FXX Evo, and even more electric power. Now using the latest in battery technology, you can have almost 16 miles of silent cruising from the SF90 Stradale. They also handle reverse, so that freed up room inside the transmission for more cooling capacity. Let's see if it's worthy of Jay Leno's collection. Mine will hopefully arrive with the Fiorano Performance Package that rockets you to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Because it is an EV, its the first Ferrari to not have a Gas Guzzler tax. And since it is electric, the IRS will take $4,126 off of your Income Tax liabilities. Not bad for a base price of only $512,800. For that, you will have 986 horsepower and an 8 kWh battery. Running silent errands or sneaking in after a late night are now much easier thanks to clever engineering and amazing style. Click the button to order yours! Shop Ferrari

By Andrew Nabors – March 25, 2019

David Lee's Ferrari 288 GTO on Jay Leno's Garage

It might look like a Ferrari 308 at a distance, but this is their first supercar. Group B Rally Racing was one of the most competitive (and deadly) motorsports of all time. To capitalize on the off-road success, a Group B circuit series aimed to put these potent machines on the track. Each manufacturer had to sell 200 examples to the public to be eligible, and Ferrari built 272 cars. They are rare and incredibly valuable, so here is David Lee's Ferrari 288 GTO on Jay Leno's Garage. Back when cars were named after their engines, this 2.88L V8 was paired with twin turbos to make 400 horsepower and 366 lb-ft of torque. That might not sound spectacular today, but the curb weight is only 2,500 lbs. A car this light with such power is incredibly fast, and you don't have any safety systems for protection. The sticker price was $100,000 in 1984, which equates to $2,480,000 today. That is close to their selling price whenever one of these rare beauties comes to market, so tell us what you think of the car that brought Ferrari into the modern era. If you need something more modern, check out these great deals on the F12berlinetta and stay with us for all your Jay Leno updates. Shop Ferrari F12berlinetta

By Andrew Nabors – February 25, 2019

Jay Leno Drives a Ferrari 250 TR Tribute

In an ideal world everyone should experience the iconic Ferrari 250. The one caveat is that even bad examples sell for over $50 Million. So building a tribute car is the next best thing. In his latest upload, Jay Leno Drives a Ferrari 250 TR Tribute car. It was pure coincidence that the owner came across this prototype body in Italy. Enzo was looking for an aluminum body for a new breed of race cars. Several coachbuilders presented their examples, and this one was rejected. So it was hung on a wall as an ornament for over half a decade. Peter Giacobbi spent a decade building an exact replica of a 1959 Testarossa, even down to the nuts and bolts. Check Out Jay Leno's Collection! Because a 250 engine would be hard to find, they found a 4.4L V12 from a 365 GTB. The tube-frame chassis is also an exact replica, but it is made of modern DOM steel. So what we have here is a stronger and faster Ferrari 250 for a fraction of the cost of an original. If you want the real thing, click the link below and stay with us for more updates from Jay Leno's Garage. Shop Ferrari 250 For Sale Related: Jay Leno Drives 1984 Ferrari 308 GTB Christian von Koenigsegg on Jay Leno's Garage

By Andrew Nabors – December 03, 2018

Jay Leno Drives 1984 Ferrari 308 GTB

Everyone has a story about the one that got away. Donnie Callaway has been a Ferrari fan since birth, and he stopped by Jay Leno's garage to tell an amazing story. He was a 21-year-old employee of a Ferrari dealer in Newport Beach. Their sales department had a difficult time finding a home for a white Ferrari 308 GTB, and the image of the car was burned into his mind. Later on in life he had a successful business restoring Italian classics. One of his parts suppliers alerted him to a high-mileage 308 that was going to be parted out. Their reasoning is that over 80,000 miles, everything will need a total rebuild. The cost of restoring the car was more than it was worth in parts, a reason why many 80's exotic cars for sale are no longer around. But as Donny researched the car's history, it turned out to be the same white car from two decades prior. This type of coincidence shouldn't happen, and it makes us wonder if it's a glitch in the matrix. Tell us your story about finally finding the car of your dreams, and click the link below to see great offers from our Ferrari dealers. Related: Check Out Jay Leno's Car Collection New Ferrari 488 GTB For Sale What Is The Fastest Ferrari?

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