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 Edward Jones – August 29, 2018

Camo LaFerrari Hypercar Drifts Around a Factory, Puts on ...

Florian Merckx has one of the wildest Ferraris out there: a LaFerrari that's been wrapped in camouflage. We first saw the car earlier this year when it was unveiled in Monaco and even revved its heart out while the Monaco GP festivities were going on. Now, we're getting a different taste of Florian's LaFerrari and it tastes like dirt... but in a good one.Florian recently took his camo LaFerrari out for some extracurricular driving around a factory. All of the roads surrounded the factory were made of dirt, so he had a good time drifting around and kicking up as much dirt as possible. It's not often you see a car as prestigious and rare as the LaFerrari being taken out for wild rides like this one, but we relish it every time. Check it out in the video below and think about how badly this car needed a wash afterward.

By Andrew Nabors – August 08, 2018

Highly Optioned 2015 LaFerrari Heading to Monterey

Just when we thought we'd seen just how far Ferrari could take the LaFerrari in terms of options and features, Dana Mecum and his team of intrepid consignment specialists have discovered this pristine 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari. You deserve everything Maranello has to offer, so someone did their homework when it came time to order. This gorgeous Giallo Modena example has only been driven 419 miles, so get ready to be amazed.If yellow is your favorite color, you will find it on the seat piping, contrast stitching, dash, tachometer, calipers, wheel locks, and even the engine's intake manifold. Carbon fiber was added in all available spots. This includes the entire center console, mirrors, and dash accents. The dash itself is black Alcantara, a smart move to keep glare from being a distraction.Ferrari's Telemetry system is over $10,000, and it will allow you to monitor every aspect of your car at track days. Other goodies include matching luggage along with both keys and books. The only item missing is you, so make sure you are registered to bid at Mecum's Monterey Auction on August 25th. Be sure to tune in to their live YouTube stream and stay with us for all your Mecum coverage.View This Car's Listing Here

By Andrew Nabors – July 03, 2018

LaFerrari Aperta Dominates An Italian Hillclimb

It is sad to know that only a few of Ferrari's hypercars will be driven to their limits. If I had the means, not only would I buy a LaFerrari Aperta, but I would equip it with R-compound tires and head to the Tail of the Dragon. One lucky owner got a chance to enter his car in the Giau Pass Hillclimb, and we applaud him on excellent use of counter-steer.Wildest Camo LaFerrari Revs Hard (RIP Ears) and Looks MeanGive me a mountain, and I will delight in using 950 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque to reach the summit. Not only is it Ferrari's most powerful V12 engine, it is combined with the same KERS system used on their F1 cars. In a video uploaded by Powerslide Lover, he chases a high horsepower shifter kart up the mountain. Living up to his name, many of the corners are excellent drifts, making this run slower than the others, but much more enjoyable. If you think you can handle it, click the link below to find one for yourself. The 4th of July might entice you to spin a few for Independence Day, but please drive responsibly and enjoy the day in a responsible manner.Browse LaFerrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – May 30, 2018

Wildest Camo LaFerrari Revs Hard (RIP Ears) and Looks Mean

The title of this article reads "Wildest Camo LaFerrari We've Ever Seen," but I feel like I should change to "The Only Camo LaFerrari We've Ever Seen" (not counting the camo ones we saw before the car's release."This LaFerrari has been making quite a scene in Monaco, being spotted by YouTubers and posted on Instagram. The Instagram posts allude that the car is owned by @florianmerckx and it was wrapped by @mmlc_06.Why You Should Buy A LaFerrariIf the camo wrap looks familiar to you, then you're not alone because I thought of Jon Olsson's cars right away. What's funny is that Olsson was even invited by the owner for a drive. After being taken out for a spin in the LaFerrari, Olsson said in an Instagram post: "This might be the coolest car I have seen EVER! Its for sure the coolest car I have been in!" If he approves of the camo hypercar, then it must be legit.https://www.instagram.com/p/BjaZUqEApuK/?taken-by=jonolsson1The owner seems to have named this LaFerrari "Tank," which is fitting considering how brutal it looks. In the front are headlights that have a yellow film on them, just like a race car. Combine those headlights with the wrap and insanely loud exhaust and you have "Tank," one of the coolest LaFerraris out there.View Ferraris for Salehttps://www.instagram.com/p/BjMvnKzA6zN/?taken-by=florianmerckx

By Edward Jones – September 05, 2017

Final LaFerrari Aperta Revealed, Being Auctioned for Charity

The last LaFerrari Aperta that Ferrari willl ever create will be one of the most special ones yet. The car is being created to mark the 70th anniversary of Ferrari and it will be auctioned to benefit Save the Children for international education.Duaiv Ferrari FF at Ferrari of Fort LauderdaleThe auction is being organized in cooperation with RM Sotheby's and will take place on September 9. The event, called "Leggenda e Passione," will be held on the Fiorano track and Ferrari is regarding it as "the most important single marque collector's car auction in history."For the final LaFerrari Aperta, Ferrari has given it a special one-of-a-kind livery. The exterior has a metallic Rosso Fuoco paint with a double racing stripe running down the center in metallic Bianco Italia. Inside is black Alcantara, carbon fiber, red leather inserts, and red stitching.LaFerrari Aperta SpecsInterested in putting in a bid? Visit RMSothebys.com for more info.

By Edward Jones – August 25, 2017

Ferrari Building One More LaFerrari Aperta For Charity

Those dismayed at the fact that they couldn't get a LaFerrari Aperta due to the fact that only 209 examples were created are in luck. RM Sotheby's has announced that they will be auctioning off the 210th LaFerrari Aperta at their "Ferrari - Leggenda e Passione" auction on September 9, 2017. This auction also coincides with Ferrari 70th Anniversary at Maranello.The car that will be auctioned off will have what RM Sotheby's is calling a "new and unique livery," making it unlike any other we've seen thus far. What's more, all proceeds for the hypercar will benefit charity.If you're looking to have a true one-off LaFerrari and help those in need at the same time, be sure to be at RM Sotheby's event and place your bid down on this historic car.LaFerrari Aperta Specs & Price

By Edward Jones – May 04, 2017

First LaFerrari Aperta in USA Revs Like a Monster

Ferrari unveiled the new LaFerrari Aperta just a few months ago back in September 2016, but it's now starting to make its way to the United States. In fact, the first example in the States was filmed in Redmond, Washington at an event call Exotics@RTC. In this video, we get to hear the Aperta truly come to life with some revs. There's also a blue LaFerrari that appears at the end of the video that's a real treat to see. Heck, that color may be my favorite finish on the hypercar that I've seen thus far.What you're hearing in this video is the LaFerrari Aperta's V12 engine and its 963 horsepower. This engine can rocket the Italian hypercar from 0-60 mph in less than three seconds and can get to 124 mph from a standstill in 7.1 seconds. This car is without a doubt the most extreme convertible that Ferrari has ever created.Ferrari For Sale Miami, FL

By Edward Jones – September 29, 2016

LaFerrari Aperta Officially Revealed

Ferrari has finally revealed their latest hypercar at the Paris Motor Show and it's officially called the LaFerrari Aperta... not Spider. But, before I go any further, I must tell you that all of the reported 209 LaFerrari Apertas to be made have already been spoken for and is completely sold out. If you're wondering how much these people had to pay to get one pre-ordered, estimates online have been ranging from $2.1 million to $3.9 million.As far as performance figures go, the LaFerrari Aperta is just as formidable as its Coupe brethren. Motor1 notes that the hypercar will run these figures: 0-60 mph in less than three seconds, 0-124 mph in less than seven seconds and 0-186 mph in 15 seconds. Its top speed is currently rated at over 217 mph.Complete LaFerrari Aperta Specs To achieve these numbers, Ferrari's engineers made sure they could get the most out of the 963 hp combination of V12 engine and electric motor. And to do this, they had to engineer the heck out of its open-top aerodynamics and its chassis. Ferrari notes that the LaFerrari Aperta has the same rigidity and drag coefficient characteristics as the LaFerrari coupe, both being huge feats.Impressive? You better believe it.View LaFerrari For Sale View the unveiling. Skip to around 15:27 for the LaFerrari Aperta.

By Edward Jones – July 05, 2016

Ferrari LaFerrari Spider Officially Unveiled

Updated 3:25 EST 7/5/16 - Ferrari has issued a press release regarding the new convertible Ferrari (I say convertible LaFerrari because it has not been given an official name as of yet). The technical details of the hypercar are still under wraps, but they do say that all examples have already been sold after a special preview.Ferrari also informs in the press release that it will be available with both a soft top and carbon fiber hard top. Those expecting performance numbers to change will be delighted to know that Ferrari says it has the "same running gear and performance figures as the original LaFerrari." This was done through extensive modifications made to the chase.We knew it was coming, and now it's finally official. On Ferrari's Twitter page, they have released the first official image of the LaFerrari Spider.https://twitter.com/Ferrari/status/750319736546701312Right now, all other specs and details on the car are unknown, but more information will be released when the car makes its official debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show October 14-16.View Ferraris For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – April 05, 2016

Trunk Space: Ferrari LaFerrari vs F12tdf

Generally speaking, those that own a LaFerrari or an F12tdf have another, more practical, "everyday" car to run errands and go grocery shopping. But let's pretend for a second that one of these supercars is the only option for running daily errands. Which one would make the cut when it comes to compartment space? After all, weekly grocery shopping means multiple bags and storage is necessary to get those bags home.Ferrari - Average Cargo Capacity vs. Peer Groups | AxleGeeks In the video below, YouTuber, alexsmolik, compares the available trunk space of the LaFerrari and the F12tdf and determines which one would suffice for the mundane, yet unavoidable, errand running. Which car do you think will offer more trunk space? LaFerrari's For Sale | F12berlinetta's For Sale

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