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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 Khris Bharath – March 31, 2026

1-of-99 Bugatti Mistral W16 Listed For Sale

Last week, Bugatti revealed a one-off Mistral dubbed the “Caroline”, demonstrating the endless possibilities in which the French marque’s Sur Mesaure allows owners to create some truly bespoke commissions. Production was limited to just 99 units, all of which were spoken for even before production began. Undoubtedly, every example is special, and it’s not too often that we see this open-top hypercar surface for sale on the secondary market. Now, a bespoke Mistral that Bugatti showed off in June last year has come up for sale with TBTFW. Showing just 328 miles since new, this 2025 example is finished in Matte Argent Silver with Beluga Blue accents on the wheels, logos, the door sills, engine bay, and Mistral inscription under the rear wing. <- Gallery -> Inside, a vivid shade of tangerine serves as the highlight on the doorcards and seats against Beluga Blue stitching. You’ll also find the famous Rembrandt Bugatti Dancing Elephant embroidered in the headrests, and the gear selector, also finished in blue. Carbon fiber highlights both the exterior and interior, along with a French tricolor motif on the doors, wrapping up the package. Design details unique to the Mistral include a wider horseshoe grille, a stacked vertical headlight arrangement, top-mounted air intakes, and X-shaped taillights. The 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 power plant produces 1,578 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque and sends power to all four wheels through a 7-speed DSG. 60 mph takes ~2.5 seconds, and top speed is rated at 282 mph. The immense speed and capability are a result of clever aero and a chassis that tips the scales at just shy of 4,400 pounds. Every Mistral undergoes extensive testing around the factory in Molsheim, France, before delivery. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TBTFW (@tbtfw) The Mistral will go down in history as one of the all-time greats, as it is not only the Swan Song of Bugatti’s glorious W16 era that traces its origins to the record-breaking Veryon under former VW boss, Ferdinand Pïech, but also because it is the fastest roadster/convertible in the world. We’re already starting to witness its cultural significance, as a Mistral bagged the inaugural duPont REGISTRY ‘Best in Show’ award at Cars on 5th, earlier this year, in February. can continue to keep tabs on the Mistral Market through (dRi), duPont REGISTRY's proprietary metric that tracks market metrics. Costing over $5 million when new, expect the Mistral’s appeal to continue to grow over the long term, and this one can now be yours. For a detailed guide on financing your next exotic car, click here. View Listing Images: @TBTFW

By Khris Bharath – February 04, 2026

1-of-30 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ Is Up for Sale at Miller MotorCars

A rare Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ tied directly to the French marque’s 300 mph milestone is being offered for sale at Miller Motorcars. Chassis number VF9SW3V30NM795008 is #8 of just 30 Chiron Super Sport 300+ World Record Edition cars produced globally, and 1-of-9 delivered in U.S.-Spec. Bugatti made history back in August 2019, when it set a top speed world record of 304.773 mph at the Ehra-Lessien test facility in Germany, making it one of the fastest production cars in the world. Test driver Andy Wallace made the run, and Bugatti became the first manufacturer to exceed 300 mph with a series-derived vehicle. This particular example, with just 520 miles, is finished in exposed Jet Black carbon fiber, highlighting the extended longtail bodywork developed to improve aerodynamic stability at extreme speeds. The interior is trimmed in Beluga Black Alcantara with Jet Orange stitching. Power comes from Bugatti’s legendary Pïech-era quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine, making 1,578 horsepower and driving all four wheels. The Super Sport 300+ is the most extreme road-going variant of the Chiron platform and represents a defining chapter in the W16 program, which has defined Bugatti’s modern era for nearly two decades. As Bugatti transitions toward a new hybrid-powered era with the V16-powered Tourbillon, the Chiron Super Sport is widely seen by market participants as one of the final and most complete expressions of the W16 legacy, marking the end of an internal-combustion chapter defined by extreme speed, engineering scale, and exclusivity, with 300 Chiron Super Sport+ further adding world-record provenance. <- Gallery -> View Listing Images: Miller MotorCars

By Sponsored Article – January 28, 2026

Bugatti Chiron Sport in Gris Rafale For Sale

In the stratosphere of automotive engineering, few names command the same hushed reverence as Bugatti. But even among legends, some examples stand apart. Now, a rare opportunity has arrived for the discerning collector: this meticulously bespoke 2018 Bugatti Chiron Sport is officially available for acquisition through the experts at Bugatti Broward. Presented in a breathtaking Gris Rafale finish, this hypercar is a masterpiece of kinetic art, waiting to find its place in the world's most exclusive garage. Sculpted for the Senses The exterior is a study in sophisticated aggression, where the light-catching Gris Rafale bodywork meets matching lower body tones for a seamless, monolithic presence. The Nocturne accents—found on the signature horseshoe, engine cover, and iconic "Course" alloy wheels—provide a sharp, architectural contrast that underscores its predatory stance. <- Gallery -> Step inside, and the Italian Red theme stitching ignites a cabin swathed in Beluga Black full leather. Every touchpoint, from the carbon fiber steering wheel to the Italian Red inner signature line, has been curated to evoke a sense of high-octane luxury that only Molsheim can provide. While the interior is breathtaking, the driver and passenger can peer out towards the sky thanks to the incredible Sky View option. This adds two fixed glass panels in the roof, just above where the driver and passenger sit, giving them both a perfect view of what's above. Engineering Without Compromise Underneath the Nocturne engine cover lies the heart of the beast: an 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine. In this Sport iteration, Bugatti introduced a firmer suspension and dynamic torque vectoring for razor-sharp agility. The result is a machine that doesn't just dominate the straightaways; it carves corners with a precision that defies the laws of physics. A Rare Opportunity With an original price of $3,478,400, this Chiron Sport represents the pinnacle of the "More than a Conqueror" spirit. It is a vehicle for the connoisseur who demands the absolute apex of performance wrapped in unparalleled elegance. The keys to this Gris Rafale icon are waiting at Bugatti Broward. Will you be the one to command the horizon? View Price And Listing

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