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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

A white and yellow rally car with sponsor logos and multiple front-mounted spotlights is parked on a paved surface, highlighted as one of the 2025 Bonhams Monterey: 10 Must-See Cars Crossing the Block at The Quail.

By Khris Bharath – August 13, 2025

2025 Bonhams Monterey Sale: 10 Must-See Cars Crossing the...

The 2025 Monterey Car Week is well underway and the auction scene is set to highlight a truly spectacular array of automobiles from vintage to modern-day exotics, across several events. This weekend, the Bonhams Cars | Quail Auction promises to be a highlight, with 116 lots set to cross the block. You might be scanning the docket for supercars and hypercars like the 1-of-40 Bugatti Divo that we recently highlighted, or the Pagani and Koenigsegg entries, but there’s more than just near eight-figure metal on offer. If you’re hunting for something that mixes historical significance with rarity, the docket has plenty to keep you busy. Classic American muscle is well-represented, with some 1960s icons that still turn heads today. Fans should focus on the 1969 Plymouth Hemi Roadrunner and the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. These cars carry iconic V8s and period-correct performance, offering both investment potential and plenty of punch on a straight-line run. The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray “Z06” is another must-see, with racing pedigree and collectible appeal that still draws serious interest from enthusiasts and investors alike. Exotic European sports cars also feature prominently. A 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT with Pininfarina coachwork and a 1973 Lamborghini Espada Series III Coupe by Bertone highlight low-production, historically significant designs. If rally heritage excites you, the 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 and the 1990 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16V stand out. Both are Group B legends, representing an era of extreme performance and engineering excellence. The Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 from 1984 adds another layer, showcasing the technological leaps European manufacturers made during that period. Sticking with the ‘80s, if you’re someone who wants style and performance, the 1988 Porsche 911 Type 930 Turbo Cabriolet Flachbau offers both, and is something that you can appreciate and enjoy in a roadster format. Finally, if you’re looking for a modern supercar, a one-off McLaren 675LT Coupe with the iconic Marlboro colors, provides something truly bespoke within the modern lineup of cars in the docket. Keep an eye for our post-auction report next week, that will provide more details about prices, surprises, standout sales and insights into current collector market trends. View All Bonhams Cars Inventory 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray "Z06" Coupe Estimate: $500,000 - $700,000 View Listing 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Coupe Estimate: $70,000 - $100,000 View Listing 1969 Plymouth Hemi Roadrunner Estimate: $200,000 - $225,000 View Listing 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Coachwork by Pininfarina/Scaglietti Estimate: $200,000 - $300,000 View Listing 1973 Lamborghini Espada Series III Coupe Design by Bertone Estimate: $80,000 - $100,000 View Listing 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Estimate: $250,000 - $350,000 View Listing 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 Estimate: $1,750,000 - $2,225,000 View Listing 1988 Porsche 911 'Type 930' Turbo Cabriolet 'Flachbau' Estimate: $200,000 - $280,000 View Listing 1990 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Estimate: $90,000 - $120,000 View Listing 2016 McLaren 675LT Coupe Estimate:$265,000 - $325,000 View Listing Source: Bonhams Cars

By Andrew Nabors – May 04, 2021

Mecum Auctions Heading To Orlando With Over 1,000 Cars Fo...

Mickey Mouse can't compete with this excitement! July in Central Florida strikes many by surprise. While International Drive attracts tourists who swelter in the heat, the temperature will be wild at the Mecum Summer Special. Our attendance at Orlando car shows is decent, but our largest display will soon be eclipsed by over 1,000 classics and collectible cars. The Mecum Summer Special will take place over the weekend of July 29th. Situated at the crossroads of Universal Studios and International Drive, you and your family will have a few hundred hotel options along with a dozen theme parks. This location is less than 30 minutes from the Mecum Kissimmee (the world's largest car auction). As always, the live stream will be here and on YouTube, but it has a few seconds of delay built-in. So that's why you need to be there, don't miss out on great deals and fast-paced auction action, and we'll see you there! Browse Mecum Consignments

By Andrew Nabors – March 09, 2021

Mecum Auctions Joins Forces With ASM Global

With their recent events exceeding everyone's expectations, Mecum Auctions has joined forces with ASM Global. This agreement heralds a multi-year collaboration to streamline every event from start to finish. ASM Global has a portfolio of over 200 venues throughout North America along with many happy clients. Their VenueShield protocols at Mecum Kissimmee allowed total sales to reach $122.8 million from over 2,000 vehicles crossing the block. ASM Global has over 61,000 employees around the world, and their goal is to deliver incredible experiences and results for their clients. Glendale is just around the corner (March 18-20), and this video is a preview of their primetime lots. Click the button to check out the lineup and stay with us for all your Mecum news. Mecum Glendale Catalog Image (C) Mecum Auctions

By Andrew Nabors – December 08, 2020

Worldwide Auctioneers Announces "Scottsdale in Auburn" fo...

Social distancing and protective gear are the only ways to beat this pandemic. As such, our friends at Worldwide Auctioneers have announced their first "Scottsdale in Auburn" for January 23rd. Because their headquarters is a spacious, climate-controlled facility, the first auction of the year will take place at 11 am local time. It will be streamed around the world from their headquarters at Kruse Plaza in adherence to all Covid-19 protocols. Principal & Auctioneer Rod Egan said: "The decision to move our Arizona sale to Indiana in the new year was an easy one, given the curtailment and cancellation of so many of the live events that make up a traditional Arizona car week, amid ongoing health and safety concerns. We have already accommodated a very safe and successful live sale here in the fall with our Auburn Auction." " width="680"> On the docket, this year is a 1934 Packard Twelve used by FDR for the Chicago Dedication Parade. This piece of history is one of five "1107 Phaeton" bodies produced, and the odometer shows only 21,000 miles. Numerous awards include Pebble Beach Best In Class among many others. The Steelwood Collection consists of 20 woodies offered without reserve. Many have been treated to frame-off restorations with all driveline components refreshed. Online bidders around the world will be supported by Proxibid, Invaluable, and LiveAuctioneers, while absentee and phone sales are also offered. The stars of the show will include a 2017 Ford GT with 300 miles. It is a one-owner car with no restrictions. The final run of the Ferrari 308 is represented by an 85 GTS QV, and it is flanked by a 2014 F12 berlinetta ordered in special paint. Click the button below for all the details and stay with us for all your Scottsdale updates. Learn More

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