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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 Andrew Nabors – May 06, 2019

2019 Harley-Davidson F-150 For Sale

William G Davidson and William Ford Jr have tight control over their Grandfather's brands. That's why the 2019 Harley-Davidson F-150 is a very limited run. Brown Lee Ford has a hotline to Dearborn, so that is how we're able to offer this collector's item. Ford sold 32,000,000 examples of the F-150 for Model Year 2018, so you might wonder what makes this truck so special. The secrets are in the details. A functional heat extractor hood, fender flares, and an embossed tonneau cover are just the start. Harley-Davidson Orange makes the perfect accent for White Platinum, and it can be found around the custom front and rear bumpers. It is also used as contrast stitching for the diamond-pleated leather seats. Only 1,000 examples will be built, each one starting life as a fully loaded Lariat V8. Equipment Group 502A includes voice control, panoramic sunroof, powered running boards, and piano black accents. Wood inlays on the dash and doors are HD emblems on the gauges round out the interior. BDS Suspension rides 3" above everyone else, as you cruise on quiet 35" Toyo Open Country tires. The Harley-Davidson wheels are specific to this truck, a 22" reference to the classic HD Fatboy. If your bike needs a companion, don't miss this rare opportunity. Click the link below to contact Brown Lee Ford and stay with us for all your F-150 updates. View Listing " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – December 15, 2017

Lance Miller's 2010 Ford GT1 For Sale

A thin line exists between racing and street legal cars. When the Ford GT returned in 2004, critics said it was inspired by the legendary GT40, but it lacked the proportions and the pedigree to be a proper contender on the world stage. We disagree with every part of this. After driving John Hennessey's HPE 1000, it gave me immense respect for the chassis, interior layout, and the incredible build quality Ford put into the project.First Gen Ford GT Horsepower & Complete SpecsMany aftermarket companies offered bolt-ons and performance parts, but they were not enough to get the car track ready. Enter Martin Berak, he has been a GT40 fan all his life, so he formed Matech Concepts in 2007. Their goal was to take the Ford GT and make it a dominant force in the GT3 Championship.To accomplish this, an initial order was placed for 25 cars. He and his team built several GT3 cars, and in only 4 months they debuted in the European GT3 series. Martin took turns with veteran racer Thomas Mutsch, and it yielded a first place win on the streets of Bucharest.Ford was initially reticent to allow them to field the car at LeMans, but after the successful '07 season Matech essentially became a factory-backed team. Their goal was to build a GT1 car for LeMans, which can cost several million dollars and many late nights. To get insights from someone who has been there, they enlisted the help of Count Marc Van der Straten, the owner of MarcVDS Racing. They hired Enrique Scalabroni to design the car, as he was famous for Williams' F1 victories in '86 & '87. He was also Ferrari's chief of design from 87-90.With these big names on the project, Ford opened the gates of their testing center in Cologne to make sure the car was ready to race. Development took place throughout 2009, and the car was formally unveiled at Yas Marina on April 17th of 2010. Taking first place, the Ford GT1 caught everyone's attention. May 9th was the 1,000 km of Spa, and the GT1 locked out the podium with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies.Needless to say, the Ford GT1 beat up everyone from Aston Martin to Team Corvette bringing home 5 pole positions, 4 wins and another 5 podium finishes. The rules limited the engine size to 5.3 liters, or 325 ci. The NASCAR division of Roush-Yates delivered a 650 horsepower monster with 531 lb-ft of torque. Given the FIA's balance of performance rules, it was wise to choose an engine designed to run under a restrictor plate. Tuned for 102 octane, the solid lifter masterpiece is still ready to race.There is only 1 Ford GT1 for sale, and we're glad to help you get behind the wheel. This chassis is MarcVDS car #40, and it secured several top 5 finished in the 2010 season. The car is owned by none other than Lance Miller, the Co-Owner of Carlisle Events, and one of the world's most famous collectors.He has this to say about it: "The car is simply amazing in every aspect. You point the car, it goes. You hit the brakes, is quickly decelerates. The power is really strong, the shifter is incredibly precise and instantaneous. I thought the car would be quite intimidating, however, after a few laps I felt comfortable and found out quickly I was having the time of my life! Any racer will love this car; it's fast, sexy, stops swiftly and handles extremely well!Winning Driver Thomas Mutsch: "The noise level in the car was okay. Of course, we needed ear plugs for the radio, but without them you would cause damage to your ears after just 30 minutes. We had no silencers, open pipes all the way to the end which made it very, very loud. I remember particularly in Abu Dhabi, with the stand opposite us, when the car passed by, you really had to put your fingers in your ears, as it was just too loud. It really hurt. We measured the noise level in a drive by at Paul Ricard at 128 decibels.”View Price and Listing

By Andrew Nabors – June 24, 2015

900+ hp 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Super Snake For Sale

If you are a true mustang addict, this should be the centerpiece of your collection. For sale, through duPont REGISTRY, is a 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Super Snake packing massive amounts of power.While the “normal” Super Snake had to make due with 850 hp, the Hole Shot package retailed for $22,995 and makes over 900 hp.(Related: 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Exhaust Modes in Action)Starting with four giant camshafts, the package adds long tube headers and high flow cats. The crank pulley is overdriven 10 percent to slow down the accessories. A twin-disc clutch and Torsen differential are added to cope with the power.Ford GT For SaleThis package also includes all components from the Anti-Hop kit, which replaces all control arms and adds full sub frames, a tunnel brace, welded axle tubes and a surge tank for the differential, as well as chrome moly axle shafts. Before delivery, the car was dyno tuned to dial in the computer to the cams and exhaust.The paint is a deep candy red with the Super Snake decal package in silver. Matte black forged 20” wheels complete the exterior. This pampered machine has only been driven 732 miles and comes with all documentation.View Price and ListingGallery Post sponsored by seller More Cars For Sale

By Caitlin Duffy – February 20, 2015

2015 Ford F-150 Pre-Runner Race Truck for Sale

It's designed to travel through rough terrain at insane speeds while keeping you and two passengers safely strapped in. You can hit a 3" hole or bump at up to 140 mph without any problems. And this 2015 Ford F-150 Pre-Runner Race Truck can be in your garage before you know it.(See Also: Hellcat vs. Mustang vs. i8 vs. Huracan)Featured in the first ever Battle of the Builders at SEMA 2014, which will be aired on Velocity Network March 8, this one-of-a-kind Pre-Runner was completed in November of last year. You can check out the trailer for this new show below.At 7,000 pounds with a 130" wheel base, it's big, but don't let size fool you. The Motec Injected Motor creates 800 hp and 700 ft-lb of torque, meaning you'll be ready for any off-roading race rally. Check out the pictures in the gallery to get a better look, and hit the button below to see the full details of this insane off-roader.View Price and Listing Details Gallery See More Ford News

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