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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 – February 21, 2020

How To Detail a New Ford GT

You submitted an application and waited for months. Ford chose you from over 10,000 other fans to represent their brand. You configured your car, waited a bit longer, and now its in front of you. What do you do? Well you don't let the dealer run it through their wash rack. This is how to detail a new Ford GT. Brian Daly is the owner of Reflected Images Custom Detailing in Forest Hill, MD. Not only is he one of our elite & most trusted detailers, he regularly hosts events for the Mid-Atlantic Porsche Club of America. He has applied over 2 decades in paint correction to the cars we have featured at the Baltimore Auto Show, and his reviews speak for themselves. So how do you detail a new Ford GT? Click the button below to find one, and send it to Maryland for a few days! Browse All Ford GT For Sale " width="680">

2020 Ford GT Gulf Racing Heritage Edition

By Andrew Nabors – February 06, 2020

2020 Ford GT Adds Power & Personality

Last year Ford shocked the racing world by unleashing a track-only version of their supercar. It was born on the 4th of July and went to battle for the Blue Oval. Lessons learned in the development and in competition were compiled, and that is how every new 2020 Ford GT for sale has added power & personality. Starting with intakes that are 50% larger, the intercoolers were also scaled up accordingly. The cooler air meets with a hotter spark from new ignition coils and plugs, finally, a new exhaust by Akrapovic is now standard equipment. It adds up to 13 more horsepower, now at 660 across a much wider RPM range. To give the car more character, a revised Heritage Edition more closely resembles Chassis 1075. It won LeMans back-to-back wearing the colors of Gulf Oil. Carbon fiber wheels are now optional for the first time on a Heritage car, so this combination is destined to be a collectible. If you prefer a darker motif, the new Liquid Carbon edition goes naked. Aside from a protective clear coat, the other standard equipment is the carbon fiber wheel package. Options include stripes and painted mirror caps in any of the 7 standard colors or the extended palette. Buyers can opt for titanium lugnuts and mounts for a 6-point harness for a few dollars more. Tell us which edition you like in the comments below and stay with us for all your Ford news. Browse All Ford GT For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – February 03, 2020

The Mustang Mach-E Can Turn Into a Giant Shrimp Cocktail

Now that football season is over, it's the perfect time to upgrade your tailgating game. Ford now has a model that would be perfect for tailgate parties but not in a way that you'd expect. You may know the Mustang Mach-E as the new electric Mustang that's actually an SUV. What you may not know is that the frunk (front trunk) can be filled with ice and turned into a giant cooler. Just look at the image up above, the frunk was turned into what's essentially a giant shrimp cocktail. Ford also says that the frunk can hold over 1,000 chicken wings. We're not sure if they did simple math to figure this out or actually tested it. Hopefully, it was the latter. The Mustang Mach-E's frunk also has a plug at the bottom so you can drain out the water or hot sauce after the party is over. SEE ALL MUSTANG GT FOR SALE Look at all of those chickens.

By Andrew Nabors – January 22, 2020

Hennessey Performance Receives 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500

Every time an automaker says "It can't be done", John Hennessey and his team prove them wrong. Ford and Shelby have produced the most powerful production Pony Car ever sold. That being said, engineers are forced to leave power on the table for insurance and safety concerns. Our friend in Sealy, Texas began his career with Vipers, so its only natural to play with Cobras. That's why we're excited that Hennessey Performance has received a 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500. What will it make on the dyno? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! Browse All Ford Mustang For Sale " width="680"> Related: " title="YouTube video" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen>

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By Andrew Nabors – January 21, 2020

Roush Unveils 2020 F-150 5.11 Tactical Edition

Roush 5.0L Supercharged V8 650 HP & 610 Lb-ft Of Torque Exclusive 5.11 Tactical Gear Kit Fox Racing 2.0 Suspension- 33" Grabber ATX Tires Pinellas County, Florida is a great place to live. However, due to our temperate climate, many hobos and transients have been arriving from the north. Living in the Sunshine State means being prepared for almost any adverse situation. That's why this truck will sell very well at our dealers. Roush has unveiled the 2020 Roush F-150 5.11 Tactical Edition, and it is ready for action. Based on the fully-loaded F-150 Lariat, the center console has gained a locking steel vault for your sidearm and valuables. Inside the 5.11 Tactical hard case are several multi-tools, a money clip, a range hat, and a collapsable duffle bag. Each truck will be built-to-order, and the accessories will carry the serial number of the truck. To find our Roush dealer near you, click the link below to browse Roush Mustangs, and they will have all the details for you. Find Your Roush F-150 Here Related: Ford Raptor Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Andrew Nabors – January 13, 2020

See the Original Bullitt Mustang Sell For $3.74 Million a...

Ford fans and Mustang maniacs now have reason to rejoice. If you weren't able to catch the live stream, an original Bullitt Mustang sold for $3.74 million at Mecum Kissimmee. With a documented history back to the streets of San Francisco. This 1968 Mustang Bullitt GT was driven by Steve Mcqueen in the film. We covered this on Friday as it happened, but here it is in case you missed it. Thanks to Dana Mecum and company for years of support, stay with us for all your Mecum news. 2019 Bullitt Mustang Top Speed Run on the Autobahn P.S. The 2020 Bullitt Mustang is one of the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engines of all time, and its a bargain price for 460 horsepower. Browse All Ford Mustang For Sale " width="680"> Related: The Original "Bullitt" Mustang Just Sold

By Andrew Nabors – January 13, 2020

2020 Ford Raptor Review by Carfection

Usually, Henry Catchpole and his talented team are caught in dismal English weather. It seems as if they needed a California vacation in their latest upload. Blasting across Hungry Valley, here is a 2020 Ford Raptor review by Carfection. Why review a Truck that has been in production since 2017? Because Ford gave it a host of upgrades last year. After realizing how hard owners push their trucks, Ford and Fox Racing developed an all-new suspension. Instead of 9 distinct settings, ride-level sensors were added to make each corner continuously variable. I have driven a 2018 and 2019 back to back, the new model is truly capable of anything. Click the button below to find your Raptor, and stay with us for all your Ford news. Browse All Ford Raptor For Sale " width="680">

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By Andrew Nabors – January 09, 2020

2020 Shelby GT500 VIN 001 to be Unveiled at Barrett-Jackson

We have been a sponsor of Barrett-Jackson for over a decade. Craig Jackson and his team raise millions for worthy charities, and last year was no exception. Our team was blown away when Ford's most powerful production car approached the block. Although it was a prototype, the winning bidder secured the rights to the first production car. That is why the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 VIN 001 will be unveiled at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale. A winning bid of $1.1 Million was hammered by none other than Craig himself. With all proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Craig and his wife Carolyn decided to outbid the audience to help such a worthy cause. It will be on display next to the "Green Hornet" and "Little Red" concept cars built by Carroll Shelby. Browse all Ford Mustang for sale The assembly of this new supercar was captured by Speed Phenom in the film below, and our team is already in Scottsdale for this year's auction. Stay with us for all your Barrett-Jackson updates. " width="680"> Related: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Andrew Nabors – December 06, 2019

Roush Unlocks Unprecedented Power From the Ford Ranger

Small trucks are back, and Ford is leading the way. In keeping with tradition, the new Ranger is powered by a 4-cylinder, but that is all it shares with its predecessor. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost has proven to be bulletproof in the Mustang, and Ford has told us multiple times that North America won't get the Ranger Raptor. That is why Roush Performance has unlocked unprecedented power from the Ford Ranger. Jack Roush has been racing Fords for 40 years, and his NASCAR engines have seen many checkered flags. That is why the Ranger test mule was treated to multiple pressure sensors, EGT, and wideband O2 for the dyno runs. Browse All Ford Ranger For Sale The end result is the Level 1 Performance Pac (P/N 422173). It adds 14 horsepower and 53 LB-FT OF TORQUE! You will have 339 lb-ft at only 3,200 rpm. That is very close to the V8-powered Tundra and Titan full-size trucks. Click the button above to find a new Ford Ranger for sale, and stay with us for all your Roush updates! " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – November 21, 2019

Ken Block Drives 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E

No matter how powerful your computer is, simulations are only an approximation of real-world performance. Ford Engineers have been developing their first electric SUV for years, but they needed a talented driver to validate the designs. So joined by Ben Collins, Ken Block drive the prototype 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. Those who want the most performance will choose the GT Performance Edition. It leaps to 60 mph in around 3.5 seconds thanks to 459 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque. Rated to travel 235 miles on a charge, is it worthy of the Mustang name? We will have a comprehensive review ASAP, so in the meantime tell us what you think in the comments below. Related: Electric 2020 Ford Mustang Mach-E Revealed: 0-60, Power, & Release Date

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