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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 Edward Jones – January 21, 2019

Wheels x Wardrobe: Red Accent as the Supplement

If you have a subject in a black and white photo that you want to draw more attention to, you can simply add a splash of color to highlight it. For this week's Wheels x Wardrobe, we wanted to to highlight certain items by picking bright red colors that pop out from a black and white ensemble. Check it out below! Bugatti Chiron Shop now Gucci GG Sunglasses Shop now - $194.99 HYT H0 Shop now - $89,000 Saint Laurent Wool Blazer Shop now - $3,690 Gucci Duke Oxford Shirt Shop now - $620 Amiri Denim Jeans Shop now - $750 Common Projects AchilleSneakers Shop now - $410 Shinola Bison Runwell Backpack Shop now - $995

By Andrew Nabors – January 16, 2019

McLaren Senna by LEGO Speed Champions: Fast & Affordable

Downstairs in our headquarters is Mr. duPont's model car collection. It's worth more than my house. Model cars can be found spread around the office, but instead of die-cast machines, LEGO seems to have taken over. Following on the success of their P1 and the 720S, the McLaren Senna by LEGO Speed Champions is a fast and affordable supercar. McLaren outlined the details of their collaboration on their press site. The driver is a Minifig homage to the world's best driver, Ayrton Senna. Ayrton and his ride are finished in Victory Grey with orange highlights. You will have two sets of wheels, one for track and the other for street use. A total of 219 pieces includes a wind tunnel, removable windshield, and a massive rear spoiler. For only $14.99, your new Senna is 50,000 times cheaper than the car it is based on. The base price of a 2019 McLaren senna is just under $1,000,000, without any options. The real car can withstand 1,763.7 lbs of downforce, but please don't subject this car to such abuse. buy this kit: $14.99 " width="680"> Related: Howard Panes' Vibrant Senna is a Must-See Deadmau5 Takes Delivery of New Senna

By Edward Jones – January 15, 2019

Wheels x Wardrobe: Arizona Auction Attire

Just after a new year is rung in, the Arizona Car Week comes around shortly thereafter. This means the town of Scottsdale is flooded with cars from around the world, a lot of them heading to the auction block. Barrett-Jackson is set to be the star of the desert during this week so be sure check out their exciting days of events. To help you get ready for the exciting week in the desert, we've put together a wardrobe that's perfect for the occasion. You've got the shades for the bright Arizona sun, comfortable/stylish attire from Robert Graham, Tom Ford shoes that are both comfy and sleek, and the perfect cologne for the studious man. Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2018 Auction SHop now Tom Ford Magnus 60mm Aviator Sunglasses SHop now - $430.00 Corum Golden Bridge Stream Timepiece SHop now Robert Graham Graydon Travel Sport Coat SHop now - $598.00 Robert Graham Belden Sport Shirt SHop now - $168.00 Robert Graham Cohn Perfect Fit Pants SHop now - $198.00 Tom Ford Jago Sneakers SHop now - $990.00 Creed VikingMen's Fragrance SHop now - $349.99

By Edward Jones – December 17, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: Santa's Hypercar Sleigh and Winter Getup

Ferrari LaFerrari: Call For Price HYT H20 >>TIME IS FLUID<<: Call For Price Balenciaga Down Jacket: $2,650.00 Gucci Stripe Cotton Scarf: $415.00 melin Lumberjack Hat: $89.00 Off-White Jersey Sweatpants: $655.00 UGG Butte Waterproof Boot: $244.95 Shinesty Sinful Santa Red Christmas Suit: $119.99 Ferrari LaFerrari shop now HYT H20 >>TIME IS FLUID<< shop now Balenciaga Down Jacket shop now Gucci Scarf shop now melin Lumberjack Hat shop now Off-White Sweatpants shop now UGG Butte Boot shop now Shinesty Bad Santa Suit shop now

By Edward Jones – December 10, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: Glacial Porsche Getup

Porsche 911 Turbo S: Call for PricePorsche Design 911 Chronograph Timeless Machine Limited Edition: N/AMaster & Dynamic MW07 Wireless Earphones: $299.00 rag & bones 54mm Polarized Sunglasses: $255.00Canada Goose Bomber Jacket: $875.00Saturdays NYC White T-Shirt: $70.00Valentino Distressed Jeans: $625.00Prada Chelsea Boots: $750.00Gucci Leather Wallet: $450.00Porsche Ice Experience: Call for Price Porsche 911 Turbo S shop now Porsche Design 911 Chronograph Timeless Machine Limited Edition shop now Master & Dynamic MW07 Wireless Earphones shop now rag & bones 54mm Polarized Sunglasses shop now Canada Goose Bomber Jacket shop now Saturdays NYC White T-Shirt shop now Valentino Distressed Jeans shop now Prada Chelsea Boots shop now Gucci Leather Bifold Wallet shop now Porsche Ice Experience " width="680"> shop now

By Edward Jones – December 04, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: The Winter Adventurer

Hey there fellow adventurer. Are you getting ready for winter wonderlands and fresh powder? Make sure you're geared up before you head out to the mountains. Below are some essentials you'll need for your outing, minus the first aid kit.Lexani Motorcars EXTV: Call For PriceIncase ProTravel Backpack: $149.95Burton AK Hover Gore-Tex Jacket: $629.95Smith I/O Chromapop Goggles: $120.00-$200.00Burton Custom Flying V w/ Cartel EST Bindings: $791.95melin Destination Beanie: $79.00DJI Osmo Pocket: $349.00Travel With Expedia: $ Is Up To You!

By Edward Jones – November 26, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: Cyber Monday 2018

Cyber Monday is upon us and with it comes some incredible deals and items that deserve your attention. Below are some items we've curated, including a few that have amazing sale prices like the DJI gear. Check them all out and treat yourself!Confederate P-51 Combat Fighter: $112,500.00HYT H4 Watch: Call For PriceTom Ford Sunglasses: $316.00DJI Mavic Air: $699.00Tumi Sheppard Deluxe Brief Pack: $495.00Hugo Boss The Scent: $69.99John Varvatos Clean Moto Jacket: $898.80Common Projects Hiking Boots: $593.99

By Edward Jones – November 19, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is upon us and so is the Fall season. This means its time to post up in the front yard with family while wearing some warm clothes and getting your stomach ready for a feast. To get everyone prepared, we've put together a nice bit of gear for the holiday. There are the clothes for the cool weather; cooler for holding the drinks; grill for the grub; a watch to tell you when it's time to eat; a truck that will haul it all to your relatives house. Check it out!Hennessey 6x6 Velociraptor: Call For PriceGarmin fēnix® 5 Plus: $699.99The North Face Campshire Hoodie: $96.00-149.00melin Trapper Hat: $175.00Red Wing Heritage Boots: $280.00Traeger Timberline 1300 Pellet Grill: $1999.00YETI Tundra 65 Cooler: $349.99

By Steve Chapman Jr – November 14, 2018

Wheels x Wardrobe: Super Veloce

Lamborghini Aventador SV: $400-500,000 HYT H20 Brown: Contact For Price BALENCIAGA+ The World Food Programme Logo-Print Cotton-Blend Hoodie: $790 Oakley Targetline Prizm Dark Golf: $153 Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit Utility: $225

By Edward Jones – November 07, 2018

New Ducati Electric Mountain Bike Announced

On the Ducati stand at the EICMA 2018 was the new MIG-RR electric mountain bike. This new bike was created through a partnership between Ducati and Thok Ebikes, both Italian brands with a knack for creating two-wheeled vehicles. Power for this bike comes from a 504 Wh battery that sends juice to the Shimano Steps E8000 motor. By utilizing this motor, Ducati's new e-mtb allows cyclists to climb mountains they might not be able to without assistance. Many cyclists around the world have taken note of the functionality that e-mtbs bring to the table, as their sales have risen drastically worldwide, according to Ducati. Other components on the new MIG-RR include Fox Factory Kashima suspension, 11-speed Shimano XT gear set, and 4-caliper Shimano Saint brakes. The Ducati MIG-RR will be available throughout Europe at Ducati dealerships starting Spring 2019. There is no word as to a North America release, but it will be available on Ducati.com starting January 2019. Related: New Ducati Panigale Hyperbike Crushes Audi R8 Top 10 Fastest Quarter Mile Times The Ducati XDiavel S on Jay Leno’s Garage

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