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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 – March 17, 2020

Porsche Design Debuts New 1919 Flyback Blue & Leather

The Porsche Design 1919 Flyback Blue & Leather comes into the world as an incredibly stylish watch styled after the iconic 911 sports car. For this new watch, the color blue has been chosen as the dominant hue and, as you can see, it was a great choice. The strap and dial feature the color blue, which is contrasted by the titanium of the 42 mm case. As for movement, the Porsche Design WERK 01.200 caliber does the work. This is actually Porsche Design's first ever in-house movement. It features a flyback function and start/stop/reset functions. In addition to that, the watch itself has a 48-hour power reserve. For more informoation, be sure to visit Porsche-Design.com. If you're interested, you can pick one up for $6,350.

By Edward Jones – March 11, 2020

Bell & Ross Debut New Renault F1 Collection

The 2020 Formula 1 season is set to start up with Sunday on March 15 at 1:10 AM EST. But, how in the world will you know what time to start watching? If you're a Renault fan, rooting for Daniel Ricciardo and/or Esteban Ocon, the new Bell & Ross R.S.20 collection has been unveiled. BR 03-94 R.S.20 BR-X1 TOURBILLON R.S.20 As a partner of the Renault F1 Team, this new Bell & Ross watch is inspired by the yellow and black race cars. As the fourth R.S. series watch collection to be released since the partnership began. For this year's collection, the inspiration was drawn from both the Renault F1 car for 2020 and the R.S. 2027 concept car. There are four different watches in the collection, each featuring the yellow and black color scheme, but different designs and movements can be found. You can learn more by clicking here. BR-X1 R.S.20 BR V3-94 R.S.20

By Edward Jones – February 24, 2020

HYT H5 Now Comes With Blue Fluid

HYT Watches has just announced a new H5 watch that now features blue fluid. Now, the H5 collection includes Blue, Green and Black for fluid colors. For movement, it utilizes HYT's proprietary calibre, the 501. (Side Note: New Chronoswiss Regulator Classic Blue Steel Debuted) This calibre pushes out a very specific amount of energy to push the fluid along in the capillary. Underneath where the clear and blue fluids meet is where time can be told, thanks to the white Super-LumiNova®. The only other color found in this watch, is the red arc on the power reserve dial. Only 25 examples of H5 Blue Edition are set to be created.

By Edward Jones – February 21, 2020

Casio G-SHOCK MR-G x Bruce Lee Watch Announced

Casio has announced a new MR-G watch that pays tribute to Bruce Lee, the legendary action film star. Called the MRG-G2000BL-9A, this watch features a yellow and black color scheme, just like the tracksuit Bruce Lee wore in the film "Game of Death." Casio also included the colors red and yellow on the indices, MR-G logo and second hand, a move inspired by the Jute Kune Do (JKD) logo. JKD is a form of martial arts heavily inspired by Bruce Lee. The case is made of titanium and put through a deep-layer hardening process, as is the bezel. This allows the surfaces of these components to be four to five times harder than standard titanium. On the bezel, the words " Using no way as a way, having no limitation as limitation" are engraved. This phrase is meant to express the "limitless potential of Jeet Kune Do," according to Casio. Another touch that honors Bruce Lee is the Chinese character "龍" on the 3 o'clock position. This symbol means "dragon," what was Bruce Lee's nickname. For more information on this watch, click here. It should be mentioned that only 300 examples will be made. SHOP THIS WATCH

By Edward Jones – February 10, 2020

New HYT H1.0 x MR PORTER Watch Announced

HYT has just announced a new watch that's the result of a partnership with MR PORTER and it's called the H1.0 x MR PORTER. This new watch features the same time-telling mechanic that HYT is known for, which involved two fluids that are pushed through a tube. Where these two fluids meet is where you can find the current time. As for the specific design of this new watch, its visual was created between the like-minded partners. It's primarily black appearance is contrasted by white and red notes that can be spotted on the dial and side of the case. There's also Super-LumiNova® details so you can tell time no matter the sun's position in the sky or the light that's available to you. All-around, this is a stunning watch that is incredibly stylish- the black, white and red color scheme is a homerun. If you're a fan of this watch and want to add it to your collection, click the button below where you can shop all HYT watches for sale on MRPORTER.com. SHOP MRPORTER.COM

By Edward Jones – January 16, 2020

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar China Limite...

Audemars Piguet has just unveiled the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar China Limited Edition, a limited edition watch bound to just 88-pieces. This new timepiece is the watchmaker's first Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in full titanium, but we're glad they pulled it off because this is one gorgeous watch. As the name suggests, this watch celebrates the Chinese New Year. Because of this, it will be available exclusively for the Chinese market. Nodding towards its Chinese influence is the included red band and seconds-hand. The two other included bracelets are titanium and grey alligator. It comes with a price tag of $78,300. To learn more, click here. Source: Audemars Piguet

By Edward Jones – January 15, 2020

Zenith Watches Unveils DEFY 21 Land Rover Edition Watch

Zenith has unveiled the new Defy 21 Land Rover Edition at LVMH Watch Week. This new watch was inspired by the new Land Rover Defender and its launch is timed up well with the release of the new SUV. The new watch is built out of microblasted titanium that Zenith says will absorb light from all angles, allowing the angles and flat surfaces of it to really show. For the movement, Zenith went with the El Primero chronograph with a 50-hour power reserve. A matching gray rubber strap and fabric strap comes with the watch. Only 250 examples of this watch will be created. For more information, visit Zenith-Watches.com. Source: Zenith, Facebook

By Edward Jones – January 07, 2020

Cybertruck-Inspired Watch Revealed by Anicorn

The Tesla Cybertruck was unveiled to mixed reaction but it seems people have been starting to warm up to its angular design. Anicorn Watches is taking note of the response and has announced a new Cybertruck-inspired watch called Cybertime. It features a stainless steel body that was inspired by the Cybertruck sharp exterior. Time can be read in a vertical manner on the LCD screen when its tapped. Anicorn is releasing a Limited Edition and Normal Edition on their website. Funny enough, the Limited Edition will have "cracks" on the screen, similar to the Cybertruck that unfortunately had its windows smashed on stage. shop now Source: Anicorn-Watches.com

By Edward Jones – December 13, 2019

New Hublot Watch Has Ever-Evolving Colors

Hublot and Franco-Venezuelan artist and color theorist Carlos Cruz-Diez have collaborated to create a new watch that is a true piece of art for the wrist. Called the Classic Fusion Cruz-Diez, this watch benefits from Cruz-Diez's analysis of what color is. He says color represents "an ephemeral, autonomous and ever evolving reality." The fast of the Classic Fusion Cruz-Diez consists of parallel discs that rotate in sequence-- the hour hand is connected to the first level and the minute hand to the second. These discs have been treated in Pantone colors, allowing the color palette of the watch to evolve with time. As the discs rotate, the colors change in a truly vibrant fashion. The Hublot Classic Fusion Cruz-Diez will be available in three materials, titanium, King Gold and black ceramic. They will also be available in both 45 mm and 38 mm sizes. Production count is as follows for the 45 mm and 38 mm watches: 100 and 25 titanium pieces, 30 and 20 King Gold pieces and 100 and 25 black ceramic pieces respectively. More Watch News:

By Edward Jones – October 08, 2019

RJ ARRAW "The Joker" Watch Released

Just in time for the release Todd Phillips' new "Joker" film is the RJ ARRAW "The Joker" watch. This new timepiece is limited to just 100 examples and draws inspiration from the sadistic villain from DC Comics. The Joker-inspired touches of the watch are very apparent. A close look at the titanium bezel will reveal a horde of Joker faces that were laser-engraved. For the dial and hands of the watch, RJ stylized it all with playing card motifs. There are also two airbrushed "black eyes" that are done by hand. This means no two watches will have the same "face." Turn the watch over and the caseback presents a laser-engraved portrait of the Joker. Holding the watch onto the wearer is either a bright green or purple alligator skin strap, which would match perfectly with any of the Joker's suits. There's also a black rubber strap, but the others are way more fitting, albeit not waterproof. The RJ ARRAW "The Joker" is for sale now with a price of $15,700. For more information, click here. read more luxury gear news Source: RJ

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