Hennessey

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

2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Coupe Listed For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 30, 2026

Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution For Sale

Hennessey is one of the most prestigious American names in the automotive world, with a repertoire of modified performance machines, reimaginations of the country’s favorite automotive icons, and hypercars with marvelous engineering that is rewriting the standards of performance excellence. One of the most exclusive and talked-about creations from Hennessey is the Hennessey Venom F5 lineup, the record-breaking hypercar from the Texas-based manufacturer that is seeking to exceed 300 mph in top speed. With power coming from Hennessey’s “Fury” 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8, the Venom F5 boasts over 1,800 horsepower, and its Revolution variant imbues it with an even more driver-focused and track-ready character than the standard hypercar. Only 24 examples of the Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution were made available globally, making it one of the most covetable and exclusive hypercars on the market, and one is currently listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY. The source for supercars since 1985, duPont REGISTRY specializes in some of the world’s most exclusive cars, like this 2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Coupe for sale. It’s available at RAFA Motors Houston in Houston, Texas, and it features a unique exterior finish called “Carbon Fade.” A gradient finish, the exterior transitions from Liquid Silver at the front to exposed carbon fiber at the back. <- Gallery -> Inside, the vehicle features black leather upholstery with exposed carbon fiber throughout and blue accents, which nod to the blue brake calipers that also serve as a unique accent. A large rear wing and aggressive aerodynamics suggest its high-performance intentions, and its striking silhouette and low production numbers ensure its eye-catching panache. If you’re interested in owning this ultra-exclusive, ultra-powerful hypercar, click below to view the listing and also explore financing solutions with duPont REGISTRY Finance, powered by LLP Exotic Auto Finance. View Listing

A sleek white roadster is parked on a concrete surface, with a rustic wooden fence in the background, exuding the allure of a Heritage Series masterpiece.

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 06, 2025

Ultra-Exclusive Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster Heritage Seri...

Hennessey is known for some of the greatest performance engineering to come out of the United States, and its hypercars are the pinnacle of that ability. The latest is the Hennessey Venom F5, a groundbreaking twin-turbo V8-powered hypercar masterpiece that has its sights set on achieving a top speed that eclipses 300 mph. View Listing & Financing With only a handful of Hennessey Venom F5 examples made, finding one available for sale is no easy task for any automotive enthusiast or collector. From duPont REGISTRY, the source for supercars since 1985, a very special example of the 2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster has been listed for sale, available at RAFA Motors Houston in Houston, Texas. Its configuration is inspired by the very first Hennessey Dodge Viper, which began the revered legacy of Hennessey Performance Engineering. With the exclusive John Hennessey Heritage Series, the car is created to pay homage to an important chapter of automotive history while serving as its own milestone moment in performance. If you’re looking for a hypercar gem with incredible performance, respected legacy, and enviable exclusivity, you can view the price and listing of this Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster by clicking the button, including flexible financing options from dR Finance, powered by Westlake Financial.

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 10, 2024

Record-Breaking 2011 Hennessey Venom GT Hypercar Listed F...

In today’s automotive world, Hennessey is known for a lineup of groundbreaking performance cars, as well as one of the world’s most incredible hypercars with over 1,000 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, and a top speed that is anticipated to eclipse 300 mph. However, Hennessey Performance has been building its incredible legacy for decades, and one very important milestone in recent memory for Hennessey is the new Hennessey Venom F5’s predecessor, the Hennessey Venom GT. View Listing Still regarded today as one of the world’s fastest hypercars, the Lotus Elise-based Hennessey Venom GT combines ultra-lightweight construction with monstrous V8 power to achieve what were at the time record-shattering speeds. Its 1,244 horsepower and manual transmission make it a truly incomparable hypercar, of which only 13 total examples were made. Now, the third example of that 13 is available for sale. With only 1,500 miles on its odometer, it’s a time-capsule moment of high-performance history captured in the form of a true collector-grade hypercar masterpiece. Its red exterior and various carbon fiber accents, as well as an interior with plenty of Alcantara upholstery help show off its performance-oriented character. If you’re looking for a unique hypercar and a vehicle that made automotive history to add to your collection, this 2011 Hennessey Venom GT is the perfect vehicle for any luxury or exotic car garage. View the listing by clicking the button.

By Andrew Nabors – January 21, 2021

2020 Hennessey Performance Mustang HPE800 For Sale At Eld...

When it comes to superchargers, bigger is always better. If you haven't experienced a 3-liter blower on a 5-liter Coyote, this 2020 Hennessey Performance Mustang HPE800 is for sale at Elder Ford. Because they sell more fast Fords than anyone in the Southeast, this Heritage Edition was ordered to be the centerpiece of the showroom. In terms of unbridled power, the Hennessey 3-liter supercharger is nearly 14 cubic inches larger than any other production car (The Dodge Demon can only handle 2.7 liters). This allows 808 horsepower and and 677 lb-ft of torque to reach the massive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tires. Elder also made sure it has all the bells and whisles. From voice control to 15.1" Brembo brakes, this car is a bargain at only $79,995. It can stay above 200 mph for as long as you dare, so get ready for the ride of a lifetime. View Listing https://www.instagram.com/p/CKUNl4sHP9B/

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By Andrew Nabors – March 31, 2020

Hennessey Maximus 1000 Gladiator #4 For Sale

When a stock Jeep Gladiator arrives at Hennessey Performance, it will only leave with a handful of original parts. It is among their most ambitions builds ever, so the complex tooling and time for each has forced them to limit production to 12 examples. Aside from the prototype, the first three examples have been delivered. If you need to hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, we're proud to offer this Hennessey Maximus 1000 Jeep Gladiator for sale. tUploaded to their Instagram page, it is the 4th production model. A Hellcat 6.2L V8 has extensive upgrades along with overdrive upper and lower pulleys. Ordered with every option, you will have Dana 60 axles turning 8-lug Hennessey wheels. It has massive fender flares, LED lights, and a complete Hennessey leather interior. Imaging hitting a trail with locked differentials and plenty of boost. Powered running boards and a 6" suspension lift keep it classy, with all parts backed by a 3 year/36k warranty. For all pricing and details please call 866-838-0979 or click here to request more information View Listing Contact Hennessey Performance Website: http://hennesseyperformance.com/Phone: 866-838-0979 Address: 9281 SW Interstate 10 Frontage RdSealy, TX 77474

By Edward Jones – December 15, 2017

First Retail 2018 Hennessey Performance VelociRaptor 600

Wyatt Johnson Ford is now the first retail partner with Hennessey Performance and the result is this opportunity to own one beast of a truck. Available at the dealership is the first retail 2018 Hennessey Performance VelociRaptor with an Off-Road State 1 kit. Its power is rated at 600 bhp and 622 lb-ft of torque, making it way more powerful than your standard Ford Raptor. This is, in fact, enough power for a 0-60 mph time of just 4.2 seconds and a 1.4-mile time of 12.9 seconds @ 110 mph. Within the Off-Road Stage 1 kit is a long list of components that make the truck more capable off of the road than before, like the new bumpers, 20-inch Hennessey 10-spoke wheels, and 35-inch Toyo tires. Click the "plus symbol" below to see everything that this truck has to offer. Includes: • High-flow air induction system • Turbo wastegate modification • Air to air front mounted intercooler upgrade • Intercooler piping upgrade • Stainless steel exhaust system (catback) • Engine management computer software upgrade • All necessary gaskets and fluids • Professional installation • Chassis dyno calibration & testing • Road testing up to 200 miles • Hennessey & VelociRaptor 600 Twin Turbo exterior emblems • Production is limited to 100 vehicles for 2017. 1 of 100 interior plaque & under hood plaque • 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty VelociRaptor Off-Road Stage 1 Package – VelociRaptor front bumper – 5 LED lights in front bumper – VelociRaptor rear bumper – 20 inch Hennessey 10-spoke wheels – 35 inch Toyo Off-road tires – Front suspension leveling kit – Overall lift is 3 inches – Hennessey & VelociRaptor exterior emblems – Professional installation View Hennessey

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