Hispano Suiza

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

Low-angle close-up of a gold alloy wheel and tire on a Hispano Suiza sports car, highlighting brake calipers and "Michelin Pilot Sport" branding, showcasing the premium engineering of Michelin Tires.

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 21, 2025

The Exclusive Michelin Tires On The Hispano Suiza Carmen ...

Michelin creates a unique tire for Hispano Suiza’s unique hypercar. The Hispano Suiza Carmen Sagrera is not only one of the most captivating electric hypercars currently on the market, but also the culmination of over a century of history for the legendary Hispano Suiza marque and a celebration of its 120th anniversary. With 1,114 horsepower on tap, and a 2.6-second 0-60 time, the Carmen Sagrera is in an ultra-exclusive league of hypercars that demand engineering solutions unlike most other vehicles on the road, and that especially goes for its tires. The Carmen Sagrera combines Hispano Suiza’s rich and long history with the cutting edge of futuristic hypercar innovation and performance, and as such, Michelin, Hispano Suiza’s exclusive tire supplier for the Carmen Sagrera, its most advanced hypercar yet, features both the technology and design fitting of such a powerful machine, and nods to Hispano Suiza’s past. The tire is an exclusive version of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, which features special sidewalls with details inspired by Hispano Suiza’s historic stork emblem, as well as by the work of renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. The sidewalls also feature Michelin’s Velvet Touch, which give them a unique velvety feel. Hispano Suiza’s relationship with Michelin in fact dates back nearly a century, when Michelin began to make tires for the manufacturer’s advanced models in the 1920s and ‘30s. Currently, Hispano Suiza’s entire range of hypercars uses Michelin tires, and thanks to Michelin’s performance-oriented lineup of advanced tires, hypercars like the Carmen Sagrera with over 1,000 horsepower are able to exercise their full potential, with an added touch of beauty, as well. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Image Source: Hispano Suiza

A vintage Hispano-Suiza drives on stage surrounded by yellow confetti, as people applaud nearby at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance after winning Best of Show at this prestigious outdoor event.

By Charles Bradley – August 19, 2025

Hispano-Suiza “Tulipwood” Torpedo Wins Best of Show at Pe...

A century-old vision of speed, style, and engineering mastery has taken the highest honor in the collector car world. At the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the coveted Best of Show award went to the 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo – better known as the “Tulipwood” Torpedo – shown by Penny and Lee Anderson Sr. of Naples, Florida. “This Hispano-Suiza ticks every possible box,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “The underpinnings are technically advanced. The body is meticulously hand-crafted, light, and lovely. It was, notably, commissioned by aperitif scion André Dubonnet, and he raced it in both the Targa Florio and the Coppa Florio.” The car’s most distinctive feature is its coachwork: mahogany strips carved and shaped with precision, then secured to the inner frame with more than 8,500 rivets. Weighing just 160 pounds when completed, the body was built by French aircraft manufacturer Nieuport-Astra and drew heavily on aeronautical principles. The result was as much a feat of engineering as it was a work of art. Following an exhaustive multi-year restoration by RM Auto Restoration, the “Tulipwood” Torpedo returned to Pebble Beach in its original 1924 form. More than 12,000 hours of work went into re-creating details lost to history, including the painstaking re-creation of its torpedo fenders. “To me, this is the Mona Lisa of cars,” said Gord Duff, President of RM Sotheby’s. “The fact that our team was entrusted to restore something this important is an incredible honor.” For Lee Anderson, the car’s wooden body was the ultimate draw: “I like wood! I’m a wood boat antique collector. I’ve always loved varnished wood, and when I saw this I said, my gosh! This is right in my wheelhouse.” The Andersons are no strangers to the Pebble Beach stage, having also won Best of Show in 2022 with a Figoni-bodied 1932 Duesenberg J. “Winning Pebble Beach is probably the highest award you can get in automobile collecting,” Lee added. “We are very fortunate to have done it twice.” The “Tulipwood” Torpedo’s victory cements its place among the most important automobiles ever created. Born from racing ambition, shaped by aviation expertise, and preserved with extraordinary care, it is a bold reminder that true design brilliance endures across generations. This year’s race for Best of Show featured several strong contenders, including the 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer presented by Dana and Patti Mecum of Geneva Lake, Wisconsin; the 1933 Invicta 4½ Litre S Type Corsica Drophead Coupé shown by SBH of Riffa, Bahrain; and the 1956 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Open Sports Racer presented by Phillip Sarofim of Beverly Hills, California. View All Exotic Cars For Sale List of 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Winners BEST OF SHOW 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo Penny & Lee Anderson Sr., Naples, Florida BEST OF SHOW NOMINEES 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer Dana & Patti Mecum, Geneva Lake, Wisconsin 1933 Invicta 4½ Litre S Type Corsica Drophead Coupé SBH, Riffa, Bahrain 1956 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Open Sports Racer Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California ELEGANCE AWARDS Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Henley Roadster Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Rolltop Coupé The Pearl Collection, Zug, Switzerland Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car 1951 Ferrari 340 America Touring Barchetta Nikolay Miroshnichenko, Almaty, Kazakhstan Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car 1953 Siata 208 CS Balbo Coupé Jonathan & Wendy Segal, San Diego, California SPECIAL AWARDS Alec Ulmann Trophy 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Hooper Saloon Limousine Simon Kidston, Milan, Italy Ansel Adams Award 1908 Welch Model 4L Seven-Passenger Touring Bob & Linda Welch, West Vancouver, Canada ArtCenter College of Design Award 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Scaglietti Berlinetta William H. & Cheryl K. Swanson, Pebble Beach, California Briggs Cunningham Trophy 1956 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Open Sports Racer Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California Chairman’s Trophy 1989 Ferrari 640 Formula 1 Simon Furlonger / Egon Zweimueller, Ennsdorf, Austria Charles A. Chayne Trophy 1910 Benz 21/80 Prinz Heinrich Renn Wagon Mercedes-Benz Classic, Stuttgart, Germany Classic Car Club of America Trophy 1937 Lincoln K LeBaron Coupe James Farley, Birmingham, Michigan Elegance in Motion Trophy 1965 Bugatti Type 101C-X Roadster General William Lyon Family, Newport Beach, California Enzo Ferrari Trophy 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Scaglietti Berlinetta Peter & Jan Harburg, Brisbane, Australia FIVA Prewar Trophy 1906 White Model F Roi des Belges Touring Joe & Janice Conzonire, San Marino, California FIVA Postwar Trophy 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Sunroof Coupe Craig Kappel & Meg McCarthy, Orlando, Florida The French Cup 1910 Renault BZ Moore & Munger Town Car Peter & Monica Kumar, Astoria, New York Gran Turismo Trophy 1931 Invicta 4½ Litre S Type Carbodies Tourer Steve & Marilee Hamilton, Washoe Valley, Nevada The LAP of Luxury Award Presented by LAPIS 1928 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A SS Cesare Sala Guida Interna Super Sport Museu Carde, Campos do Jordão, Brazil Lincoln Trophy 1929 Lincoln L Rollston All Weather Non-Collapsible Brougham Mike Anderson, Elkhart, Indiana Lorin Tryon Trophy Bruce Meyer Lucius Beebe Trophy 1954 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV Hooper Landaulet Stephen Brauer, St. Louis, Missouri Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster The Keller Collection at the Pyramids, Petaluma, California Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy 1935 Aston Martin Mark II Bertelli Sports Saloon Neil Pickstone, Stockport, United Kingdom The Phil Hill Cup 1970 March 701 Formula 1 Tom Hartley Jnr., Swadlincote, United Kingdom Tony Hulman Trophy 1967 Lotus 49 Formula 1 Chris MacAllister, Indianapolis, Indiana Pininfarina Trophy 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet Series 1 Roy & Janice Brod, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Spirit of Virgil Exner Trophy 1955 Chrysler Falcon Joe Bortz Auto Collection, Highland Park, Ilinois Image Source: RM Sotheby's

Three luxury sports cars, including a striking Hispano Suiza in hypercar configuration, are parked on a cobblestone driveway before a grand ivy-covered building with a garden.

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 26, 2025

New Hispano Suiza Experience Adds Luxury To Hypercar Conf...

Hispano Suiza surrounds its hypercars with a luxurious experience. Hispano Suiza, a historic name in the automotive industry known for making classics that have become cherished collector masterpieces and concours winners, has been revived in the current age with its all-electric hypercar lineup that combines bleeding-edge futuristic engineering with classic-inspired design and rich heritage. Now, the new Hispano Suiza Experience takes the brand beyond simply purveying hypercars, inviting clients to discover the brand’s rich history, and configuring a Hispano Suiza car while enveloped in a luxurious and inspiring environment. The experience starts with a personalized questionnaire, where Hispano Suiza’s team gets to know the customer and their tastes and desires in a Hispano Suiza hypercar, introducing them to the Hispano Suiza headquarters in Spain, specifically in Montmeló outside Barcelona, where the iconic Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya resides. The CEO, Sergio Martínez Campos, as well as various parts of the Hispano Suiza team, will meet the customer at the beginning of their journey, as well. Hispano Suiza also gives the prospective customer a test-driving experience on one of the most iconic tracks in the motorsport world, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with former F1 driver Luis Pérez Sala. After the test drive, the customer gets the opportunity to visit the birthplace of Hispano Suiza, Peralada, visiting the Suqué Mateu family’s private residence, Peralada Castle, and the Hispano Suiza Museum and its library. The customer enjoys dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant inside the castle, called Castell Peralada. Accommodation for the customer is at the five-star Perelada Resort, with a visit to the new Peralada winery the next day, along with an on-road test drive in a Hispano Suiza hypercar. With the unique Hispano Suiza Experience being added to the ownership experience of Hispano Suiza hypercars, the revived brand becomes even more exciting than before. View All Exotic Cars For Sale Image Source: Hispano Suiza

By Jordan Aquistapace – February 20, 2025

Check Out Hispano Suiza's New Trackside Box At Circuit de...

A new home for hypercars. Even though multi-million dollar hypercars are developed and engineered for the race track, it's not actually all that common to see them participate in track settings. For Hispano Suiza and its century-old heritage of hand-built cars, the Spanish manufacturer is planting its roots in a new location outside of its factory walls in a private box at Barcelona at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Hispano Suiza is bringing its customers even closer to the action with its new Design & Innovation Centre at its local circuit. The trackside space will serve as a permanent base for testing and fine-tuning hypercars, giving clients a behind-the-scenes look at the process. One side of the garage is where engineers and mechanics prepare the Carmen, Carmen Boulogne, and Carmen Sagrera for high-speed testing. The other side offers a more relaxed space, where visitors can check out Hispano Suiza's history, watch the team at work, and get a better feel for the what goes into each car. Instead of just waiting for delivery day, owners can see their hypercar take shape, from final tweaks to full-speed laps on the circuit. The track is where these cars come to life, pushing past 1,000 horsepower in a controlled environment with feedback from Luis Pérez-Sala, a former Formula 1 driver. Located just minutes from the Hispano Suiza Atelier, where customers customize their dream cars, the new center makes each hypercar's journey even more special. For those lucky enough to own a Hispano Suiza, it's a rare opportunity to be part of the action before their car even hits the road. Source: Hispano Suiza

The Hispano Suiza Carmen Sagrera, a bronze-colored hypercar with a sleek, aerodynamic design and prominent rear spoiler, is captured in a studio setting.

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 16, 2025

How The Hispano Suiza Carmen Sagrera Is Made: 5 Steps To ...

These are the five fundamental steps in its creation. With well over a century of expertise in automotive manufacturing led by four generations of family-owned operations, hypercar brand Hispano Suiza continues to preserve its Spanish roots with modern marvels that compete with the industry's biggest names. First debuted last June to honor Hispano Suiza's 120th anniversary, the Carmen Sagrera stands out as a step forward in performance, efficiency, and driving range. The hypercar is powered by four electric motors that deliver 1,114 horsepower and an impressive 0-60mph time of just 2.6 seconds for true gentleman drivers. Handcrafted at its headquarters in Barcelona, Hispano Suiza is proud to showcase the five-phase production process of crafting a car better described as a true work of art on wheels. Step 1: Pre-Assembly of Components & Battery Production Building the Hispano Suiza Carmen Sagrera starts with putting together parts like subframes, suspension, and the dashboard, plus making its powerful 103 kWh battery. The design team works closely with owners to customize every detail, making each car totally unique and perfectly tailored to their style. Step 2: Assembly of the Chassis The next step in building Hispano Suiza’s latest hypercar is fitting the body parts onto the carbon-fiber monocoque. Every piece is carefully installed by hand to guarantee a flawless fit. At the same time, some interior features are also added, keeping the process as meticulous as ever. Step 3: Painting, Upholstery, & Rolling Chassis Assembly Once all the parts are pre-fitted and adjusted, the painting process begins, with the customer choosing from nearly endless color options offered by Hispano Suiza. Each coat is carefully applied by hand while the final touches to the body are also completed during this stage. Meanwhile, the wiring, cooling system, steering, and brackets are installed, along with the front and rear subframes and the rolling chassis components like suspension, brakes, and wheels. At the same time, the interior starts coming to life. Using premium materials like Alcantara or leather, the upholstery is hand-cut and sewn to perfectly match the owner's personalized options. Step 4: Final Assembly & Infotainment With the chassis assembled and ready to go, the team is now focused on finishing up the interior, including installing the infotainment system and all the comfort features. The final touches to the exterior are also being made, like adding the emblems and the iconic stork logo that truly brings the car to life. Step 5: Final Validation & Handover After about eight months of meticulous work, the Hispano Suiza Carmen Sagrera is finally ready for delivery. Before handing over the keys, the car goes through a final test drive on both the road and the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, right next to the brand’s facilities. Once everything is thoroughly checked and running perfectly, the car is delivered to its new owner. " width="680"> Source: Hispano Suiza

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