Industry Reports

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 Tyler Rampersaud – July 27, 2022

F1 Plans To Switch To Using Completely Sustainable Fuel B...

The future of F1 is one that’s better for the planet, and that future is near. Formula 1 plans to achieve net zero carbon by 2030, and a big part of achieving that goal is innovating the fuel that the cars use to become more sustainable. While electric cars are becoming more and more popular, by 2030 it’s estimated that they will account for just 8% of the two billion cars on the road, which means that electric vehicles can’t bring the automotive world to carbon neutrality on their own. The CTO of F1, Pat Symonds, has partnered with the FIA and Aramco in order to work on discovering a combustion fuel that is sustainable. MUST READ: PUMA Motorsport Releases The Limited-Edition Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 ULTRA 1.4 Soccer Cleats F1 has already made strides in this direction, with the new generation of cars running on E10 fuel that’s 10% comprised of fully-sustainable ethanol, and it is projected that F1 will be able to deliver 100% sustainable fuel by 2026, and when that is achieved, the car engines won’t add to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and Formula 1 also says that this fuel solution will also make road cars with combustion engines sustainable. By definition, Formula 1 has been a place where the greatest automotive innovations happen, and now the sport is stepping up to the plate to ensure a brighter future for racing, driving, and the planet all at once. Formula 1 is entering a different kind of race to find sustainable fuel, and according to plan, the whole world will win. View All Race Cars For Sale Source: Formula 1

bThe Cayenne remains the most popular Porsche model

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 18, 2022

Porsche Delivers 5% Fewer Vehicles Worldwide In The First...

Porsche is putting up a good fight amidst a supply crisis in the first half of the year. The supply crisis that has loomed over the entire automotive industry has been a struggle for Porsche this year. However, as the first half of the year has come to a close, Porsche shows that it’s remained strong globally despite the challenges it has faced. Its first-half delivery number of 145,860 vehicles for the year is a decline of 5 percent compared to last year, and considering the challenges faced and the fact that year-over-year, deliveries actually increased in many regions, that is actually quite impressive. MUST READ: The Best Porsches You Can Buy Today In its 20th anniversary year, the Cayenne remains the most popular Porsche worldwide with 41,947 examples being delivered in the first half of this year, with the Macan in a close second place at 38,039. Porsche has spent much of this year celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cayenne, and telling the story of how it not only saved a Porsche in financial crisis but redefined what it means to be a performance luxury automotive brand and created the modern luxury performance SUV that remains more popular today than it ever has been before. Having achieved success despite unprecedented challenges and adversities, Porsche looks forward to a Q3 2022 that gets the brand back to being fully on its feet and improving. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By duPont REGISTRY – June 28, 2022

Meet Ken Harte, The New General Manager of duPont REGISTRY

duPont REGISTRY has been bolstering its masthead like the Golden State Warriors on draft day. We've already met two of the iconic marketplace's newest investors: Victor Gomez III and Barry Skolnick. duPont REGISTRY also recently announced a third – Ken Harte – who, in addition to becoming an investor, is also joining the team as General Manager responsible for automotive sales team and inventory management. Harte spent three decades becoming one of the top salespeople for brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, and BMW, He also spent nearly 20 years of his career in top management positions at the nation's leading luxury automotive dealerships. Considering the tech-focused trajectory of duPont REGISTRY's future, Harte's intimate knowledge of dealer operations and prior experience with developing new technologies to improve the luxury sales experience will be a huge asset for the historic magazine that's poised to become a sprawling digital marketplace. Steven Chapman, President of duPont REGISTRY, told us: “Ken brings a wealth of experience from the dealer and operational side that duPont REGISTRY will leverage to ensure that we deliver the level of experience that our customers expect from our brand.” Continue reading for Motor 1's interview of Harte to learn more about the newest shareholder and General Manager at duPont REGISTRY, including his early days selling Cadillacs, the craziest car he ever sold, and why he joined the team at duPont REGISTRY. Motor1: How did you get started in the car dealership industry, and has it always been just luxury cars for you?Harte: I began working in the car dealership industry in the early 1980s, exclusively for Cadillac. During the '80s, Cadillac was recognized as the pinnacle of automotive luxury. My experience at Cadillac laid the groundwork for the rest of my career in the luxury automotive market. Motor1: What’s the automotive brand you’ve noticed has the most interesting clientele, and what made them interesting?Harte: Each automotive brand has its own unique and diverse customer base. Bugatti, in my opinion, has the most fascinating clientele. I’ve noticed that Bugatti’s clientele are quite passionate about their automotive collections and have a strong interest in the arts. Motor1: What sort of changes have dealerships, specifically luxury dealerships, experienced in the last 30-40 years? Were they good or bad changes?Harte: I believe that technological advancements have contributed to the most significant change in luxury dealerships over the last 40 years. Customer service and sales procedures have improved as a result of innovative technologies, resulting in higher levels of customer satisfaction. Motor1: If you had to sell people something other than luxury cars, what would it be?Harte: If I had to sell something other than luxury cars, I'd pick art. In some ways, I already feel like I’m selling art when it comes to the level of craftsmanship, skill, and creativity that it takes to build and source a luxury automobile. The first automobile I sold was a Cadillac Eldorado to an affluent family in Dallas, Texas. Motor1: What attracted you to joining duPont REGISTRY and investing in the company’s future?Harte: I decided to join and invest in duPont REGISTRY due to its global recognition in the automotive industry, brand history, and customer trust. When you say “duPont REGISTRY,” that says it all. I'm ecstatic to be a member of the team and I'm looking forward to a promising future. Motor1: Can you tell us anything about what we’ll see from duPont REGISTRY in the near future?Harte: Our goal with duPont REGISTRY is to improve the automotive buying experience in the ultra-affluent ecosystem. To better serve our customers, we’ll be launching and introducing new offerings to simplify and streamline these processes. Motor1: When did you first encounter duPont REGISTRY as a magazine and what did you think of it at the time? Harte: I initially discovered duPont REGISTRY shortly after its first print issue was released back in the 1980s. The magazine automatically stuck out to me, since it was the first resource of its type where you could shop all things automotive, as well as source luxury vehicles. It soon became the most respected publication for affluent automotive consumers and aspirational buyers nationwide. Motor1: Everyone wants to know, what does the person who sells luxury cars for a living drive himself? What’s your daily driver and why did you pick that car?Harte: I've driven a variety of luxury vehicles from various manufacturers throughout the years, but my current daily driver is my Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Coupe. It’s a great driving car and I have really been enjoying driving it. Porsche launched the coupe version of the Cayenne in order to give it a sportier feel compared to other SUV utility vehicles on the market. Motor1: Do you remember the first car you ever sold? How about the most memorable one you sold? Tell us those stories. Harte: Yes, of course! The first automobile I sold was a Cadillac Eldorado to an affluent family in Dallas, Texas. As far as the most memorable car, I once sold a Rolls Royce Phantom, that was then stretched by an outside source, making the conversion upwards of one million dollars. Since, the car has been employed for significant occasions such as celebrity award shows.

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 12, 2022

Volkswagen Group Will Launch New Scout Electric Trucks An...

The Volkswagen Group is electrifying the U.S. pickup and SUV market. The Volkswagen Group portfolio is set to expand as it has been announced that a separate, independent company will be established in the United States with the goal of designing, engineering, and manufacturing pickup trucks and rugged SUVs (R-SUVs) for the American market. To do this, Volkswagen has decided to make use of a familiar and well-loved name here in the U.S., Scout, known for making iconic trucks and SUVs that served as a precursor to the many SUVs and trucks that we know and love today. MUST READ: GMC Hummer EV Price, Specs, Photos & Review The use of the Scout brand shows Volkswagen’s ambition towards becoming a relevant player in the popular and growing U.S. market for trucks and off-road-ready SUVs, and the group believes that success in this market is key to increasing profitability stateside, with a target market share of 10 percent. The first prototypes for the upcoming Scout electric R-SUV and pickup truck are said to be unveiled next year, and the Volkswagen Group is aiming at having them in production in 2026. It seems that just like these future vehicles, Volkswagen Group has decided that its route to U.S. success will be off the beaten path. View All Electric Cars For Sale Source: Volkswagen Group

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 07, 2022

Porsche Delivers Nearly 70,000 Cars Globally In Q1 2022

Porsche remains strong in a challenging world. In the first quarter of 2022, plenty of brands suffered quite the challenge on the global stage with supply chain constraints and worldwide crises making things difficult for companies of all kinds, especially the automotive industry. However, Porsche has continued to thrive, growing global sales revenue by €310 million, and increasing operating profit by €210 million. These increases represent 4.1% and 17.4% growth respectively, and it shows that a difficult world doesn’t stop the love for Porsche that so many around the world have. MUST READ: You Can Sleep On The Roof Of A Porsche In The Black Forest In Porsche’s New Travel Experience Nearly 70,000 Porsches were delivered to customers worldwide over the quarter, and as usual, the Cayenne and Macan were the most popular models. 19,029 and 18,329 of them were delivered respectively, with the Taycan coming in third place at 9,470, eclipsing the 911, which has been somewhat of a sales rival for the Taycan since its introduction. 23 percent of these deliveries represented cars that were at least hybrids, and 14 percent were fully electric. Porsche expects that by 2030, over 80% of new cars from Porsche will be fully electric. While it’s a classic and iconic brand, Porsche is dedicated to making sure it has a place in the future. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 27, 2022

McLaren Hires Former Ferrari CTO as CEO

McLaren’s new CEO brings even more engineering and technology expertise to the brand. British supercar manufacturer McLaren has announced the appointment of a new CEO, Michael Leiters. He is a German-born doctor of Engineering, and his previous experience includes senior positions at Porsche and a time as the Chief Technology Officer of Ferrari. He comes to McLaren taking the helm of a 3,000-person workforce with over 100 retailers, and the brand is set to begin deliveries on the hybrid McLaren Artura soon. MUST READ: The Best McLarens You Can Buy Today McLaren has thus far seen great success. Despite the pandemic and global issues, it has managed to sell out of the popular limited-production 765LT Coupe and Spider, as well as the Ulitmate Series McLaren Elva. Lieters says that he is “excited to be joining McLaren Automotive as CEO at this important moment in its journey” and promises a McLaren that continues to build its reputation as a supercar brand and create a beautiful, lasting legacy. View All McLarens For Sale Source: McLaren

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 26, 2022

Porsche Cars North America Creates New Director of Porsch...

The announcement of a new leadership role at Porsche Cars North America spells an exciting future. The Porsche Experience describes quite a few bucket-list opportunities for car-lovers around the world. The North American Porsche Experience Centers in Atlanta and Los Angeles make it possible for any car enthusiast to get behind the wheel of a legendary Porsche and truly know what it means to be passionate about performance and sports cars. Now, the Porsche Experience Centers are growing, with the Atlanta facility getting a new customer track, and with the growth of the facility, Porsche Cars North America has hired a new Director of Porsche Experience, Michelle Rainey. MUST READ: Porsche Celebrates Elmar Roßmayer And His Hand-Built Porsche 911 Targa 1:5-Scale Model Rainey offers experience from managing the Experience Center in Atlanta since its opening in 2015, and with her leadership role over all of Porsche Experience in North America, Porsche Experience will expand its track experiences, driving courses, road trips, and more to make the Porsche brand one that provides all sorts of fun, excitement, and invigorating lifestyle for luxury and sports car enthusiasts. Whether you’re a Porsche owner, a Porsche fan, or someone in between, the new Porsche Experience promises to have something for anyone to enjoy. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 14, 2022

Porsche Suffers A Global Delivery Decline In Q1 2022 Amid...

While Porsche continues to struggle globally with current crises, high demand means hope. Porsche delivered 68,426 vehicles in the first quarter of 2022, which is unfortunately a 5% decrease compared to the first quarter of last year. However, it’s not all bad, with plenty of signs showing that there’s light at the end of the tunnel for the brand. In Europe, for example, Porsche delivered an incredible 18% more vehicles compared to the same last year at a total of 22,791. High demand remains, and supply-related issues still hold back optimal success for Porsche. MUST READ: The Best Porsche 911s You Can Buy Today Worldwide, the Porsche Cayenne was the most popular seller, which is par for the course as the Cayenne and Porsche Macan have been Porsche’s highest sellers as long as they have been in Porsche’s lineup. With over 19,000 Cayennes going home to customers, and over 18,000 Macans, excellent, sporty luxury SUVs are as popular as ever. Going forward, Porsche plans to continue to make and sell excellent sports and luxury cars, and weather the storm for a more successful future. Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 07, 2022

Mercedes-Benz Sees Massive Increase in EV Sales in Q1 2022

Electric vehicles have shown Mercedes-Benz success, but shortages still present a tough challenge. The first quarter of 2022 presented good news and bad news for Mercedes-Benz. The EQS sedan has gotten off to a great start with high demand and plenty of orders, and deliveries going well even in the face of shortages across the entire industry. In fact, sales of hybrid and all-electric Mercedes-Benz models increased by 37%, with just all-electric examples seeing a 210% increase. Looking forward, Mercedes-Benz will be introducing the EQS AMG and the EQS SUV as well, which are sure to be just as popular, if not more so. On top of that, Mercedes-Maybach and S-Class deliveries were up 161% and 67% respectively. MUST READ: Mercedes-Benz Celebrates The 2022 Masters With A Special G550 For Bernhard Langer However, supply chain troubles still loom over the automotive industry, and with a total sale of 62,251 models for the quarter, they have caused a 15.5% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. AMG suffered as well, with a total of 6,985 units sold, a decrease of over 40% compared to last year. The GLC, GLE, and GLS models were volume leaders, and SUV’s, which seem to remain one of the most popular styles to buy, especially in luxury, accounted for 75% of sales this quarter. As the whole industry works to get back on its feet, electric cars spell hope for Mercedes-Benz and a bright future in the automotive world. Source: Mercedes-Benz

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 01, 2022

Porsche's US Deliveries Down 25% In Q1 2022 Amid Supply I...

Porsche and its customers remain resilient amidst supply chain troubles. 2022’s first quarter was, as it was for most auto manufacturers, tough for Porsche. Compared to last year, US deliveries are down by nearly 25%, at 13,042, but this happens as worldwide, supply chain and transit issues put automotive brands all over the world in a pinch to make, ship, and deliver cars. However, Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, says that the brand internationally is “working tirelessly… to overcome the supply challenges affecting the wider automotive industry,” and that Porsche’s North American dealer network is also working to make the customer experience the best it can be in the midst of the crisis. MUST READ: What is there to know about the Porsche 911 GT3 RS? FIND OUT Corroborating Porsche’s typical trends, the Porsche Macan and Cayenne were the most delivered models in the quarter, with 4,772 Macans being delivered, and 2,653 new Cayennes going to customers. Since the introduction of the model, the all-electric Porsche Taycan has rivaled the iconic 911 in terms of sales, sometimes outselling it. While the 911 came out on top this quarter with 2,123 deliveries, the Taycan followed close behind at 1,925. While Porsche struggled with deliveries this quarter, it wasn’t out of any lack of love for the brand, and hopefully, things pick up soon. All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

Industry Reports

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe