Issue Previews

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 duPont REGISTRY – May 07, 2024

duPont REGISTRY No. 468 – May 2024

A few years ago, on a bitter, rain-spitting day outside the industrial town of Graz, Austria, I found myself holding on for dear life. Some of you will recognize immediately that this is the home of one of the world’s most renowned car factories, Magna-Steyr. Magna has built everything from the Alpenwagen (in 1919, in the rubble of the Great War) to the Jeep Commander to the Audi TT and a smattering of almost every model that rides on Europe’s roads. They also make the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, or Geländewagen, one of the most butch SUVs ever built. It was conceived by the Shah of Iran in the 1970s, who coveted a Land Rover Defender but wanted his own version. Mercedes-Benz was happy to oblige, but by the time they finished building, the Shah was deposed in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The Shah’s lose; luxury offroading’s gain. Buy Single Issue Subscribe Back to Graz: I dared to see if this beast was offroad capable, or only appeared so. After all, most owners rarely leave the well-paved roads of Orange County or Miami-Dade. So Mercedes-Benz arranged for me to be driven up the Shockl, a madman’s mountain trail that feels like a 2-mile plane crash. Yes. The G-Wagon is all that. This month, we went in search of the next version of the Shah’s prize and found Ineos, a new luxury offroader that can actually handle the hard stuff. Inspired by the original line of Land Rover Defenders, Ineos has released the Grenadier, named after the London pub in which CEO Jim Ratcliffe came up with the idea. Every part is hand-assembled and made to be as robust as any SUV out there—but with a luxurious twist. In this issue, we dive deep into what you can do with your Ineos, or G-Wagon, or Defender, or Urus Bentayga, once you get it. Overlanding isn’t just for Wrangler fanatics. We also take a close look at one of the coolest trends in dining in 2024: Supper clubs! It’s not just dinner, and it’s not theater. Instead, it’s great food with more than a dash of style. We also take a test drive in the new Ferrari SF90 Spider, which has a theatrical presence of its own. It’s also extremely fast. On the watch front, Roberta looks at one of my favorite classes of timepieces, the GMT watch. We pick out stalwarts like Rolex, TAG Heuer, and Grand Seiko, who each make an exquisite version of this three-handed wristwatch. There’s a lot for everyone this month. Hold on tight!Warm regards,Mike Buy Single Issue Subscribe Advertise your luxury cars, lifestyle goods, yachts and more in the duPont REGISTRY magazine for unmatched reach to a highly qualified audience of wealthy, luxury-loving enthusiasts of high-end automotive vehicles. As a brand name synonymous with exotic and luxury cars, the duPont REGISTRY magazine reaches a dedicated niche audience of true aficionados who will go to any length to purchase and cherish the ultimate driving machines. For more information on how to advertise with duPont REGISTRY, click the button below. Advertise With Us

By duPont REGISTRY – March 25, 2024

duPont REGISTRY No. 467 – April 2024

What does it mean to be the best? It’s a weird question to ask, like a clumsy line in a movie when the coach needs to motivate the football team. For duPont REGISTRY, which celebrates its 39th anniversary with this issue, it has always meant being the best resource in America for buying and selling exotics and luxury cars. This has been the magazine for people on all points on the enthusiast spectrum—for the dreamers, who pored over each page and every listing in a haze of automotive fantasy; for the collectors who are looking to add that one (or three, or five) missing cars to make the garage perfectly curated; and for the car dealers, who have always partnered closely with duPont REGISTRY to optimize their business. Buy Single Issue Subscribe This month, we taking aim and firing at what, after all, it means to us when we say something is the best. We start out with our first-ever duPont REGISTRY Car of the Year award. There are many who claim they have the authority to crown the winner, but few with the heft to back it up. In the course of 39 years and counting, our magazine has been a gateway for nearly every potential contender. How do we choose Car of the Year? We drive every great machine that’s made its way onto the market, then we choose the one that rocked the marketplace with the most panache. Design, performance, technology, beauty, power, surprise, emotion—we mixed the components and came up with a clear winner. We also took a good look at the best driving roads, the best seats, the coolest (and most expensive) options on the market. And we went very deep on one of our favorite innovations in the watch world: the mighty (and revolutionary) tourbillon, a 220-plus year old invention that almost literally turned time on its head. As a brand, and a mighty force in the luxury car marketplace, we’re nearly 40 years old. And yet somehow, everything still seems brand new. Warm regards,Mike Buy Single Issue Subscribe

By Edward Jones – February 27, 2024

duPont REGISTRY No. 466 – March 2024

Know this: I am not an EV guy. Over the years, friends have tried to reason with me about EVs. They have learned to come prepared: To make a sustainability argument, they have to show data about the complete supply chain and lifecycle that doesn’t exist yet; to talk up the blinding speed of the EV, they have to lay down performance stats that rival those of, say, a Porsche 911 GT3, which can party on the track all day and all night. My biggest gripe with EVs isn’t cultural or infrastructural (though those are certainly gripes). I’m done making the casual statement that EVs are throwaway cars, single-season cars, or vehicular burner phones. It’s too easy. The biggest gripe is that when I drive a sports car—the kind that people will spend their kid’s college fund to collect and tattoo the car on their backs—I want to learn something new from it every time I take the wheel. A Ferrari 512 or a Porsche Cayman is a treasure chest of secrets, and every time you brake, blipshift, corner, and throttle in, you’re picking up a signal you haven’t heard before. Buy Single Issue Subscribe That’s just one of the things I love about sports cars that I haven’t found yet in EVs. On the other hand, I’m willing to admit I might not know everything about electric cars. Mate Rimac, the Croatian wunderkind who formed Rimac Automobili when he was just 21, has been building fascinating electric hypercars for years. In this issue, we dive into Rimac’s world, which has what I think is the most fascinating future in this charged-up sector. Along those lines, duPont REGISTRY Editor-at-Large John Neff dived into the most important things that every EV owner should know before they drop the nozzle and pick up the plug. Our timepiece correspondent Roberta Naas went big on style this month and laid out the best outfits of the season, including brands from Stefano Ricci and Dorian to Louis Vuitton and Dior. She also looked at the new trend of watches turning back the clock and returning to less bulky profiles, from Carl Bucherer’s fetching $45,000 Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar to Bulova’s elegant and slightly less eye-popping $695 Sutton Pocket Watch. Buy Single Issue Subscribe We also drove some cars, including the Audi RS e-Tron, which continues to refine its all-electric performance (chipping away at my resistance). On our cover this month is the latest from Lotus, one of my favorite marques and one of the greatest builders of sports coupes ever to run a factory line. Now, they’re introducing the second electric SUV, the Lotus Emeya. Does it live up to expectations? You’ll have to read and find out. And once you do, email me a solid argument about electric cars. Never lift, Mike Guy Advertise your luxury cars, lifestyle goods, yachts and more in the duPont REGISTRY magazine for unmatched reach to a highly qualified audience of wealthy, luxury-loving enthusiasts of high-end automotive vehicles. As a brand name synonymous with exotic and luxury cars, the duPont REGISTRY magazine reaches a dedicated niche audience of true aficionados who will go to any length to purchase and cherish the ultimate driving machines. For more information on how to advertise with duPont REGISTRY, click the button below. Advertise With Us

By duPont REGISTRY – February 09, 2024

duPont REGISTRY No. 465 – February 2024

Recently, a close friend I’ll call Bob texted me with a very specific sort of problem. Bob and his wife were joining me and a few other friends for a four-day rally in the Hudson Valley. The foliage was in full bloom. We had chosen some of the most impeccable and overlooked driving roads in the world, and booked track time at Lime Rock Park. We had set the table for one of those epic sports car enthusiast experiences that money (mostly) can’t buy. Bob and Amy live in Houston, and he was putting his car in a truck to ship to NY. Simple logistics. Except for his specific sort of problem. When he texted me, a couple of weeks before the rally, he was standing in his garage trying to decide which of his most recently acquired Ferraris to ship north: the 812 Superfast or the SF90 Spider. Buy Single Issue Subscribe “Am I going to want the top down?” he asked. “Is it yankee cold up there, or just a little chilly?” Tough call, Bob. And one that you’re fortunate enough to get to make. “The weather can go any direction this time of year,” I said. “Expect a sunburn, prepare for a hurricane.” The moment I typed the word hurricane, I knew the answer: Bring the 812 Superfast. It’s more comfortable for the passenger than the SF90, arguably more appealing to look at, and it just so happens to be the fastest road car Ferrari has ever built. It has that endangered species of an F140 V-12, which, when Bob bought this car in 2019, was probably the most powerful air-breathing, unboosted production engine ever made. “To hell with the SF90,” I said. “Make it Superfast.” It’s a fun debate for a select few lucky enough to have skin in the game: engine in the middle or engine up front? 1,000-hp twin-tur- bo V8 hybrid or the monster of all V12s? But ultimately it comes down to the thinnest slices of the most delightful pie: there is no wrong answer. And that’s why it feels wrong to call the SF90 an inferior Ferrari. It’s all relative. But the truth is, I’m not alone in never fully buying into this evolution of the 488 and F8 Tributo—there just didn’t seem to be enough of an evolution. Now that the mind-melting SF90XX has arrived, I feel vindicated. Buy Single Issue Subscribe We sent Basem Wasef to Italy, where he took this race-prepped (though street-legal) XX variant to the limit on Enzo Ferrari’s backyard race track, Fiorano, outside Maranello. Under a looming threat of rain, Basem experienced a version of the SF90 we all wanted. You’ll have to turn to page 12 to read the details. Meanwhile, you should also dig into Roberta Naas’s round-up of watches made in partnership with carmakers—from Richard Mille’s extraordinary $1,295,000 RM UP-01 Ferrari to Jacob & Co.’s Bugatti Chiron. And speaking of Bugatti, just when you thought the Chiron was out of gas, Brett Berk reports on page 40 how the machers of Molsheim have made their sexiest ever one-off, modeled after the sublime Type 57. There’s much more in this issue, but I’ll end with the warning I sent to my pal Bob, who didn’t regret choosing the Superfast. “When you come next year, bring an SF90 XX or don’t come at all.” - Mike Guy Advertise your luxury cars, lifestyle goods, yachts and more in the duPont REGISTRY magazine for unmatched reach to a highly qualified audience of wealthy, luxury-loving enthusiasts of high-end automotive vehicles. As a brand name synonymous with exotic and luxury cars, the duPont REGISTRY magazine reaches a dedicated niche audience of true aficionados who will go to any length to purchase and cherish the ultimate driving machines. For more information on how to advertise with duPont REGISTRY, click the button below. Advertise With Us

By duPont REGISTRY – January 08, 2024

duPont REGISTRY No. 464 – January 2024

The designer of the Aston Martin Valhalla is the same one who drew the Valkyrie. He is also the same mad genius behind Red Bull Racing’s black magic F1 designs. He is Adrian Newey, a quiet Englishman with a cutting wit and a bald head. Among aerodynamics aficionados—people such as myself—he is referred to in hushed tones as “the man who can see air.” Buy Single Issue Subscribe When Sebastian Vettel went on his four-year championship run in Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, he did so in large part due to Newey’s reinvention of how exhaust gas blows over the diffuser deck, creating off-throttle downforce in corners that gave Vettel an unbeatable handling advantage in corner entry (and elsewhere; it’s complicated). After the FIA outlawed that trick, Newey needed a few seasons to find a secret source of aero advantage that continues to baffle the competition to this day. Vettel’s replacement, Max Verstappen, is now demolishing all winning records with the ease of a quiet summer breeze. Like the Valkyrie, its wilder, less road-friendly predecessor, the Valhalla is a Newey creation. It doesn’t have a blown diffuser, but Newey drew up the plans for how it harnesses and shapes the wind—the way it takes flight. Powered by a powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Valhalla was teased as a V-6 hybrid, like the McLaren Artura and the Ferrari 296. But when it was finally unveiled, the Valhalla was equipped with a brawnier twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 and a bewitching flat-plane-crank design sourced from the engineers at Mercedes-AMG’s Affalterbach shop. Without diving too deep into the guts of the car—Ed Jones does that on page 12—here’s a tip my cap to Newey, whose hands are all over the Valhalla. It has a FlexFoil rear wing, which tweaks the Aston Martin’s downforce without changing the angle of attack. The wing is integrated into the bodywork. According to its designer, it generates no drag or aerodynamic turbulence. It is perfectly efficient. Why am I going on and on about aerodynamics? Aside from being a massive Newey nerd, I’m also a huge fan of how air generates lift, and how lift makes aircraft possible. And this, dear readers, is duPont REGISTRY’s Aviation issue, in which we walk you through all the options out there for discerning buyers of fixed-wing jets and propeller planes, helicopters, and the services you need to access them immediately—from the nitty-gritty of ownership to the ease of club membership. Buy Single Issue Subscribe We also dive into the Maserati MC20 Cielo—arguably the best version of the best car that Maserati has produced since 2004. Back then, two industry titans, Frank Stephenson and Giorgetto Giugiaro, joined forces to reinterpret the Ferrari Enzo and ended up with the MC12, a homologation car of sorts that was so successful a design it took until now to make a car nearly as good. This is the first issue of duPont REGISTRY that will have my name on the masthead. Working here is a lifelong dream of mine. The team that makes this brand so successful is legendary in the business, a mix of energy and gravitas, of high style and deep knowledge. The best part is, they are indistinguishable from the readers: true luxury car enthusiasts who live the lifestyle others only dreamed about as kids. Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. This is going to be a fun trip. - Mike Guy Advertise With Us

By duPont REGISTRY – December 08, 2023

duPont REGISTRY No. 463 – December 2023

The new year is right around the corner and instead of waxing poetic about the past, it has me wanting to talk about the future. If you haven’t noticed, it’s arrived. Electrification and automation are turning the automotive industry upside down and giving it a vigorous shake. The high-end market, though, is where the best innovation is reaching consumer hands, and that’s our sandbox. Buy Single Issue Subscribe This month’s cover car reflects that. The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is the climactic electric model from the pinnacle sub-brand of an apex automaker. It’s what you get when no expense is spared marrying innovation, luxury, and exclusivity. From the Hyperscreen that spans A-pillar to A-pillar to the trademark two-tone paint and monobloc wheels to the onboard silver-plated champagne flutes, the Maybach EQS is unique in its lavishness. It’s also blessed with more power than the standard EQS: 649 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque from twin motors and a total range of over 300 miles. A worthy cover model indeed that we spend more time talking about on page 12. On a different end of the spectrum is our first taste of the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray (page 24), which has divided the Corvette faithful more than the switch from pop-up headlights to fixed. Not only does the E-Ray introduce electrification to the platform in the form of a traditional hybrid setup, it ipso facto adds all-wheel drive due to the electric propulsion living entirely on the front axle. If you’re screaming “Heresy!”, we suggest you sit in one while it takes the mighty Z06 in the quarter mile. (They’re actually very close, but the E-Ray looks a lot faster doing it.) In addition to these two electric iconoclasts, we have many more new models reaching showrooms in 2024. Before the ball drops, check out our guide on what new cars are coming in 2024 on page 48. Again, it’s another year of the future being pulled forward with automakers adopting and evolving electrification in every way, shape, and form. To be honest, I lied about not wanting to reflect on the past, at least in regards to one car: the Audi TT. This year is the last one for the little convertible we all love, so we’re taking one last ride in the latest and last TT on page 34. On sale continuously since 1998, the tiny Bauhaus roadster deserves so much credit for proving Audi had a sense of style. Sharing much of its parts with the Volkswagen Golf, the TT is also the best example of badge engineering that we’ve ever seen. With New Years comes Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and Festivus), and we wouldn’t let you go without presenting our incredible holiday gift guide for the well-heeled and generous (page 74). We’ve gone out of our way to include gifts for a wide variety of interests and hobbies, so there’s something for everyone. We ourselves, the duPont REGISTRY family, have experienced a lot of change this year and are looking forward to new opportunities in 2024. We won’t forget what got us here, though – bringing the best performing and most luxurious automobiles to your doorstep every month with the world’s greatest platform for buying and selling these amazing machines. So peace, love, and happiness to you and yours, and we’ll see you on the other side. Buy Single Issue Subscribe

By Edward Jones – November 14, 2023

duPont REGISTRY No. 462 – November 2023

For a long time I hated convertibles. Why would I want the wind to mess up my hair and have every passerby know what podcast I’m listening to? But I’ve changed. This Midwesterner finally made a visit to Palm Springs, California, which was all it took. Palm Springs is a place where convertibles should be proffered upon entry to residents and tourists alike. The dry heat, the desert wind, and the mountain views would be wasted on a closed-roof coupe. I’ve been scouring these pages ever since for a suitable convertible to obsess over. Buy Single Issue Subscribe Thankfully, this month’s issue of duPont REGISTRY is chock full of ragtops. Our cover is graced by the new pinnacle of rooflessness, the Amethyst Droptail by Rolls-Royce. One of four droptail models built bespoke for the brand’s most important clients, the Amethyst takes a decidedly purple approach to things. It also features the world’s first and only downforce-producing piece of wood on a car: an aerodynamic rear deck made of raw wood that looks nothing like a spoiler but apparently produces a similar effect. The cabin uses swaths of the same tree meat, along with Sand Dune brown leather and more purple surfaces. As if answering my prayers, dR editor Gabriel Vega also arrived this month with a full review of the latest Bentley Continental GTC (the ‘C’ stands for convertible). I can’t begin to explain how beautiful the Continental GTC is in my eyes, so I’ll let our photography do the talking and see if you agree. Take a ride on the windy side with Gabriel and the Conti GTC on page 22. Not looking to be out-bespoked by Rolls-Royce, Bugatti is pushing its individualization program, called Sur Mesure, by debuting a one-off Chiron Super Sport called Golden Era that’s hand-painted in a swirling two-tone of black and gold. Needing to know more about what the French manufacturer is doing with unique customer requests like this, we grabbed Bugatti’s Director of Design, Frank Heyl, for an interview. Follow our conversation on page 40. mockups-design.com Closing out this month’s issue is our take on the sudden and surprising rise of the Williams team in Formula 1 this year (page 48), as well as the new 2023 Watch Guide(page 66). Whether you’re looking for the perfect diving watch or a classic luxury timepiece, there’s plenty to discover in our Watch Guide. I’m still searching for my perfect convertible, but if you’ve got one already, tip the top back and enjoy some remaining rays of summer. If you’re still driving around with a roof like me, then I hope we don’t meet on the battlefield trying to procure one of the incredible convertibles for sale in these pages. Mercy will not be given. Buy Single Issue Subscribe

By Edward Jones – December 14, 2022

duPont REGISTRY DEC. 2022 Preview

duPont REGISTRY. December 2022. No451. Introducing the December 2022 issue of duPont REGISTRY, #451, starring the new Ferrari Purosangue. Below, you'll find out what to expect in this issue and more. To get your hands on a copy, either buy a single issue or subscribe. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa. Whatever you celebrate, everyone at duPont REGISTRY wishes you and yours a holiday season full of love, togetherness, and goodwill. Of course, we don’t shy away from the consumer side of the season either. Gift-giving and gift-getting are the name of the game, and our official 2022 holiday “Gift Guide” is the ultimate Sears Wish Book for adults. Instead of children’s toys and video games, though, our guide goes all in on gifts for the most discerning clientele. We’ve got highly curated, expert recommendations for stocking stuffers and big gifts alike, as well as this year’s best luxury travel ideas. And we haven’t forgotten your favorite hobbies, with a list of the hottest products for golf, skiing, and your next beach trip. And then there are the cars. Around this time of year, one might ask, “What would Santa drive?” The obvious answer is the Ferrari Purosangue, Maranello’s long-awaited super SUV. It’s so hot (with a splash of that signature red), we made it this month’s cover car to celebrate the season. Check out our full report about the Purosangue on page 12. Not even Santa could get his hands on the new Bugatti Mistral Roadster. Only 99 examples of the roofless Chiron will be produced at a cost of $5 million, and every single one is already spoken for. What a sendoff for the iconic W16 engine, and we’ve got the full story of its inception straight from the mouth of its designer on page 26. Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue Lastly, we spend some valuable seat time in the new Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, a beautiful and brutal compromise between the standard Huracán and the brand’s lethal STO track weapon. The Tecnica is the best of both worlds and the model we’d choose if it were our money. Check out our driving impressions on page 32. After all that, we’re not even done. With the end of year in sight, we look back at the major buying and selling trends for cars in this crazy year called 2022. Prices were up, way up, but the market began to show signs of cooling as the leaves turned. Is now the time to invest in a future classic car or established icon? Find out what collectors were chasing this year on page 20. We’re just about ready to take the next trip around the sun, but not before you read this extra special December issue. And if your certain someone doesn’t have one yet, an annual subscription to duPont REGISTRY is only $85. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.) Cover Car: Ferrari Purosangue This is Ferrari like it always has been, and like you've never seen it before. Hot Commodities You searched, we tallied. These are the most sought-after cars of the year. Designing For The Few Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt discusses the W16 Mistral and more. Desert Storm With the Huracán Tecnica, Lamborghini delivers STO theatrics in a softer package. Winter Proof A few simple steps will prepare you for any driving conditions. Reigning Champ Mad Max has done it again. Let’s all forget about that cost cap breach and enjoy the moment. duPont REGISTRY Gift Guide In the spirit of the holidays, we’ve curated a selection of the season’s most sought-after, luxury products for every personality on your shopping list. From fine jewelry, apparel, and perfume to gorgeous watches, golf gear, and exclusive travel opportunities, our comprehensive gift guide aims to delight recipients at any price point — and maybe even inspire a few specialty purchases for yourself. You’re on the “nice list,” right? Ferraris For Sale View all listings. Porsches For Sale View all listings. Lamborghinis For Sale View all listings. McLarens For Sale View all listings. Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue

By Edward Jones – November 10, 2022

duPont REGISTRY NOV. 2022 Preview

duPont REGISTRY. November 2022. No450. Introducing the November 2022 issue of duPont REGISTRY, #450, starring the new Pagani Utopia. Below, you'll find out what to expect in this issue and more. To get your hands on a copy, either buy a single issue or subscribe. We write about watches in almost every issue of duPont REGISTRY, but this month we’re doubling down on timepieces for our annual expanded “Watch Guide” on page 74. I have a long history with watches that goes back to my first real job in high school. I worked at a kiosk in the mall, where I replaced watch batteries, sized watch bands, and sold a sordid collection of some of the worst watches ever to grace a wrist. I also handled some fine timepieces — Rolex, Tag Heuer, Movado, and the like. It was around this time I first noticed that cars and watches are quite similar. Both are complicated machines. Both are things we interact with intimately on a daily basis. And both have a hierarchy, with Ford and Fossil priced for the masses and Bugatti and Blancpain for the aesthetes. This is a magazine about the latter, which is why you’ll see Pagani’s Utopia gracing our cover. Check out the full story on page 12 to learn more about this new hypercar release, developed with feedback from the marque’s most trusted clients. Thanks to a slew of supercar debuts at Monterey Car Week in August, we also have detailed reports to share about the newest hypercars from Koenigsegg, Hennessey, Bugatti, and Czinger (page 28), as well as the Lamborghini Urus Performante (page 20). Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue We also got our gloved driving hands on the exclusive Pininfarina Battista for a full driving review. Our experience with this beautiful but brutal hypercar takes off on page 24. (Automotive content manager and regular road-tester Gabriel Vega Cortés is still recovering from the effects on his body of 1,900 electrified horsepower.) There’s more to share from this year’s events in Monterey, including auction results. Which cars sold and for how much? We’ll tell you on page 34. The latest Porsche 718 Cayman T was our chariot for car week. Check out our review of Stuttgart’s midrange, mid-engine coupé on page 42. And lastly, please enjoy our annual “Watch Guide” feature, beginning on page 74. We worked really hard on this one, and it was fun to switch the object of our obsession slightly for this issue. It’s just so natural that many of us auto aficionados are also watch connoisseurs. Whether under the hood of a car or under the crystal of a timepiece, good craftsmanship is good craftsmanship. Cover Car: Pagani Utopia Pagani’s threequel pursues the simple pleasures of driving. A Mighty Succession Lamborghini levels up the popular Urus with the new Performante model. Hypercar Revolution Form, energy, and sensation collide in a powerful hyper GT from Pininfarina. Grand Reveals Four supercar debuts made over the summer demonstrate what’s happening now at the pinnacle of performance, innovation, luxury, exclusivity, and style. Record Highs Auction sales at August’s Monterey Car Week exceeded expectations. Carving Through California We ventured north in the 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman T. DR #3: We Hardly Knew Ye The 2022 Formula 1 season will be Daniel Ricciardo’s last with McLaren, while an uncertain future awaits him. Watch Guide From classic craftsmanship to the technologically extravagant. Style Front And Center Fifty years ago, Stefano Ricci founded his eponymous menswear brand in Italy. Little did he know, a luxury empire would soon blossom. Ferraris For Sale View all listings. Porsches For Sale View all listings. Lamborghinis For Sale View all listings. McLarens For Sale View all listings. Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue

By Edward Jones – October 04, 2022

duPont REGISTRY OCT. 2022 Preview

duPont REGISTRY. October 2022. No449. Introducing the October 2022 issue of duPont REGISTRY, #449, starring the new DeLorean Alpha5. Below, you'll find out what to expect in this issue and more. To get your hands on a copy, either buy a single issue or subscribe. What’s your favorite film in the Back to the Future franchise? Mine’s Back to the Future II because it showed what cars looked like 26 years in the future, at least according to director Robert Zemeckis way back in 1989. The film was set in 2015 and showed a believably futuristic Hill Valley complete with traffic on the street from real car brands. In the world of BTTF, the Ford Probe became an over-cladded wedge and the Jeep Wrangler’s design became stuck in time. Zemeckis’ vision of 2015 did not come to pass, but seven years later in 2022, we are witnessing a new vision emerge for the automobile and aficionados alike: the rise of the electric vehicle. For people like you and me, the star of the films was Doc Brown’s early-’80s DMC DeLorean. The automaker went on hiatus for decades, leaving fans waiting for more. But the brand recently emerged with an all-new car called the Alpha5. It’s an all electric super coupe with, of course, gull-wing doors, but the Alpha5 doesn’t trade entirely on its past. Follow us as we don our favorite puffy vests and look into DeLorean’s future on page 16. In addition to reviving old nameplates, the nascent EV era is spawning a host of new ones. You may be unfamiliar with Drako, but the California-based EV automaker is about to unveil its second model: a super SUV the company promises is even quicker than its first car, the GTE. The 1,200-horsepower GTE has proven to be the real deal, so we have faith the aptly named Dragon will breathe fire soon. Learn more about these million-dollar EVs on page 27. Switching gears to electric luxury cars you can park in your garage today, our review on page 30 of the Audi e-tron reveals why luxury automakers in particular are poised to be the vanguard of the electric revolution. The e-tron is first and foremost an Audi, with everything that entails, as well as a solid EV. Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue The electric revolution has even reached the hallowed halls of Ferrari, which we all thought would carry the torch of internal combustion until the brand itself imploded. Rather than park on the wrong side of history, though, Ferrari is approaching electrification with a deliberate, thoughtful, and measured approach. On page 34, we break down the brand’s timeline for electrification and wonder if the day will come when its trademarked V12 wail will be silenced. With the proliferation of a new power source for cars, other aspects of driving need to be rethought. Do EVs work better in some places than others? We’ll tell you which cities are the most EV-friendly on page 40. What accessories do you need to get the most out of your EV road trip? Our list of the best EV accoutrements answers that question on page 47. That’s right, it’s EVs and more in this month’s issue of duPont REGISTRY. Keep the pages turning to read our opus on electrification. And for those who just can’t get excited about our inevitable electric future, well, Marty said it best: “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it.” Cover Car: DeLorean Aplha5 DeLorean Motor Company reemerges with an all-electric concept car. Fire Breather California-based Drako unleashes a super SUV that redefines the possibilities of a dream car. Weekday Driver The Audi e-tron GT proves its subdued stats wrong. Eyes On The Future In its 2022–’26 strategic plan, Ferrari commits to preserving its heritage while bolstering its fleet with high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles. Most EV-Friendly Cities These five U.S. locales are leading the charge in the electric vehicle race. On The Road Again With the rise in electric vehicle technology comes a new wave of accessories to enhance the journey. Haas F1: Team USA? A passing glimpse at the new look of the improved red, white, and blue F1 team from Kannapolis, North Carolina — by way of Maranello, Italy. BMW M5 CS Here are five things we learned after a few hundred miles behind the wheel. High Fidelity Luxury audio equipment levels up your listening potential. Grand Tasting Chef William Bradley demonstrates that kitchens, too, can be well-oiled machines. Flat Out Watchmaker Richard Mille teams up with Ferrari and slims down its product to set a world record. Nothing But Wake Equipped with an electric powertrain, the quiet Arc One lets nature dictate the soundtrack on the lake. Up In Smoke Whether you’re looking for a gift for a friend or for your own pleasure, it’s important to know that finding the right cigar is not at all smoke and mirrors. Ferraris For Sale View all listings. Porsches For Sale View all listings. Lamborghinis For Sale View all listings. McLarens For Sale View all listings. Subscribe Now Buy Single Issue

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