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

Koenigsegg News

Koenigsegg news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated as each story breaks, covering the Jesko and Jesko Absolut, the four-seat Gemera and the manual CC850. Our reporting follows reveals, record runs, engineering news and the auction results that set what these cars are worth. Koenigsegg builds only a handful of cars each year, so every confirmed sale carries real weight in the market. That is where our marketplace becomes useful to readers. Koenigseggs covered here are sometimes listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, which puts the reporting and a real figure side by side. This is hypercar news with the market attached, so for Koenigsegg news today, start below.

By Andrew Nabors – June 22, 2020

Koenigsegg and Polestar Discuss Design and Inspiration

A press release hit our inbox just after New Year's, but it wasn't too out of the ordinary. National Electric Vehicle Sweden decided to purchase 20% of Koenigsegg for 150 million euros. Christian von Koenigsegg tried to purchase Saab from GM back in the financial collapse of 2009, but the bean counters couldn't find common ground. NEVS ended up with the rights for Saab, so this investment allows for the sharing of electric and hybrid technology between Koenigsegg and the Chinese/Japanese consortium that owns Saab. To keep Sweden's automotive industry afloat. Now it seems that Christian is forging an alliance with the other big Swedish automaker. Koenigsegg Announces Partnership With NEVS Polestar was a Volvo tuning and racing company that was eventually brought in-house. Their Precept electric car was supposed to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, but we all know how that went. Backed by Geely Automotive, Polestar is poised to be a major player in the electric car market. What we see here is how all corporate meetings should happen. It is easy to see the passion and drive behind these gentlemen, so we thing something unprecedented is coming. Tell us your favorite Swedish car story in the comments below and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg news. Browse Koenigsegg For Sale " width="680">

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By Andrew Nabors – March 23, 2020

Koenigsegg Gemera Prototypes Show Evolution of the Design

When your company specializes in building 2-door hypercars, the notion of adding back seats car be terrifying to a design team. That's why Christian and his team partnered with RAW Design House to sculpt their latest masterpiece. So proud of their efforts, these Koenigsegg Gemera prototypes show the evolution of the design. For a quick refresher, the Gemera was scheduled to be unveiled in Geneva alongside Jesko Absolut. A slap in the face to those who who say gas engines are dead, the "Tiny Friendly Giant is a 2.0L twin turbo without any cams. Detailed Walkaround of the Koenigsegg Gemera It uses Koenigsegg's Freevavle technology to offer 600 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque from 2-7,000 rpm. It can run on regular unleaded, E-85, E-100 (moonshine) or even methanol. Combined with the world's most advanced hybrid system, it has one motor for the front wheels and the rear wheels have their own. Total output is 1,700 horsepower and only 2,581 lb-ft of torque. It can travel 590 miles on one takn, without using the EV system, but who could resist such incredible power at your command? Click the button below to find out more and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg news. Browse All Koenigsegg for Sale https://vimeo.com/395222190

By Andrew Nabors – April 10, 2019

Koenigsegg Jesko Looks Amazing in Lucerne

Photoshop and filters work great for studio shots. The basic photography used to sell normal cars hasn't changed in decades. If you are trying to sell the world's most advanced hypercar, nothing beats a gorgeous location. That is why the Koenigsegg Jesko looks amazing in Lucerne. Located in the center of Switzerland, this ancient town sits at the base of the Alps, on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Photographers Eric Griess & Steven Wade made use of the impressive background to show off the attributes of the latest Koenigsegg. This all-new hypercar offers 1,600 horsepower on E85, this is possible thanks to the lightest crankshaft in production. The flat-plane design weighs only 28 lbs, allowing for an 8,500 rpm redline. They chose steel instead of titanium for the connecting rods, and they are only 1.2 lbs each. Taking a page from hot rod history, the long stroke allows the pistons (0.6 lbs) to spend more time near Top Dead Center. This lowers peak cylinder pressure, allowing the turbos to create higher average pressure. The only disadvantage to a long stroke is piston speed. Because the piston spends more time at the top and bottom, it has to move faster to get there. The lightweight rotating assembly cancels out much of the vibrations inherent with a flat-plane V8, so its too bad that all 125 cars have been sold. It must be nice to have 1,106 lb-ft of torque between 2,700 and 5,100 rpm. That is more than any diesel truck on the market, so you could probably tow your 15,000 lb race trailer with ease. The Jesko stands as the state of the art in hypercars, a position its predecessors held for years. Our dealers have a few examples for sale, so click the link below and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg news. Browse Koenigsegg For Sale Related: Koenigsegg Jesko Already Sold Out Koenigsegg Jesko Caught Leaving Geneva Auto Show

By Andrew Nabors – January 31, 2019

Koenigsegg Announces Partnership with NEVS

It isn't easy to change the automotive world. That's what Christian von Koenigsegg told us in Monterey as we drooled over the One:1. Another Swedish automaker is NEVS, or New Electric Vehicle Sweden. Their goal is to build high-quality electric cars, so they turned to the expert. As the genius who uses electricy to make transmissions obsolete, Koenigsegg has announced a partnership with NEVS. The deal was outlined in a press release last night. Koenigsegg's parent company has received 150 Million Euros ($171, 807,750) for a 20% minority. It would be mutually beneficial for any automaker to invest in Koenigsegg because their technology is a glimpse of the future. Porsche Taycan: Free Charging For 3 Years It will allow NEVS to access the solid-state electronics used in every Koenigsegg, and they mentioned a separate joint venture. NEVS spent an additional $150 Million dollars for 65%, with Christian owning 35%. It will allow them to reach markets that are ripe for electric cars, with assembly taking place at the former Saab factory in Trollhatten. The release also looks forward to the hypercar future thanks to their collaboration. If you are looking for a truly unique and powerful car, click the link below and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg news View All Koenigsegg For Sale " width="680"> Related: How To Ship A Koenigsegg On A Plane Koenigsegg Unveils Naked Carbon Regera Source: Koenigsegg.com

By Andrew Nabors – December 06, 2018

Koenigsegg Unveils Naked Carbon Regera And We're Blown Away

At first glance you know this is a Koenigsegg. The wild styling of the Regera is unmistakable. What's different is the finish. Visible carbon fiber can be found on everything from Subaru to Chevrolet, but it is always covered in layers of protective clear coat. Christian and his team have done it again by raising the bar for composite materials. This is the first car to be built in KNC. Koenigsegg Naked Carbon was first seen in a press release last night, and it is simply gorgeous. Of course this isn't a vinyl wrap or a single layer of carbon overlay. It is a painstaking process of removing the outer layer of resin. Each panel is wet-sanded by hand almost down to the woven structure. Needless to say, the time it takes to sand each part is much more than glossy carbon or a painted finish. They have been perfecting this process on wheels, spoiler and smaller pieces for years. You might think this would leave the weave exposed to UV damage, but the factory has left samples outside in Sweden for a few years without any adverse effects. Your Regera can now be ordered fully painted, paint with glossy carbon, all gloss carbon, or Koenigsegg Naked Carbon. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Pagani responds to this one, so stay with us for all your Koenigsegg updates. View All KoenigSegg For Sale All images by Keno Zache Photography, for Carage Related: Christian von Koenigsegg Cruises in his Regera Hypercar Koenigsegg Regera d'Elegance is an Ocean on Wheels

By Andrew Nabors – April 26, 2018

Koenigsegg Agera RS Breaks VMax200 Top Speed Record

Top speed racing is your chance to see the world's rarest cars, and you might be lucky enough to catch a Koenigsegg in action. So if you live in England, the VMax200 is your chance to see how your car compares to the world's best. The most recent event was held at Kendew Barracks near Leicester, and it was the setting for a new top speed record. Neil Miller is the owner of the newest Koenigsegg Agera RS, and his fastest run of the day was 234 mph. Factory driver Niklas Lilja was tuning the active aerodynamics throughout the day, so he decided to get behind the wheel for the final run of the day. "The car was strong all day. We had to do a little fine tuning on the active rear wing as we progressed through the day so we probably left a few mph on the table for next time. Overall, though, it was a very satisfying event, and a good way to back up the experience we had setting five new world records in Nevada last year.” Cockpit Video of Koenigsegg Agera Top Speed Run His knowledge of the car's abilities paid off, with a top speed of 242 mph.We're not surprised, as the Agera series has been on a world tour of setting new records for acceleration and braking performance. If you would like to experience it for yourself, click the link below to find your own Swedish Supercar and stay with us for all your Koenigsegg news. Browse Koenigseggs For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 24, 2017

Koenigsegg Owners Tour 2017

If you weren't in Sweden last weekend, you missed out on 2017 Koenigsegg's Owners Tour. This yearly event is a way for Christian von Koenigsegg and his employees to thank their loyal customers.Nineteen cars from around the world came together for three days of carbon fiber fun. The largest gathering to date, the attendees arrived with 4 CCR’s, 6 CCX’s, 2 CCXR’s, 1 Agera, 2 Agera R’s, 3 Agera RS’s and a One:1 on the tour.Mr. von Koenigsegg was happy to see his creations again, saying: “This is amazing, and a little bit humbling, to be honest. We have a wonderful cross-section of Koenigsegg history here, nearly every generation of car we’ve ever made is represented. And the people just love them. It’s a great reminder of the progress that we’ve made, the friends we’ve made – our customers become friends as we go through the building process and it’s wonderful to see those relationships grow – and also the people who have helped to get us here.”Koenigsegg only builds a handful of cars each year because their focus is on quality and pushing the boundaries of automotive technology. From dihedral doors to a solid-state electrical system, no detail is overlooked. It would cost millions for the big automakers to compete with such innovations, which is how Koenigsegg have carved out a sizable niche in the supercar market. Their latest model (Regera) has made the transmission obsolete. It will take several decades for normal cars to have such advancements, so for now take a look at Koenigsegg for sale and stay with us for all your exotic car news.

By Edward Jones – June 13, 2017

Koenigsegg Regera is Now Officially Sold Out

Were you about to head over to Ängelholm, Sweden to talk to Christian von Koenigsegg about ordering a new Koenigsegg Regera? I have bad news for you, because Koenigsegg announced today (June 13, 2017) that all of the Regeras are sold out.Yes, that means all 80 units of the Regera hypercar that Koenigsegg plans to make have been spoken for, making it the largest single vehicle series in the automaker's history.“The Regera is a new high watermark for Koenigsegg Automotive” said company founder and CEO, Christian von Koenigsegg. “It has been our greatest technical challenge and as such, it is also our greatest technical triumph. That our customers and dealers have seen and appreciated the work we’ve done on the Regera is a source of great pride for everyone at Koenigsegg.”The Koenigsegg Regera is not only extremely limited, but also extremely...extreme. This new hypercar car combines a twin-turbo V8 engine with electric motors to produce an astonishing 1,500 horsepower and 1,475 lb-ft of torque. This power, along with the new Koenigsegg Direct Drive transmission, the Regera can rocket from 0 to over 248 mph in just about 20 seconds. That's just insanity.So, congratulations to the 80 that claimed the Regeras-- if you're ever in Florida, I'd be more than willing to drive you around in your new hypercar.

By Edward Jones – October 27, 2016

Christian von Koenigsegg Gives Update on Regera Hypercar

Christian von Koenigsegg has been giving the world some great updates about his company through videos uploaded by /DRIVE. In the latest video, he gives the world an update on the upcoming Regera hypercar and how the production is coming along.(Supercars For Sale)In the video, Mr. von Koenigsegg announces that they've received more orders for the Regera than they expected in such a short amount of time. Because of this, they're working hard to try and get the cars out to the buyers as soon as possible. With the growing interest in their hypercar, the Koenigsegg company has almost doubled, going from around 50 employees to over 100.Along with the news on the Regera, he also gives more details on the Regera RS and their sister company FreeValve. Click play below to learn more about the Swedish supercar manufacturer.All Koenigsegg For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 24, 2016

Five Koenigseggs Take Down Monaco

If you were blindfolded next to a revving Koenigsegg, what car comes to mind? With an engine of his own design, Christian von Koenigsegg has made more power than any other production car. Although the internal layout of the engine is all his, the firing order of the V8 creates an exhaust note eerily similar to GM's LS series engines. Most supercar videos we come across have less than ideal audio capture, but this one is meant for your home theater. (Related: How to Remove Koenisgsegg CCR and Porsche 918 Spyder Roofs) Our friends at ExoticCarSpotters were witness to five Koenigseggs, including a 1 of 1 matte black Agera X on the track with and street. With such a clear sound of the turbos in action, it makes us wonder if the Agera has any form of muffler. Turbo cars don't really need mufflers because the blades of the turbines even out the sound of the engine, but federal regulations mandate mufflers and catalytic converters. Take note of the flames during gear changes, these cars are works of art. The Agera was launched in 2011, and this is allegedly the only Agera X. It lives in Monaco but is rarely seen in public. We applaud the owner for allowing us to see it where it belongs, leaving everyone else in the dust.

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