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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 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 – September 10, 2018

Christian von Koenigsegg on Jay Leno's Garage

If you want to see where hypercars will be in 20 years, look no further. Our friend Mr. Koenigsegg realized at an early age that automotive technologies were poised for a revolution. We've covered the Agera RS and the Regera Ad Nauseum, but here is a quick rundown. The RS is the world's fastest production car, with an official speed of 277 mph. It makes 1,360 horsepower and has a 7-speed sequential transmission. Find Out How Much Jay Leno's Car Collection is Worth The other one is something truly unique. You won't find a transmission anywhere on the Regera. Bolted to the flywheel is a billet torque converter that generates electricity. That voltage is sent to motors on each rear wheels to power the car up to 70 mph. At that speed, the converter locks up to the 2.73 differential for Direct Drive. Without gears or drivetrain loss, it is probably the most efficient car ever built. Click the link below to find your Koenigsegg and stay with us for all your Jay Leno updates.

By Edward Jones – August 31, 2018

Koenigsegg Ragnarok is Rumored to be Next Swedish Hypercar

Koenigsegg put on a splendid show during the 2018 Monterey Car Week. Actually, I should say they put on splendid shows because they made appearances at The Quail - A Motorsports Gathering and went for a cruise on Saturday towards Exotics on Cannery Row. Along the way, they made show-stopping appearances at places like In-N-Out and at the special screening of Straight and Narrow, a film about the production car speed records set by Koenigsegg in November 2017. But it seems that coverage of Koenigsegg's hypercar isn't about to end even though Monterey Car Week has. Why? According to The Supercar Blog, they have learned from what they say is a source close to the company that the Agera's successor is rumored to be called "Ragnarok." If that's true, it will cement itself as one of the coolest names for a car, ever. Watch the Koenigsegg Agera FE Thor Race Up Goodwood Hillclimb Koenigsegg Thor Why Ragnarok? If the rumors are true, it's very fitting when you considering Ragnarök is an event that occurred in Norse Mythology. With Koenigsegg being a Swedish company and Norse mythology being a big part of Scandinavian history, it makes sense. Of course, these are simply rumors as of right now and Koenigsegg has not confirmed the validity of these claims. Once we get the official word from Koenigsegg, we'll be sure to update this article! Images via Koenigsegg

By Edward Jones – July 27, 2018

Koenigsegg Ghost Squadron Recap

In the past, Koenigsegg owners would venture off on the Koenigsegg Owners Tour. Koenigsegg has now changed the name of the event to Ghost Squadron and the first one was an absolute hit. The past two events took place in Scandinavia, so this year they took the event to the ancestral home of the Koenigsegg name: Germany. The Final Koenigsegg Ageras: Thor and Väder Ghost Squadron 2018 took place over three days, including a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The event started off in Baden-Baden, which is located west of Stuttgart. It's here that 16 Koenigseggs started off the weekend's events. On Saturday, they drove through the Black Forest and stopped by the Schwarzenbach Dam, which provided beautiful imagery. Sunday started with the 16 hypercars heading to Koenigseggwald, a village in the Ravensburg district of Baden-Württemberg that's the ancestral home to the Comital House of Koenigsegg. The Koenigsegg estate dates all the way back to the 1100's and the family name was first used in 1251. That means there's a lot of history behind the name and thankfully Hereditary Count Maximilian of Koenigsegg-Aulendorf and his wife, Hereditary Countess Valerie of Koenigsegg-Aulendorf were there to provide a brief family history to their guests in Koenigseggwald. 10 Multi-Million Dollar Florida Waterfront Mansions Their final destination was Park Hotel, Adler. Check out all the images (by Keno Zache and Steven Wade) and the video above (by Sebastian von Koenigsegg and Johan Bohlin). You can see all of the images and information by clicking here.

By Edward Jones – July 13, 2018

Christian von Koenigsegg Cruises in the Regera Hypercar

Christian von Koenigsegg launched the Koenigsegg car company at the age of just 22-years-old in 1994. Now, decades later, the automotive company has turned into an exotic car powerhouse. Exciting cars like the CCXR, Agera RS and Regera have been created, each becoming stars in their own right. What's great about a company like Koenigsegg is often you'll see the founder interacting with customers and the public. He's also not shy about driving around in his prized creations. Recently, he was spotted cruising around in a Regera hypercar. This specific Regera is called 'Malin' and has a carbon fiber body with a gorgeous green tint. This color was chosen because the owner also owns a Jaguar XJ220 in the same color. Christian von Koenigsegg's Regera cruise took place during the Koenigsegg Ghost Squadron 2018 event. This event, located in Germany, started in Baden-Baden and ended in Königseggwald. In total, 18 different Koenigseggs attended the event, including the Agera FE cars Thor and Vader.

By Edward Jones – July 09, 2018

Koenigsegg Naraya Spins Up Donuts, Cuts Grass

The Koenigsegg Agera RS Naraya was unveiled in 2016 as one of the most extravagant hypercars ever created. Its body is covered in blue-tinted carbon fiber that's joined by 24k gold leaf trim, and its nameplate is made out of 18k gold. But this car's luxurious touches don't end there, because that golden nameplate is also emblazoned with 155 diamonds. Simply said, this car is a real Swedish jewel.https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk-59MsgYwA/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1hq89hbvbrydcThe owner of Naraya brought the hypercar out to Königseggwald for a Koenigsegg family event. Fifteen Koenigsegg showed up to the event and parked themselves on a gorgeous lawn. Sitting still and being parked, however, was not in the Naraya's plans. The Instagram account @dan_am_i shared a video of Naraya's owner whipping the car around the grass for some incredibly expensive donuts. During those spins, the hypercar's V8 engine is spinning out 1,160 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque. That's a lot for a car acting as a lawnmower!https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk-zy-FlHVF/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=j6cvl2owa34p

By Edward Jones – July 06, 2018

The Final Koenigsegg Ageras: Thor and Väder

Koenigsegg is ending the Agera model line in a fitting way: special editions and awesome names. The Swedish automaker has announced that the two final Agera hypercars will be called Thor and Väder and will be under the Agera FE (Final Edition) designation. The Final Edition models were given the name by the owners, who were given consent by Koenigsegg. These models are based on the Agera RS and came with all options available at no added cost.Thor was created with a two-tone carbon body that includes a "diamond-flake" in certain areas. Just before the rear of this hypercar lies a "LeMans-style" central fin. This added aerodynamic component joins the rest of Koenigsegg's aerodynamic suite. ThorAs for Väder, this hypercar has a clear carbon finish with the diamond flake. When looking at the car, you will notice the white gold leaf highlights found across the body. In the rear is a massive rear wing that has custom cutouts that show off the inner workings of its active-aero mechanism. VäderBoth owners of the cars will be taking Thor and Väder to a Koenigsegg event on the weekend of July 6th. After that, they will head off to the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 12-15).

By Edward Jones – June 25, 2018

Koenigsegg Teases Agera RS Hypercar Replacement

Koenigsegg recently celebrated their first factory-authorized dealership in Australia, Lorbek Luxury Cars. This was certainly a momentous occasion, as the new dealership was filled with over 200 collectors and enthusiasts. There were even the only two Koenigseggs in Australia in attendance, a black CCR and an orange CCX. But, there was one special appearance during the night: a world-first glimpse of the Agera RS replacement vehicle. Manny Khoshbin Takes Delivery Of Final Koenigsegg Agera RS The silhouette sketch was shown during the presentation. In the image, we see the rear of the car and really not much else. While it isn't much, I think the fact that Koenigsegg has begun campaigning their new car is certainly exciting. It was important that Koenigsegg showed off this car in Australia because all Regeras were sold before they came to the country, meaning none of them made their way to the land down under. This new vehicle, however, will be available in Australia. Koenigsegg is planning on revealing the new hypercar at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019. https://www.facebook.com/lorbekcars/videos/10156415339973972/ Related Video:

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 Edward Jones – April 05, 2018

Koenigsegg Agera RS Production Has Ended

All good things come to an end, and that includes hypercars like the Koenigsegg Agera RS. Koenigsegg has announced that production on the Agera RS has officially ended. In total, 25 Agera RS examples were created during its production run.In Koenigsegg's announcement, they managed to touch on two special Agera RS cars. First was the factory example that was built, which has now been sold and delivered to a long-term collector. Then there was the Agera RS 'Gryphon' that was damaged, a car meant for Manny Khoshbin. The replacement for this car is the 'Phoenix' and it's actually the last Agera RS to roll off of the production line. Khoshbin notes on his Instagram that the car should be on a plane and headed State-side soon.Cockpit Video of Koenigsegg Agera Top Speed Run Going forward, Koenigsegg has a plan in place. The Regera has been filling up their production line, and the hype for the car hasn't stopped just yet. There are also two Final Edition Ageras that need to be completed. Once these two cars are completed, the entire Agera line will be done.Don't be sad, because maybe we'll be seeing a Regera RS in the near future!Used Exotic Cars for Sale

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