LaFerrari

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 Edward Jones – October 30, 2015

P1 vs. LaFerrari vs. 918 Spyder 1/4 Mile: Part 2

The Supercar Driver YouTube channel currently has an ongoing series pitting the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder against each other in a battle to see which of the hyper "holy trinity" is most powerful. To accomplish this, they teamed up with Paul Bailey, who just so happens to own all three of these cars.Their first part in the series had the three competing at the UK's Silverstone National Circuit in a hot laps comparison.Now, for the second part in the series, we get to see which of these three cars is fastest in a quarter-mile drag race. This latest installment in the series was uploaded to YouTube Oct. 29.(Also Read: Nissan GT-R vs Chevrolet Corvette Z51 Drag Race)For this test, the hypercars was taken to Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire, England. Here, they were all subjected to identical conditions, with the drag strip being completely dry for each of the runs, a rarity in England. This was made possible by the jet-powered track dryer.Out of all the sprints completed, the fastest 1/4 mile time was 10.65 seconds at 142.46 mph. Can you guess which car ran this time? Even if you can, be sure to check out the video below to see which of the hypercar holy trinity is fastest in a drag race.

By Caitlin Duffy – October 09, 2015

P1 vs. LaFerrari vs. 918 Spyder Hot Laps: Part 1

First was the P1. Next, LaFerrari. Third was the 918.The driver was the same, they all went on the same day, they circled the same track, but only one could finish fastest.We found out this video was coming on Oct. 1, when it was announced that TheSupercarDriver had again teamed up with Paul Bailey with the intention of independently testing the three greatest supercars of 2014 against each other. You may remember Bailey from earlier this year, when he took his McLaren P1 to pick up both his new Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari on the same day.And now the "holy trinity" of supercars has had their first test of performance made available to the public. The three spent Sept. 18 at the UK's Silverstone National circuit, with Mat Jackson, a driver in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) behind the wheel of each to see which could make it around the track fastest.(See Also: Horacio Pagani's New Porsche 918 Spyder)The winning time rang in at 58.24 seconds. Second fastest was 58.47, and last was 58.58. All were within less than a half second of each other, but which one completed which time? Check out the video to see, and stay tuned for the second video, which test the three to see which finishes a quarter mile fastest.In the mean time, find yourself a Porsche, McLaren or Ferrari from our exclusive listings below.Ferraris For Sale McLarens For Sale Porsches For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Automotive Videos

By Edward Jones – October 01, 2015

The P1, 918 Spyder and LaFerrari Comparison Video You've ...

Everyone knows the "holy trinity" of hypercars: the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. These three cars have become so commonly listed together because they all came out around the same time, each is from a major automaker and each is pretty close when it comes to performance.And, ever since these cars have been on the road, everyone wants to know which one is best.To put this argument to rest, TheSupercarDriver is putting together an "end all" video, which was teased in a Sept. 24 upload. In the upcoming video, which is set to be released in November, we see Mat Jackson take the three cars around the National Circuit at Silverstone during the same day with the same conditions. This may very well be the unbiased comparison of these cars that we've been needing in our lives. You can see the teaser video below.If these cars look familiar, it's because they are all owned by Paul Bailey, a self-described "serial supercar collector." Back on Feb. 23, we wrote an article covering Bailey's adventure to pick up the 918 and LaFerrari in his P1.In the past, we've seen the 918 Spyder beat the LaFerrari, and the P1 beat the 918 Spyder. If those past results hold any truths about what's to happen, we can theorize that the P1 will take the crown. However, these past races involved multiple variables that were not constant across each test.So, who will win in the end? Who knows. We'll, unfortunately, have to wait until November to see the results, but that won't stop us from discussing the matter. What do you think will happen? Let us know in the comments below.View All McLaren P1 ListingsView All Ferrari ListingsView All Porsche Listings(Source: YouTube) See More Exotic Automotive News

By Edward Jones – January 28, 2015

First Man to Own All Three New Hypercars

Those who own a hypercar have a special spot in their garage for their car where it is pampered and care for. They take pride in their ultra-fast car that is, more than likely, one of the fastest cars in the world. Now, take businessman Paul Bailey, a British tycoon that had to make room for all three of his hypercars: the LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder.To our understanding, Bailey is the first person to own all three of these new hypercars. In an article published by Daily Mail yesterday, Jan. 27, we learned that Bailey first owned his McLaren P1 and, in one day, added the LaFerrari and 918 Spyder to his collection. Above, you can watch a video of him talking about what it's like to drive his P1, filmed by Supercar Driver.According to the article, he drove his P1 to pick up the LaFerrari, which he ordered two years ago. After picking the Italian hypercar, he then drove 100 miles to pick up his 918 Spyder, which was driven by a friend who was traveling with him and his wife. In one day, he tripled his hypercar collection.But, these three hypercars are not the entirety of his collection. Daily Mail also states that Bailey has an automotive collection consisting of around 30 supercars.(See Also: The Owners of Analogue Supercars Part 2: Ford GT 720 vs. Koenigsegg CCR)To put how amazing the ownership of these three cars is in dollars, their combined price is around $3.7 million. But, this price will surely appreciate throughout the years.Stay with us for a documentary about Bailey's hypercar trio expereince, which is being created by Supercar Driver.View McLaren P1s For SaleView Porsche 918 Spyders For SaleGallery Photos by: Riad Ariane (Source: DailyMail.co.uk)

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