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

Lamborghini News

Lamborghini news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated daily, covering the V12 hybrid Revuelto, the Temerario and the Urus, one of the biggest names in luxury SUV news. Our reporting runs across reveals, first drives, one-off builds and the auction results that set values. We also follow the earlier cars, from the Countach through to the Veneno. Many sites carry supercar news, but very few carry it beside live listings. A great many of the Lamborghinis covered here are listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, so the reporting and a real asking price appear together. For Lamborghini news today, start with the stories below.

By Edward Jones – October 29, 2020

Lamborghini Aventador S "Yamamoto" Revealed at Lamborghin...

A collaboration between Lamborghini and renowned fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto has resulted in two different projects that were recently unveiled. The main attraction of this collaboration is the Lamborghini Aventador S "Yamamoto" that was unveiled during the opening of the Lamborghini Lounge Tokyo and new Ad Personam Studio. This supercar is dressed inside and out in patterns similar to the collection Yamamoto brought to the 2020 Paris Fashion Week. The interior of this special supercar is a must-see, as it shows just how meticulous Lamborghini Centro Stile can be when customiziang a vehicle. Lamborghini also chose this setting to reveal a new capsule collection by Yamamoto that includes a mod coat, bomber jacket and hoodie sweatshirt. These items all feature the same pattern adorning the supercar. Lamborghini's relationship with Yamamoto started back when Mitja Borkert, Head of Design for Automobili Lamborghini, met him at the aforementioned 2020 Paris Fashion Week. Borkert was impressed by the style from the red and black collection Yamamoto presented at the show. Now, that same style can be found on one of Lamborghini's supercars and a special collection of their clothing. Yamamoto has this to say about Lamborghini: “With their inimitable design, Lamborghini super sports cars are more instantly recognizable than any other car manufacturer - just one glance is enough. I am delighted to see the realization of this collaboration, highlighting the uniqueness, the timelessness, and the abundant passion, which are characteristic of both our brands.” "It has been exciting to have the chance to work with Yohji Yamamoto, the world-renowned fashion icon, who innately understood our significant Lamborghini design DNA," says Borkert." Our collaboration inspired this outstanding artwork and design for the Aventador S, which was unveiled today, and celebrates Italian craftsmanship connecting with Japanese culture." See All Lamborghini Aventador S For Sale

By Edward Jones – October 01, 2020

Lamborghini is Teasing a New Aventador SVJ...J?

It wasn't long after the unveiling of the Lamborghini Aventador that the Italian automaker announced the Aventador J, a speedster version of the supercar. Since then, Lamborghini has released a multitude of Aventador variants, including the all-powerful Aventador SVJ. It seems the Aventador is evolving yet again as the Lamborghini Squadra Corsa Instagram account has shared an image of a mysterious model. The most notable aspect of this car is that it dons the Aventador SVJ's styling and it doesn't have a roof or windshield. To me, this looks like an Aventador SVJJ.. or Aventador SVJ Speedster. I'll be honest, I'm 100% sure I have no idea what it will be called but it's definitely a supercar we've never seen before. Be sure to stay with us for more information as it's released. All Aventador SVJs For Sale https://www.instagram.com/p/CFznNKUjpDQ/

By Andrew Nabors – September 15, 2020

2021 Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Will Arrive Ready To Race

Nothing was left to chance when developing their latest race car. With 830 horsepower and 614 lb-ft of torque, the 2021 Lamborghini Essenza will arrive ready to race. Step inside the world's first carbon fiber roll bar and you will find controls for the clutch and differential at your fingertips. All essential racing controls are at your thumbs, allowing you to keep your hands on the wheel. You can dial the ABS and Stability controls from mild to world, or turn them off to harness the beast on your own terms. Revealed: The Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Hypercar Perhaps the best feature is a new six-speed sequential transmission. Designed to carry the loads of the rear suspension, it is a compact and brilliant step forward for the brand. Only 40 lucky customers will be able to compete in a new Squadra Corse series devoted to this car. Tell us what you think of it in the comments below, and check out great incentives on 2020 Lamborghini Aventador for sale. Browse Lamborghi For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – September 10, 2020

The 10,000th Lamborghini Aventador Has Been Created

Lamborghini has just announced that they have created the 10,000th Aventador. That's a major milestone for the automaker as the V12 supercar that has been in production in Sant'Agata since 2011. Since then, we've seen a multitude of Aventador variants, including the monstrous Aventador SVJ that set a Nurburgring record. In fact, the 10,000th example was an Aventador SVJ Roadster finished in Grigio Acheso (grey) with a Rosso Mimir (red) livery and a Rosso Alala (red) and black interior made possible through Ad Personam. This car will be heading to the Thai market. Congratulations are in order for Lamborghini on their milestone! If you're like to learn more about each model, click the following links: Aventador specs and review, Aventador S Roadster specs and review, Aventador SV Roadster specs and review, and Aventador SVJ Roadster specs and review. See All Aventadors for Sale

By Edward Jones – July 17, 2020

Revealed: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Xago Edition

Lamborghini is creating ten examples of a wild new variant of the Aventador SVJ called the "Xago Edition." This new edition was created to celebrate Lamborghini's new virtual Ad Personam studio. Through this new studio, Lamborghini is able to offer personalization consultations to clients worldwide without them having to travel to their headquarters in Italy. The design of this limited-edition Aventador SVJ features a lot of hexagons, which comes from the cloud patterns found in the north pole of Saturn as well as the hexagonal shapes found in many of Lamborghini's designs. This is most likely where the name comes from: "he-XAGO-n." Lamborghini notes that it took 120 to create the special fading hexagonal effect of the exterior. Inside, the interior took 80 hours to create the hexagonita pattern with contrasting colors. Each of the ten Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Xago Edition will have a special numbered plate along with unique livery colors. For more information, click here. See All Lamborghini Aventador SVJs for Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Andrew Nabors – July 09, 2020

Lamborghini Sian Roadster Explained by Chief Technical Of...

Maurizio Reggiani has the final say on every aspect of Lamborghini's lineup. After learning the ropes at Maserati, he was responsible for the quad-turbo V12 for the Bugatti EB 110. Now as the Chief Engineer, he holds the reigns of the Raging Bull, a position held by Horacio Pagani when he oversaw the development of the Diablo. Therefore, there is nobody more qualified to explain how supercapacitors transform a supercar into a hypercar. Even though they are already sold, we have a few Aventador SVJs you might be interested in. Click the button below to find yours, and stay with us for all your Lamborghini news. Browse Lamborghini Aventador For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 29, 2020

Lamborghini SCV12 Onboard Hot Laps at Imola

Don't let Monday give you the blues. Even if your weekend was filled with monotonous chores, this Macchina Veloce will make you smile. Last week, a new Raging Bull was teased for the Squadra Corse Series. While the Aventador doesn't make a bad track car, engineers pulled out all the stops for something new. Taking lessons learned on the SVJ63 and the Sian, the new SCV12 has big shoes to fill. That's why they decided to start the week with inspirational footage of factory driver Emanuele Pirro lapping Imola in their new track car. Not encumbered by emissions or noise regulations, this is how all V12 engines should sound. If you think you can handle it, our dealers have all the details on the Squadra Corse program. Have a great week, from all of us at duPont REGISTRY! Browse Lamborghini For Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – January 17, 2020

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Cruising in California

Not many Americans have experienced the highest and lowest locations in the contiguous 48 States. Death Valley and Mount Whitney are only 120 miles apart, but the difference in height is 14,787 feet. It is one of the most scenic drives you will ever experience, and that is why you need to take a new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ cruising in California. Our dealers have several to choose from, so click the button below to find yours! Browse all Lamborghini Aventador SVJ For Sale " width="680"> Related: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Andrew Nabors – January 02, 2020

Lamborghini Surprises Father & Son Building 3D-Printed Av...

Another year means another chance for Lamborghini to reward their fans. Their social media campaign is known as "#RealLover", and it brought a secret project into the light. That is how Lamborghini Christmas 2019 surprized a father & son. Sterling Backus and his son Xander have been hard at work. Using the latest in 3D printing, they have been spending late nights building an exact replica of a new Aventador SV. When Santa Claus arrived, he left a new Aventador S Roadster in the driveway. Browse All Lamborghini Aventador For Sale Well done Lamborghini! If you share their passion, click the button above to find your Aventador and click the link below to see ou coverage of this project from last year. " width="680"> Related: Dad 3D Printed a Lamborghini Aventador for His son Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster Price, Specs, Photos & Review

By Edward Jones – September 26, 2019

LEGO R/C Lamborghini Aventador SV Could Be a Reality

LEGO Ideas is a place where builders can submit their creations for a chance to have them become real LEGO sets. We've seen a lot of automotive Ideas come across the website, but a recent submission caught our eye. LEGO Builder "lego_bee" submitted their idea for a remote-controlled Lamborghini Aventador SV. This set would be a 1:12 scaled model of the intense supercar. It includes a list of impressive features, like independent suspension, doors that open, motors for driving, servo for steering, front lights, rear lights and more. It's quite incredible. Check it out below and vote on this set by clicking here. see all aventador sv's for sale

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