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 Khris Bharath – August 24, 2026

Lamborghini Revives the Tricolore Nameplate on the Temerario

Automobili Lamborghini unveiled the Temerario Tricolore at The Quail during the recent Monterey Car Week, where the Raging Bull brand also shared the stage with the 1,050-horsepower Revuelto SV that made its world debut. A bespoke Ad Personam configuration, this latest reveal brings back a nameplate last used on the Gallardo LP 550-2 Tricolore back in March 2011. The car was designed by Centro Stile and finalized with Ad Personam. Lamborghini's in-house studio marked its own 20th anniversary last year. Tricolore translates literally as three colors in Italian, and refers to the green, white, and red of the Italian flag. Limited to 150 units, the original car was a RWD V10-powered special series Gallardo, built to mark 150 years of Italian unification, a white car with the Tricolore stripe offset from the center, running from the hood, the roof, and the engine cover. On the Temerario, the stripe runs along the center, with Bianco Monocerus running across the upper surfaces, including the tops of the doors and fenders, set against Blu Marinus, a deep blue that throws lighter reflections in direct light, which covers the lower body. Nero Noctis features on the mirrors, wheels, engine cover and rear section, with Rosso brake calipers completing the exterior. Inside, Nero Ade upholstery pairs with Rosso Alala contrast stitching, and the hexagonal motif that defines the Temerario carries through the cabin. A silhouette of the car is worked into the rear trim, and Tricolore lettering is embroidered on the door panels. "Fifteen years after the Gallardo Tricolore, this new interpretation by our Centro Stile brings Italian national colours into the new era of the super sports car. At the same time, it demonstrates how Ad Personam enables each customer to create a truly unique Lamborghini, transforming their personal vision into a bespoke expression of individuality." - Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini Mechanically, the car remains unchanged and retains Lamborghini's High Performance Electrified Vehicle architecture, which pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors for 920 horsepower, which we experienced in our track test at Estoril in August last year. The Tricolore is the third significant bespoke Temerario, following the two Ad Personam configurations shown at Goodwood with their first-ever wool interiors, the Art Basel Miami car, and the Porto Cervo edition. Ad Personam turns 20 this year, and Sant'Agata is clearly using the Temerario as one of its showcases. <- Gallery -> View All Lamborghinis for Sale Images: Lamborghini

The New Lamborghini Revuelto SV Is A 1,050-HP V12 Hybrid

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 14, 2026

Lamborghini Reveals New Revuelto SV

Lamborghini is currently celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Miura, the masterpiece of automotive design and engineering that invented the supercar as we know it today. However, five years after that, the Lamborghini Miura SV emerged, beginning the legacy of the Lamborghini Super Veloce nameplate that is now opening a new chapter 55 years later. That is with the new Lamborghini Revuelto SV, the Super Veloce variant of Lamborghini’s latest hybrid V12 flagship supercar. The Revuelto SV has already demonstrated its performance, snagging a production car lap record on one of Germany’s most iconic racing circuits, the Hockenheimring. However, at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, Lamborghini has fully unveiled the Revuelto SV at long last, with 1,050 horsepower compared to the standard Revuelto’s 1,001 horsepower, and it also features more racing-focused dynamics, highly advanced brakes, and lightweight elements to deliver extreme performance. With its increased power, the new Lamborghini Revuelto SV is capable of getting from 0-60 in under 2.4 seconds, with a top speed that eclipses 214 mph. To date, it’s the most powerful production Lamborghini yet. In addition, the Revuelto SV features CCM-R Plus carbon-ceramic brakes, developed with endurance and Formula 1 racing as inspiration, adjustable passive dampers derived from GT3 competition, revised aerodynamics for better brake cooling, and 80 percent higher downforce than the standard Revuelto, and Bridgestone Potenza Race R tires developed specifically for the Revuelto SV. <- Gallery -> Dubbing the new Revuelto SV as “The Quantum of Driving,” Lamborghini invites drivers to take full advantage of the Revuelto SV’s motorsport-inspired engineering with a dedicated Pilota driving mode for the car, which offers a customizable and incredibly engaging track driving experience. Emphasizing the importance of personalization within the Lamborghini lineup, the new Revuelto SV is available with SV logo configurations for the exterior, along with a dedicated livery program specifically for the model through optional content and Ad Personam. Several visible carbon fiber elements enhance the design of the new model, and the extended use of carbon fiber inside not only contributes to a racing-focused aesthetic but also contributes to weight savings, without compromising luxury as it seamlessly integrates with features like the Sonus faber sound system. The 20- and 21-inch wheels feature a new “DROMOS” design on the Lamborghini Revuelto SV, and color-configurable center locks add another personalizable feature while highlighting the motorsport-derived character of the car. Combining V12 power and hybrid innovation at an even higher level than the standard Revuelto, the new Lamborghini Revuelto SV sets new standards for Lamborghini performance. View All Lamborghini Revuelto For Sale Image Source: Automobili Lamborghini

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 04, 2026

Pebble Beach Is Hosting the World's Largest Lamborghini Miura Gathering

Every year, on the picturesque coast of the Monterey Peninsula, the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links is lined with some of the world’s most significant cars and race cars, celebrating nearly every era of motoring and motorsport as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This August, for the first time ever, Pebble Beach Golf Links will be opening the 3rd fairway for a special display honoring Automobili Lamborghini’s 60th anniversary of the Miura. Curated by Lamborghini themselves, the showcase is expected to set a new world record for the largest gathering of Lamborghini Miuras ever assembled in a single location, outperforming previous meets for its 40th and 50th anniversaries. As the automotive industry continues to grow and evolve, preserving icons like the Miura has become quintessential to the collector car world, representing the spark and motivation that inspire the marque’s latest and greatest models like the Reveulto and Temerario. “Part of what makes Pebble Beach so special is that this is where automotive history is made. This August, the power of Pebble will become evident again as we assemble the world’s largest gathering of Miuras ever, to celebrate its 60th anniversary.” - Vince Finaldi, Pebble Beach Concours President The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elgance Miura display will be open to the public on Sunday, August 16, giving guests the chance to get up close with one of Lamborghini's most legendary supercars while exploring its history, evolution, and lasting impact. Source: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elgance

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