Lamborghini News

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 Tyler Rampersaud – September 26, 2022

The Last New Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Roadster Ends ...

After over a decade, it’s officially over. It’s been talked about for quite a long time, but the moment has finally come when we have no choice but to move on from one of the world’s favorite supercar icons. The Lamborghini Aventador, and with it, the “pure” naturally aspirated V12-powered Lamborghini as a whole have come to an end, as Lamborghini has announced that the final Aventador Ultimae, officially a Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Roadster in a light blue color specially chosen through Ad Personam for a customer in Switzerland is rolling off the assembly line. MUST READ: Lamborghini Looks Back On the Murcielago’s Contributions To The Brand’s V12 Legacy The model served since 2011 as Lamborghini’s flagship offering, and it was, is, and will now forever be the pinnacle of Lamborghini’s pure V12 performance with incredible top speeds, lightning-quick 0-60 times, and innovation throughout its lifecycle, from the first Aventador, to the Roadster, to the SuperVeloce, to the Aventador S, SVJ, and most recently the Ultimae. With a nimble, lightweight structure, immense power, all-wheel drive, and aerodynamics, suspension, and technology throughout dedicated to performance, the Aventador has remained one of the greatest supercars of our time, and that’s proven by the fact that over 10,000 Aventadors have been sold, with the total number being greater than the sum of all the previous Lamborghini V12 models. If the farewell of the Aventador is anything like that of the Murcielago, we can soon look forward to an even greater replacement. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 22, 2022

Lamborghini Looks Back On the Murcielago's Contributions ...

Lamborghini celebrates another member of its long line of V12-powered supercars. For Lamborghini, the end of an era has come for the brand’s signature naturally aspirated V12 engine, which has been the power unit of choice for the brand’s flagship supercars for most of its history. With change sweeping the entire automotive industry, Lamborghini is pivoting toward electrification for the brand with the upcoming successor to the Lamborghini Aventador having hybrid V12 power. However, the V12 will always be incredibly important to Lamborghini’s legacy, which is why the brand is taking this year to celebrate the V12-powered models that earned its glory. This time, Lamborghini looks back on the car that was passed the torch by the Diablo, the iconic Lamborghini Murcielago that served as Lamborghini’s flagship in the 2000s. MUST READ: Lamborghini Urus Price, Specs, and Photos The car was introduced in 2001 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and with a 6.2-liter engine and 580 horsepower, it was an amazing Lamborghini worthy of the flagship responsibility. The design of the Murcielago was the first for the brand to use the CAD-CAM system in Lamborghini Centro Stile, which at the time was the new design department. With its incredible performance and iconic design, the roadster version came in 2004, followed by the LP 640-4 coupe and roadster in 2007, and the LP 650-4 roadster in 2010, along with the SV. All of the Murcielago models were all-wheel drive and were the last Lamborghinis to come with both V12 power and manual transmission. Limited editions of the car included the 40th-anniversary edition, the legendary Versace edition, and the ten-unit China Limited Edition. Like the other V12-powered Lamborghinis throughout the brand’s history, the Lamborghini Murcielago captivated the world with its style, luxury, and performance. View All Lamborghini Murcielagos For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 21, 2022

Lamborghini Releases Another Teaser For The Off-Roading H...

This supercar still looks too good to be true. The idea seems like somthing out of an otherworldly pipe dream – a mid-engined supercar with high ground clearance and beefy tires, designed to tackle the unpaved surfaces that nearly any other sueprcar woudn’t dare traverse. It seems like the kind of concept for a car that can only be brushed off with a “what if,” but you didn’t make it up. Lamborghini actually showed the off-road capable Huracan Sterrato in 2019, and a fe months ago, released a teaser with a camouflaged version of the car called “Beyond The Concrete.” Better yet, Lamborghini has just revealed a sequel to that teaser, featuring two windsurfers and a destination only accessible by cars willing to get their tires dirty. MUST READ: Lamborghini Urus Price, Specs, and Photos The V10-powered supercar effortlessly and flamboyantly makes its way through dirt and sand, kicking up lots of dust as it made its journey, and showed off again that the fantasy of an off-road supercar was even more exciting to see in actual action. Hopefully the reveal of yet another teaser only a few months after the last one for the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato means that the car will be in production soon for owners to bring one of the Fighting Bull brand’s most iconic supercars where it’s never gone before. View All Lamborghini Huracans For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 20, 2022

Lamborghini's New LMDh Prototype Race Car Will Have A Twi...

We finally know what kind of engine lies at the heart of Lamborghini’s anticipated race car. The new LMDh prototype race cars that are coming from many brands are highly anticipated for their level of innovation and promised intensity on the track, and while the hybrid systems and chassis for the LMDh cars are derived from a set of providers that the FIA has laid out for manufacturers to choose from, the engines are where things start to get varied and interesting, of course within the confines of a combined maximum power of 681 horsepower. MUST READ: The New Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica And Huracan STO Show Off Their Performance On Sardinia In the case of Lamborghini, the manufacturer is announcing that it has decided to equip its upcoming LMDh race car with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, with a 90-degree V angle. As part of Lamborghini’s Cor Tauri strategy to enter the world of hybrid powertrains, this new venture in motorsport will mark the start of and help Lamborghini gain experience with hybrid performance as a brand. The car will make its competitive debut in the 2024 IMSA Endurance cup and the FIA World Endurance championship, and it will boast a top speed of over 211 mph and it will soon be ready to bring the Fighting Bull brand glory in the arena of top-class endurance racing. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 19, 2022

The New Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica And Huracan STO Show ...

Along with the STO, the Huracan Tecnica shows off its capabilities on Sardinia. The Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica was revealed earlier this year as one of the most versatile iterations of the V10-powered supercar yet. Featuring the power of the track-focused STO and the luxury and everyday usability of the more tame Huracan models, Lamborghini says that the new Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica is a car with “many souls,” and at long last, it shows its souls off in action for the first time on the Italian island of Sardinia. Starting and finishing at Porto Cervo, the experience’s headquarters was the city’s Lamborghini Lounge. MUST READ: 2022 Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Review: Is This The Ultimate Aventador? The Lounge is in Porto Cervo for the fourth year in a row, delivering an unmistakable Lamborghini experience to visitors for over two months, including configuration opportunities with Ad Personam allowing customers to create their ultimate dream Lamborghini. Out on the winding Sardinian roads, the Huracan Tecnica wasn’t alone. It was joined by the Huracan STO, which showed off its own track-ready performance and unbridled power, creating beautiful photos and videos of the spectacle that the two cars created on the gorgeous Mediterranean island. View All Lamborghini Huracans For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Jordan Aquistapace – September 14, 2022

Lamborghini Magazine Celebrates Its 30th Release With A L...

With only 1,963 available, Lamborghini's most passionate collectors and enthusiasts will surely have a copy on their bookshelves. Although Automobili Lamborghini relives its historic upbringing with a timeline of classic and modern supercars, the manufacturer also documents its milestones with a curated publication started in 2007. Each regular issue of the Lamborghini Magazine is dedicated to customers, members of the media, and its affluent clientele. Lamborghini is proud to celebrate its 30th issue with a limited-edition coffee-table book titled ‘Beyond’. The commemorative book includes exclusive content that comes to life through the words of renowned writers, unprecedented video interviews, and Augmented Reality solutions across five chapters. MUST-READ: The New Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Motorcycle Sold Out In Hours Along with interviews and stories, the 175-page issue also presents original illustrations that come to life in 3D with a smartphone. Packaging contains a soft-touch cover, storage case, and QR codes that make digital activations possible. The all-new Automobili Lamborghini ‘Beyond’ magazine is limited to 1963 copies to reference its founding year and is currently available at lamborghinistore.com for $159. View all current Lamborghini Inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and automotive news. VIEW ALL LAMBORGHINI FOR SALE Source: Automobili Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 14, 2022

Lamborghini Miami Delivers The First New North American 1...

With plenty of Lamborghinis on its roads, sunny Miami gets its first Lamborghini on the water. Known for its incredible supercars with lots of speed, power, and Italian luxury, as well as bold and futuristic design, Lamborghini’s cars are loved all over the world by enthusiasts, collectors, and fans. However, with the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63, the Lamborghini brand leaves the road and enters the water with a stunning yacht that evokes the Lamborghini brand just as much as its roadgoing counterparts. With a beautiful Lamborghini-inspired design and a sweeping profile evocative of a supercar, and an incredible 4,000 horsepower to match, the yacht is truly an aquatic Lamborghini, and it has arrived in North America for the first time in the perfect place. MUST READ: The New Wally wallywhy150 Yacht Packs World-Class Luxury And Style Into 78 Feet As a yachting destination in the U.S., Miami, Florida is just about unparalleled in beauty and tropical flair. It’s a city known for its vibrant passion that makes bold and luxurious cars like Lamborghinis fit right in, and for Lamborghini’s yacht, the same is true. One of 63 examples in the world, the first North American Tecnomar for Lamborghini yacht was delivered by Lamborghini Miami and Prestige Imports to the stunning Florida waters. Powerful, bespoke, and highly exclusive, the yacht’s new owner is ready to rule the seas with something truly unique. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini Miami

DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V4 LAMBORGHINI 72 UC418444 High

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 09, 2022

The New Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Motorcycle So...

The hype is undeniable for the intersection of two very iconic brands. Ducati and Lamborghini are both heroes in their respective crafts, both purveyors of Italian excellence in supercars and motorcycles, and when they came together to create a special motorcycle that paid homage to the Lamborghini Sian hypercar, it caused quite the stir. With the incredible success of the initial collaboration between the two brands, they decided to do it again, this time with the Lamborghini Huracan STO being used as inspiration. The new Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini, based on the 2023 Ducati Panigale V4 S, features an unabashed kinship with the STO, with similar colors and design elements throughout, and it truly represents the epic brainchild of the two brands coming together. MUST READ: The GearBox: The Performante Look In an homage to Lamborghini’s founding year of 1963, only 630 of these motorcycles were made, and in addition, another 63 units were offered to special Lamborghini clients as part of the Speciale Clienti series, and those clients were given the opportunity to configure their own with wheels and colors like their own Lamborghinis. Within mere hours, all of the total of 693 units of the motorcycle were sold out. Whether it’s on two wheels or four, having a vehicle from Italy’s Fighting Bull in your garage is amazing, and when it’s also a rare Ducati motorcycle, it’s even better. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Ducati

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 07, 2022

Lamborghini Celebrated Its Past And Present At The Salon ...

The world’s most prestigious brands and the world’s most prestigious events make a good combo. Lamborghini has made some iconic and exclusive cars in the long history of the brand, with high performance, attention-commanding style, and a sense of luxury and driving pleasure only an Italian supercar maker could muster. It’s the perfect brand to be in the spotlight at prestigious Concours and automotive events, and that’s exactly what Lamborghini did at the UK’s Salon Prive and Hampton Court Concours d’Elegances with current and past Lamborghinis that effortlessly wowed the crowds. MUST READ: The New Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Celebrates The Huracan STO At Salon Prive’s event at Blenheim Palace, the new Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica was shown off, along with the Huracan STO. In addition, Lamborghini also showed the Aventador Ultimae, the last “pure” naturally-aspirated V12-powered Lamborghini. Past Lamborghinis at the events included the Reventon Roadster, the Miura SV “Jota,” as well as the Diablo SE. Artist Paul Oz was also contributing to Lamborghini’s presence, with a painting on carbon fiber on display that was already sold to a Lamborghini owner. One of the world’s most desired and iconic supercar brands continues to make great events better. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 02, 2022

The New Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Celebrates Th...

The incredible Lamborghini Huracan STO has the perfect two-wheeled companion. The Huacan STO is an incredible, track-focused Lamborghini with brash performance and zero compromises made when it comes to dominating the track, and it’s a hero for the Italian icon that is Lamborghini. Ducati, another Italian icon in the motorcycle world, is under the same parent company as Lamborghini, as both are part of the Audi Group, and this allows for the two brands to easily create amazing collaborations, which they did in 2020 with the Ducati Diavel 1260 Lamborghini, which was inspired by the Lamborghini Sian FKP37. MUST READ: The Lamborghini Diablo VT Was Lamborghini’s First 4WD Supercar 29 Years Ago This time, the STO and the Ducati Streetfighter V4 are coming together to create the new 2022 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini. Only 630 of these bikes will be made, and they include a green and orange livery inspired by the STO. The livery also features the number 63, which is incredibly important to Lamborghini as the supercar brand was founded in 1963, and many details throughout the bike echo the STO, like the fenders which reference the STO’s air ducts, and the grille extractors which look similar to the STO’s brake cooling ducts. With yet another collaboration between two iconic and well-loved brands, this motorcycle is a statement that celebrates the joy and desirability of Italian performance. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini

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