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 Andrew Nabors – April 22, 2021

Bugatti, Lamborghini, & Bentley Celebrate A Sustainable E...

Its nice to be clean. Old man Porsche is looking down with a smile. That's because his empire is seeing unprecedented prosperity, and VW Group's premium brands have a special message for Earth Day 2021. For the sake of brevity, we combined the best aspects of each press release here for you. Starting at the top, Stephan Winkelmann is leading the clean movement as the boss at Bugatti and Lamborghini. “With regard to carbon emissions, there’s a simple order that applies to us all – first avoid them, then reduce them, and then offset any remaining emissions. For this reason, we at Bugatti work hard to avoid emissions and other environmental impacts wherever possible in all of our development and production processes. We are also continuously lowering emissions on the basis of leaner processes and use green electricity and biogas in production. These are the upstream measures that our carbon offsetting projects then build on.” Browse Bugatti For Sale From his Italian office, he spoke on Lamborghini's carbon-cutting initiatives. They won the Green Star Award for building clean supercars this year. The Green Star Award and our contribution to the #Project1hour campaign are further proof of the company’s commitment, pursued with a great sense of responsibility since 2009 and which, through continuous industrial investments, led to the achievement of CO2-neutral certification in 2015 that was also maintained following the recent production site expansion. Browse Lamborghini For Sale We are currently engaged in defining a strategy, to be officially announced soon, which will lead us to accelerate our commitments with regards to environmental sustainability. We want to give concrete answers, through significant innovations, during this time of profound transformation that affects the whole automotive industry. We are convinced that our decisions as a company, but also as individuals, can make a difference: for us and for our future generations.” Finally, his counterpart at Bentley, Adrian Hallmark had this to say about their EV transformation: “As a company, we have already set out on the path towards Beyond100, which will see us introducing a hybrid option to every product in our range by 2023. We are on track to deliver our first BEV in 2025 and we are working towards a clear goal ambition of becoming end-to end carbon neutral by 2030. We see this as a fundamental part of our strategy for the future." Browse Bentley For Sale Well done to everyone at VW Group for leading the way in clean, efficient, and fun cars. Image (C) Bugatti

By Edward Jones – April 21, 2021

Lamborghini Huracan STO Joins Rocket League Roster

The raging bull gets a brand new set of rockets. Rocket League has a long list of different cars in its roster, including the Ford F-150 and McLaren 570S. Now, the new Lamborghini Huracan STO is joining the list as the latest vehicle you can fly across the field. The package that includes the Huracan STO also comes with two different liveries, a matching engine sound, two sets of tires, a Huracan STO player banner and Antenna systems. To coincide with this reveal, Lamborghini will also be the official sponsor of the Rocket League Championship Series X Lamborghini Open. A "Battle of the Bulls" tournament will run from April 23rd to 25th, with the winner taking home $5,000. This tournament will be a series of five one-on-one matches. If you'd like to add the Lamborghini Huracan STO to your Rocket League collection, it will be available from today until April 27th. See All Huracans For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 20, 2021

Lamborghini Unveils Three New Models in Shanghai

Raging Bulls in Little China The exotic nature of the Far East draws spectators from around the world. Taking all necessary precautions, Lamborghini has unveiled three new models in Shanghai. As a formidable part of this major show, this represents the future of the brand in Asia. For the first time, journalists were allowed to get up close and personal with the Essenza SCV12 hypercar. Limited to a run of only 40 cars, you know they already have buyers confirmed. Next up is the street-legal racing Huracan, the STO. Super Trofeo Omologata is the culmination of the Huracan's dominance on tracks around the world. The grand finale was the Huracan Fluo Capsule. This special project by their Ad Personam team showcases the bright colors and interior finishes offered by the talented coachbuilders. The ability to make dreams come true is just one reason why Black Sabbath loves Lamborghini. This news follows their Q1 reports which show 2020 has their most profitable year in history. As such, their CEO Mr. Wilkemann had this to say: Automobili Lamborghini closed 2020 with its highest-ever profitability and its second highest-ever in terms of turnover and sales despite an around 2 months factory closure due to the COVID-19. This growing momentum has continued into 2021: the year opened with a very positive outlook, with deliveries in the first 3 months reaching the highest level on record. Orders placed thus far already cover nine months of production." “I am proud and humbled to be leading Lamborghini again, and especially now, at this pivotal point in the company's history. We are working very hard and preparing Lamborghini for a new era. The new development plans to be announced soon will outline how Lamborghini is going to become an even stronger brand, both here in China and around the world.” Tell us which one you like the most in the comments below and stay with us for all your Lamborghini news. Shop Lamborghini Images (C) Lamborghini

By Andrew Nabors – April 16, 2021

Why Black Sabbath Loves Lamborghini

Legendary Guitarist Tommy Iommi shares his love for the brand. If you happen to find yourself on stage shredding with Ozzy, you've made it in life. Being a founding member of Black Sabbath, Tommy has been touring since 1968. When he isn't on the road, he spends time with his Lamborghini collection. In the latest press release from Sant' Agata we learned it all started with a pair of Espadas. From there he bought a pristine Miura SV, the world's first supercar that also happens to be 50 years old this month. Even though Ozzy left and came back a few times, the music is just as powerful as his cars. “For us it was all about sticking to what we do, what we believe in and what we like, from day one and all the way through. I’ve never changed my style because it’s the fashion. We’ve been in and out of fashion ourselves as things around us were constantly changing. But we never compromised and came back as big as ever, until we filled stadiums again. It was brilliant!” “We started the heavy metal genre, which inspired bands like Metallica and Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters to find their own styles. Music changes as it goes on, but ours has pretty much stayed the same, because that’s what we do: when you’re involved in something and it’s in you, that’s what you play. We have improved it over the years, but we retained the original thing. Equally, Lamborghini has always looked for innovation while always retaining that unmatched power and unmistakable sound.” You know what must be done. Leaving work today, crank up the volume and play NIB on repeat. Tell us your favorite Lamborghini in the comments below and stay with us for all your celebrity car news. Shop Lamborghini Images (C) Lamborghini

By Andrew Nabors – April 15, 2021

Watch a Lamborghini LM002 Drifting Across The Alps

Age is only a number Sitting atop the Alps, Switzerland must always be ready for an Italian invasion. The same paths taken by Hannibal's War Elephants can also be accessed by a Lamborghini in 4LO. All you need is a Countach V12 engine, Pirelli's most expensive Scorpions, and decent heel-toe shifting. The Lamborghini LM002 specs were unlike anything else before the introduction of the Urus for sale, and this film shows us why. Kidston Productions spent a weekend at the Gstaad Palace to see how the land of cheese and Cuckoo Clocks would react to the Rambo Lambo. Age is only a number, as the fuel-injected beast made use of the cool air to drift between southern and central Europe. Tell us what you would do with such an opportunity in the comments below and check out these great Urus incentives from our dealers. Browse Lamborghini Urus For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 14, 2021

Lamborghini Miura SV Turns 50 This Year

The world's first supercar What good is a V8 if it's on top of the front wheels? That was the question Ferruccio Lamborghini asked his team in 1965. Their answer was to mount the engine transversely (east-west) behind the cockpit. The result is a car with unbeatable grip and performance, even by modern standards. It also happens to be one of the most beautiful bodies ever sculpted by Bertone, so we're excited that the Lamborghini Miura SV turns 50 this year. Almost all of them are accounted for, but we need you to help Curated find the lost SV. Known as the P400 project, the Super Veloce sought to squeeze every ounce of performance from the Miura. The boss turned to his chief engineers Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani to push the car to its limits. Their upgrades included separate oil systems for the engine and transmission, with coolers for each. New carburetors fed more aggressive cams while also improving the car's temperment on the street. The Miura SV debuted in 1971 with 385 horsepower, a stiffer chassis, and 9" wide rear wheels. The car was and is far ahead of its time, and that's why we love offering them to you. Click the button to find your Miura and stay with us for all your Lamborghini news. Browse Lamborghini For Sale Images (C) Lamborghini

By Andrew Nabors – April 08, 2021

How To Jump a Lamborghini Urus Over An Aventador

Spoiler: No Spoilers Were Damaged Leaving Earth for a few seconds makes you reevaluate the choices you just made. We recommend doing it in a car or truck you don't love anymore, preferably one the bank doesn't care about either. But Street Speed 717 does it differently. His latest upload does it a bit differently as he jumps his Lamborghini Urus over his Aventador. Its not just about getting up to speed, you have to choose the correct Urus driving mode. Looking merely at their specs, both are AWD and this slice of his collection has 1,260 lb-ft of torque and 1,260 horsepower. Everyone needs the choice of twin-turbo V8 or naturally-aspirated V12, with rear-wheel steering for both. This video also answers the question of what an Urus sounds like with straight pipes. We approve of his exhaust but we can't condone such dangerous acts, especially on a farm. Tell us which Lamborghini you prefer in the comments below! Browse Urus For Sale Browse Aventador For Sale Image (C) Street Speed 717

By Edward Jones – April 07, 2021

Hear the Scream of a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ On the Track

Long live the Lamborghini V12. The scream of a Lamborghini V12 is one that will never get old. Its note can be recognized among a sea of other cars and that's because it's just so beautiful. If you're a fan of the Lamborghini V12 like I am, you need to check out this video from Gumbal. In the video, found up above, you'll be able to hear a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ scream across the TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands. This took place during a private trackday that was organized by Supercar Society. For the Aventador SVJ, Lamborghini went above and beyond to create the ultimate version of their flagship supercar and it is videos like this one that shows incredible it really is. If you like the sounds of the Aventador SVJ so much that you'd like to add one to your collection, be sure to click the button below to see what's available. See All Aventador SVJs For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 06, 2021

Lamborghini Celebrates 400th Huracan Race Car

In a normal world, automakers build a handful of hardcore track machines that we love to sneak onto the street. Because they value customer satisfaction above everything else, Lamborghini is celebrating their 400th Huracan Race Car. Since the Huracan entered professional motorsports in 2014, they have built more track monsters than other Italian companies build for an entire production run. Our friend Stephan Winkelmann (President and CEO) said: We are proud of the milestone, which is important not only for Squadra Corse but for the whole company. In a few years Squadra Corse has established itself in the most important international competitions and the Huracán GT3 and Super Trofeo are an undisputed point of reference in the Gran Turismo category.” The Huracans have over 100 wins, including Daytona three times in a row. Last year they saw 88 drivers in 24 teams compete around the world, but you don't need a fire suit to push the Huracan to its limits. The Huracan STO is a street-legal version of the GT3, and you can learn all about by clicking the button below. Browse Huracan For Sale Images (C) Lamborghini

By Andrew Nabors – April 01, 2021

2021 Lamborghini Huracan EVO Receives Amazon Alexa & Andr...

Driving a classic Lamborghini means your audio comes from the exhaust. Sure the Alpine was and is capable of AM and FM, but what if you want more? Connected cars are all the rage these days, so the 2021 Lamborghini Huracan EVO has received Amazon Alexa and Android Auto. The car's operating system is all-new, and owners will receive free updates over the air. Lamborghini Connect is a new Huracan EVO spec that combines navigation, comfort, safety, traffic info, and entertainment. The two-way connection to your smartphone conveys your car's status, speed alerts in valet mode, and the ability to build a geofence to alert you should the car try to make an escape. Should you already own an EVO, the system can be added for free at the dealer. Click the button to learn even more about what sets the Huracan apart from lesser supercars. Shop Lamborghini Huracan EVO Images (C) Lamborghini

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