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 Edward Jones – April 22, 2015

Lamborghini Aventador SV Production Numbers Released

Now that the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SuperVeloce is making its debuts around the world, everyone has had one question in their mind: How many Aventador SVs will be made?Lamborghini addressed this question in a press release issued April 20, which also featured the car's debut at the 2015 Auto Shanghai Show. According to the press release, only 600 examples of the car will be created. This is a huge increase over the Murcielago SV, which was rumored to only have under 200 examples created. See More Lamborghini News We also know that the Aventador SV's price tag is set at $497,069, which does not include the $3,700 gas-guzzler tax and destination charge of $3,495. Altogether, it carries a total price of $504,264, which is $100,000 over the Aventador's base price.Be sure to stay with us for more Lamborghini news as it is released. View Aventadors For Sale (Source: Lamborghini)

By Andrew Nabors – October 10, 2014

1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition For Sale

If you are looking for a newer car, low mileage is a great attribute. But if you are in the market for a classic, attempting to find one that was parked when new can be a real headache. Everyone has heard of the old man that backs his car out of the garage every weekend. He gets her warmed up and waxed, and then it’s back into isolation. Believe it or not, this causes more harm to the drivetrain than leaving it motionless.Without a few miles of city and a dash of highway, the engine, transmission and differential never get warm enough to boil condensation out of the system. Water vapor creates rust inside these critical and expensive parts, and leads to premature failure, despite their low mileage. When looking for a classic, make sure the odometer shows enough rotations to ensure the car has had its exercise. This Countach is just such an example. What we have is a showroom new Lamborghini Countach 25th anniversary model that has been lovingly cared for. Dividing the mileage by age gives us 713 miles per year, or around 60 miles per month. This means that the owner was smart enough to let her stretch her legs.Earlier this year, I explained how important the Countach was to Lamborghini. (A brief history lesson) It brought a small Italian car builder into the mainstream, and made the raging bull part of pop culture. With a long production run beginning in 1974, it brought them into the modern age.Italians take their time designing a new model, and by the late 1980s the Diablo was approaching its debut. In order to give the Countach a proper send off, Chief Engineer (and carbon fiber alchemist) Horacio Pagani designed a wild anniversary 25th anniversary model. It may look similar at a distance, but this rarefied and refined Countach shares only a few body parts with a standard production model.He enlarged the cooling ducts and sculpted the curves of the body to channel air to the brakes and away from the floor pans. Titanic fender flares were added to the rear quarter panels in order to run a 345 mm wide rear tire. Still one of the widest tires in production, it allowed for a 0-60 run of 4.7 seconds. That's lightning fast for 1989, and still incredible today.This car is one of only 657 produced, and is a bold statement of Lamborghini’s power and Pagani's brilliance. Like Derek Jeter, Countach went out on top, and gracefully handed the reins over to the next generation. If you want a collector car that is both a sound investment and in perfect running order, this Countach 25th Anniversary Edition for sale at Exotic Motors Midwest is for you.View Price and ListingGallery

By Edward Jones – July 21, 2014

Duaiv Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Art Car at Lamborghi...

Lamborghini Miami is not your average Lamborghini dealership. Not only are they a go-to destination for the world’s most sought after exotic cars, they also pride themselves on “doing things a little different.” For example, Lamborghini Miami has shocked the world with their extreme automotive marketing tactics and unique projects like the Land, Air and Sea Project; Project AU79; and the Sharpie Lamborghini Gallardo; and now, Lamborghini Miami is at it again. The North Miami-Beach-based dealership has collaborated with world-renowned artist Duaiv to turn a half-million dollar Lamborghini Aventador Roadster into a blank canvas for his artistic stylings, which is known as “Project Duaiv.” In a recent interview with Brett David, CEO of Lamborghini Miami and Prestige Imports, we learned more about the Project Duaiv. Born in France in 1952, Duaiv has traveled the world as a classical musician and accomplished painter. He is a colorful man with hair that matches hues of his full spectrum art that he creates using cans of paint rather than tubes. His tools to produce these imaginative masterpieces include various sizes of palette knives, tiny brushes and even his fingers. Duaiv came to Lamborghini Miami in an artistically wrapped Ferrari but his wish was to transpose one of his paintings and bring it to life on his ultimate dream car, the most radical piece of performing art: a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster. He certainly came to the right place. They delivered the car to Duaiv and his family, at the showroom with the original painting on display next to the car for a photo shoot, making this world renowned artist’s dream a reality. This 2015 Aventador Roadster has not only been customized with a one-off wrap, but also a Novitec rear spoiler. This spoiler alone gives the car an even more unique appearance over stock models. Unveiled in November 2012, the Aventador Roadster is fitted with the same 6.5-liter V12 found in the coupe version. When the engine's 690 hp and 507 lb-ft is put to work, the Roadster will sprint from 0-60 mph in 3 seconds and top out at 217 mph. (See also: Black Lamborghini Veneno Roadster Delivered) Making this car a Roadster are the two carbon fiber panels. Each weighs 13 lbs each and can be stored in the front boot space. When Lamborghini's engineers were developing the Roadster's roof system, they reinforced the necessary parts of the car to ensure the torsion resistance is not affected. Even though the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is a special vehicle in itself, this art car by Duaiv extends the artistic vision used by Lamborghini designers with a colorful French perspective. To see more incredible Lamborghinis for sale, be sure to visit Lamborghini Miami's showroom in North Miami Beach, Florida. Lamborghini Miami is a division of Prestige Imports, an iconic South Florida dealership with over 35 years of experience. With a knowledgeable staff and vast selection of fine automobile, these dealerships have seen and will continue to see great success in the future. Gallery See More Lamborghini News

By Edward Jones – April 30, 2014

Lamborghini Gallardo Gets Gymkhana Treatment

A common complaint overheard in the automotive world is that exotic car owners don't drive their cars the way they were created to be driven. Critics often suggest that these cars need to be pushed to their limits, taken sideways on a track and have their tires worn out more often. (See also: Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo on Ski Slope) To help quiet those voices for a moment, DailyDrivenExotics released a video April 17 to YouTube. This video shows a Lamborghini Gallardo being driven extremely hard through a home-made "Gymkhana" course, without care for the lifespan of the tires. Check out the video above to see the Gallardo like you've never seen it before. (Don’t try this at home.) (Source: DailyDrivenExotics / YouTube) See More Lamborghini Gallardo News

By Edward Jones – April 14, 2014

2015 Lamborghini Veneno Specs, Prices, Photos & Review

2015 Lamborghini Veneno Specs[infobox bg="gray" color="black" opacity="on" subtitle="Price: $4,000,000Engine: 6.5-liter V12HP: 750 hp0-62: 2.8 secondsTop Speed: 220 mphTransmission: 7-speed automated manualTorque: 509 lb-ft"]Specs Let the expletives fly, if not for the cool outrageous design, then for the $4,000,000 price. The Lamborghini Veneno’s styling is about as extreme as you can get outside of a Hot Wheels factory. Want to feel young again? One look at the Lamborghini Veneno and you’ll want to hang a framed poster of it on your wall next to your wife’s Thomas Kinkade painting. However, with a production run of just three cars, any childhood-like excitement turns slowly into a sobering reality: a poster is as close as you may ever get to this car.Used Lamborghini Aventador For Sale Article from the 2014 Exotic Car Buyer's Guide See More Exotic Car Buyer's Guide Reviews

By Edward Jones – January 21, 2014

Lamborghini Veneno Delivered to U.S.

A private buyer in Florida has received one of the only three Lamborghini Venenos for sale worldwide on Jan. 20, completing a transaction that began in March, 2013. The car was delivered to Miami at 7:00 p.m.. As darkness fell and the lights of colorful South Beach blended with the bright halogen lights and vivid colors of the commemorative Italian uber-car, the masterpiece was unloaded off of a flatbed, and keys were presented to the buyer. The vehicle is believed to be history’s highest priced, retail, new car sale, at a tag of $4,106,000 for Veneno #2. The vehicle was sold to the buyer by St. Louis Motorcars/Lamborghini St. Louis, which is owned by Graham Hill and J.J. Mills. Hill was on hand to present the Veneno to a euphoric buyer. The vehicle was shipped from the factory to, and prepped at, Prestige Imports/ Lamborghini Miami. Owner Brett David graciously welcomed the opportunity to help facilitate such a significant transaction.After taking official delivery of the $4 million dollar car, the buyer and Hill promptly drove the supercar to a South Beach restaurant for dinner and proudly parked his new prized possession right in front, for all of South Beach to see and enjoy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoMnrhkZP2YGallery Delivery of Kris Singh’s New Pagani Huayra BC Macchina Volante

By Edward Jones – March 04, 2013

The Lamborghini Veneno: A $4 Million Supercar

Lamborghini has leaked their 50th Anniversary celebratory car ahead of its Geneva unveiling; the Lamborghini Veneno.Lamborghini For Sale

By Edward Jones – January 04, 2013

Gold Lamborghini Aventador Drifting [Video]

Check out this video shot by NueVue Productions. In it you will see the famous gold Lamborghini Aventador, AU79, drifting and flying by. This is all behind the scenes video for the short film created by Prestige Imports Miami, "AU.79"." width="640">

By Edward Jones – December 14, 2012

Lamborghini Aventador LP760-4 Dragon Edition by Oakley De...

The Lamborghini Aventador LP760-4 Dragon Edition is an absolutely gorgeous and powerful vehicle. Refined Marques and Oakley Design worked together to create this firebreathing monster.Oakley Design decked out the Dragon Edition with carbon fiber pieces including a front chin spoiler that has increased length in order to provide more down force. The exposed roof section is comprised of carbon fiber, as well as the top section of the bonnet, the mirror covers, the 'C' pillars, the engine bay kit, kick plates and the side sill lower vents. Most notable addition is the fixed carbon fiber rear wing. Also, intakes on the front are fitted with parts that increase air flow. Rear bumper vents are larger, in order to capture more of the exhaust.Lamborghini For SaleOrange stitching is featured on the interior panels and seats, and orange dragons are placed on the top of the door panels. A specific mode number identifier is on the kick plates in orange, and the brake calipers are painted in orange as well.Thanks to a titanium exhaust system and an ECU upgrade, the LP760-4 creates 760hp, up from the base 690hp. The wheels are HRE P40SC's that are 19 x 9.5 in the front and 20 x 13 in the rear, and are finished in gloss black.Both Refined Marques and Oakley Design have truly created an aftermarket masterpiece and they just finished creating Dragon Edition 2/10.Here are some exclusive preview shots. Below is a gallery of Dragon Edition 1/10 before it was wrapped. Want to see the Dragon Edition's debut and hear its engine roar? Of course you do. Click play below. And, just for fun, here is Oakley Design's 'Nasser Edition' LP760-4.

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