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 Tyler Rampersaud – November 04, 2022

Lamborghini Participates In The DESI Project To Prepare S...

Lamborghini helps start the next generation of automotive innovators early. Now in the program’s fifth year, the DESI (Dual Education System Italy) that Lamborghini participates in is kicking off for 2022. The program is the result of collaboration between Lamborghini, Ducati, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Regional Scholastic Office of the Italian Ministry of Education, the unitary union representation, and the FIM, FIOM, and UILM trade unions in Bologna. This year Bologna’s Aldini Valeriani high school is also involved. The goal of the project is to empower its 24 students to gain technical and professional skills, as well as a vocational diploma in order to be highly qualified to work in Italy’s renowned automotive industry. MUST READ: What is the Fastest Lamborghini? Since 2014, students have had the unique opportunity to be trained by Lamborghini in a protected environment. They’ll be able to show their skills in a real work environment and discover the specializations that they can excel in. Especially in the fourth and fifth-year classes in the Maintenance and Technical Assistance course, students spend 45 percent of the hours in Lamborghini’s training center, and they will earn a diploma and certificates for the skills that they will undoubtedly be ready to bring into the professional world to continue moving the automotive industry toward the future. View All Lamborghinis For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 31, 2022

The 2022 Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China Was The Longes...

The latest Chinese Lamborghini journey goes further than ever. The opportunity to drive some of the world’s greatest cars on a multi-day expedition through some of the world’s most stunning locations for sightseeing and driving is one that many of us car enthusiasts dream about, and brands like Lamborghini make it real. Especially since the introduction of the brand’s Urus Super SUV, exploration behind the wheel of a Lamborghini has been more possible than ever, with dream Lamborghini journeys coming to life. One of them is the Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China, which brings to Chinese customers a 5-day journey through some of China’s most scenic routes, and this year, Lamborghini just completed its 8th and longest-ever Giro China yet. MUST READ: Lamborghini Participated In Its Eleventh Year At The Autostyle Design Competition The total distance covered in the “Journey of Reawakening”-themed trip by the incredible Italian performance cars was over 680 miles, starting in the stunning mountainous resort town of Yangshuo, and enjoying a variety of unique experiences along the way until ending their journey in Chongzuo at the country’s southwest border, where the Urus particularly shined with its off-road abilities. For the first time in Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China’s history, the track-focused Huracan STO joined the journey with its unabashed power and performance. Like a car enthusiast’s modern version of the Silk Road, Italy and China came together to form this epic event. Lamborghini Gallardo For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 28, 2022

Lamborghini Participated In Its Eleventh Year At The Auto...

Lamborghini’s iconic design inspires the entire industry. In 2004, Professor Roberto Artioli, President of Berman S.p.A., which is an Italian company responsible for producing OEM parts for automakers across the world founded the Autostyle Design Competition, an event where companies present design ideas and fresh perspectives, and design students compete, with 12 students winning awards at the end of the event, who often go on to work for some of the world’s most significant car manufacturers. MUST READ: The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Racing Series Is Coming Back In 2023 In the past two years, the event was held online but returned to being in-person this year, held at Villa Schiarino Lena in Mantua, Italy. Lamborghini was heavily present in the event, with Mitja Borkert, Head of Design at Lamborghini presenting the Countach LPI 800-4, Huracan Tecnica, and the new Urus Performante. Being a brand that is known, loved, and celebrated all over the world for its unique, iconic, and unmistakable design language, Lamborghini has spent decades cultivating its signature style, and that incredible style was celebrated and used as inspiration for future automotive design at the Autostyle Design Competition for the eleventh year in a row. Used Lamborghini For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 27, 2022

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Racing Series Is Coming...

An epic Lamborghini racing series makes a comeback. After a 3-year hiatus as a result of the pandemic, the Fighting Bull brand has finally brought back the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia series. In its ninth season, the series will go across the Asia Pacific region, and then unite with the European and North American championships to become the Lamborghini Grand Finals. MUST READ: The New Lamborghini Urus Performante Makes Its Driving Debut In Rome The 2023 season starts at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia in May, where the entire series first began in 2012. It then goes to Adelaide, Australia at The Bend Motorsport Park for the first time. The one-make championship will only feature Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 cars, and with 254 drivers to date participating in the series since its inception, this upcoming season, Lamborghini expects to see the largest grid the series has ever had. The Lamborghini Grand Finals will take place at a date and time that will be announced at this year’s Lamborghini Grand Finals in Portimão this November, and an incredible season full of top-level Lamborghini performance will take place very soon. View All Lamborghini Huracans For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 20, 2022

The New Lamborghini Urus Performante Makes Its Driving De...

The new Lamborghini Urus Performante goes on a Roman holiday. Before the new Super SUV was even unveiled, the new Lamborghini Urus Performante with more power and on-road dynamic ability than the original Urus broke the record for production SUVs at Pikes Peak with a time of 10:32.064, which eclipsed the previous record holder by an incredible 17 seconds. The new car is able to produce 656 horsepower and 626 lb/ft of torque, features a dedicated Rally mode and can get from 0-60 in under 3.3 seconds, and reach a top speed of 190 mph, which are all unbelievable numbers for an SUV. MUST READ: How To See The Legendary One-Off Lamborghini Miura Roadster At The MUDETEC Now that it’s unveiled, the new Urus Performante is ready to make a driving debut in earnest, and to do that, Lamborghini went to the same place it went to when it debuted the original Urus in 2018: Rome. At Rome’s Autodromo Vallelunga, Lamborghini gave its first in-person look to many at both the new Urus Performante, and the original Urus’s successor, the Urus S. Guests were able to drive the new Performante on track and on a rally circuit that beautifully demonstrated the vehicle’s monstrous ability on-road and on loose surfaces. With Pirelli P-Zero tires created especially for SUVs, the vehicle excelled on both. Whether dirt or tarmac, all roads lead to Rome, and the new Lamborghini Urus Performante is excellent at driving on them. View All Lamborghini Urus For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 18, 2022

How To See The Legendary One-Off Lamborghini Miura Roadst...

An important and unique piece of Lamborghini history is revisited. The last-ever Lamborghini Aventador and last “pure” V12-powered Lamborghini, an Ad Personam-customized Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Roadster was inspired by a Lamborghini one-off that was introduced over 54 years ago: the Lamborghini Miura Roadster of 1968. The car was a specially-engineered version of the Miura designed to deliver a top-down, open-air experience that was seamless, natural, and just as exciting as the original car. While it remained a one-off, it helped inspire and inform Lamborghini roadsters of the future, and most recently, it inspired the very last “pure” V12-powered Lamborghini ever. Where did the Miura Roadster go? After being shown originally at the 1968 Brussels Auto Show, the car went on to be sold to ILZRO, or the International Lead and Zinc Research Association, where it was repainted and modified as the ZN 75, which showed off the proponents of lead and zinc in the automotive industry. In fact, the zinc-based rust protection featured on the Miura Roadster as the ZN 75 is still used today. In 2008, the Miura Roadster was given a restoration that brought it back to its original character with the same stunning Lamè SKy Blu paintwork and white leather interior with red carpets that the car had in 1968, and when it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2008, it won second place in the Lamborghini category. Where is the Miura Roadster now? Lamborghini’s MUDETEC museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, will serve as home to the Miura Roadster, where the model is on display celebrating its role in the final Aventador. It will be on display through the months of October and November, and the opportunity to see it is a rare one since the car is a one-off with incredible historical significance. View All Lamborghini Miuras For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 13, 2022

The Final Aventador Pays Homage To The One-Off Lamborghin...

Lamborghini history is made and celebrated with the same car. Lamborghini has announced that the final Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae, and thus the final Aventador and final “pure” naturally aspirated V12-powered Lamborghini has rolled off the assembly line and is destined for the garage of a Swiss collector. However, if it’s even possible, this final Aventador has even more special attributes than just those. It’s an Aventador Ultimae Roadster, and it pays homage to a very specific and intriguing piece of early Lamborghini history. MUST READ: 7,342-Mile 1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV Downdraft Listed for Sale The car features a very specific and bespoke configuration, with an “Azzuro Flake” body color, accented by Grigio Liqueo and Nero Aldebaran, with an interior finished in Bianco Leda leather accented by Nero Aldebaran. The details of this color scheme are tailored to match a very special Lamborghini one-off, the Miura Roadster from 1968. The car, originally unveiled at the Carrozzeria Bertone stand at the Brussels Motor Show, was a roofless version of the Miura that was specifically designed and engineered to deliver performance and drivability in the open air. The car was then in the possession of the International Lead and Zinc Research Organization, where it was renamed the ZN 75 and showed the rust-protecting ability of zinc, which is still used in cars today. Eventually, the car was restored to its original look in 2008, and has served as the inspiration for the final Aventador and final pure V12 Lamborghini. View All Lamborghini Aventadors For Sale Source: Lamborghini

By Jordan Aquistapace – October 06, 2022

Lamborghini Announces A VIP Urus Shuttle Service At Bolog...

The Italian partnership between Automobili Lamborghini and Guglielmo Marconi Airport continues until 2025, with some new luxury updates. With roots throughout the beautiful country of Italy, Automobili Lamborghini strives to diversify its partnerships with other Italian brands or companies to highlight the country’s economic strengths. Securing transportation efforts from ground to air, Lamborghini is proud to renew and expand its partnership with Bologna’s Guglielmo Marconi Airport. The relationship began in 2013 with a permanent car display on the ground floor, which has now been contracted until 2025 with many more updates to be done. The Lamborghini exhibition at the airport begins its plan to become a full-scale boutique with merchandise on display with the brand’s legendary supercars. Along with more shopping opportunities, travelers will also have the ability to book an exclusive VIP shuttle service for a more efficient airport experience. MUST-READ: The Best Lamborghinis You Can Buy Today The one-of-a-kind personalized service is available by pre-booking the airport’s VIP program YouFirst. Passengers are met by a Lamborghini Urus and dedicated airport VIP staff, both on arrival right as they step off the ‘plane and vice versa on departure. Along with implementing new highlights for visitors, Lamborghini is also put to as the follow-me car that accompanies planes on the runway. The follow-me car takes shape as a Lamborghini Huracán EVO, with a new black and yellow livery that pays homage to the evolution of previous colorways. Discover the new updates from Automobili Lamborghini by booking your next international layover at the Guglielmo Marconi Airport. View all current Lamborghini models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle and automotive news. VIEW ALL LAMBORGHINI FOR SALE Source: Lamborghini

By Jordan Aquistapace – October 05, 2022

Lamborghini Pays Tribute To The Beatles And The Iconic 40...

The Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 was launched in 1966, a mere three years after the founding of Automobili Lamborghini. Sixty years ago to the date, the Beatles debuted their popular single “Love Me Do” to help make them the world’s most successful and influential band. The supercar professionals at Automobili Lamborghini pay tribute by embarking on a memorable London tour in a Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2. The special journey navigates the 1960s Italian supercar from Abbey Road Studios to Saville Row, with many iconic landmarks along the way. The 400 GT 2+2 plays a significant role in Beatles history, as one was parked out front of their last live show on the roof of the Saville Apple Corps headquarters. The Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 parked on the street below featured a Rosso Alfa and Nero configuration, which is visible in director Peter Jackson’s recent award-winning Beatles documentary, Get Back. MUST-READ: Lamborghini Celebrates The Espada 400 GT During The 60th Anniversary Of Its V12 Engine The cameo proves to be consequential with all four band members being car enthusiasts, especially Sir Paul McCartney. The world-renowned bassist is a known fan of the 400 GT 2+2 and even is rumored to own one from numerous sources. In the latest Lamborghini video, English journalist Dylan Jones (who has interviewed Sir Paul McCartney on many occasions) retraces this fascinating journey to the Sixties to explore London’s influence on the songwriter and the era the Beatles shaped so profoundly. Watch Lamborghini tour the streets of London in the legendary 400 GT 2+2 by clicking the video link above. View all current Lamborghini models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on button below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and automotive news. VIEW ALL LAMBORGHINI FOR SALE

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 29, 2022

The New Lamborghini Urus S Is An Evolution Of The Super SUV

Just when we got used to this automotive revolution, it’s new all over again. While the luxury performance SUV has been a phenomenon that has brought sweeping change to the automotive world, changing the way we see performance cars and what they should be capable of, the Lamborghini Urus managed to send shockwaves through the luxury performance SUV world itself with its introduction. With provocative style, high performance, and high luxury, the Lamborghini Urus defined what it means for a car to be a great luxury performance SUV, and now Lamborghini, after introducing the Urus Performante with even more dominating performance, the evolution of the Lamborghini Urus as a whole has arrived as the new Lamborghini Urus S. MUST READ: Lamborghini Urus Price, Specs, Photos & Review With an increased 656 horsepower, the new Urus S is able to achieve a top speed of 189 mph and get from 0-60 in a mere 3.5 seconds. In addition, the exhaust note is revised, reaffirming the “Super” part of the Lamborghini Urus’s Super SUV designation. The styling is revised in and out, with new features available like the optional exposed carbon fiber roof, as well as an interior that features options seen in the new Urus Performante. Lamborghini has announced prices for Europe, which translate to just over $190,000 with current exchange rates. However, with the current Urus already starting at over $220,000 here in the states, prices are sure to vary between regions. View All Lamborghini Urus For Sale Source: Lamborghini

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