Lotus 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 Gabriel Vega – June 20, 2023

Lotus Emira First Drive: Refining A Winning Formula

Lotus' final internal combustion car sets a modern sports car benchmark.

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 02, 2022

Louts x Balmain Unveil A Special Emira Livery For Need Fo...

The real life Lotus Emira perfectly matches the video game version of the new sports car. Responsible for the upbringing of millions of automotive enthusiasts, the Need For Speed game series continues its legacy by attracting a new generation of car lovers with its new NFS Unbound game. Interacting with the outside world, the creative professionals at Criterion Games and Electronic Arts have been incorporating luxury lifestyle brands for players to further customize characters. As part of Lotus’ involvement with the game, the sports car manufacturer unveiled its Emira model with a special livery in collaboration with the fashion house Balmain and Need For Speed. MUST-READ: Check Out A$ASP Rocky’s Custom Mercedes-Benz 190E From Need For Speed Unbound The honeycomb-style design fades from rear to front, utilizing the brand’s iconic green paint shade. Along with its color-shifting finish, the 400-horsepower Lotus Emira also showcases Balmain graphics and logos that run down each side of the vehicle. The spec stands out as Lotus’ First Edition Emira and mimics the exact renderings of the actual car presented in Need For Speed Unbound. Make sure to get your copy of the new Need For Speed Unbound video game by visiting GameStop’s website. View all Lotus models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Lotus For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lotus Cars (@lotuscars) Source: @lotuscars IG

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 30, 2022

Lotus Factory Collection Brings New Emira Owners To The H...

UK Lotus Owners can receive their new car factory fresh. The experience of buying a performance car is always thrilling, but manufacturers have been sure to add special touches to the moment of delivery to make it something that is truly unforgettable. Lotus offers an extra special delivery experience to customers who purchase their cars in the brand’s home country of the United Kingdom, offering something called Factory Collection as an option to any customer purchasing a new Lotus Emira sports car through Lotus Drive, the brand’s new car purchasing e-commerce platform. MUST READ: Hot Wheels Launches Small-Scale Models Of The Lotus Emira and Evija In the online checkout process, customers who select Factory Collection, like Shaan Kodituwakku, the first customer to do this and the new owner of a Hethel Yellow Lotus Emira V6 First Edition, are invited to Lotus’s Hethel factory, where they are given a tour of the new Chapman Production Center where the Emira is made, with an unmatched factory floor experience. After the tour, the customer gets to see their new car and is given a comprehensive demonstration of the car’s features, and a framed photo to remember the moment. With new features like Lotus Drive and Factory Collection, the Lotus brand is rapidly growing and changing, and the ownership experience of one of Lotus’s incredible cars is better than ever before. View All Lotus Emiras For Sale Source: Lotus

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 16, 2022

Hot Wheels Launches Small-Scale Models Of The Lotus Emira...

The Lotus Emira sports car and Evija all-electric hypercar have recently been launched as Hot Wheels toy cars. While modern-day supercars and hypercars go through rigorous testing to prove their abilities on the road, the real deciding factor comes when the creative professionals at Hot Wheels craft a small-scale version. Responsible for introducing millions to the automotive world, Hot Wheels continues its legacy by releasing the industry’s most popular sports cars, SUVs, racecars, and many more. As Lotus rolls out its new Emira supercar and Evija all-electric hypercar, Hot Wheels is proud to celebrate the occasion by launching die-cast versions of the cars. MUST-READ: The Top Automotive-Inspired LEGO Sets Available Now Lotus sits down with Hot Wheels product design manager Dima Shakhmatov to break down the process of encapsulating automotive icons. Dima expresses the importance of the new release by stating “With its dramatic styling, the Evija is one of the most exciting and visually interesting electric hypercars we’ve seen. The Emira will be the last combustion-engined Lotus and it was felt important to mark this by including it in the Mainline.” Showcasing each model in its desired launch colors, the small-scale examples feature detailed constructions that match the styling of the real versions. View all current Lotus cars for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Lotus For Sale Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 02, 2022

Emerson Fittipaldi, Jenson Button, And All 8 Lotus Type 7...

A rare event of motorsport legend took place at Lotus’s Hethel headquarters. When it comes to racing history, Lotus has a lot to celebrate as the brand formed its roots in racing and celebrated amazing victories, especially with Emerson Fittipaldi, the Lotus Type 72, and their incredible victory in the 1972 Formula 1 Championship. That victory was 50 years ago, and to celebrate, Lotus created the Evija Fittipaldi, a stunning special edition of the Evjia that sports the Type 72’s black and gold livery, which went on to become a Lotus hallmark. The livery itself also celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. MUST READ: The New Lotus Evija Fittipaldi Is An 8-Example Hypercar That Honors F1 History During a week at Hethel, it wasn’t just Fittipaldi that celebrated the Lotus Evija created in his honor, but also Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, who himself is a Lotus Evija customer. In addition, all 8 surviving Lotus Type 72s and their owners came from around the world to join the celebration as well. The Lotus Type 72’s racing legacy and the Evija’s title as the world’s most powerful production car make them both automotive icons, and both cars were able to show why they make history on Lotus’s Hethel test track. In this new chapter for Lotus, the brand’s rich history is more important than ever. Lotus Cars For Sale Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 14, 2022

The New Lotus Evija Fittipaldi Is An 8-Example Hypercar T...

Lotus uses its futuristic hypercar to celebrate the past. A brand formed and grown in the world of racing, Lotus’s track-ready philosophy has manifested itself in most of the cars the brand has made. Known for superior agility and handling, Lotus cars have been loved and driven by racing enthusiasts as long as they’ve been around. However, it’s in professional racing where Lotus has made much of its history. One of the greatest moments in F1 history belongs to Lotus, and it’s when Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi, with the Lotus Type 72, won the Drivers’ Championship and Lotus won the Constructors' Championship in 1972. It’s been 50 years since that incredible victory and the legend of the Lotus Type 72, and Lotus is celebrating with a special edition of its latest revolutionary performance innovation: the Evija. MUST READ: Lotus Launches A New Online Retail Platform For Parts Dating Back To 1981 The all-electric hypercar is capable of an incredible 1,970 horsepower and 1,254 lb/ft of torque, and with a 0-60 time of under 3 seconds and a top speed of over 200 mph, it undoubtedly takes after the Type 72 with its envelope-pushing performance and futuristic innovation. The new Lotus Evija Fittipaldi features a rotary dial in the instrument panel crafted from recycled aluminum originally from the Type 72, and the bespoke specification of the car features the iconic Lotus racing color scheme of black and gold, both inside and out, with graphics on the active rear wing dedicated to each of the Lotus Type 72’s five race victories from the 1972 F1 season. The car premiered with a special event at Lotus’s Hethel, UK home, and only 8 of these stunning cars will be made, and all have been sold, especially because the car not only celebrates one of automotive history’s greatest moments but is one of those moments itself. View All Lotus Cars For Sale Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 02, 2022

Lotus Launches A New Online Retail Platform For Parts Dat...

Buying OEM Lotus parts has never been easier. Lotus has a passionate following of enthusiasts and owners who love the classically fun-to-drive, light, nimble, and remarkably agile sports cars. According to the brand, as much as 70% of the cars that lotus has made are still on the road today, and in an effort to maintain and improve that number, Lotus has launched a new online retail platform for parts, that is able to supply parts for Lotus’s current models and legacy cars dating as far back as 1981. The site boasts a search feature that allows users to input the year and model of their Lotus to easily find the parts that their car needs. MUST READ: Lotus Will Feature The New Eletre SUV, The Emira, And The Evija At The Goodwood Festival Of Speed In addition to parts, Lotus also offers contemporary lifestyle merchandise on the new online retail site. Keyrings and car covers for older Lotus models are also available. The service is initially for UK customers, and they can choose to either receive a direct delivery or pick up their purchases at a local dealer. Driving and owning a Lotus from any time period is an incredible experience, and with the new online parts store, Lotus is making that experience last generations longer. View All Lotus For Sale Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 22, 2022

Lotus Will Feature The New Eletre SUV, The Emira, And The...

The first SUV from Lotus will make an appearance at the Festival of Speed. The bold, new, all-electric Lotus Eletre has already sent shockwaves, pun intended, through the automotive world, and continuing to do so, it will make its global public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the world’s most important and iconic automotive events. With the agility and performance of a Lotus sports car and the practicality and usability of an SUV, the Eletre is already undoubtedly an amazing car, and it will be at Lotus’s stand at Goodwood, along with the Emira sports car that drew crowds at last year’s events, and the Evija hypercar that spurred the brand’s epic renaissance. MUST READ: Caterham Will Debut The New Seven 420 Cup Track Day Car At The Goodwood Festival of Speed The Emira GT4 race car will take on the hill climb at Goodwood, driven by F1 champion Jenson Button, and the Emira and Evija will also see action on the track. The Emira GT4 race car is already sold out for the first year of production, and the Eletre, possessing the most advanced aerodynamics in any production SUV, and the first LIDAR system in a production car, is set to begin production at the end of this year, with deliveries commencing in Europe in spring 2023. View All Lotus For Sale Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 06, 2022

The New Lotus Emira GT4 Debuts With Hot Laps At The Hethe...

Lotus Advanced Performance doesn’t take the word “performance” lightly. The brand demonstrates that with Lotus Advanced Performance’s debut car: the Lotus Emira GT4. It’s a race car that takes the incredible formula of the Lotus Emira sports car and couples it with improved aerodynamics, race-ready tweaks, and a 3.5-liter Toyota V6 engine. As a brand, Lotus was born on the race track, and the philosophy of racing ability and lightweight dynamics has followed it and been present in its cars throughout over 70 years of its existence, and the Emira GT4 is the latest, and one of the greatest examples of that. MUST READ: Lotus Is Opening Its First-Ever Global Store In London’s Mayfair District This week, an exclusive event was held at Hethel to debut the Emira GT4, where guests were able to ride in the passenger’s seat while the new car showed just what it was capable of on the 2.2-mile Hethel test circuit. For the first year of production, the car has already been sold out, and as with any racing Lotus, we aren’t the least bit surprised that it did. Source: Lotus

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 29, 2022

Lotus Is Opening Its First-Ever Global Store In London's ...

London’s Mayfair district adds Lotus to its list of high-end automotive retailers. It can’t be said enough that the current era for Lotus is unlike any period the brand has experienced before, and each new announcement from the brand proves this even more. With the introduction of an all-electric luxury performance SUV to the brand’s model lineup, the Lotus Eletre, Lotus officially enters the current echelon of the greatest luxury automotive brands, and like its new peers, its retail locations should match this new level of luxury. Famous the world over for its knack for luxury and premium brands, London’s Mayfair district will be home to a new Lotus store. MUST READ: Lotus Dealerships Get A New Look To Match A New Portfolio Directly across from the iconic Ritz hotel, the Mayfair Lotus location will feature two floors of retail space, where cars and merchandise can be viewed and purchased, and the location will also serve as London’s hub for Lotus Advanced Performance, Lotus’s new bespoke division. Located at 73 Piccadilly, Lotus Mayfair will be Lotus’s first global store. It’s going to open this autumn and will be followed by more in major cities around the world. View All Lotus For Sale Source: Lotus

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