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

211/ Lotus Nuerburgring test. EUROPA, Germany, Nuerburg, Nuerburgring, Nordschleife, 26.08.2015 00:00:00: Copyright by Stefan Baldauf / SB-Medien

By Caitlin Duffy – October 14, 2015

Lotus 3-Eleven Spent 2 Weeks at the Nürburgring

One of the greatest tests of a new car is its ability to tackle the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife, a 12.9 mile long track of twists, turns, trees and altitude changes.To see how their newest creation stacks up against the other performance cars in the world, Lotus didn't only bring the 3-Eleven to the Nordschleife - they spent two weeks testing there. They revealed in September that their unofficial time around the track rang it just around seven minutes, six seconds, making it one of the fastest cars to ever take on the green hell.(See Also: Lotus 3-Eleven Unofficial Nürburgring Time Revealed)A press release Oct. 13 and an Oct. 9 YouTube video from the British manufacturer give us another look at those trips around the Nürburgring, with Lotus driver Marc Basseng behind the wheel of their prototype 3-Eleven.With 450 bhp and a weight under 2,000 pounds, it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds while reaching a top speed of 174 mph. It's the fastest car to come from Lotus, and after driving through rainy days, dry days, cold days and hot days over those two weeks, it's also one of their most durable.Check out the video above to see if the 3-Eleven will be your next track car when it begins production in 2016. In the mean time, find your own Lotus from their existing lineup at the button below.Lotus Listings For Sale(Source: Lotus, YouTube) See More Lotus News

By Caitlin Duffy – September 09, 2015

Lotus 3-Eleven Unofficial Nurburgring Time Revealed

It was introduced as the fastest creation to ever come from Lotus, and its trips around the Nürburgring confirm it.The Lotus 3-Eleven's unofficial lap time for the Nürburgring was announced by the marque in a press release today, and it's exactly where we had hoped it would be. With 450 hp and 332 lb-ft created by a supercharged V6, the 3-Eleven finished the Nordschleife in just seven minutes, six seconds.A total of two weeks were spent testing the new Lotus on the infamous track, with the test model traveling more than 2,000 km, or 1,242 miles, during the process. It was the first public outing for the new model, and YouTuber cvdzijden was able to capture it during a few laps and shared a video on Aug. 22. You can see it below, and confirm with your own eyes and ears that this Lotus is, indeed, a fun to drive powerhouse.Though the power produced may seem a little low when compared to some of the other cars that have recently tested the Nürburgring, the 3-Eleven's weight gives it the upperhand. At just 1,984 pounds and a minimalistic cabin, this is a car designed with the end result in mind. It was first introduced on June 26, when Lotus announced that production is scheduled to begin in February 2016, with customers receiving their orders beginning two months later, in April.(See Also: Lotus Exige 360 Cup Unveiled as a Limited Edition)Two versions, Race and Road, will be created, with Race available in every market and Road available for Europe and Asia. Stay with us to learn more about this new Lotus as it is released, and find your own Lotus from our exclusive listings below.Lotus' For Sale Gallery (Source: Lotus, YouTube) See More Lotus News

By Caitlin Duffy – August 14, 2015

Lotus Exige 360 Cup Unveiled as a Limited Edition

After the success and popularity of the Exige V6 Cup, Lotus has decided to revisit and revise that formula in the form of the Exige 360 Cup. A limited-edition run of 50 cars, the Exige 360 Cup was introduced today in a press release from the British marque, becoming the fifth model in their Exige range. The power of the V6 Cup has been increased by an additional 10 horsepower for the 360 Cup, bringing the total power output up to 355 hp. The exterior has been redesigned with an aerodynamically optimized front splitter, rear diffuser and wing. These three features combined with a flat underside can create upwards of 92 pounds of downforce at 100 mph - an important addition, as 360 Cup's lightweight of just under 2,500 pounds requires a little extra help keeping it on the asphalt. “The V6 Cup was a favorite amongst many knowledgeable customers with its incredible track performance and distinctive design," said Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, in the release. "I am excited about the introduction of the new 360 Cup which moves the game forward with striking new design features and performance upgrades that offer phenomenal ability on road and track.” (See Also: First Lotus Evora 400 Produced) Pricing for this limited edition Lotus, which is already available for purchase, starts at £62,995, or approximately $98,570*. Be sure to visit the closest Lotus dealer to learn about ordering options, or find another Lotus model from our exclusive listings at the button below. Lotus Listings For Sale Gallery (Source: Lotus) See More Lotus News

By Caitlin Duffy – July 02, 2015

First Lotus Evora 400 Produced

Lotus has finished production of the first Evora 400, their new supercar, and they are ready to share this new milestone creation with the world. A press release from the British car maker July 1 gives us a look at the metallic black example, assembled by hand at their plant in Hethel, Norfolk, United Kingdom. Though this specific car won't be making its way into a customer's garage, there is a chance you might see it soon - it will be used as a promotion car for Lotus. Deliveries of the 2015 models are set to begin delivery in August of this year, but just to the European market. For the Chinese and North American markets, Lotus enthusiasts will need to be patient - it will be available at the beginning of 2016 as a 2017 model. The performance figures of the Evora S have been improved in the Evora 400, and manages to do so while retaining a back seat. Not only can you accelerate to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, or hit the top speed of 186 mph during a track day, but you can do this with up to 3 friends in the car. Of course, those numbers might change a bit with the added weight. But with 400 hp and 302 lb-ft created by its charge-cooled, mid-mounted, 3.5-liter V6, performance will remain exhilarating no matter what. The engine, along with more than two-thirds of the Evora 400's construction, is completely new for this model. (See Also: All-New 3-Eleven: The Fastest Lotus Ever) Stay with us as more is released about the Evora 400, and if you can't wait until 2016 for your new Lotus, browse our exclusive listings and find your perfect model at the button below. Lotus Listings Gallery (Source: Lotus) See More Lotus News

By Edward Jones – June 26, 2015

All-New 3-Eleven: The Fastest Lotus Ever

Today, Lotus issued a press release revealing their fastest and most expensive production vehicle ever: the new 3-Eleven. It will be produced in two versions, Road and Race.This new model comes to us with an appearance that looks like a mashup between a speedster and the Elise S. The front end definitely resembles the Elise S, while the windshield-less cockpit, roll-bars and large wing are anything but civilian. This car was meant to be on the track, go fast and allow the driver to experience the speed it offers.(Related: New Lotus Exige S Club Racer is Faster and Lighter)The 3-Eleven is built around an all-new lightweight body, giving the Race version a dry weight of just 1,984 lbs. Combine this weight with the 450 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque that the revised supercharged V6 engine produces, and you have a 0-60 mph time of less than 3 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph in the Race version and 180 mph for the Road version.Prices for the 3-Eleven are set at £82,000 (approx. $130,000 USD at today's exchange rate) for the Road Version and £96,000 (approx. $150,000 USD at today's exchange rate) for the Race version. Production on the car will commence in February 2016, with deliveries starting in April of the same year.Lotus' For SaleGallery (Source: Lotus) More Lotus News

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