Lucid Motors

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 Tyler Rampersaud – November 16, 2022

The Upcoming New Lucid Gravity SUV Will Seat Up To 7 With...

Lucid’s new model is down to earth, in a way. After taking the electric luxury automotive segment to new heights with its Air model, California-based electric automaker Lucid is ready to shake things up again, this time in the very new and highly competitive segment of electric luxury SUVs. This market is featuring entrants from brands that have very well-established roots in the automotive industry, but as we’ve seen with the Air, Lucid’s contributions from a young brand are certainly not to be underestimated. MUST READ: The New Lucid Air Sapphire Is Revealed With Over 1,200 Horsepower And 200-MPH+ Top Speed The new model is called the Lucid Gravity, and Lucid says it will be revealed at some point next year. What we do know now is that Lucid calls it an ultra-high performance luxury SUV, and with variants of the Lucid Air boasting well over 1,000 horsepower, we know that Lucid takes the phrase “ultra high-performance” very seriously. The model is said to be inspired by Lucid’s Space Concept, with amazing practicality to go along with the luxury and performance on offer. It will feature room for up to 7 adults with available two and three-row seating configurations, as well as Lucid’s Glass Cockpit. With the performance and luxury that the brand has already shown itself to be capable of with the Air, and the added perks of an SUV, the new Lucid Gravity is sure to have pull. View All Lucids For Sale Source: Lucid Motors

lucid air sapphire laguna seca front side dark web

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 22, 2022

The New Lucid Air Sapphire Is Revealed With Over 1,200 Ho...

Lucid introduces its first true performance gem. Electric luxury car manufacturer Lucid has in a short amount of time already shown off great performance potential with monstrously powerful versions of its Air all-electric luxury sedan. However, according to Lucid, that was all just the beginning, as this past Monterey Car Week, the brand has announced that it will be introducing a new performance name called Sapphire, which promises to be “The Pinnacle of Electric Performance.” The first car to be made with the Sapphire name will be the Lucid Air Sapphire, Lucid’s, and according to them, “the world’s first luxury electric super-sports sedan.” MUST READ: The New Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance Is the Ultimate 1050-HP Electric Luxury Sedan The name is derived from the Sapphire being one of the world’s most prized gemstones, for its beauty, brilliance, color, and hardness, as well as the fact that blue, like the Sapphire stone, has been a color representative of American motorsport. The car features three electric motors: two for the rear wheels and one for the front developed and manufactured in-house by Lucid. Even more powerful than its counterparts, the new Lucid Air Sapphire boasts a total output of 1,200 horsepower and gets to 60 mph in less than two seconds without any upgrades or protracted preconditioning routines needed, and it'll climb to over 200 mph. The car’s final performance figures are yet to be announced, and it will start at $249,000. Reservations go live on August 23, and the car is set to begin production next year. View All Electric Cars For Sale Source: Lucid Motors

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 12, 2022

The New Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance Is the Ultima...

As if it wasn’t impressive enough, the Lucid Air just got even better. The Lucid Air is an electric vehicle that continues to turn heads, with the incredibly fast Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance, world-class luxury, and a revolutionary design inside and out. And now that the 520-example Dream Edition has sold out, Lucid has released the new Lucid Air Grand Touring, and now the Grand Touring Performance, which continues the brand’s incredible growth with yet another incredible electric vehicle in its portfolio. MUST READ: Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Dream Edition P Duke It Out On Drag Strip The Lucid Air Grand Touring comes in two versions, the Grand Touring, which is available to order with deliveries already in progress, and the incredible Grand Touring Performance, for which deliveries will begin in June, which boasts an unfathomable 1,050 horsepower, a 2.6-second 0-60 time, and a 446-mile range. The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance refuses to compromise with a stunning glass-canopy interior, Nappa leather appointments, Lucid’s advanced DreamDrive Pro system, and a charging system capable of charging up to 300 miles of range in just 21 minutes. It looks like we can still count on Lucid to make electrifying changes to the luxury car world. Source: Lucid

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 26, 2022

Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Dream Edition P Duke It...

Call it assault with batteries. The Tesla Model S Plaid is the fastest Tesla yet, with an incredible Launch Control system, as well as a tri-motor system that allows for the best performance they’ve been able to achieve thus far. The result is staggering quarter-mile times that rank among the fastest in the world to cover that distance. Lucid’s Air Dream Edition P is the fastest version of their new Air electric luxury sedan. It features staggering performance numbers like a 2.5 second 0-60 time, and 1,111 horsepower on tap. Both of these cars are incredibly luxurious and fast vehicles that push the boundaries of what cars, let alone electric cars, are capable of, and to put both of them to test on the drag strip is a legendary and exciting sight to see. MUST READ: Tesla Cyberquad for Kids Is a Real Thing and It’s for Sale Both cars stack up relatively evenly, and even after four rounds on a cold morning without much heat in the tires, both put down incredible times on the quarter-mile, and fared similarly. While both cars were able to do the quarter-mile in less than 11 seconds, the Lucid Air Dream edition only won out over the Model S Plaid when the Tesla’s Launch Mode wasn’t active, and that was still by less than a second. In all of the other races, both from a stop and with a rolling start, the Tesla managed to win out with Launch Mode and with its tri-motor system. While the Tesla seems to remain superior when it pulls all the stops, the Lucid Air impresses as the new kid on the block in the world of performance electric sedans, and we’re excited to see how it improves in the future.

By Edward Jones – September 16, 2021

Lucid Air Beats Out Tesla With 520-Mile Range

There's a new EV king in town. Those currently in the market for a new EV have to check out the new Lucid Air after this recent news drop. According to Lucid Group, the new Lucid Air Dream Edition Range has an official EPA rating of 520 miles of range. That gives the Lucid Air the title of being the longest-range electric vehicle that the EPA has ever rated. In fact, there's a 100+-mile gap between the Lucid Air and its closest competitor. On top of having a tremendous amount of range, the Lucid Air Dream Edition Range also packs 1,111 horsepower. When it comes to price, the Dream Edition Range and Performance editions will have a starting price of $169,000. Browse Tesla For Sale " width="680"> Source: Lucid Group

By Edward Jones – September 10, 2020

Lucid Air Has Been Unveiled as the Most Powerful and Effi...

We've been waiting for this unveiling, but it's finally here. The new Lucid Air has been revealed in its entirety and it's as groundbreaking as we thought it would be. It seems as though this will be a true competitor to Tesla and may shape how future electric vehicles are made. Why? Well, the Lucid Air has the accolade of being the world's most powerful and efficient electric luxury sedan. What many are looking for in an electric car is, unsurprisingly, power. In terms of power, the Lucid Air certainly does not disappoint. With up to 1,080 horsepower coming from its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, it delivers on that front. Lucid Motors notes that the Lucid Air will be able to run quarter-miles with times as quick as 9.9 seconds. But that's not all, because they say this kind of quarter-mile time will be consistent and repeatable. Sure, it has speed. But what about its efficiency? Surely a car that quick won't offer a great range, right? Very wrong, the presumptive voice inside your head. Lucid Motors says their new sedan will have an available extended-range capability that will see an estimated EPA range of 517 miles on a single charge. If that charge does run out, the Lucid Air can charge at rates of up to 20 miles per minute when connected to a DC Fast Charging Network. Lucid Motors does point out that owners who are charging their Lucid Air in "real-world conditions on the road," they can expect a range of 300 miles in just 20 minutes of charging. The Lucid Air is more than just a powerful sedan. Inside the electric vehicle is an interior that as classy as they come The star of the cabin has to be the windshield that continues over the head of the diver and passenger to create a stunning visual. In front of the driver is a curved 34-inch "Glass Cockpit 5K display" that will blow your mind. In addition to this screen, there's also a retractable "Pilot Panel" that's within finger-tip reach of the driver and passenger which controls the vehicle's systems and functions. As for the cabin space, the Lucid Air has a full-size luxury-class interior that will offer more than enough room for everyone inside. It's not typical for a luxury-sedan with a spacious cabin like this to offer a quarter-mile time that's under 10 seconds, but Lucid Motors made it happen. But it's not just the cabin that offers space, as the "frunk" is the largest of any electric car to date. Now it's time to discuss the Lucid Air's price and model options. Here's the breakdown from Lucid Motors: Air model, available in 2022 and starting below $80,000 Horsepower: TBA 0-60 mph: TBA 1/4 Mile: TBA Est. EPA Range: TBA Air Touring model, available late 2021, from $95,000 Horsepower: 620 hp 0-60 mph: 3.2 seconds 1/4 Mile: 11.4 seconds @ 123 mph Est. EPA Range: 406 miles (w/ AeroRange package) Air Grand Touring, available mid 2021, from $139,000 Horsepower: 800 hp 0-60 mph: 3 seconds 1/4 Mile: 10.8 seconds @ 133 mph Est. EPA Range: 517 miles (w/ AeroRange package) Air Dream Edition, available spring 2021, at $169,000 Horsepower: 1,080 hp 0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds 1/4 Mile: 9.9 seconds @ 144 mph Est. EPA Range: 465 miles If you're interested, as you should be, there's even more good news. If you purchase a Lucid Air, Lucid Motors is expecting to qualify for the $7,500 USA federal tax credit. reservations are open right now for interested parties. You can reserve one now with a $1,000 refundable deposit. If you're interested in the limited Dream Edition, that will take a $7,500 deposit. The Lucid Air models will be produced at Lucid Motors' factory in Casa Grande, Arizona and deliveries will start in Spring 2021. Lucid Motors will also be opening up Lucid Studios and Service Centers across North America by the end of 2021. Learn More at LucidMotors.com

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