M5 – duPont REGISTRY 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 Tyler Rampersaud – July 23, 2024

BMW Reveals New Bespoke M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegan...

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will showcase a unique M creation. Since the introduction of the BMW XM, BMW’s M portfolio has been revolutionized with electrification. The XM not only sports a head-turning avant-garde design that closely matches the concept version, but it also sports a revolutionarily powerful hybrid V8 powertrain. Now, the M5 has followed suit, with the latest version of the BMW M5 sporting a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 paired with an electric drive system to produce 71 horsepower and 738 lb/ft of torque. To give the new hybrid BMW M5 the entrance it deserves, a new bespoke version has been created to be sold at auction in collaboration between BMW M, BMW Individual, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. With the prestigious and highly anticipated Monterey Car Week approaching and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as one of its premier events, the new bespoke BMW M5 is a stunning one-off showcasing luxury, performance, and high-tech engineering. Its striking bespoke color is BMW Individual Frozen Orange Metallic, and no other 2025 M5 will be finished in the color. In addition, its unique look is enhanced by hand-painted accents and matte gold brake calipers. The interior also features orange Merino leather upholstery and silver accents, with over $57,000 in bespoke options, setting the 1-of-1 car apart from any other 2025 BMW M5. At this year’s Monterey Car Week, the new 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be auctioned by Gooding & Company. The highest bidder will not only be the owner of an incredible bespoke example of the new hybrid 2025 BMW M5, but they will also have the very first 2025 BMW M5 in North America, with the delivery estimated to take place in October. View All BMW M5s For Sale Image Source: BMW

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 25, 2024

BMW Reveals The New 782HP Hybrid M5

BMW’s legendary performance sedan enters the next generation. The BMW M5 has been one of the most important examples of a luxury performance sedan for over 40 years, with robust power, excellent driving dynamics, and hair-raising speed packed into an elegant executive four-door body. As the benchmark for many of the world’s luxury performance sedans, the BMW M5’s seventh generation has now been revealed, and for the first time, it’s a hybrid. Distinguishing itself from the standard BMW 5 Series is a sportier look with M-specific features, like wheel arch and side skirt extensions, an embossed “M5” logo on the signature Hofmeister kink, and a revised front apron. Inside, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, four-zone climate control, Merino leather upholstery, Bowers & Wilkins sound, and more combine performance-oriented and luxury features. Options include carbon fiber accents, Alcantara, a heated steering wheel, and more. Following in the footsteps of the radical BMW XM SUV, the new BMW M5 sports a hybrid powertrain, more specifically a model-specific iteration of the M Hybrid system, which pairs a 4.4-liter M TwinPower turbocharged V8 engine (with a 7,200-rpm rev limit) with an electric motor, integrated into the 8-speed Steptronic transmission. With 585 horsepower and 553 lb/ft of torque coming from the engine, and 197 horsepower and 206 lb/ft of torque from the electric motor, the total system output is 782 horsepower and 759 lb/ft of torque, a staggering number for the otherwise refined luxury performance sedan. Power goes to all four wheels thanks to M xDrive, and its performance-oriented rear bias is pronounced in its 4WD Sport mode. At the same time, a 2WD mode is also available, bringing power exclusively to the rear wheels for more fun driving experiences. At its fastest, the new M5 will get from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 155 mph, but can be brought to as much as 189 mph with the M Driver’s Package. With purely electric power, the new BMW M5 can reach 87 mph, with as much as 43 miles of all-electric driving range, showing a dynamic, high-tech character to the latest luxury performance sedan. Throughout, the chassis is tuned specifically for performance driving, and the new BMW M5 uses its futuristic hybrid powertrain to reach greater performance heights than before. The public debut of the seventh generation of BMW’s signature performance sedan will take place at a legendary automotive venue, the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Taking place in July, production at BMW’s Dingolfing plant will begin in the same month, with a global market launch set for November, when wagon fans will anticipate the launch of the new BMW M5 Touring. With a fiercely powerful hybrid system, the all-new BMW M5 continues to cement its status as one of the world’s greatest luxury performance sedans. View All BMW M5s For Sale Image Source: BMW

By Andrew Nabors – January 08, 2018

BMW Is Preparing For An 8-Hour M5 Drift

Nothing beats a quick drift on your daily commute. Front wheel drive enthusiasts might want to rethink their daily drivers because BMW is aiming to break the world record for the longest drift. The event will take place tomorrow and it is being sanctioned by Guinness World Records.In a YouTube video uploaded this morning, BMW has shocked everyone with an unprecedented level of preparation. Sure it would be easy to install one giant fuel tank to break the record, and Guinness even allows for quick stops for fuel and driver swaps. But BMW never chooses the easy path. That's why they took inspiration from military aircraft and developed a drift-capable refueling system.Top 10 Fastest Quarter Mile TimesUtilizing an auxiliary fuel cell in the back seat, the driver will be able to transfer fuel between the main and secondary tanks to keep the car properly balanced. The new tank will be fed by a high-pressure hose from another car drifting alongside. Engineers machined a scaled-down version of aircraft components, complete with dry break-aways in case of emergency. Their goal was 18 gallons in under a minute, and they have the process down to 50 seconds.The 2018 BMW M5 shares almost nothing in common with its predecessors. Gone is the dual-clutch transmission, so say hello to the same 8-speed automatic ZF builds for many other performance cars. It has been beefed up to handle 592 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The front tires can now have fun thanks to the M xDrive AWD system, which arrives with an RWD-only drift mode. We wish BMW the best on this epic undertaking, and as soon as the footage is released you will see it first here on Autofluence. Search New BMW M5 For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 25, 2015

2015 BMW M5 "30 Jahre M5" For Sale

Back on May 7, 2014, BMW unveiled the "30 Jahre M5," a special edition model that celebrates 30 years of the legendary M5. Now, duPont REGISTRY has one available for purchase.Listed on our site is one of the 300 30th Anniversary Edition BMW M5s crafted, and one of only 30 imported to the United States. It comes with just 200 miles of the odometer and is in pristine condition.But what makes this car so fantastic, other than its rarity? This is the most powerful car in BMW's history, according to the original press release.Under its hood is a 4.4-liter V8 engine, coupled with M TwinPower Turbo technology. Together, this power plant produces 600 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. This is good for a 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 3.7 seconds.Its exterior is finished in Frozen Dark Silver Metallic, which is part of BMW Individual's pallete. Exclusive "30 Jahre M5" badging appears on the kidney grill surrounds, front fenders, door handles and exhaust pipes to set this model apart from the rest.Inside, the interior is focused on the model's 30th year anniversary. On the front door sill, "30 Jahre M5" can be found, as well as on the Aluminum Trace trim strip that spans across the front passenger side of the cabin and on the backrests of the seats. The majority of the cabin is covered in a black Alcantara and leather combination, including the M multifunctional seats, door panels and center console. Contrasting with the black interior trim is the Alcantara Anthracite headliner.Now is your rare chance to own a piece of M5 history, which was only to 300 collectors worldwide. Click the button below for the price and inquiry details.View Price and Listing Gallery

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