McLaren 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 Edward Jones – October 25, 2018

Cost to Repair a Scratch on a McLaren 650S

There's nothing worse that going about your business, driving a route you take every day and mindlessly scratching your car. This is precisely what happened to The Leviathan and his McLaren 650S Spider. As he was pulling out of his parking garage, his supercar lightly tapped a wall, but it was enough to do some damage to his pride and joy. After inspecting the auto repair damage, he called up McLaren Automotive who came out and picked up the car the next day. The light tap was enough to call for a new tie rod, tires and a rim. Total cost for those? $5,000. That may not sound like a bad break, it's the paint that really brought up the repair bill. McLaren 650S Price, Specs, Photos With only a scratch on one quarter panel, the cost was going to be $15,000 in order to have a paintless dent repair professional complete the repair and paint it. In total, the light tap was going to cost him a total of $20,000. So, next time you have to get car repair services, just be thankful you're not getting a bill for $20,000! See the entire story by clicking play below.

By Edward Jones – November 30, 2016

Five Things Not to Hate About the McLaren 650S

Back in January of this year, Vehicle Virgins posted " title="YouTube video" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen> about the five things they hate about the new McLaren 650S. In response to this video, the.leviathan has uploaded a video of the five things he does NOT hate about his own 650S. I always love some friendly banter.(Related - Dad Not Impressed With Son's McLaren 650S)In the new video, the.leviathan goes over the five points made by Vehicle Virgins and gives his rebuttal. It's worth checking out, because the.leviathan has owned his 650S for quite some time and has had the chance to find the things he likes and dislikes about the car.(Also Check Out - Is This the World’s Most Expensive Paint Job?)Here are some quick specs on the car. The 650S can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds and can reach 124 mph in 8.4 seconds. A standing quarter mile will be accomplished in 10.5 seconds, and it will top out at 207 mph. The 650S is also a full second quicker than the McLaren F1 road car when accelerating from 0 to 124 mph.McLaren 650S Price, Specs, PhotosBe sure to check out both of the videos and see what you think about the car.All McLaren 650S Spider For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 15, 2016

Dad Not Impressed With Son's McLaren 650S

Some love cars, some hate them and some are indifferent. If you're reading this, odds are you're a fan of 'em. However, if you're the father of our friend the.leviathan, you could really care less about a supercar like the McLaren 650S.(Related - McLaren 650S: Top 5 Driving Features)In his latest video, the.leviathan takes his father out for a joy ride in his new 650S. While he tells his pops that he won't go fast, it's hard to not push the pedal down when you're in a car packing 641 hp. Needless to say, dad was not impressed with the sense of speed. While most of us would've been giddy about going fast in a McLaren, he was completely stone-faced.Click play on the video below to see his dad's hilariously calm reaction to the McLaren 650S.All McLaren 650S Spider For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 19, 2016

McLaren 650S: Top 5 Driving Features

When it comes to our favorite supercars, some features, though only aesthetic in nature, get us really excited. Buyers love a custom paint job or exclusive stitching. A little extra umph in the interior to distinguish one already limited edition from another adds a selling point.But not for this guy.Auto YouTuber, the.leviathan, is all about the driving experience. Frivolous features, to him, diminish the true meaning and intention of the supercar. For him, features need to enhance the driving experience. In the video below he's driving a McLaren 650S and he's chosen five specific features he thinks enhance the driving experience: Kickdown- or what the.leviathan states should be termed "Warp Drive," which optimizes which gear the vehicle is in at any given time The Backlight- the back glass drops which channels the sound into the cabin of the vehicle Paddles- they provide a more connected driving experience between machine and man Optimal Gear- much like kickdown, this feature optimized the gears through the paddles Brake Steer- McLaren's F1 technology which ensures there's not over or under steering, which increased maneuverability Check out the full video below for his first-hand look at these driving features.McLaren 650S for Sale

By Edward Jones – June 01, 2016

Beautiful: McLaren 650S Flies Through Japanese Mountainside

In an article covering McLaren's latest video of a 650S, the supercar tears through the Hakone Turnpike in Japan, a small slice of the Asian Island which McLaren refers to as a "little slice of Germany." This road goes consists of twists and turns that occur at sea level and 1,000m above. McLaren goes so far as to say that this road even resembles the Nurburgring Nordschleife in some parts.During the latest Sakura bloom, McLaren thought it fitting to take their open top 650S Spider through the turnpike and record it all on video. I'm not quite sure if they were just planning on making everyone jealous, but they succeeded. Taking such a refined supercar through the Japanese mountainside would be a dream for most. And while many will be quick to say that they'd rather drift through the corners in a Skyline, sometimes smooth and tight corners are all you need650S Spiders For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 04, 2016

Dubai Police McLaren 650S Races Drone Through City

Yeah, we've seen cars race other cars and even some jets, but I can say that this is the first time I've seen a supercar race a drone.This is no ordinary drone though, as the uploader of the video below is World Drone Prix. If you've never heard of it, this is a series dedicated to racing drones through courses that look like they came straight out of the movie "Tron". And, the car that this drone is racing isn't ordinary either. This McLaren 650S Spider is part of the Dubai Police supercar fleet and packs a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 that generates 641 hp.Their race takes them through empty streets of Dubai, whizzing around neon obstacles planted along the roads. After watching the video, all I can say is that I'm pretty pumped for the World Drone Prix to start on March 11th in Skydive Dubai. Check out the video below to see what I mean.McLaren 650S Spiders For Sale

By Caitlin Duffy – November 10, 2015

Exclusive McLaren 650S Spider Al Sahara 79 Created for Du...

In honor of the first day of the Dubai International Motor Show, McLaren Automotive has unveiled an MSO creation "bespoke to the Middle East": the 650S Spider Al Sahara 79.As a press release issued today by the British auto manufacturer describes, this model is available exclusively to customers in the Middle East, and features a design "inspired by the styles, cultures and landscapes of the region." 24 carat gold particles add a special shine to the exterior's pearlescent white gold paint, which is mean to mimic the shimmering gold sands of the region's deserts.The paint is truly where the car's name comes from; "Al Sahara" is the Arabic phrase for "the desert," and the atomic number of gold is 79. But it's not just the exterior that defines the motif. The interior's contrasting black and Almond White leathers accent the white gold paint of the steering wheel, door panels and center controls, while all switchgears and heating vents are finished in a dark gold.Of course, the fun part comes under the hood. The 650S' 3.0-liter twin turbo V8 pumps out 641 bhp and 500 lb-ft of torque, allowing a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 3.0 seconds flat and a top speed of 204 mph.As the release shares, the Dubai Motor Show isn't the only reason an exclusive Middle East creation was designed. Nearly 25 percent of all McLarens purchased in the Middle East are customized in some way, meaning the region "boasts one of the highest levels of MSO customisation globally."This model is priced at 1,456,308 AED, or approximately $396,500 USD. Of course, given that this car is exclusive to the Middle East, it can't be purchased using American currency. Check out the photos for some inspiration, then find a 650S Spider for your collection from our exclusive listings.McLaren 650S Spider For SaleGallery (via McLaren Automotive) See More McLaren News

By Edward Jones – October 16, 2015

McLaren 650S Can-Am in Papaya Spark and Onyx Black

McLaren Automotive is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Can-Am race with the exclusive 650S Can-Am model. This model is a variant of the popular 650S that features an automatic, fully-retractable, carbon fiber hard top, and a number of cosmetic changes.Only 50 examples of this car will be produced in either Mars Red, Papaya Spark and Onyx Black. So far, we've only been able to see the 650S Can-Am in Mars Red, as it was the color chosen for the debut, but now we get to see it in the vibrant Papaya Spark and dark Onyx Black color schemes.On October 14, McLaren Automotive's official Facebook page shared pictures of the two versions.The Onyx Black version dons a mostly black body, with hints of red and even smaller hints of white. As for the Papaya Spark version, the car is highlighted by the electric Papaya Spark finish, which contrasts against the black trimming and equally bright purple accents.Which one do you like better? Let us know in the comments below. And, as always, be sure to check out our Mclarens for sale on duPontREGISTRY.com by clicking the button below.McLaren Listings(Source: Facebook, McLaren) More McLaren News

By Caitlin Duffy – October 09, 2015

Limited Edition McLaren 650S Can-Am Introduced

McLaren Automotive is a marque that has been in the making for decades. More than 20 years passed between the launch of McLaren Racing in 1966 and the creation of McLaren Automotive and the F1 in 1989, and then another 20 years before the production branch created the 12C, their second production car.Since 2009, they've launched an impressive quantity of production cars, each of which has proven to be fantastic on the road and track. The 650S, a supercar capable of being a daily driver, was the centerpiece of their presence at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Now, to look back at the races that first confirmed McLaren's engineering prowess, they're releasing a limited edition version of the popular car: the 650S Can-Am."Can-Am was big, bad, brutal; the cars were magnificent. Lightweight, overpowered, oversteering, really really quick and everybody loved it," describes Alastair Caldwell, McLaren Racing teammate since 1967, in a YouTube video shared today. There were few regulations for these races, and even fewer restrictions, but as Caldwell describes, McLaren's cars were developed with two goals: to be the best looking and to be the most reliable.In the Spring of 2016, it will be the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Can-Am races, and in honor of that fact, only 50 of these 650 Can-Am models will be created. A press release issued today shares that they're available in three colors, Mars Red, Papaya Spark and Onyx Black, all with a racing livery that pays tribute to the McLarens used in those races.Power from the 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 is set at 641 bhp and 500 lb-ft, with a 0-62 mph time of 3 seconds flat and a top speed of 204 mph. The sound of that engine is channeled through a carbon fiber rear grille and four circular tailpipes, creating an echo effect that increases aggressive character.In fact, carbon fiber is found throughout, particularly in one feature that's new for the 650S. These Can-Am models all feature an automatic, fully-retractable, carbon fiber hard top, marking the first time such a top has been used by the marque.(See Also: The P1, 918 Spyder and LaFerrari Comparison Video You've Been Waiting For is Coming)This special edition McLaren is available for order now, with a price of £255,850, or, as a representative at McLaren's public relations firm informs us, $392,000 USD for American customers. Deliveries will begin in the spring of next year. Visit McLaren's website to learn how you can place an order for a 650S Can-Am, or find a 650S that you don't have to wait for from our exclusive listings at the button below.Editor's Note: The correct U.S. pricing has been added to the article. An earlier version of this article listed the price as $392,000 USD, which was the value of the direct exchange rate for British pricing. 650S Spiders For SaleGallery (Source: McLaren, YouTube, JMPR Public Relations) See More McLaren News

By Edward Jones – July 31, 2015

The Most Unique McLaren 650S Le Mans Edition

Only 50 McLaren 650S Le Mans Editions will be made. Less than 10 can be found in the United States and almost all of the 50 cars are Sarthe Grey, but this example features Tarocco Orange Elite paint with matching orange seat inserts. The lightweight wheels are unique to the Le Mans Edition and pay tribute to the F1 GTR entered in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. It finished first, third, fourth, fifth and 13th in that race, making McLaren the only manufacturer to ever win Le Mans on their first attempt.The Le Mans Edition was produced by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) to commemorate 20 years since the historic win. All Le Mans Editions feature handmade carbon fiber parts and interior badges, but this particular example has many unique options. A few of the carbon fiber parts, including the MSO rear diffuser and roof snorkel, cost in excess of $60,000.The roof snorkel, also found on the P1, significantly helps with channeling air into the engine. The snorkel creates a “woosh” sound above the driver and passenger's heads that makes for an unbelievably visceral driving experience. This example was commissioned for a prestigious collector who had some unique pieces added to the car. He requested the signatures of every McLaren engineer that worked on this car, as well as the signature of Ron Dennis, CEO of McLaren.Dimmitt Automotive Group would like to extend a special thank you to the collector who purchased this vehicle.View Dealer InventoryGallery

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