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 – August 11, 2020

A Look at One of the Rare McLaren 675LT Prototypes

When McLaren was testing the 675LT, they created a total of eight pre-production prototypes. Unfortunately, three of those were destroyed, leaving just five to be used for validation testing. We recently had the opportunity to see one of these five McLaren 675LT prototype vehicles and it was just right around the corner from our headquarters here in Florida. After McLaren finished testing the pre-production 675LTs, they took them back to the factory and completely rebuilt them. The five examples were then sold to five fortunate people. Our local friend invited us down to check his example out, which is #PP457. It’s finished in Chicane Grey with orange trim and an orange/black interior. The color combo is fantastic, especially the use of orange, which is a perfect choice for any McLaren. It also boasts an amazing carbon fiber package that takes this rare 675LT to another level. There are also a few options that are very hard to find on any other example of the 675LT. Check it out for yourself in the gallery below. Also, click the button to see all of the McLaren 675LTs for sale now. All McLaren 675LTs for Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 01, 2018

McLaren Reveals Gulf Livery MSO 675LT of your Dreams

It has been almost two decades since the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR was fielded by Gulf-Davidoff. Wearing the iconic Gulf colors, it was burned into the memories of many McLaren fans.One of them has now worked hard to afford the car of his dreams. So he commissioned McLaren Special Operations to recreate that car on a new 675LT. Starting with the cockpit, they used colors and materials found on the predecessor. Then it took a few days in a CNC mill to create vintage looking 20 spoke wheels.Why You Should Buy A McLaren 720SThe customer received full endorsement from Gulf Oil, but that was just the beginning. Many components inside and out were built to his specifications. As such, MSO spent over 1,000 hours on this car. We don't have an idea of their labor rate, but it is not inexpensive.DragTimes: McLaren 720S vs Ferrari 488GTBAnsar Ali is the director of MSO, and he had this to say: "Creating a car like this unique McLaren 675LT, crafted to individual customer specification, is exactly the type of demanding commission that MSO Bespoke was formed to embrace. Transforming the existing car from its original single colour paintwork to a tribute to the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ in Gulf Racing livery was incredibly demanding in its own right, but was only part of the brief; we also replaced numerous standard 675LT components with MSO parts and further personalised the car to clearly identify it with its owner, a service that an increasing number of MSO customers request.”Our McLaren dealers have a hotline to MSO, so if you dream it, they can build it. Have a great weekend!Browse McLaren 675LT For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – August 26, 2016

Top 5 McLaren Colors

Color is one of those important nuances in life that can evoke a number of responses. Blue brings a sense of calm. Red represents fiery anger or passion. From clothing companies to therapy centers and of course, the automotive industry, colors are chosen are meticulously chosen to bring attention or make a statement. Supercars are no exception. Here are the Top 5 McLaren colors. Sell My McLaren: Get a Cash Offer 5. Vermillion Red Red is a color that stands out and for that reason, it's used on vehicles rather often. It's the signature color or some of the main supercar brands (hello Rosso Corsa), and for good reason. When a red car, especially one as stunning as a supercar makes its way down the street, people can't help but stop and stare. Vermillion Red combined with the notoriety of McLaren makes for the ultimate statement on the roads. This particular McLaren 650S uses the bright, bold red as a main color and an interior accent. 2016 McLaren 650S Spider Info Mileage: Contact Dealer Color: Vermillion Red exterior / Black and Vermillion Red interior Special features: Carbon fiber Exterior Upgrade Package Price: Contact Dealer McLaren 650S Spider For Sale 4. Chicane For some car enthusiasts, stealth is the name of the game, and nothing says stealthy like the sheen, understated shimmer of a gray finish. McLaren offers an exclusive gray color known as Chicane, which makes the vehicle look like a gliding bullet in motion. Accented with red calipers and complimented by a Carbon Black Interior 2016 McLaren 675LT Info Mileage: 437 Color: Chicane Gray exterior / Carbon Black interior Special Features: Carbon Fiber Exterior Upgrade Pack Price: $409,900 3. Napier Green For those who want to stand out in a crowd and do so with unconventional flare, a stunning, lime style, Napier Green might do the trick. This color is bold, and fierce, just like the McLaren 675LT. It commands attention at all angles and its raw, vibrant hue elicits excitement much like the adrenaline rush driving a McLaren brings. Statements are meant to be daring and fearless, which makes Napier Green a perfect choice for the McLaren's finish. This McLaren features a Carbon Black interior with touches of the lively Napier Green throughout the stitching. 2016 McLaren 675LT Coupe Info Mileage: 480 Color: Napier Green exterior / Carbon Black Alcantara interior w/ Napier stitching Special Features: Matte Carbon Fiber Exterior Package and Matte Carbon Fiber Interior Trim Package Price: $399,888 2. Lantana Purple Another unconventional, standout color turning heads is Lantana Purple. This color is deeply saturated and vibrant, as well as rare and modern. Native to South America, the lantana is a vibrant, purple flower that grows wild in a flower cluster known as an "inflorescence". It's no wonder McLaren chose this color as one of its signature finishes, and though it isn't likely to see this color in any kind of cluster of vehicles, the McLaren 675LT is definitely wild. This particular example pulls the dominant color into the seats and stitching in the interior for an even more dramatic effect. 2016 McLaren 675LT Info Mileage: 292 Color: Lantana Purple exterior / Black and Lantana interior Special Features: Contact Dealer Price: $434,950 1. Onyx Black There's nothing quite as sleek and inviting as a pristine, shiny black car, especially when it can reach 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds. Black exudes elegance and posh style while embodying stealth and allure. It's the perfect color for just about any supercar, but looks especially inviting on this Can-Am Heritage edition McLaren 650S Spider. With homage paid to the Can-Am racing tradition, this McLaren 650S Spider features a black finish with carbon fiber hood and exclusive livery. To bring the look together, the red is found throughout the interior including two-tone seats and customized stitching. This McLaren will definitely stand apart from the rest. 2016 McLaren 650S Spider Can-Am Heritage Edition Info Mileage: Contact Dealer Color: Onyx Black exterior / Black and Red interior Special Features: Can-Am Heritage edition Price: $386,604

By Edward Jones – October 23, 2015

Chicane Grey McLaren 675LT at McLaren Newport Beach

McLaren Newport Beach has yet another happy customer, thanks to the selling of this McLaren 675LT. The new owner will be able to enjoy the supercar and its 3.8-liter V8 engine, capable of producing 666 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. This V8 is related to the one found in the 650S, but the 675LT benefits from a massive amount of upgrades. These include new turbos, modified cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds. McLaren states on their web page for the car that the 675LT is "the lightest, most driver-focused, most exclusive series-production McLaren supercar ever built." On top of the fantastic standard features McLaren includes in the car, this example has a list of optional upgrades. You can view these below, along with a detailed gallery of the car in McLaren Newport Beach's showroom. View Dealer Inventory Exterior Special Paint - Chicane Grey Carbon Fiber Exterior Upgrade Pack Carbon Fiber Front Bumper End Plate Carbon Fiber Side Intake Carbon Fiber Lower Side Intake Carbon Fiber Door Blades Carbon Fiber Rear Bumper Center Carbon Fiber McLaren-branded Sill Panels Carbon Fiber Mirror Casings Carbon Fiber Engine Covers Carbon Fiber Engine Bay Panels Carbon Fiber Racing Bucket Seats - Touring Carbon Fiber Extended Shift Paddles Carbon Fiber Interior Trim Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel Trim Titanium Water and Oil Caps Motorsports-style Polycarbonate Engine Cover McLaren Carbon Fiber Stealth Badge Carbon Ceramic Brakes - Napier Green Callipers Super-Lightweight Forged Wheels - Gloss Black Machine Finish Titanium Exhaust Tips McLaren Track Telemetry Camera Extended Upper Trim - Carbon Black Alcantara Full Carbon Black Alcantara®& Embossed Leather Interior Napier Green Contrast Coloured Stitching Soft Close Latches P-Zero Tyres Meridian Surround Sound System Gallery

By Caitlin Duffy – July 22, 2015

McLaren 675LT Track Test by Chris Harris

"The new McLaren 675 is to the 650S what the Speciale is to Ferrari 458," describes Chris Harris in his latest video review. "It's the fast one, the light one, the more trackable one." And trackable it seems to be, indeed. On July 21, Harris shared his experience driving the McLaren 675LT at the Silverstone track, and it could easily be called a rave review. We first saw the 675LT take a track on July 15, in a video shared with the world by McLaren Automotive. At just three minutes long, it was enticing and tantalizing, and left us wanting to see more. Luckily for us, Harris expanded the experience to a nine minute long video, and added in an even more exciting perspective - the passenger's seat. Through slight tweaks and weight reductions, the 650S was cranked into the 675LT, though the difference between the two couldn't be more impressive. Unfortunately, those who were hoping to grab a longtail for themselves are out of luck - the same day McLaren announced the production numbers for the model, July 17, they also announced that all had already been sold. Check out Harris' video above to see his review, and keep an eye on our exclusive McLaren listings for when a 675LT has made it stateside and is looking for a second owner. McLarens For Sale (Source: YouTube via Road & Track) See More McLaren News

By Andrew Nabors – July 17, 2015

McLaren 675LT Sold Out and Production Numbers Revealed

We have been wondering about the details of McLaren’s latest model and we figured that we would have a chance to experience them firsthand. But in a press release this morning, McLaren saddened us with the news that all 500 cars are spoken for. Thankfully they did go into detail about the engineering and innovation that it offers. First and foremost, the new McLaren 675LT for sale is not just a new aero package on an existing car. They started from the ground up with the goal of eliminating all unnecessary weight and improving downforce. By losing most of the carpet and insulation, along with a few other pleasantries, over 220 lbs have been shed. Plush leather seats have been replaced by carbon fiber buckets wrapped in alcantara. For the exterior, an F1™ style front splitter and the namesake long tail generate 40 percent more downforce compared to the 650S. Integrated into this tail is a mammoth air brake that’s 50 percent larger than any of the other Super Series models'. Using suspension improvements devised for the P1, the front suspension is lower and the rear is 20 mm wider. The 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 is essentially a new design, since over 50 percent of the engine’s internals are new for this model. This allows it to make a sinister 666 hp at 7,100 rpm and 516 lb of torque from 5,500 to 6,500 rpm. Having that wide of a torque plateau will make for ridiculous smiles and scared passengers. It’s also a key ingredient for our favorite dessert: impromptu donut surprise. The turbochargers share the same housings with other models, but the compressor wheels are now machined from a solid billet of alloy. This makes them much lighter and stronger, allowing them to spin up much faster than previous units. (See Also: Lamborghini Aventador vs. McLaren 650S Drag Race) As is usually seen with other low production supercars, we will inevitably have one for sale on our website soon and hopefully at one of our events. Stay tuned to Autofluence for more McLaren news, and find another one of McLaren's Super Series models from our exclusive listings. McLaren For Sale (Source: McLaren)

By Steve Chapman Jr – July 15, 2015

McLaren 675LT Unleashed on the Track for the First Time

Ever since the McLaren 675LT was unveiled in February, we have been dying to see it in action. Thankfully, the wait is over. In a video uploaded to YouTube July 14 by McLaren Automotive, we get to see the 675LT unleashed on the track for the first time ever. The sound you hear in the video provided below is thanks to McLaren's award-winning 3.8-liter V8 engine. Not one to be content with power output, McLaren upped the power in the 675LT by using 50 percent new parts in the engine. This results in a devilish 666 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The upgrades range from new turbos, exhaust manifolds and cylinder heads, to a new camshaft, connecting rods and "faster-"flowing" fuel pump and delivery system. (Related: 202 mph McLaren P1 GTR Test Drive) What you're seeing in the video is the car's ability to accelerate from 0-62 mph in just 2.9 seconds and 0-124 mph in 7.9. Push it to its limit and it tops out at 205 mph. Check out the video below to see and hear what the McLaren 675LT is capable off. Trust me, you won't regret it. (Source: YouTube) See More McLaren News

By Edward Jones – May 27, 2015

McLaren 675LT In Detail at McLaren Newport Beach

The new McLaren 675LT is the lightest and most powerful model in the automaker's Super Series. Its name resurrects the 'Longtail' moniker, which was first used for the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR 'Longtail.' Our friends at McLaren Newport Beach recently had the chance to photograph a 675LT finished in Chicane Grey. In the photos, we get an in-depth view of the car from the inside out. You get a chance to see the 3.8-liter V8 engine that generates 666 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. This engine is similar to the one found in the 650S, but more than 50 percent of the vehicle is comprised of new parts, including new turbos, modified cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds, new camshaft and connecting rods and a “faster-flowing” fuel pump and delivery system. (Also Read: Every Angle of the P1 GTR at McLaren Newport Beach Private Party) Check out the images below to see the 675LT like you've never seen it before. And if you are in the market for a McLaren, be sure to check out McLaren Newport Beach's inventory of fantastic vehicles by clicking the button below. Gallery

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