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 – April 02, 2019

McLaren Senna GTR Making Debut at Goodwood Soon

The new McLaren Senna GTR will be making its debut at the upcoming Goodwood Members' Meeting on April 6, 2019. Meant to recreate the same vibe set by the original BARC Meetings at Goodwood in the 1950s and 1960s, the Goodwood Members' Meeting is two days of automotive heaven. Historic and modern cars are on hand, putting on displays both on and off the track. This includes cars that have never seen track time before, like the Senna GTR which will be making its track debut as well. McLaren will also be displaying their McLaren Senna built out of 500,000 LEGO bricks at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. For more information on the Members' Meeting, click here. view all mclaren up for sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – March 22, 2019

McLaren Celebrates Their First Chassis from Yorkshire

McLaren builds such amazing cars that they have outgrown their headquarters in Surrey. Their new plant is the McLaren Composites Technology Center, located in Yorkshire. It is only 125 miles away, which is probably under a minute in a P1 GTR. It will allow for research and improvement of their Monocell and Monocage chassis by cutting weight and adding strength. The facility opened last year, and today McLaren celebrates their first chassis from Yorkshire. In a press release this morning, we see the happy team standing around "PLT-MCTC - 01". This prototype will be used to study crash safety, torsional loads, and hopefully graphene. This new facility is critical to their Track 25 Plan, as their goal is to have an entirely hybrid lineup by 2025. This will require stronger & lighter chassis to stay ahead of the competition, but honestly, they are decades ahead already. Congrats to the team at MCTC from all of us at duPont REGISTRY. Shop McLaren P1 FOr Sale Related: Porsche Employees Get $11,000 Bonus McLaren Beverly Hills: Dealer of the Year for 2018

By Andrew Nabors – March 20, 2019

Hennessey McLaren 720S HPE900 Sounds Ready for a Fight

Have you ever overheard someone say: "My car is fast enough". This could be a symptom of mental illness because the only humans ever satisfied with the performance of their machines are the pilots of the SR-71 Blackbird. I've had a few spins in McLaren's latest Super Series, and it doesn't disappoint. But after the new wears off, your answer can be found west of Houston. That's because the Hennessey McLaren 720S HPE900 Sounds ready for a fight. Something is different about the 4.0L V8 found in the Senna and the 720S. It either has a different firing order or maybe a flat-plane crankshaft. Either way, it's too quiet in factory form. So the team at Hennessey Performance started with high-flow intakes. These feed into modified turbos and then into larger intercoolers. More boost means more power, and a less-restrictive exhaust allows for instant response. Hennessey HPE1000 Corvette is a Supercharged Beast The secret sauce lies in the tuning. After extensive evaluation, John probably optimized the ignition curve and eliminated the silly boost-by-gear programming. The end result is 809 horsepower at the rear wheels along with 627 lb-ft of torque. That is a gain of 133 horsepower at the ground, not too shabby considering it includes a 3-year warranty and an aggressive soundtrack. Don't be shamed by a Senna, click the link below for all the info. View Details Related: McLaren 600LT vs Hennessey HPE1000 Jeep Trackhawk

By Edward Jones – March 20, 2019

McLaren Beverly Hills is McLaren Automotive's 2018 "Globa...

Out of the 91 retailers in McLaren Automotive's global network of dealers, McLaren Beverly Hills is in the spotlight as the manufacturer's top performer. The California dealership that's part of the O'Gara Group was awarded as the McLaren Automotive Global Retailer of the Year 2018 during the fourth edition of the awards. To determine the winner of the award, McLaren looked at areas like sales, customer service, aftersales and marketing. “I would like to congratulate McLaren Beverly Hills on claiming the McLaren Global Retailer of the Year Award,” said Tony Joseph, President of McLaren North America. “It’s an especially impressive performance considering that the O’Gara Group only took on the franchise in late 2017 and have succeeded in taking their performance in sales and service to a world-beating level in only 12 months”. " width="680"> “At McLaren Beverly Hills we don’t just sell McLarens, we inspire our customers to enjoy, drive and race their cars," says McLaren Beverly Hills CEO, Tom O’ Gara. "We are as much enthusiasts and motorsports fans as they are and we are thrilled that McLaren has recognised the passion and spirit that we bring to this business and our attention to customer care and service” There were three other North American McLaren retailers that were among the top 12 global retailers: McLaren Philadelphia, McLaren San Francisco and McLaren Toronto. view mclaren beverly hills' inventory

By Andrew Nabors – March 18, 2019

McLaren Senna 0-183 MPH Test Run

If you have enough currency to afford a new McLaren Senna, you probably know how to enjoy the finer things in life. It is unfortunate that many supercar owners never push their cars to the limit, so the public is forced to live vicariously through videos and the best car magazine of all time. As such, our friends at Motorsport Magazine decided to film a McLaren Senna 0-183 MPH test run at Lurcy-Lévis. The French test track includes a 1 kilometer straight for just such a test. Breaking in a new car should be done carefully to make sure the piston rings and valvetrain find there forever homes. This car only had 3,133 miles at the time of filming, so there is no turning back now. Needless to say, this was done on a closed course with a professional driver. It goes to show you just how capable the Senna is, so maybe you think you can handle it. Click the link below to find one near you and stay with us for all your McLaren news. Shop McLaren For Sale Related: McLaren Senna GTR Unveiled McLaren Senna Breaks Records on The Grand Tour

By Edward Jones – March 08, 2019

McLaren Senna GTR Unveiled: More Aggressive Than Ever Before

When the McLaren Senna was first revealed, it took so many by surprise. It's extremely aggressive appearance is an absolute showstopper and it's become a star at every car show that has one appearing. Now, the newly unveiled McLaren Senna GTR takes the ferocity of the model up by the nth degree. McLaren notes that the Senna GTR is their most extreme track car yet. Its power comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces a staggering 813 bhp. With a lightest dry weight of just 2,619 lbs, the Senna GTR comes with a solid power-to-weight ratio. Because the Senna GTR is a track car, McLaren didn't have to worry about all of the road regulations like they did when designing the Senna. Without restraints, they created a car that's faster, lighter and more powerful than the Senna. “The McLaren Senna GTR is a perfect example of our determination to bring our customers the Ultimate expression of track driving performance and excitement," says Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. Only 75 examples of the new McLaren Senna GTR will be created, with deliveries starting later this year in September 2019. McLaren has price the track car at £1.1 million plus taxes, equating to roughly $1.43 million USD. If you're interested, I should let you know that all of the cars were allocated within weeks of the order book opening, which happened shortly after the unveiling of the Senna GTR Concept at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. see all mclarens for sale

By Edward Jones – March 06, 2019

McLaren 720S Spider by MSO Shines With Breathtaking Blue ...

A very special McLaren 720S by MSO has bowed its head at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show. This 720S supercar demonstrates MSO's abilities to create one-of-a-kind automobiles that stand out from the crowd. To accomplish this, McLaren's specialization branch took each aero component and blended three MSO metallic paints on them: Cerulean Blue, Burton Blue and Abyss Black. This blend creates a spectacular visual that looks as though the blue paint is eloquently fading into the black paint, standing out against the new Meteorite Grey paint. Other bespoke features include the Gloss Carbon Fiber Tonneau Cover, 10-spoke super lightweight forged wheels in an Abyss Black gloss finish, Burton Blue brake calipers, gloss finish carbon seat backs and a lot more. see all mclarens listed for sale

By Edward Jones – March 05, 2019

New McLaren Grand Tourer Teased

A new McLaren Grand Tourer model has been teased ahead of its eventual reveal. It's announcement makes it the fourth McLaren that will be unveiled as part of the automaker's Track25 Business Plan. For now, we'll have to make due with a teaser image as its full reveal won't be for a few month. McLaren did, however, divulge a bit of info regarding the new model. Inside, they say that the interior will be "spacious, uncluttered and modern." Mike Flewitt, the CEO of McLaren Automotive also said that it will be the "Most usable mid-engined car yet." Here's a full quote by Flewitt from the press release issued by McLaren: “The fourth McLaren to be introduced under the Track25 business plan will be our interpretation of the Grand Tourer. It will be a car that combines competition levels of performance with continent- crossing capability, wrapped in a beautiful lightweight body. It’s a car that has been designed for distance and one that will also provide the comfort and space expected of a Grand Tourer. But with a level of agility never experienced before in this segment. In addition, it will be the lightest of Grand Tourers and by also having the best power-to-weight ratio, I promise it will be one of the quickest. In addition, it will be the only Grand Tourer to share its DNA with the 250mph McLaren Speedtail.”

By Edward Jones – February 22, 2019

Preview of the McLaren 600LT Spider by MSO That Will Be a...

A truly incredible McLaren 600LT Spider by MSO is making its way to the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. McLaren Special Operations (MSO) designed this 600LT Spider's color scheme after the original colors for its predecessor, the 675LT. Across the body is a Dove Grey paint that's accented with brilliant instances of Napier Green, outlining what McLaren calls the "key design elements" of the 600LT. During the application process of the Napier Green paint, MSO use a new process for the very first time. This process involves a new technique that involves applying the paint to a film that's light and flexible, resulting in a perfect color match. This film has been applied to the splitter, sills, door inserts and rear diffuser. MSO also packed this 600LT with options like the MSO Defined Visual Carbon Fiber Front Fender Louvres, Visual Carbon Fiber exterior elements, retractable hard-top in MSO Bespoke Carbon Black, 10-spoke Ultra Lightweight forged alloy wheels. Inside, there's plenty of carbon fiber options as well that make it as sporty and stylish as you can make a 600LT Spider. If you want to see it for yourself, be sure to head out to the Geneva Motor Show, which starts on March 7th. Want a McLaren 600LT of your own? Click the button below to see what we have in stock! view all mclaren 600lt for sale

By Edward Jones – February 20, 2019

Justin Bell Tests Out the McLaren 600LT Spider

The new McLaren 600LT Spider and Coupe are incredible hot right now, thanks to their style, power and those beautiful exhaust pipes that shoot out flames. Justin Bell, a British racecar driver and son of Derek Bell, recently had the opportunity to test out the car. To test it, Bell flew out to Arizona to try out the 600LT Spider for his YouTube channel JustinBellTV. "On the road it was tight and agile with a barely contained contempt for being held back, but once out on the race track it showed its true colors," says Bell. Check out his full test drive of the car by clicking play above! view all mclarens for sale Also Check Out: Hennessey Performance McLaren 600LT Upgrade: Hypercar-like Power Why You Should Buy A McLaren 600LT How To Configure Your McLaren 600LT

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