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 Andrew Nabors – November 26, 2018

McLaren 720S GT3 to Make Debut in Bahrain

The fastest cars in the Middle East are heading to Bahrain. The annual GT Festival kicks off on Friday, just in time for the Gulf 12 Hours of Abu Dhabi. Even though Winter has arrived early, McLaren is bringing some serious heat to the Yas Marina circuit. It will be the first outing for the 720S GT3. This hardcore racer is the first car built and engineered by their in-house motorsport department. Heading up their efforts is Dan Walmsley, who said in the press release: “We’re looking forward to demonstrating the 720S GT3 at the Bahrain GT Festival, and really thrilled to be competing in the Gulf 12 Hours, which will end an exciting year for the motorsport team. The 720S GT3 is the first race car designed and built by McLaren Automotive and the development team has worked tirelessly to deliver the gruelling test programme we devised for the car. We’re sure we’ll have plenty to learn during the race, and we’ll continue with testing after the event. This is an important product for McLaren Automotive, and therefore we have committed to ensuring that our customers receive a product worthy of carrying the iconic brand" McLaren 720S Fully Revealed! The stage is set for final testing, which will ensure the car receives homologation for the 2019 season. It will be interesting to see how this new 720S fits into their GT3 program, with the Senna GT3 and the 650S GT3 teams pushing for a podium finish. If you have been curious about the 720S click the link below and stay with us for all your McLaren updates. View All McLaren 720S For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 26, 2018

New McLaren 600LT and 720S Drag Race

Hennessey Performance were the first customer in the United States to take delivery of the new McLaren 600LT. This is an exciting notion because it means the famous Texas-based tuner will surely be working on some upgrades for the already potent car. Also, Hennessey isn't shy to test the power of their cars on the drag strip and they do a good job at filming the outings. For example, they've already taken their new 600LT out to the Pennzoil Proving Ground for a race against the 720S supercar. The race happened thanks to McLaren Houston, who brought the 720S over from their dealership. In the video above, you see the two McLaren racing in both a drag race and roll race, with one car being the victor in both races. Check it out for yourself by clicking play! Related: McLaren 720S Specs, Price, Photos & Review 10 Second Quarter Mile Cars McLaren Introduces “Albert”, the 1st Speedtail Prototype

By Edward Jones – November 21, 2018

McLaren 720S Spider Reveal in December

The McLaren 720S model was unveiled over a year ago on March 7, 2017. It was a pretty nice birthday present for me, as I'm seriously in love with the styling and power the 720S holds. Since its unveiling, the 720S has been one of McLaren's most popular cars, and it's for good reason. Like I said, it's both gorgeous and houses a twin-turbo V8 capable of 710 bhp and 568 lb-ft of torque. Now, McLaren is ready to drop the top on the 720S as they begin teasing the new 720S Spider model. McLaren has started posting media of the assumed 720S Spider. The first round of teases were an image (see above) and a video. " width="680"> In the description of the video, it reads: "At McLaren, we refuse to accept what’s gone before. We find a different way. A better way. To discover new ideas. It’s why we push further. Look beyond convention. And how we see past it – to where others don’t. McLaren. Some see more 08. 12. 18" While that's all a bit cryptic, we can know that we will be seeing the new model on December 12, 2018. And as a bonus, I've lightened the teaser image so you can get a glimpse of the hard top. Also Check Out: McLaren Unveils the Menacing MSO 720S Stealth McLaren 720S Specs, Price, Photos & Review McLaren Speedtail: This is it, the Fastest McLaren Ever!

By Andrew Nabors – November 19, 2018

McLaren Unveils the Menacing MSO 720S Stealth

The setting was LeMans in 1995. In the winner's circle was a menacing McLaren F1 GTR painted in Sarthe Grey. It was probably inspired by the Lockheed Stealth Fighter, using aerodynamics ahead of its time to allow a street-legal car to win the world's most famous race. When McLaren was developing the 720S, they envisioned a stealth concept to pay tribute to that famous predecessor. And now, thanks to McLaren Special Operations, the 720S Stealth is available for order. In a press release this morning, we see hand-painted accents in Vermillion Red along with matte finish carbon fiber exterior trim. It takes the artists at MSO over 200 hours to add the red accents, and the theme continues inside the cockpit. The dash and seats are 2-tone black Alcantara with Apex Red contrasts. Their lightest wheels are the forged one-piece 10-spokes, finished in satin black with a red outer lip. The amount of unique content on this car could fill an encyclopedia, so take a close look at the finer details and click the link below to find our dealer nearest you. Related: View All McLaren 720S For Sale McLaren 720S Fully Revealed!

McLaren Composites Technology Center (1)

By Edward Jones – November 14, 2018

McLaren Opens Up New $65 Million Carbon Fiber Center

McLaren Automotive has opened up their second-ever production facility, called the McLaren Composites Technology Center (MCTC), in Yorkshire, England. The opening ceremony was led by TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain. This new facility cost £50 million, which equates to around $65 million USD. What's more, it will "create over 200 jobs when fully-operational and generate £100 million (~$130 million USD) gross value-added for the local economy," according to McLaren. But what is this facility for, exactly? McLaren says the MCTC will be working on innovating carbon fiber and composites. Furthermore, these materials will be used for future powertrain development in order to drop weight and better their energy efficiency. They are also underway in creating new prototypes for McLaren's upcoming lightweight carbon fiber tubs used in their cars. Get ready to see some exciting carbon fiber advancements in McLaren upcoming cars! Also Check Out: Ultimate Buyers Guide to the Ferrari F430 McLaren 720S Specs, Price, Photos & Review See Jay Leno's Car Collection

By Andrew Nabors – November 12, 2018

First McLaren 600LT Delivered to Hennessey Performance

Houston, we are go for launch! This is the one we've been waiting for. If you assumed the first McLaren 600LT would arrive in South Florida or SoCal, you would be mistaken. The 1st US delivery of their latest Sports Series has arrived in Sealy, Texas. The first production car to have exhaust tips designed as flame-throwers is now in the custody of someone who can't resist the urge to squeeze more power out of it. Once its broken in, it will offer 592 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. While that is what McLaren claims, they always test their cars in the harshest of conditions. While we would like to tell you what John and his team have in-store for this machine, but that would spoil the fun. If you don't like the idea of modifying McLaren's latest cars, our dealers will be happy to find a new one for you. But if you want enough power to take on the world, stay tuned for updates from Hennessey Performance. Related: Hennessey Announces 1,200 HP Hellcat Redeye Meet The Hennessey Velociraptor V8 Hennessey Trackhawk- World's Fastest SUV

By Andrew Nabors – November 12, 2018

How Fast Do Supercars Shift?

We don't like to ruffle any feathers, but transmission opinions can be argued to death. When Ferrari first started replacing their manuals with the F1 gearbox, the idea of an automated single clutch scared the world. The dual-clutch automatic is heralded as the most advanced, but having two wet cluchtes makes them heavier than traditional automatics. Check Out These Deals On The Lexus LF-A BMW used dual-clutch transmissions on the M cars up until this model year, but they quietly went back to normal automatics. In the latest upload from Engineering Explained, the host attemps to lock down the shift times of the McLaren 720S. My own transmission is capable of 0.25 second shifts while cruising, and faster in Wide Open Throttle. Tell us your favorite gearbox in the comments below, and stay with us for all your McLaren footage. Related: View All McLaren 720S For Sale McLaren 720S Price, Specs, & Review

By Edward Jones – November 08, 2018

McLaren 570S & 720S Patrol the Night in Stylish New Vid

McLaren Newport Beach just published a new video that is the definition of cool. In the video, a duo consisting of a McLaren 720S and 570S patrol the streets during the night in a very stylish manner. No intense revving or sideways turns in this video, just smooth cruising. As the two exotic cars are seen cruising, the mellow tones of Harukasuka's "Absence" give off a chill vibe that fits the scenes perfectly. The entire video is worth a watch, so be sure to click play above. If you happen to be in the market for a McLaren, be sure to check out McLaren Newport Beach's inventory by clicking the button right down below. View McLaren Newport Beach's Inventory Also Check Out: What is the Fastest Ferrari? McLaren Newport Beach: The Senna In Detail Stunning Senna Delivered at McLaren Newport Beach

By Edward Jones – November 05, 2018

Hear What the McLaren Speedtail Sounds Like

The McLaren Speedtail has finally been unveiled after being teased for what seems like forever. In the grand scheme of things, we've really been waiting for this car ever since the F1 had its production run end. Nevertheless, it's here and we're excited. McLaren has stated that the car can hit a top speed of 250 mph and run 0 to 186 mph in 12.8 seconds. We know that there's 1,035 horsepower coming from the engine that's making these speeds possible. However, we don't know the exact specification of the engine. What we do know is that it's a hybrid powertrain, but the exact electric motors and engine are still unknown. Giving us a hint as to what is powering the car is a video from McLaren Newport Beach that features the car's engine sound. What do you guys think will be powering the Speedtail? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below. Also Check Out: McLaren Announces 720S Track Pack Pricing See All McLaren P1s For Sale Stunning Senna Delivered at McLaren Newport Beach!

By Edward Jones – November 02, 2018

McLaren Senna GTR Details Announced

McLaren Senna GTR to generate 2,205 lbs of downforce 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine produces 814 bhp and 590 lb-ft of torque Only 75 examples being created, all sold for around $1.4 million (plus taxes) McLaren is getting the Senna GTR closer to production as they announce a few more specs for the upcoming model. The car is a track-only hypercar that they first debuted at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show back in March. Even though the Senna is already an aggressive car, McLaren took it a step further with the Senna GTR. Don't believe me? Check this. McLaren has announced that the Senna GTR will be capable of generating 2,205 lbs of downforce. That's almost like setting a Mazda Miata on top of the car. This amount of downforce is possible thanks in part to the large front splitter, rear diffuser, and repositioned rear wing. Powering the car is the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine found in the Senna. However, the Senna GTR will have an additional 25 bhp when compared to the base Senna. When you combine the aerodynamics, light weight, suspension, chassis and everything else in the car, you get one of the meanest track cars McLaren has ever created. McLarenw ill be created just 75 examples of the Senna GTR at around $1.4 million plus taxes. Unfortunately, all of them are already sold. See all mclarens for sale McLaren Senna GTR Concept

McLaren News

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe