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

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By Tyler Rampersaud – May 31, 2022

The McLaren Artura Makes Its European Debut With An Honor...

McLaren’s first series-production hybrid supercar shows off its racing heritage at one of racing’s most important places. Monaco is one of the world’s most legendary locations when it comes to cars and racing. It’s where legacies are forged and the most experienced motorsport drivers, brands, and teams are put to the ultimate test. McLaren is a brand that has motorsport running through its veins, and the McLaren Artura, McLaren’s first series-production High-Performance Hybrid supercar, combines the heritage, innovation, and legacy of McLaren’s race cars, the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar, and McLaren’s other supercars. MUST READ: Final McLaren Senna XP Revealed by McLaren Beverly Hills and Driven by Pato O’Ward The Artura has made its debut in mainland Europe at Monaco for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend by taking an honorary lap around the legendary track, showing off its hybrid performance and racing-ready dynamics, and it was driven by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and H.S.H Hereditary Prince Jacuqes and finished in the iconic McLaren Orange color. With a debut European appearance at Monaco, the McLaren Artura shows invariably that it’s a celebration of the past, present, and future of motorsport. View All McLaren Arturas For Sale Source: McLaren

By Edward Jones – May 27, 2022

Watch Over $200 Million Worth of McLaren F1s Take a Ferry...

This has to be the most expensive ferry crossing to ever happen. The McLaren F1 has continued to stay in the limelight even years after its production ended for many good reasons. First up is the fact that legendary designer Gordon Murray was the brilliant mind behind the F1. Next is the record the XP5 prototype set for being the world's fastest production car back in 1998 with a top speed of 240.1 mph. I could honestly go on for days as for reasons why the McLaren F1 has gone down in history as a true automotive icon, but there's something better you need to check out. If you look up above, you'll see a video from TheTFJJ where he encountered what may be the most epic ferry crossing to ever take place. On the ferry was an insane collection of McLaren F1s, with examples of the F1 GTR and F1 GTR Longtail mixed in. According to TheTFJJ, the amount of cars on the ferry equated to over $200 million and I can't argue with that figure as the value of the F1 is well up there. Click play up above to see the wild footage for yourself. View All McLarens For Sale

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 23, 2022

McLaren F1 Team Launches Its New Limited-Edition Monaco C...

McLaren preps for Monaco with a new apparel line. Since its inaugural start in 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix continues its legacy as one of the most iconic motorsport circuits in the world. The curvy 2.074-mile Circuit de Monaco course sits on the beautiful waterfront village between France and Italy, where famous drivers like Aryton Senna and Niki Lauda have competed in legendary races. Prepping for the upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monaco this weekend, the McLaren F1 Team is proud to launch an apparel and accessory collection celebrating the historic event. The all-new McLaren F1 Monaco Collection features head-to-toe styles that incorporate vintage designs, fonts, and colors that commemorate McLaren’s earliest years participating in the famous event. MUST-READ: The Top Automotive-Inspired LEGO Sets Available Now The collection release includes sweatshirts, t-shirts, polos, hats, and sunglasses that come in an array of sizes for everyone in the family. Within the lineup of premium apparel, team racing drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo sport their race numbers on select pieces, making it the perfect choice to root on your favorite McLaren driver during this weekend’s F1 Grand Prix. The colors that make up the McLaren Monaco Collection include the brand’s famous Papaya Orange, Dusty Blue, Black, and white. The all-new McLaren F1 Monaco Collection is currently available starting at $49, just in time for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, May 29th. View all of the current McLaren models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and Formula 1 news. View All McLaren For Sale Source: McLaren

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By Tyler Rampersaud – May 17, 2022

McLaren Celebrates 25 Years of The Longtail With Daniel R...

One of McLaren’s most important pieces of history turns 25. The “Longtail” McLaren was born in 1997, when the McLaren F1 GTR “Longtail” took both P1 and P2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the next car behind finishing almost 30 laps behind. Since then, the long tail has become a part of McLaren’s heritage, and various “Longtail” models have become part of McLaren’s lineup. Starting with the 675LT in 2015, McLaren quickly followed with a Spider convertible version. The 600LT came next in 2018, which also came as both a coupe and Spider. The latest McLaren LT was the 765LT, introduced in 2020, with the Spider version arriving in 2021. MUST READ: McLaren Announces Its Participation In The Formula E 2022/23 Season McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo celebrates 25 years of the McLaren “Longtail” by having a look at some of the LT cars and discussing the six LT “pillars” that inform their incredible design: better aerodynamics, lighter weight, track-ready dynamics, increased power, engaging driving feel, and of course, exclusivity. View All McLarens For Sale Source: McLaren

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 16, 2022

McLaren Announces Its Participation In The Formula E 2022...

McLaren looks to Formula E for a new podium to stand on. Being an automotive manufacturer built around a vision of success in both production and motorsports, McLaren aims to deliver the very best in design and performance through its fleet of supercars. The technology that generates astonishing power and aerodynamics comes directly from the engineering experts of Mclaren’s Formula 1 Team. While the McLaren F1 Team focuses on continuing to improve on the industry’s most iconic motorsport series, the U.K.-based manufacturer is also open to new ventures for future competition. McLaren is proud to announce its upcoming participation in the Formula E 2022/2022 Season. MUST-READ: McLaren Celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee With A New Paint Color The decision to make an appearance in the all-electric race series is formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team. McLaren expresses its excitement to work with the reigning champions on developing a new sustainable performance that will introduce the brand to a whole new community of dedicated race fans. Although specifics are yet to be released on vehicles and drives, the Formula E series is proud to welcome McLaren to the tarmac this season. Click on the link below to view all of the current McLaren examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more luxury lifestyle releases and upcoming Formula E news. View All McLaren For Sale Source: McLaren

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By Tyler Rampersaud – May 12, 2022

McLaren Celebrates Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee ...

McLaren celebrates Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee with a regal new paint option. The longest-reigning monarch in Britain, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year having spent 70 years as The Queen. 18 years ago today, she opened McLaren’s global headquarters, which makes it the perfect time to celebrate both Her Majesty and the innovation and legacy of the McLaren brand with a stunning new paint option, a specially developed platinum silver, aptly dubbed “Platinum Jubilee.” MUST READ: McLaren Announces Bowers & Wilkins As Its Official Audio Partner The color has been debuted on a one-off version of the McLaren Artura at the McLaren Technology Centre. The paint color itself was carefully engineered, with McLaren’s coating partner AkzoNobel analyzing different lighting conditions in order to find the best possible combination of metallic pigment, and MSO’s paint developers spending 8 days to come up with the best platinum paint composition through durability and application testing. To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, the one-off McLaren Artura also features a special “Elizabeth II” badge to mark the occasion, however, the color will be available for McLaren customers to select for years to come. View All McLarens For Sale Source: McLaren

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 10, 2022

Amalgam Celebrates The Gulf Livery With A New Limited-Edi...

The perfect addition to any Gulf Racing or McLaren F1 racing fan's collection. After an intense kick-off to the first-ever Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, race fans re-live the action-packed excitement from the inaugural race that ended with a victory for Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Team. The luxury professionals at Amalgam are continuing the celebration by presenting an all-new McLaren F1 MCL35M Collection featuring a range of highly-detailed models ranging from scales 1:18 to 1:8. The theme of the collection release follows the iconic Gulf Racing livery, which is known as one of the most recognizable racing visuals in history. Gulf’s link with McLaren started in 1968 and continued until the end of the 1973 season, with Gulf and McLaren enjoying success in both Formula 1 and the Can-Am series, in which the partnership won over 40 races. MUST-READ: Amalgam Debuts Its New Limited-Edition 1:12-Scale Ferrari Portofino M Model The collection includes a 1:8-scale McLaren MCL35M 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, 1:18-scale McLaren MCL35M 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, 1:8-scale McLaren MCL35M 2021 Italian Grand Prix, and a McLaren MCL35M Nosecone from the 2021 Imola Grand Prix. Each variation presents itself in the most detailed manner possible with the help of CAD data supplied directly from McLaren. After an intricate molding, the MCL35M receives a 250-hour process to cast, fit, fettle, assemble, and paint to the exact specs of the race car. Strictly limited to only 50-pieces of each driver livery, the all-new Amalgam McLaren MCL35M Collection is currently available starting at $345 by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle gear news and releases. SHOP NOW Source: Amalgam

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 09, 2022

McLaren Announces Bowers & Wilkins As Its Official Audio ...

The amazing sound of a McLaren won’t just come from the engine. High-end audio brand Bowers & Wilkins and supercar manufacturer McLaren have just come together to announce a strategic partnership, making Bowers & Wilkins McLaren’s official audio partner. Both brands are known for their relentless striving towards perfection in their fields, with McLaren discovering and implementing the newest and most daring technology in the world of speed and performance, and Bowers & Wilkins pushing towards its mission of staying as true as possible to the original recording of any audio its speakers play. MUST READ: Bruno Senna Debuts The McLaren Artura In North America With Miami Hot Laps The brand has been responsible for the speakers in McLaren’s cars since 2015, and now that an official partnership has been forged, Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren are now working together to create newer and better audio solutions together, like subwoofers integrated into the proprietary McLaren Lightweight Architecture carbon fiber monocoque that serves as an optimal mounting surface for the best sound. Going forward, Bowers & Wilkins will be featured prominently on McLaren’s partner roster, and the two companies will work together to create incredible cars with the best driving experiences. View All McLarens For Sale Source: McLaren

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By Tyler Rampersaud – May 06, 2022

Bruno Senna Debuts The McLaren Artura In North America Wi...

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, a different kind of McLaren takes the track. McLaren and legendary race car driver Ayrton Senna have history, as 21 years ago was when he won his last US Grand Prix at the Phoenix Street Circuit in Arizona. That history continues with his nephew Bruno, as he takes the all-new McLaren Artura High-Performance Hybrid to the Miami International Autodrome and goes all out on the track with McLaren’s first series-production hybrid supercar. MUST READ: McLaren’s First NFT Collection Celebrates The P1’s 10th Anniversary And Drops May 11 The track features 19 corners, 3 straights, and plenty of elevation changes that put cars like the Artura through their paces and truly test their performance. Bruno Senna said that the electric motor combines with the V6 engine to create a confident and powerful ride. With a total system capability of 671 horsepower and 531 lb/ft of torque, the Artura gets from 0-60 in only 3 seconds flat and ends up climbing all the way to 205 mph. With that kind of performance, it’s no wonder how the McLaren Artura was able to make such a splash with its North American debut. View All McLaren Arturas For Sale Source: McLaren

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By Tyler Rampersaud – May 05, 2022

McLaren's First NFT Collection Celebrates The P1's 10th A...

The world’s first hybrid hypercar also becomes McLaren’s first NFT. The McLaren P1 has no problem being a pioneer. As the world’s first hybrid hypercar, revealed ten years ago in 2012, it was part of a “Holy Trinity” of cars that set the course and approach for performance cars, supercars, and hypercars in one of the most meaningful ways modern automotive history has ever seen. Now, the car takes on a similar role in the virtual world. 2,012 (paying homage to the year it was first introduced) randomly generated McLaren P1 and P1 GTR NFTs will be minted. MUST READ: McLaren’s New MSO LAB Brings McLaren Lifestyle Into The Metaverse They are each priced at 0.5ETH and are in five separate tiers: 1,000 in the LAB Studio: P1 tier, 893 in the LAB Studio+: P1 tier, 100 in the LAB Works: P1 GTR tier, the LAB Honorary P1 and P1 GTR tier, of which NFTs will be gifted to select members of the McLaren community, and 5 in the LAB Icons P1 and P1 GTR tier. 14 NFTs have already been gifted, which leaves 1,998 available for sale. The NFT gives owners a render of the front ¾ view of the car, an animation of the car as well. They will also receive membership to the MSO LAB community, as well as opportunities and invitations to experiences and perks. The NFTs will be live on the McLaren marketplace on May 11 at 9:00 AM ET with priority access for McLaren owners as well as other invitees, and will then open to invited wider NFT communities on May 13, exactly 48 hours later, marking the full entry of McLaren into the NFT world. View All McLarens For Sale Source: McLaren

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