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 – March 29, 2018

McLaren Senna in Action in New Video

The new McLaren Senna is about as aggressive and extreme as you can get when it comes to the manufacturer's models. McLaren has said explicitly that the Senna is their most "extreme McLaren road car yet." Even though the Senna is a road car, it was designed to perform exceptionally on every circuit. McLaren Senna GTR Sold Out McLaren's senior test driver Gareth Howell explains in a new video just how well the Senna can adapt to any track's situation. Howell also shows off the Senna capabilities in motion on the Kyalami circuit in South Africa. One of the most interesting visuals in the video, found below, is the active aero in action. Both the rear wing and front aero components adjust themselves to provide the best possible downforce in any given situation. Check it out for yourself in the video down below.

By Andrew Nabors – March 26, 2018

McLaren Senna GTR Sold Out

In an article published this morning, the English Petrol-heads at Autocar has confirmed our worst fears. Speaking with McLaren's management at Geneva, they said over 150 potential buyers expressed interested in the McLaren Senna GTR. Unfortunately, McLaren has capped the production run at only 75 cars. Like its predecessor the P1 GTR, they will be street legal cars capable of taking on the world. McLaren Senna Price & Specs A person much wiser than myself told me "The best way to sell a car is to tell them it is not for sale." McLaren's most valued customers will probably be upset at the low production numbers, but this car is undoubtedly expensive to build. They have pushed the 4.0 liter V8 to new heights, making "at least" 814 horsepower at the crank along with 590 lb-ft of torque. At speed, the prominent aerodynamics generate 2,204 lbs of downforce, so McLaren claims only the legendary F1 is faster on the track. Browse McLaren For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 07, 2018

2018 McLaren Senna Specs, Price, Photos & Review

When the McLaren Senna was unveiled at the end of 2017, we were presented with a few things: an orange variant of the car, its power output, how many would be produced and the Mclaren Senna price tag. Now, McLaren has graced us with a new 2018 Senna finished in Vision Victory grey and the official performance numbers of the car. Here are the new performance figures: 2018 McLaren Senna Specs 0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds 0-124 mph: 6.8 seconds 1/4-mile: 9.9 seconds Top speed: 211 mph Along with the official performance figures, McLaren also detailed the specifications that will be available for the Senna supercar. The McLaren Senna specs include Stealth Cosmos black, Trophy Kyanos blue, Trophy Mira orange, Vision Pure white and Vision Victory grey. McLaren is also offering an additional 18 different paint colors that can be specified at no additional cost. However, McLaren does say that the five specs previously mentioned best showcase the Senna's appearance. Advertise with duPont REGISTRY

By Edward Jones – January 16, 2018

Learn Everything About the New McLaren Senna

McLaren introduced the new Senna as an extreme road car that was built for terrorizing the track. While many were taken aback by the car's overly aggressive design, it's that design that helps the car achieve its goal of being a track monster. The aspect of the Senna's design focusing more on function is detailed in Top Gear's latest video. In the video, found below, Jack Rix takes us on a walk-around of McLaren's new supercar. In the span of just under 8 minutes, Rix will give you a crash course on the car so next time you see one you can spout off a few facts and look like an expert on the car. Click play on the video below to learn about the McLaren Senna and bask in its glory. Last McLaren Senna Auctioned for $2.67 Million

By Edward Jones – December 10, 2017

McLaren Senna: The Most Extreme Street-Legal McLaren Yet

Out of nowhere, McLaren has released their latest addition to their Ultimate Series. Introducing the Senna, a supercar that McLaren says is their most extreme road car yet. Named after the legendary Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, McLaren aimed to make the Senna a true track car that can legally drive on the road. To make this happen they started with raw power coming from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 789 bhp and 590 lb-ft of torque. This engine, codenamed M840TR, is McLaren most powerful combustion engine made for a road car. When engineers created this engine, they took inspiration from motorsport for the dry sump lubrication and flat-plane crankshaft. Dubious amounts of power would be no good if the car was heavy, so McLaren pulled out all of the stops and ensured every component of the Senna was at light as possible. In fact, every single body panel is made from carbon fiber. The final result is the light street-legal McLaren since the F1 at just 2,641 lbs. READ: McLaren Senna Price & Specs “The McLaren Senna is a car like no other: the personification of McLaren’s motorsport DNA, legalised for road use but designed and developed from the outset to excel on a circuit," says Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. "Every element of this new Ultimate Series McLaren has an uncompromised performance focus, honed to ensure the purest possible connection between driver and machine and deliver the ultimate track driving experience in the way that only a McLaren can.” The carbon fiber body panels that make up the Senna are not only light in weight, but they also give the supercar one heck of a wild visual. In the front is a massive front splitter that feed air directly to the massive vent and keep the front end down at all times. In the rear is a massive wing that can be spotted from a mile away and a double diffuser made from a single piece of carbon fiber. Each vent, blade, splitter, wing or what have you on the Senna was created with aerodynamics in mind and the results is ground-breaking active aero performance across the board. “Our family is extremely proud of the naming of the new Ultimate Series McLaren Senna. This is the first project that really connects with Ayrton’s racing spirit and performance," says Bruno Senna, racing driver and McLaren Ambassador. "The McLaren Senna honours my uncle because it is so utterly dedicated to delivering a circuit experience that allows a driver to be the best they can possibly be. There is an absolute, seamless connection between car and driver and this pure engagement, these sensory cues that a driver responds to and relies upon, ensure an experience so focused and immersive that you are left in awe of the depths of excellence the McLaren Senna possesses.” The McLaren Senna price is set at £750,000 (~$1,003,000 USD). Only 500 examples will be created, with all already being allocated.

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