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 Tyler Rampersaud – November 16, 2022

McLaren And Gulf Put The Classic Gulf Livery On The New H...

McLaren’s futuristic Artura becomes a blast from the past. There are few things more legendary and recognizable in the world of classic motorsport than the Gulf livery. Seeing the light blue and vibrant orange on a performance car evokes the motorsport success and livery that cars with the same livery achieved on the track decades ago, and seeing the Gulf livery on a modern car is a testament to how much further motorsport and performance automotive engineering has come even since then. MUST READ: McLaren Opens A New 31,000 Square-Foot Headquarters In Texas McLaren gave its new Artura the classic Gulf livery, and it shows a distinct juxtaposition between the vintage look and the futuristic hybrid power of the new and highly capable McLaren supercar. With 671 horsepower, 531 lb/ft of torque, and a top speed of 205 mph, the new McLaren Artura is a far cry from many of the race cars that made the Gulf livery so famous, but where it’s similar is in the fact like the Gulf livery did long ago, it speaks to pushing the boundaries of automotive performance and innovating for the sake of the need for speed. View All McLaren Arturas For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by McLaren Automotive (@mclarenauto) Source: Instagram/McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 21, 2022

McLaren Announces The New Artura GT4 Will Debut At The Go...

A new McLaren has been announced, and it’s purpose-built for the place where McLarens truly come alive. McLaren is a brand born on the racetrack, and that racing heritage shows with everything the brand does. The dynamics and power of McLaren’s supercars are made for tight corners, long straightaways, and everything in between. The new Artura, McLaren’s latest supercar, has now gotten the customer racing treatment with the announcement of the new McLaren Artura GT4, which will make its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. MUST READ: The Petersen Automotive Museum’s New Exhibition Celebrates McLaren’s Racing Success Based on the High Performance Hybrid Artura, the new car features a V6 rather than the previous GT4’s V8, which is more powerful and efficient than its predecessor, and the car itself is 220 pounds lighter than its predecessor, as well. While the roadgoing Artura is a hybrid, GT4 requirements do not permit hybrid powertrains, but the twin-turbocharged V6 produces plenty of power on its own, and 286 pounds of weight are saved with the lack of hybrid components. Due to the lack of hybrid components, which provided the reverse gear for the roadgoing Artura’s 8-speed transmission, the transmission in the race car is changed to a 7-speed with improved ratios, and a reverse gear. The debut of the car is going to happen in true McLaren spirit, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed complete with hillclimb action, driven by McLaren factory driver Rob Bell, who won last year’s Timed Shootout Final with the McLaren 720S GT3X. Source: McLaren

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 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

By Jordan Aquistapace – February 28, 2022

The Artistic McLaren Artura by Nat Bowen

McLaren enlists design inspiration from local British artist. As supercars continue to incorporate EV powertrains into their designs, manufacturers can unlock a new level of power in addition to the amount produced from traditional combustion engines. McLaren is now proud to offer that option for the new Artura, its first full-production electric supercar. McLaren is proud to highlight the Artura in collaboration with British artist Nat Bowen. The Artura is reimagined using Nat Bowen’s artistic vision of geometric designs and vibrant colors. The creative collaboration explores the themes of ‘Art’ and ‘Future’ reflected in the name of the brand’s first high-performance hybrid supercar. MUST-READ: 2020 McLaren Speedtail at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Powered by a 671-horsepower hybrid twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder, the Artura launches from 0-60mph in just 3-seconds. The McLaren Artura by Nat Bowen is now on display at the ME Dubai hotel until March 31st for all to enjoy. View all current McLaren Artura models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into dupont REGISTRY Daily for more luxury gear releases and supercar news. View All McLaren Artura For Sale Source: @mclarenauto IG

By Edward Jones – August 26, 2021

How To Design Your McLaren Artura

The McLaren Artura configurator is a powerful thing. Not only are there so many options to go through, but it's also a stunning piece of technology. Instead of having static images to look at, you can zoom in and out, rotate the car and even change camera angles. If you've played a video game and customized a car in it, this experience is a lot like that. Below is a breakdown of how the configurator operates but if you're like to check it out for yourself, be sure to click the button below. Configure Your McLaren Artura Specification The start of the configurator will have you picking out your specification. The choices are Standard, Performance, TechLux and Vision. Each one changes various aspects of the car, like the cabin surfaces, leather interior and even the gearshift paddles. Paint The most important and hardest part of configuring a vehicle is what color you'll paint it in. Thankfully, McLaren offers a wide variety of paints thanks to McLaren Special Operations. Wheels & Brakes For the Wheels & Brakes section, there are multiple tabs available. These tabs include Wheels, Brakes & Calipers and Tires. There are multiple wheel types available, as well as calipers colors and two types of Pirelli P Zero tires. Exterior Having already picked out the paint color, now it's time to finish the exterior. This section offers a wide range of options that will give each Artura's exterior a personalized appearance. Interior Since owners of the McLaren Artura will be spending most of their time with their car in the interior, picking the right cabin spec is important. Thankfully, there are plenty of interior options available through the configurator. Entertainment The Entertainment section offers just two options, but they're quite important. First up is the McLaren Track Telemetry feature that allows customers to add the Laptime Function by itself, or along with cameras. Then there is the Audio option that will already be checked off depending on the Specification. This options is for the Bowers & Wilkins Audio System. Options With plenty of options available in the Options Packages and Options sections, there is a lot of time to be spent here. Finished! The final section is a summary of what you've selected. From here, each customer can either save their spec as a PDF, find their local retailer for more information or inquire online for more information. Discover the McLaren Artura

By Andrew Nabors – April 21, 2021

McLaren Headquarters Sold For $236 Million

They've outgrown the old facilities The massive McLaren Headquarters takes up a large chunk of the countryside in Surrey. Two years ago, Texas made them an offer they couldn't refuse, so a majority of workers are now in Dallas. As reported by The Guardian, the old buildings were the brainchild of Ron Dennis, and they allowed the F1 teams to stay on top of innovation and performance for decades. This comes on the heels of our introduction to the Artura by McLaren Tampa Bay, so they are definitely doing things right. Bruce is looking down with a smile, knowing full well his company now has a cash injection and an indefinite lease from the new owners. Land in England is at a premium due to the size of the United Kingdom, so we applaud this move by the automaker. Click the button to find your next supercar! Browse McLaren For Sale Image (C) McLaren Cars

By Andrew Nabors – April 08, 2021

What Makes the McLaren Artura So Fast?

Science, electromagnets? Ever since Bruce McLaren sold his first supercar, it had a powerful V8 behind the driver. Times change and big power can now be had from six cylinders along with high voltage, so what makes the McLaren Artura so fast? Their latest press release describes the powertrain in detail, starting with a wide-angle V6. Because every other V6 engine fires at 60 or 90 degrees, McLaren chose something all-new. Opening the V of the engine to 120 degrees makes it resemble a flat-six and allows room for twin turbos. It wouldn't be worth it with the same old transmission, so a new 8-speed was introduced. Between them is the coup de grâce, an axial flux electric motor/generator. This compact brushless beast is tied to a 7.4 kWh battery, and it allows the Artura to run consistent quarter-mile times in the low 10s. We all know McLaren underrates their cars, and officially this hybrid hypercar is listed to have 531 lb-ft of torque and 680 horsepower. So you will have the same torque as the P1 with the ability to drive 19 miles on the battery and without a heavy price. The Artura represents the future of high performance, so click the button to order yours and stay with us for all your McLaren news. Browse McLaren Artura For Sale Images (C) McLaren Automotive

By Andrew Nabors – March 30, 2021

McLaren Artura Engineering & Design Q&A With Superfans

This is what makes the Artura unlike anything else All great cars should be explained by the people who build them. While some supercars are the product of enigmatic personalities, McLaren's talented team is very approachable. Therefore the brains responsible for the new Artura took time to answer questions from fans around the world. The styling is distinctly McLaren while looking forward to a new generation. Perhaps the most enticing feature of the McLaren Artura is the lower rear deck. Because the engine fires at 120 degrees, it allows the rear profile to be much lower than the 90-degree V8. You might also notice the controls for aerodynamics and suspension have moved from the center console to the instrument cluster. This binnacle allows for instant changes to most systems without distractions. It is the most driver-focused car to-date, and also among the lightest. At 3,303 lbs it is lighter than the P1 while offering a more competent hybrid system. You will have 19 miles of battery range along with 671 horsepower. Of course, these facts and figures aren't worth as much as the reasoning behind them, so tell us your favorite aspect of the new Artura in the comments below. Browse McLaren For Sale Image (C) McLaren Cars

By Jordan Aquistapace – March 16, 2021

Watch Daniel Ricciardo Drift The New Hybrid McLaren Artura

The highly-anticipated McLaren Artura is the manufacturer’s newest high-performance hybrid supercar, which makes a combined 671-horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. McLaren enlisted the help of team F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo for his thoughts on-track in the Artura. Ricciardo explains the importance of using the perfect line to set the best lap time, while also carrying a smoke-filled drift throughout the sweeping turns. It goes to show that when developing the Artura, McLaren focused on creating not only a high-performance hybrid but also a truly versatile machine that can perform in all settings. Although the sounds from the twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder are best described as music to your ears, the full electric mode also plays a fun role as Daniel quietly cools down the Artura on its final lap. Based on the smiles and laughter coming from Daniel during his drive, it’s clear that the McLaren Artura will be a blast on any road or track. Watch Daniel Ricciardo enjoy the McLaren Artura on track by clicking the video link above. For more McLaren news, Check out the Insane Blue Carbon McLaren Speedtail Delivered By McLaren Newport Beach

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