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 Jordan Aquistapace – March 19, 2026

This 1-of-9 McLaren 750S Spider Celebrates a Championship Comeback

With roots in motorsport long before manufacturing supercars and hypercars, McLaren’s primary goal has always been the same: crossing the finish line first, no matter the series. That goal becomes immediately clear inside the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK, where a museum displays the team’s winning race cars and the trophies lifted at the finish line. Along with immortalizing historic race-winning cars, McLaren also celebrates its milestone victories with special-edition variants of its latest and greatest models. The team at Miller Motorcars is proud to showcase one of those special cars, recently delivering an exclusive 1-of-9 McLaren 750S Spider MCL38 Celebration Edition to a passionate client of the dealership.Produced to celebrate McLaren’s 9th Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship in 2024, ending a 26-year drought since its last title in 1998, the 750S Spider is inspired by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s MCL38 that clinched the title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. McLaren Special Operations’ (MSO) livery features a striking two-tone finish that incorporates two of McLaren’s most iconic colors, Papaya Orange and Le Mans Grey. Other commemorative characteristics for the exterior include a center racing stripe with a ‘2024 Constructors’ Championship’ decal, as well as a nine-star decal on the door.Inside, McLaren kept things calm, cool, and collective while adding small, detailed touches that tie back to the championship victory. Black Alcantara layers the cabin with contrasting Papaya Orange stitching and tons of exposed carbon fiber. The headrest of each bucket seat is embroidered with the Constructors’ Championship graphic. The MCL38’s silhouette and both Norris and Piastri’s signatures are etched onto the door sill. The most interesting part of this exclusive series is that each of the nine examples features an actual piece of the MCL38 race cars, displayed on its own plaque. At the heart of the McLaren 750S Spider sits a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that feels less like an evolution and more like a sharpened version of everything McLaren already does well. It pushes out 740 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, delivered through a lightning-quick 7-speed dual-clutch, and the response is immediate. With all that performance wrapped up in a build fit only for the most passionate McLaren collector, the 750S Spider MCL38 Celebration Edition is a homage to victory. All Miller Motorcar Inventory

A man and woman pose together inside McLaren Scottsdale, standing in front of an orange sports car, capturing a memorable moment in this Year of Growth.

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 05, 2025

A Year of Growth at McLaren Scottsdale

McLaren Scottsdale celebrates a year of growth thanks to a passionate team, local support, and a growing lineup of supercars and hypercars. It’s been a year since Ethan and Olivia Lawrence took over McLaren Scottsdale, and the energy they’ve brought to the showroom is hard to miss. From day one, they’ve felt welcomed by the community and have made it their mission to continue building on the legacy of a brand that already had deep roots in the Valley. What started as a dream now looks more like an evolution—one that combines a passion for McLaren with a clear focus on improving the experience for customers and enthusiasts. And with the kind of enthusiasm only car lovers can bring, they’ve turned potential into real momentum. When the Lawrences first took the wheel, McLaren Scottsdale was operating with a modest service crew and sat in the lower half of McLaren’s regional rankings. Fast-forward to now, and the team has grown to eight certified techs and 16 active bays. It’s not just about headcount, it’s about pace. By the final quarter of 2024, the dealership topped global charts for both new and Certified Pre-Owned McLaren sales, earning a spot in McLaren’s Premier Club. Now halfway through 2025, they’re still leading the pack in the Americas. Memorable deliveries like a Volcano Orange P1 have made the ride even more exciting for the team and its loyal clientele. But it’s not just a McLaren anymore. True to their Lawrence Motorsport roots, the dealership has also doubled down on pre-owned exotics and luxury models. Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce now fill the showroom floor alongside a wide inventory of McLarens, giving collectors and car enthusiasts alike plenty to get excited about. Their tech team comes with deep experience too, from Porsche Gold-level training to factory certifications across major brands. So whether someone’s here for a track-ready McLaren or just wants top-tier care for their weekend cruiser, McLaren Scottsdale has clearly shifted into a higher gear this past year, and there’s more road ahead. View All McLaren Scottsdale Inventory Source: McLaren Scottsdale

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 13, 2024

McLaren Beverly Hills Shows Off 1-of-16 Lanzante P1 GTR-18

This masterpiece has even more exclusivity than the already-amazing McLaren P1. The McLaren P1 is one fo the greatest automotive creation in modern history, as a revolutionary third of the hybrid hypercar “Holy Trinity,” which was integral to creating the high-performance automotive world that we know today. However, the McLaren P1 GTR took it a step further, honing its performance for the purpose of dominating the track, and the ultra-exclusive creation remains today an incredible hypercar machine. Known for its design expertise inspired by racing history and specialty in the McLaren P1, Lanzante Limited took the McLaren P1 GTR a step further, with the P1 GTR-18, inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR with its long tail, a staple in McLaren’s racing history. Only 16 examples of the stunning and ultra-exclusive P1 GTR-18 exist, and McLaren Beverly Hills showed one off on Instagram before it went to its new home with a client. With its racing-focused design, the P1 GTR-18 features a low, wide stance, with dramatic aerodynamic features like a fixed spoiler, airways throughout, and more, and adding to its intimidating look is its sleek black paintwork with sliver 5-spoke wheels, as well as an interior that pairs black upholstery with red accents. With just 16 examples like it in existence, this close look at the McLaren P1 GTR-18 is a stunning sight to see. View All Vehicles For Sale From McLaren Beverly Hills View this post on Instagram A post shared by McLaren Beverly Hills (@mclarenbeverlyhills)

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 11, 2024

O'Gara Coach x Lanzante Show Off McLaren P1 HDK Spec

This stunning spec shows off coachbuilding excellence. The McLaren P1, along with the other two members of the 2010s “Holy Trinity” ushered in a new era of hypercars and made for a turning point in automotive history, proving the full potential of hybrid power and the future of performance. However, a decade after it was first introduced, the McLaren P1 has been given a new look through the coachbuilder Lanzante. The result is the McLaren P1 HDK, with “HDK” standing for “High Downforce Kit.”The HDK version of the McLaren P1 is inspired by the McLaren F1’s available High Downforce Kit, and it not only adds a historical homage and a unique look to the legendary hybrid hypercar, but also better prepares it for on-track excellence. This McLaren P1 HDK is the result of a collaboration between Lanzante and O’Gara Coach, and it features a unique two-tone spec, which was chosen by Paris Mullins, and it’s been shown off in a new Instagram post by Lanzante and O’Gara Coach. The exterior highlights the kit with a two-tone spec, combining satin-finish Supernova Silver paintwork with other parts being finished in exposed carbon fiber. Inside, the interior features another interesting spec, with Hermes Orange leather against black Alcantara. With this spec and its coachbuilt kit, this McLaren P1 HDK shows that a decade-old hypercar still can impress with coachbuilding excellence. View All McLaren P1s For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by McLaren Beverly Hills (@mclarenbeverlyhills) Source: O'Gara Coach & Lanzante via Instagram

By Jordan Aquistapace – March 25, 2024

Lanzante x Mad Mike Transform A McLaren P1 GTR Into The W...

With hypercar engineering and performance at an all-time high, it's becoming easier to live out your wildest dreams within the ever-growing automotive world. For New Zealand Red Bull drifting racer Michael "Mad Mike" Whiddett, those dreams take shape as rally-ready trophy trucks and high-performance drift car builds. Mad Mike and the U.K.-based bespoke hypercar specialists at Lanzante are joining forces on what seems to be the most ambitious automotive project ever alongside the team at O'Gara Coach. Set to be debuted as the wildest drift car on earth at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024, Lanzante x Mad Mike x O'Gara Coach are proud to unveil its one-of-a-kind McLaren P1 GTR as Project: 'MADMAC'. When automotive brilliance meets drift culture, magic happens. Enter MADMAC, the latest brainchild born from the collaboration of Lanzante, an authority in McLaren transformations, and 'Mad Mike' Whiddett, a drifting virtuoso. The project revolves around the superior McLaren P1 GTR, transforming the multi-million dollar hypercar into drift-spec under the team of experts at Lanzante. MADMAC is currently in New Zealand receiving the final touches at Mad Mike’s 'Mad Lab', before being showcased on a global stage. The McLaren P1 GTR's aero-focused widebody features a pristine gloss white finish with tons of lightweight, exposed carbon fiber accents. In addition to its aggressive new looks, the McLaren includes an upgraded, hybrid-assisted 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 that churns out more than 986 horsepower to its rear wheels. While specifics have yet to be shared, we believe both the power output and suspension have been dialed in to make this build a true tire shredder. Await more revelations on this groundbreaking build through updates from Lanzante, O’Gara Coach, and Mad Mike as the McLaren P1 GTR 'MADMAC' gears up for a grand unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. View all O'Gara Coach inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All O'Gara Coach Inventory Source: Lanzante

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By Tyler Rampersaud – February 13, 2024

McLaren & O'Gara Coach Announce New McLaren Westlake Vill...

McLaren adds another partner to its network of American dealerships. McLaren boasts a strong lineup of some of the world’s best supercars, combining luxury, beautiful design, cutting-edge engineering, formidable power, and lightweight construction to create cars that are fast, thrilling, beautiful, and fun to drive. One of the largest markets for these creations is the United States, and as the brand continues to grow, so does its dealer network, with McLaren Americas announcing the establishment of its latest dealer, and the seventh McLaren retail location in California: McLaren Westlake. Part of O’Gara Coach’s prolific group of dealerships in Westlake Village, California, the new McLaren Westlake offers both sales and service for McLaren’s supercars. With McLaren Westlake, O’Gara Coach expands and existing and fruitful partnership with McLaren, with McLaren Beverly Hills and McLaren San Diego already being two successful retail locations, and O’Gara Coach partnering with McLaren on the McLaren Brand Experience Center, located at Wynn Las Vegas. With 7 retail locations in the state, California, as of 2018, is responsible for 26% of McLaren’s United States sales volume, and O’Gara Coach is an integral part of that success, now being responsible for 3 of those locations, and also offering incredible exclusive client experiences, like a private facility the Thermal Club race track in Palm Springs for track days and once-in-a-lifetime drives. With a new retail location in Westlake Village, McLaren and O’Gara Coach’s partnership grows even greater. View All Vehicles For Sale From O'Gara Coach Image Source: McLaren