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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IWC Schaffhausen And Mercedes AMG Celebrate Their Partnership at "Speed City" in Las Vegas

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 15, 2023

IWC x Mercedes-AMG Celebrate The Las Vegas GP With Its ‘S...

IWC Schaffhausen and Mercedes-AMG, partners in motorsports since 2004, recently celebrated their ongoing collaboration with an impressive event in Las Vegas, ahead of the highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand PrixTM. The dynamic duo created "Speed City," a unique outdoor pop-up venue in the Las Vegas desert, reflecting their shared passion for performance and design. The event highlighted the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé and IWC’s new Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 collection. The event's centerpiece was a thrilling performance driving show featuring the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé, with F1 stars Lewis Hamilton and George Russell behind the wheel. This demonstration highlighted the synergy between precision engineering in both horology and automotive design. Christian Knoop, IWC’s Chief Design Officer, and Robert Lešnik, Head of Exterior Design at Mercedes-Benz, engaged in a panel discussion about design processes in their respective industries. The conversation, led by technology journalist Lucy Hedges, spoke about the design intricacies of the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé and the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41. IWC’s launch of the new collection, featuring four performance chronographs in titanium and Ceratanium, set the stage for the event. To conclude, Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, Michael Schiebe, CEO of Mercedes-AMG, and Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1TM Team, shared reflections and memories of their successful partnership. Guests at "Speed City" were treated to an immersive experience, including a Mercedes-AMG exhibition and an IWC pop-up boutique showcasing iconic watches. View all luxury watches currently for sale on duPont REGISTRY Discovery by clicking the link below. Shop All Luxury Watches Source: IWC Schaffhausen

By Jordan Aquistapace – June 07, 2022

IWC Schaffhausen x Mercedes-AMG Debut The New Big Pilot's...

The only way to get on the list is with a Mercedes-AMG Project One allocation. As Mercedes-AMG owners prep for the delivery of their highly-anticipated AMG Project One chassis, the automotive manufacturer has been working with the timepiece specialists at IWC Schaffhausen on a commemorative release. The partnership between the two powerhouses symbolizes dominance in each respected industry, incorporating luxury design and performance into their line of products. IWC Schaffhausen is proud to present the all-new Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition 'AMG ONE OWNERS’, made exclusively for the 275 luck new owners of the Mercedes-AMG Project One. MUST-READ: Makes & Movements: IWC Pilot’s Watch ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1’ x 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series The special edition Big Pilot’s Watch features a 46.2mm Titanium aluminide (TiAl) case design with an aesthetically pronounced titanium crown. The partial skeletonized dial design showcases the inner workings of its exposed tourbillon while presenting its perpetual moon phase and power reserve sub-dials in a stylish fashion. The dial also incorporates the iconic Mercedes-AMG Petronas Green from the brands winning Formula One team. The engine driving power to the Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition ‘AMG ONE OWNERS’ is IWC Schaffhausen’s in-house 94800 hand-wound movement, a 41-jewel construction that provides an impressive 4-day power reserve. A Ceratanium case back ring includes commemorative engravings that signify the special releases between IWC x Mercedes-AMG. Tying into its motorsport heritage, IWC fits the new release with a black rubber strap that incorporates the iconic Mercedes star pattern in Petronas green. The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition ‘AMG ONE OWNERS’ is exclusively available for future owners of the Project One, and will be contacted by Mercedes-AMG x IWC Schaffhausen with information on purchasing the timepiece. View all of the current Mercedes-Benz models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury watch news and releases. View All Mercedes-Benz For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by duPont REGISTRY Watches (@dupontregistry_watches) Source: IWC Schaffhausen

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 06, 2022

IWC Schaffhausen Unveils The Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41...

The first official watch of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Being the perfect performance pair with eyes set on victory, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One and IWC Schaffhausen commemorate their partnership with a special release upon the anticipated 2022 Miami Grand Prix. IWC Schaffhausen is proud to present the all-new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team as the first official team watch. The special edition IWC Pilot’s Watch takes shape as a 41mm chronograph crafted from lightweight titanium, incorporating the same high-tech materials that go into engineering an F1 race car. The all-black dial design features Petronas green numerals, indexes, and sub-dials that beautifully display the functions of the watch during any point of the day. The engine driving the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is IWC’s in-house 69385 Caliber automatic self-winding movement, which accurately operates its hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, and chronograph functions. MUST-READ: Makes & Movements: Porsche Design 911 Sport Classic Chronograph x 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic Defining itself as the brand’s most versatile sports watch, the Pilot’s Watch holds a lengthy 46-hour power reserve and 100-meter water resistance for the most active lifestyle. A sapphire backcase showcases the intricate movement in action, while the crystal includes green etchings that signify the special collaboration with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Keeping the Mercedes-AMG Petronas theme alive, IWC Schaffhausen fits each example with a Petronas green rubber or black nylon strap that uses a state-of-the-art interchangeable quick release system. The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’ is currently available via pre-order with a price tag of $8,232. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury watch news and releases. View this post on Instagram A post shared by duPont REGISTRY Watches (@dupontregistry_watches) Source: IWC Schaffhausen

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