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

Pagani News

Pagani news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated as each story breaks, covering the Utopia, the Huayra in its many forms, and the Zonda that made the marque's name. Our reporting takes in reveals, first drives, bespoke builds and the auction results that set collector values. Pagani finishes fewer cars in a year than most makers build in a single day, so each sale sets a benchmark. That is where our marketplace becomes useful to readers. Paganis covered here are sometimes listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, which puts the reporting beside a real figure. For Pagani news today, and the hypercar news and exotic car news around it, start below.

By Edward Jones – April 21, 2020

Artist Beautifully Hand Paints on a Pagani Zonda

Anyone can have their car painted at an auto body shop or have it wrapped or even custom painted straight out of the factory. But, some owners like to take their vehicle's exterior paint to a completely different level by having artists paint their own work of art onto the body. Pagani just posted a perfect example of this exact type of automotive painting. The canvas for this piece of art is a Pagani Zonda, a magnificent supercar that's a true screamer on the track. As for the artist, that was Shalemar Sharbatly (@shalemarsh). The result is a stunning piece of automotive art. Check it out for yourself! See All Paganis for Sale Source: Facebook/Pagani

By Edward Jones – November 18, 2019

See the BAPE for Pagani ABC Camo Zonda

A Bathing Ape (BAPE) and Pagani Automobili have collaborated on a new collection of gear that celebrates the Zonda's 20th anniversary. This includes shirts, jackets, bags and more. The launch event for this new collection took place at the Suzuka Sound of Engine 2019 event. All of the gear in the collection was on display, as was a Zonda wrapped in the Bape Signature ABC Camo. Even Horacio Pagani himself made an appearace! Check out the pics of the event down below from the A Bathing Ape Facebook page. SEE ALL PAGANIS FOR SALE Source: Facebook

By Andrew Nabors – November 04, 2019

Pagani Zonda 20th Anniversary in NYC

How do you celebrate two decades of changing the world? Put your achievements on display inside the world's most iconic train stations. Grand Central sees a quarter-million passengers every 24 hours, so it is the perfect spot to see the Pagani Zonda 20th Anniversary in NYC. Commuters who live and work in lower Manhattan had something nice to see this morning. Over the weekend, Horacio Pagani and his team built an amazing display of the company's first production car. Browse All Pagani For Sale The Pagani Zonda redefined what an exotic car is, and what it is capable of. It has been a long and winding road to reach the top, so our hats are off to you sir. Here's to Mr. Pagani, and to another 20 years of building carbon fiber masterpieces! https://www.facebook.com/PaganiAutomobili/videos/1197753647060989/ Image Source: Instagram/@paganiautomobili (All Images and video (C) Pagani Automobili S.P.A.) Related: Pagani Raduno Fall 2019: East Coast Road Trip Horacio Pagani: My Story & My Inspirations

By Andrew Nabors – October 23, 2019

Pagani Raduno Fall 2019: East Coast Road Trip

Mr. Pagani and his team have assembled another record-breaking event for their owners. The Pagani Raduno Fall 2019 is an epic East Coast Road Trip. The largest gathering of North American Paganis assembled at the Atlanta Motor Speedway over the weekend. After pushing their cars to the limits on this historic track, they embarked on a trip through the mountains of North Carolina. Fire shoots from the exhaust as the leaves change into their Autumn attire. Browse All Pagani For Sale It will culminate with the 20th Anniversary of the Zonda in NYC. Every example of the Zonda and the Huayra will be on display inside the great hall of Grand Central Terminal. We wish more manufacturers would do this, but Mr. Pagani enjoys seeing his cars in action. This is an unprecedented event, so stay with us for all your Pagani news. Related: Pagani Huayra Roadster Driven 3,000 Across the USA Horacio Pagani: My Story & My Inspirations

By Edward Jones – March 04, 2019

Pagani Bringing Two Very Special Cars to Geneva

The 2019 Geneva Motor Show is just about here and that means automakers are coming out left and right with what they're bringing to the show. Pagani Automobili is one of the automakers that's going to be showing off their masterpieces and they've just unveiled what will be on display. Starting off is the very first chassis of the Zonda that has been perfectly restored. Pagani notes that this will be the world premiere of this car. https://www.instagram.com/p/BulvWSzBi5K/ Next up is a stunning example of the Huayra Roadster. It's heading to the show in a beautiful exposed Blu Tricolore carbon fiber body in a matte finish, with contrasting Bianco Malta white accents. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bul1Bf6hduO/ Be sure to check out their display at the event!

By Andrew Nabors – June 21, 2018

Horacio Pagani Receives Honorary Masters In Vehicle Engin...

Yesterday at the University of Modena, the Enzo Ferrari Faculty of Engineering was the site of a celebration. Automotive engineers joined with academia and the employees of Pagani Automobili. Together they bestowed the man himself with a Master's Degree in Vehicle Engineering. The scene was one of the ancient traditions.Mr. Pagani was given a Laudatio by Professor Francesco Leali: “A technician whose merits go far beyond mechanical engineering and composite material technology, of which he has been a visionary pioneer, inspired by that Reinassance concept fully developed in Leonardo Da Vinci’s thoughts and works, that he kept maniacally studying and loving.”Also in attendance were his wife and children, friends from his Argentine hometown, his former employees at Lamborghini, and even Maurizio Ferrari. The top brass from Daimler, Mercedes-AMG (his engine supplier) and Bosch executives all believed in his vision for the Zonda. The car that launched his brand the first Zonda C12 is almost 20 years old, and it launched the age of the hypercar.The Pagani Huayra Project Vulcan: Created by DedicationThe Rector of the University also recalled the significance of such an honor, saying that it can only be awarded to "People who, due to their works or publications, gained fame for the profound expertise achieved in the subjects for which the Honoris Causa Degree is conceded"He knew his small town in Argentina could not provide a proper education, so he visited Italy. After meeting with Lamborghini's Chief Technical Director Giulio Alfieri, he was hired to sweep the floors in 1982. By the age of 20, he was Lamborghini's Chief Engineer. When Chrysler bought Lamborghini, they didn't believe the future was in carbon fiber, so Horacio left to build his masterpiece. Our publisher and Mr. PaganiOur magazine and website would be much less interesting without his cars, so here's to you Mr. Pagani- From all of us at the duPont REGISTRY.Find Your Pagani Here

By Andrew Nabors – June 08, 2018

Pagani Zonda Revolución Caught At Imola

What good is a sword that never leaves the scabbard? That is what we ask ourselves when we see cars like the Pagani Zonda collecting dust. Thanks to our friend 19Bozzy92, we now have inspiration for how to properly leave work on a Friday. As the final version of the Zonda, Mr. Pagani made a host of improvements. The Pagani Huayra Project Vulcan: Created by Dedication First off, he went to his engine supplier (Mercedes-AMG) and asked for more. The result is 789 horsepower and 540 lb-ft of torque. Then he went to the transmission experts at Xtrac. Their transverse 6-speed sequential was revised to offer shift times of 20ms. Bosch supplied the traction control/ABS with 12 settings. Horacio Pagani and Tom duPont The grand finale was DRS. The Drag Reduction System is controlled by a steering wheel button, and when activated, it changes from maximum downforce to maximum speed mode. Only 5 examples were built, each one with a price tag of 2.2 Million Euros. Pagani Miami is the best place to find your next car, so click the link below and have a great weekend!

By Edward Jones – September 06, 2017

Pagani Zonda Barchetta Arrives in Miami

Horacio Pagani, the man behind Pagani Automobili, has recently shipped out his personal Zonda HP Barchetta to the United States. Now, it has landed in Miami, Florida at Prestige Imports | Pagani Miami.This new model was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance just a couple of weeks ago. This new Speedster-style supercar was designed to celebrate Horacio Pagani's 60th birthday. It was built with a blue carbon fiber exterior, with silver finish wheels on one side and blue wheels on the other.https://www.instagram.com/p/BYqsLH-AM5n/Pagani has said that only three examples of the Zonda HP Barchetta will be created, meaning the world will see only two other Barchettas.As of right now, the car is currently sitting in the Prestige Imports | Pagani Miami showroom. What It's Like to Own a Ferrari FF

By Edward Jones – August 21, 2017

Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta Breaks Ground at Pebble Beach

Pagani brought a special guest to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the new Zonda HP Barchetta. It seems as though Pagani never really did stop making the Zonda, but maybe this model will finally be the last. Maybe... Although, I can't complain considering these are some of the coolest cars in the world, and loudest. The Zonda HP Barchetta takes the form of a speedster-type car, with a short windshield and no signs of a roof. This unique car was created by Horacio Pagani and team to celebrate the founder's 60th birthday (happy birthday!). https://www.instagram.com/p/BYCHgMUFYnV/ Blue and black naked carbon fiber make up the car's body panels, while the wheels are another story entirely. On the left side are of a silver finish, while the right side has blue wheels. It's definitely an interesting visual. Pagani Newport Beach Officially Opens Up https://www.instagram.com/p/BYAnoq-F_xn/ Pagani is planning on only creating three examples of the Zonda HP Barchetta, and I can't wait to see how the other two will turn out. https://www.facebook.com/dupontregistryautos/videos/10155664419918256/

By Edward Jones – July 20, 2017

New Custom-Made Pagani Zonda Fantasma Evo Unveiled

Just today, Pagani has unveiled their latest creation on their Facebook page, and it's not a Huayra. The new car is a custom-made Zonda Fantasma Evo, which is a complete one-off model. The car is essentially a Zonda Cinque mixed with a Zonda Revolucion. From the Cinque comes the headlights, front fascia (with an added pair of canards), and rear wing. From the Revolucion comes the air ram above the cabin and the centrally-located fin place in front of the rear wing. Other design cues include the tricolore pattern on the front boot, red striping and red brake calipers. As the body overall, its crafted out of red-tinted carbon fiber with exposed natural carbon fiber. Check out the images below to see the new supercar for yourself.

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