Porsche 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 – February 14, 2023

The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 Stars In Transformers: Ris...

It’s time to shift into high gear. Mirage makes his debut as a legendary Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 in Transformers' newest movie. For any and all automotive enthusiasts, the Porsche 911 takes shape as one of the most iconic designs ever made. With a sport-driven silhouette that has only gotten better with age, early examples hold just as much significance as modern variations that feature state-of-the-art performance and technology. Porsche is proud to take a legendary 911 to the big screen in the new Transformers: Rise of the Beast movie directed by Steven Caple Jr. The 90s Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 driven by actor Anthony Ramos feature a factory silver finish with blue racing stripes. MUST-READ: The Best Porsche 911s You Can Buy Today In a teaser released to the Porsche YouTube channel, the collector-grade 911 Carrera RS 3.8 transforms into Ramos’ mechanical sidekick named ‘Mirage’. The dynamic duo joins forces to take on earth’s existing battle between Autobots and Decepticons. Now viewed as an investment for most passionate Porsche collectors, the coveted RS model embodies all characteristics that mirror a lightweight track-focused race car. Transformers: Rise of the Beast is set to arrive in theaters on June 9th. View all current Porsche 911 models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Source: Porsche YouTube

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 30, 2023

This PTS Porsche 911 GT3 For Sale Has Over $45K In Options

Green means go, and that’s what this car does best. It’s often hard for manufacturers to meet all the criteria of an enthusiast’s dream car, which means rolling great sound, high speed, timeless style, classic luxury, and driver-focused fun into one legendary package. Porsche, however, is not one of the manufacturers that finds this difficult, and the incredible Porsche 911 GT3 is proof that dream cars are Porsche’s specialty. With its incredible 502 hp coming from a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine, track-derived swan-neck wing, and incredible levels of innovation in the name of performance, it’s nothing short of an ode to car enthusiasts in search of the perfect performance machine. MUST READ: Porsche Unveils Vision 357 Concept As A Tribute To The 356 Ahead Of Its 75th Anniversary This 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 for sale at Chicago Motor Cars in West Chicago, Illinois, takes that to the next level. With a Paint-To-Sample Jet Green exterior and gold wheels, the stunning configuration pays a clear homage to the classic sports cars that the current Porsche 911 GT3 is a radical evolution of. The interior reveals an interior with black leather, GT Silver stitching, as well as beautiful vintage-inspired green plaid fabric inserts in the seats. In addition to this incredible configuration, the car is loaded with other options, totaling nearly $46,000, including Porsche’s Front Axle lift system, Gloss Black brake calipers, a carbon fiber roof, carbon fiber interior inserts, full bucket seats, and more. This Porsche 911 GT3 for sale at Chicago Motor Cars on duPont REGISTRY is truly the dream car of dream cars. Click below to view the price and listing. View Price And Listing Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 25, 2023

Porsche's Vision Renndienst Race Service Van Set Unveil A...

While the Porsche brand has always participated in competitive motorsports, its legendary Volkswagen race service vans seem to carry the same significance and rarity as some of the most winning Porsche race cars. Heading back to the drawing board with the goal of creating a futuristic “space shuttle” concept, Porsche sketched up the Vision Renndienst Transporter to pay homage to the practical bus that housed parts for monumental races. Since its full-size developmental stage in 2018, Porsche is proud to bring back the Vision Renndienst Transporter to finally do the job it was created to do. MUST-READ: The Best Porsche 911s You Can Buy Today Porsche took to Instagram to announce its 75th-anniversary celebration of being involved with the Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin. As part of the festivities, Porsche will be using the Vision Renndienst to pull a previously unseen design study into the spotlight during a special digital unveiling. Although the surprise sports car is kept in secret under a display cloth, its timeless silhouette leads us to believe that we may see a very special Porsche 911 model. Porsche is set to unveil its unseen model behind the futuristic race service van from its website at 6 PM EST. View all current Porsche models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Porsche For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Porsche Newsroom (@porsche_newsroom) Source: @porsche_newsroom IG

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 10, 2023

Porsche's New Optional 911 Dakar Liveries Honor Historic ...

As if the Porsche 911 Dakar couldn't get any cooler, now we get to design them as blasts from the past. Viewed as one of the most timeless automotive designs ever created, the Porsche 911’s historic legacy continues with modern examples that embody their predecessors. Unveiling the 911 Dakar as its off-road capable supercar, Porsche dives deep into its involvement in the iconic Dakar Rally during the 1970s. Porsche is proud to honor those 911 race cars by styling the 992 911 Dakar and Dakar Rallye Design Package with three exclusive wraps that mirror their liveries. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Rallye 1971: Fifth Place For Polish 911 team Porsche The Rallye 1971 design celebrates the fifth-place Kenya Dakar finisher for the Polish 911 team, highlighting its silhouette with black decals and a pronounced #19 competition number. The optional decal set is available during configuration for an additional $4,475. Rallye 1974: Björn Waldegård Enters The Fray Porsche During the 1974 East African Safari Rallye, Björn Waldegård sprinted across desert terrain in a Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. The livery of the 911 incorporated blue stripes that traced the shoulder lines of the otherwise white car. The modern-day wrap features the same theme, fit with narrower stripes and augmented by the Porsche logo on the lower edges of the doors. The Rallye 1974 decal set is available for $4,475. Rally 1978: The Legendary Racing Design Porsche One of the most iconic designs mirrors the two 911 SC Group 4 cars custom-built for the 1978 East African Safari Rally. Using wave-shaped surfaces of orange, light grey, and dark grey, Porsche quickly became most well-known for its Martini Racing Team livery. The competition number 14 on the doors was that of second-placed Vic Preston Jr. The Rallye 1978 decal set is available for $6,400. View all current Porsche 911 models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 29, 2022

This PTS Rubystone Red Porsche 911 Turbo S For Sale Is A ...

This bright color is both head-turning and historical. First appearing on the 964 generation of the Porsche 911, the shocking pink Rubystone or Rubystar Red has been in Porsche’s spectrum of colors since the early 90s. The stunning color quickly became iconic within the Porsche palette and is now a favorite among the available colors with Porsche’s Paint to Sample program, and through Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, the color is also available for the 2022 Taycan. With a customized 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera painted in Rubystone Red taking part in Porsche’s “Colors of Porsche” exhibit in the Heritage Gallery at Porsche’s Atlanta Experience Center that took place this year, this Paint to Sample Rubystone Red 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S for sale is in very good company. However, the color is just the beginning of what makes this car special. MUST READ: The GearBox: Styled For The Porsche 918 Sypder Featuring touches like a carbon fiber roof, and the signature yellow calipers that characterize the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes on the car, there’s even more to look at on this 911 Turbo S than just the incredibly vibrant color. In addition, yellow can be seen in the interior, where flashes of Racing Yellow interrupt the black leather upholstery in the steering wheel, tachometer, and stopwatch dial. However, looks aren’t the only department where this car excels. With 640 horsepower going to all four wheels, the Turbo S has the performance to rival some of the world’s best, not to mention a top speed of 205 mph. If you want the next addition to your garage to feature a shocking color and even more shocking performance, this 2022 Porsche 911 for sale at McLaren Charlotte on duPont REGISTRY may well be the car for you. View the price and listing by clicking below. View Price And Listing

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 15, 2022

RM Sotheby's Sells The Porsche Design 911 S 2.4 Targa For...

The configuration was designed in close cooperation between Porsche Design and Porsche Classic. As Porsche Design’s extravagant 50th Anniversary celebration comes to an end for 2022, the luxury lifestyle division wraps up the festivities with the auction sale of its fully-restored 1972 Porsche 911 Targa restored by Porsche Classic. The one-of-a-kind example features the same color way as the special-edition Porsche Design Chronograph 1 that accompanies the sale. As a special collector’s item, it not only pays tribute to the past but celebrates the present and leads the brand forward into the future. MUST-READ: These Porsche Design Speakers Add Luxury And Performance To Any Home Or Office The 1972 Porsche 911 S 2.4 Targa highlighted RM Sotheby’s NYC auction, allowing collectors the opportunity to bid on the commemorative set online from November 24th to December 14th. After long-awaited anticipation to see the final sales figure, the Porsche Design 911 Targa: An Homage to F.A. Porsche sold to the highest bidder for an astonishing $1,149,000. Off to its new forever home, we congratulate its lucky new owner and hope to see the Porsche 911 in the future. View all Porsche 911 for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View Porsche 911 For Sale Source: RM Sotheby's

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 08, 2022

Porsche's New "Sunken Romance" Film Tells The Story Of Th...

A beautiful story surfaces with a Porsche 911 front and center. In Poland’s coastal city of Gdynia, people gathered around an old, air-cooled Porsche 911 that looked as though it had been washed ashore after spending a very long time at sea, as it was covered in coral and seaweed. This wasn’t the case, rather it was an art installation for the Gdynia Design Days festival created by Ada Zielinska and Rafal Dominik. With the festival’s themes of the ocean and climate change, the artists created a piece that evoked a fictional interpretation of an artificial reef on the 1973 Porsche 911 T. MUST READ: Porsche Brooklyn Debuts Its New Urban Store Format Entitled “Sunken Romance,” the art piece begged the question of what its backstory might be, and long after the project was over and the car was restored and given back to its original owner, the project was revisited, and a short film was made showing a beautiful cinematic look at the origins of the strangely nautical Porsche. With a new short film that dives into the origin story of the undersea Porsche 911, the collaboration between Polish artists and Porsche blossoms into something even bigger than it already was. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By duPont REGISTRY – November 23, 2022

Time Capsule Guards Red 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo Listed for...

Presented by Private Seller. Air-cooled Porsche 911s make for some of the most usable and enjoyable classic sports cars. They're dependable, exciting, and easy to own. They invite owners to rack up miles thanks to their over-engineered nature and subsequent robustness. However, the other side of this coin is that finding extremely low-mileage examples has become a true challenge. One of the most significant air-cooled Porsche 911s is, undoubtedly, the first Turbo, also known as the 930. When it arrived in the mid-1970s, it was powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-six, which grew to 3.3 liters by 1978. A four-speed manual transmission sent the 930's 282 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque output to the rear wheels. The result was a 0-60 mph run of around 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. The Porsche 911 Turbo listed for sale today is what is commonly known as a time capsule example of a 930. Sold on April 3, 1986, as a 1987 model year car, it is one of the later examples to roll off the production line and features the larger, more powerful engine option. More recently, this specific 911 Turbo sold for $220,000 in 2015. However, the best aspect about this car is its mileage. With just 12,661 miles on the clock, it is one of the lowest-mileage 930s anywhere in the world. Both its Guards Red Exterior and Champagne interior are of collector-grade quality. As the seller notes, this vehicle is barely broken in and is equally at home as part of a larger collection or for someone who wants to enjoy what a genuinely original Porsche 930 feels like. Included in its sale is a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming that it is an actual numbers-matching car with original paint and interior, as well as desirable options. These include a limited-slip differential, a power sunroof, factory air conditioning, a center console, eight-way power seats, and a Blaupunkt stereo system, to name a few. This classic Porsche is currently listed for sale and is immediately available after being recently serviced. For more information, please call (407)-538-0224 or click the link below. View Price And Listing

By Jordan Aquistapace – November 23, 2022

Porsche's New 'Dream Big.' Art Exhibit In Miami Is Larger...

In October 2021, Porsche launched ‘The Art of Dreams’, a series of interactive art installations in major cities. Always taking an artistic approach to continue its legacy, Porsche prides itself on incorporating its performance cars and SUVs into temporary works of art. As part of the all-new ‘Dream Big.’ installation by Scottish artists Chris Labrooy, the German automotive manufacturer is bringing its global initiative ‘The Art of Dreams’ to North America for the first time. The artwork is an homage to the dreams of childhood. MUST-READ: The Best Paint to Sample Porsches You Can Buy Today The modern art exhibit takes shape as a larger-than-life figure with a race helmet, addressing the child in every one of us and challenging beholders to dream big. Highlighting the main focal point of the piece is a white 992 Porsche 911 Carrera, which looks like a small toy car in the hand of the giant sculpture. ‘Dream Big.’ can be viewed at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The installation is open daily from 11 am to 6 pm from 29th November to 3rd December. View all current Porsche 911 Carrera examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below View All Porsche 911 Carrera For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 15, 2022

Porsche Celebrates The 25th Anniversary Of The 996, The O...

Porsche celebrates an important milestone since its greatest icon underwent a transformation. For decades of its history, the Porsche 911 was known, loved, and revered for its air-cooled engine. However, with the introduction of the Porsche 996 generation of the car in 1997 for the 1998 model year, the Porsche 911 underwent a fundamental transformation, with a design that was significantly different than its predecessor, and an engine that was water-cooled instead. At the time, the air-cooled boxer engine with two valves per cylinder was approaching obsoletion due to its emissions and power capability, so Porsche knew that for the new generation of the 911 in the late 1990s, they would have to go to the drawing board. MUST READ: Porsche x SONRA Release Its New 50Y Edition ‘Sneaker Trilogy’ Collection Being in a crucial financial time for the company, Porsche needed to optimize costs, which is why the 996 911 and the first-generation Porsche Boxster featured similar interiors and similarly-styled exteriors. While the change in design and switch to the water-cooled engine was seen as an incredibly transformative and possibly controversial decision for the Porsche 911, it is still today one of the world’s most iconic, loved, desirable, and excellent performance cars, and 25 years down the road, Porsche’s decision made it successful, and at this point, the water-cooled Porsche 911 has been around for a period of time almost as long as the air-cooled version was. Now that the performance car world has seen more and more electric drivetrains, and more brands are announcing transitions, changes, and the ends of eras we’ve loved dearly, this example lets us know that even the iconic Porsche 911 has changed dramatically before, and Porsche is very good at it. View All Water-Cooled Porsche 911s For Sale Source: Porsche

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