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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 – August 12, 2022

Porsche Design Unveils A One-of-One Sally Special Chronog...

The piece unique Porsche Design Chronograph is headed to RM Sotheby's Auction at Monterey Car Week 2022. As part of the special 20th Anniversary celebration of the automotive-inspired motion picture series Cars, Porsche and its Porsche Design lifestyle division are teaming up with the creative team at Pixar. For the Porsche brand, its engineers went to work to recreate an actual version of Sally Carrera, the main character in Cars that takes shape as a Porsche 911 Carrera. Aside from the movie-themed Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, Porsche Design steps in to accompany the one-off car with a one-of-one custom Chronograph to make the perfect pair. Inspiring generations of children and adults over the years, Sally Carrera’s legacy lives on with the help of Porsche and Porsche Design. MUST-READ: The New 2022 Porsche 911 Sally Special Based On Pixar’s Cars’ Sally Carrera Will Be Auctioned By RM Sotheby’s Soon The Porsche Design Sally Special Chronograph presents a titanium case design with a brushed finish, along with a blue inner bezel ring that commemorates Sally Carrera’s paint color. While the chronograph poses the best option for automotive competition, the Porsche Design chronograph dial configuration highlights bright white indicators and markers for better visibility on the track. The engine powering the special edition timepiece is Porsche Design’s in-house caliber WERK 01.100 movement, displaying itself through a sapphire backcase and 911 Carrera exclusive design winding rotor. Adding a nod to the stunning houndstooth interior on the 911 Carrera GTS, this exclusive example comes fit on a white leather strap with matching blue contrast stitching. The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS ‘Sally Carrera’ and Porsche Design Sally Special will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on Saturday, August 20 at Monterey Car Week in California, with proceeds benefiting the Girl’s Inc. and USA for UNHCR charities. View all current Porsche 911 Carrera GTS inventory for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury watch news and releases. VIEW ALL PORSCHE 911 CARRERA GTS FOR SALE View this post on Instagram A post shared by duPont REGISTRY Watches (@dupontregistry_watches) Source: Porsche Design

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 12, 2022

The New 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS-50 Year Anniversary ...

Porsche celebrates 50 years of its presence in Taiwan with a special one-off. It was in 1972 that Taiwan was introduced to the splendor of Porsche, and at the time, it was one of the first Asian markets the brand introduced itself to. The first Porsche imported to Taiwan was a 911E, and it’s been 50 years, and Porsche is celebrating the incredible growth and history of the brand in Taiwan. A new 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS-50 Year Anniversary One of a Kind has been created as a gift to Taiwan and a celebration of half a century of presence for Porsche. MUST READ: The New 2022 Porsche 911 Sally Special Based On Pixar's Cars' Sally Carrera Will Be Auctioned By RM Sotheby's Soon The new car was finished in Irish Green by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, and the color serves both as an homage to the Island of Taiwan, covered in evergreen forests, and as an homage to the original Taiwanese Porsche, a Lizard Green 911E sold in 1972. The sides feature a Matte White outline of Taiwan depicting the Formosa’s coastline. In addition, the interior features commemorative embossing for 50 Years Porsche in Taiwan, along with other commemorative and exclusive touches throughout the interior and exterior. The car is globally exclusive and will be put up for auction soon. The proceeds will go to Porsche Taiwan’s “Dream Together” charity through which Porsche will thank the Taiwanese community and pay it forward to the society of Taiwan. View All Porsche 911s For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 12, 2022

The New 2022 Porsche 911 Sally Special Based On Pixar's C...

A one-off Porsche 911 with a major nostalgia factor will be auctioned very soon. Pixar’s Cars movie was a story about the strength of community and the power of friendship in a small town of personified cars, and one of the most iconic characters from the entire Cars trilogy was Sally Carrera, especially because she was based on one of the world’s most iconic cars. Sally is a 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera, and to celebrate her 20th anniversary, Porsche and Pixar have collaborated again on the new 2022 Porsche 911 Sally Special, a recreation of Sally Carrera in the form of a new Porsche 911. MUST READ: Porsche x TAG Heuer Unveil A New 99X Race Livery For The Formula E World Championship In Seoul The car is finished in Sally’s signature color, Saly Blue Metallic, and it features a modern interpretation of Sally’s Turbo-style wheels. Since Sally didn’t have an interior, the interior designers were left to interpret what the Sally Special’s interior would look like. Because she was a lawyer to left a high-profile, big-city job to run a motel in Radiator Springs, they thought the interior would be both elegant and down to earth, and chose Chalk leather and Speed Blue stitching with Pepita houndstooth fabric inserts. Because of Sally’s love for driving, the car is based on the most spirited and powerful iteration of the Porsche 911 Carrera, the 911 Carrera GTS. With a 473-horsepower engine and a 7-speed manual transmission, it’s a driver's car that Sally would have definitely enjoyed having at her disposal. In addition, the car is paired with a unique Porsche Design chronograph in Sally Blue Metallic, with an easily interchangeable strap. Both the car and the timepiece will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on Saturday, August 20 at Monterey Car Week in California. The proceeds from the auction will be given to two charities: Girls Inc. and USA for UNHCR. View All Porsche 911s For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 08, 2022

The Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Is The Favorite Car Of The Ea...

The joy of driving a Porsche is fit for a royal. For many, giving up a career to attend to a family tragedy is a setback that can be quite disappointing, and while it absolutely was for William Herbert, who was an industrial designer when his father unfortunately passed away, that family tragedy left him with an entirely new set of responsibilities and traditions, as his family was of English nobles, hailing from the incredible, 14,000-acre Wilton House, a well-known 17th-century house in the UK which has been in the family for over 400 years. MUST READ: One of 407 Porsche 911 SC Weissach Editions Is Owned By a 17-Year-Old Entrepreneur William Herbert became The Right Honourable William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke in 2004 at 26, and now he’s 44, and while he’s settled into his role at the seat of the ancestral home, his passion for cars has never died. The former riding school at the home now features an incredible car collection, and its newest member is a Porsche 911 GT3 Touring. The Earl first experienced a friend’s 911 GT3, and he was blown away by its performance, and after driving one at Silverstone, he decided that he simply needed to get one of his own. The subdued look of the Touring version of the GT3, along with its everyday comfort and usability is what sold him, and after nearly a year of searching for the right one, he was able to reserve a car with the perfect spec. The unabashed performance and the gentlemanly elegance of the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring is what makes the Porsche 911 GT3 the perfect car for the Earl, who is even thinking about retrofitting rear seats to make it usable for the school run. View All Porsche 911s For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 05, 2022

One Of 407 Porsche 911 SC Weissach Editions Is Owned By a...

At just 17, he’s an entrepreneur, investor, and Porsche owner. Merlin Assfalg is a 17-year-old student and son of the CEO of mountain bike manufacturer Propain. However, at a young age, he has plenty of passions, which include stock trading, business, and cars. He has shares in Apple, and currently runs a startup that he founded himself selling bike parts online from a container on Propain’s property, and owns a Porsche 911. Being 17 and in Germany, he isn’t able to drive on his own just yet, but he turns 18 very soon, and his vehicle of choice is one of the most iconic sports cars ever made and a very special edition of it at that. MUST READ: Discover The One-Off Porsche Cayenne Convertible Concept That Never Saw Production His car is the 1980 Porsche 911 SC Weissach Edition, of which only 407 were made exclusively for the North American market, from where the car was imported. The car features a black exterior and a gray interior, and most importantly the irreplaceable driving experience of a classic Porsche 911. He has been able to balance his entrepreneurship, school, and passion for cars despite a serious battle with an unknown illness in 2020, and now he’s counting the days until he can drive his Porsche on his own, and while he has a passion for classic Porsches, he has the same enthusiasm for a bright future of sustainability with things like e-mobility and synthetic fuels. Drivers like him keep the passion for classic cars alive and push the automotive world towards a future that’s better for everyone. View All Porsche 911s For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 26, 2022

Porsche Announces That The New 2023 911 GT3 RS Is Coming ...

Two very important letters are coming to shake up roads and racetracks worldwide. The 992 generation of the Porsche 911 GT3 is an unthinkably fast performance car, with Porsche managing to get an incredible 502 horsepower out of its naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engine, which rockets the lightweight and dynamic car to 60 mph in as little as 3.2 seconds, and up to a speed of up to 199 mph. Once we saw how capable the Porsche 911 GT3 is, we have been anticipating just how explosively powerful and fast the GT3 RS would be, and now, we’re going to find out. MUST READ: 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Price & Specs Porsche has announced that the 992 generation of the 911 GT3 RS will be unveiled on August 17 and that its development was inspired by the 911 RSR and 91 GT3 R GT race cars. It’s going to be even more track-focused than before, and Porsche says that it is incredibly happy with the 4.0-liter engine and its capabilities, which is why the improvements in the 911 GT3 RS will focus on the chassis and aerodynamic capabilities. The unveiling is set to take place in just three weeks, and while we don’t know much, we do know it’s going to be good. View All Porsche 911 GT3 RS For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – July 14, 2022

Learn About The Holy Grail Of All Porsche 911s

The Cultivated Collector takes a deep dive on its 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. With a historic lineage that includes some of the world’s most influential sports cars, early example Porsche models hold significance as pioneers for the industry-leading automotive manufacturer. Porsche has been using motorsports as the inspiration for developing high-performance road cars, cooperating with homologation regulations that would allow it to be legal for competition use. The car that checks all of those boxes is the Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS, with a total of 1,580 highly-desirable chassis produced at the factory in Stuttgart, Germany. President of The Cultivated Collector Matthew Ivanhoe showcases the dealership’s astonishing 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS in the inaugural episode of Automobiles Of Distinction. The passionate team at The Cultivated Collector of New Canaan, CT take pride in specializing in investment-grade classic and exotic automobiles, and even more specifically, homologation examples with rich motorsport history. MUST-READ: Porsche Tells The Story Of The PDK Transmission, Which Dates Back To The 1960s This Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS configuration features a vibrant light yellow exterior finish with contrasting black ‘Carrera’ decals and badging. Its pronounced ‘duck tail’ rear wing proves to be the most notorious aspect of its design, aside from the set of iconic Fuchs wheels. Leaving performance to do its talking, the 911 Carrera 2.7 RS interior takes on a subtle design with black leather/suede layered over the 3-piece seats and rear buckets. The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 features a 2.7-Liter Flat-Six fuel-injected engine that produces over 210-horsepower 188-ft lbs of torque to its rear wheels. Its traditional 5-speed transmission and 6,300 rpm top-line launch the 911 from 0-60mph in 5.8-seconds, making it the first production car to break the six-second mark set by the German trade journal ‘auto, motor und sport’. With a body made from thin sheet metal, thin windows, and plastic parts, Porsche was able to achieve a 152mph top speed because of its strategic weight reduction. This 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS from The Cultivated Collector is currently available through duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle and supercar news. VIEW LISTING

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 11, 2022

The Porsche 911 Turbo S Won The Production Car Class At P...

At Pikes Peak, the Porsche 911 Turbo S braved the storm and came out as an incredible car. The Pikes Peak hill climb is a famous rite of passage for drivers, cars, and automotive brands. It’s a place to prove performance, dynamics, and driving skill in one of the most challenging environments a road has to offer, and the Porsche 911 Turbo S was ready to take it on. Leading up to the race, it was predicted by many that the new Porsche 911 Turbo S, while given minimal modifications for the race, was going to shatter the existing Production Car class record in the stunning clear weather that led up to the race. Once the moment of truth arrived, however, the weather quickly turned. MUST READ: Porsche Celebrates The 50th Anniversary Of The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 At Le Mans Classic With torrential rain seemingly coming out of nowhere, the driver, GT3 Cup racer David Donner, braved the course anyway with his extensive Pikes Peak and 911 experience, and while he wasn’t the very fastest on the course, he was second only to a prototype racer that weighed about half as much, with twice the power and extensive modifications, with a time of 10:34.03. While the class record wasn’t broken, the car achieved a class win and the second-best time overall and achieved all this while being able to drive back from the race as a road-legal car that throughout the entire process required no repairs or maintenance. The Porsche 911 Turbo S is an incredible feat of engineering when it comes to performance, looks, drivability, and everything else you’d want in a car. View All Porsche 911 Turbo S For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – June 29, 2022

Porsche 911 Art By Korean Neurosurgeon And Artist Ya Hoon

Porsche art inspired by the mind and how its views the 911. The beauty behind art is the endless possibilities for creative inspiration, whether it be the lines of a classic automobile or the colorful graphs of a neurological scan. For Porsche, its involvement in art showcases its diversity as an influential brand that specializes in manufacturing performance cars for the road and track. Porsche is excited to highlight the incredible artwork of Korean neurosurgeon and artist Ha Yoon, who describes himself as a proud Porsche owner with an appreciation for motorsports. MUST-READ: The Best Porsche Carrera GTs You Can Buy Today The main inspiration behind Yoon’s work combines the depths of our conscious minds, while also incorporating aspects from Porsche models and iconic race circuits to create vibrant ‘Mind Maps’. Most of Ha Yoon’s creative automotive-inspired pieces feature his silver Porsche 911 Carrera S of the 997 generation. He expresses his love for the Porsche 911 by saying “Endurance and speed, power and tradition are what symbolize the 911. Values that also feature in my art.” The art is now being transformed into NFTs that includes a digital signature for authenticity. Ya Hoon’s dedication to the world of art and Porsche showcases the results of boldly blending different artistic avenues. View all of the current Porsche 911 Carrera examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and supercar news. VIEW ALL PORSCHE 911 CARRERA FOR SALE Source: Porsche

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By Tyler Rampersaud – June 23, 2022

Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur Created A Custom 911 GT3 To ...

Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur celebrated an important anniversary for the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup. The one-make Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup series is now in its 30th season, and for such an anniversary, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur stepped in to make sure that it was celebrated properly. To do this, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur created a custom Porsche 911 GT3 with a design dedicated to celebrating the anniversary of the iconic racing series. The hand-painted design was created to bring the design of the 911 GT3 Cup to the roadgoing version of the car. MUST READ: Porsche Recounts The Challenges Of Turning Project “Colorado” Into The Cayenne SUV The precision of the design involved creating a painted grid pattern in which one color didn’t bleed into the other, as well as customized seats and stitching throughout the interior done in a black and gold color scheme matching the exterior. This custom Porsche 911 GT3 is not just a celebration of the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup racing series but of the legendary importance of Porsche and the 911 in the automotive world as a whole. View All Porsche 911 GT3s For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Porsche (@porsche)

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