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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 Edward Jones – November 13, 2015

Dubai Police Add Porsche 918 Spyder to Fleet

The Dubai Police supercar fleet is easily the most impressive collection of law enforcement vehicles. It includes cars like the Aston Martin One-77, BMW i8, Bugatti Veyron, 7, Lamborghini Aventador, Lykan Hypersport and many more.Now, the Dubai Police have added the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar to their fleet, according to posts made to their official Twitter and Facebook accounts early this morning.Not only was the 918 Spyder added to the collection because of its incredible power, but also because it's "environmentally friendly." As the Facebook caption describes, it was unveiled at the Dubai Motor Show, and has been completely fitted with the latest in technology and cameras, and are linked to the command centers of the Dubai Police.This 918 joins an impressive task force in one of the world's wealthiest cities as the second hybrid supercar.Gallery (via Facebook, Twitter) See More Porsche News

By Caitlin Duffy – November 09, 2015

Porsche 918 Spyder with Weissach Package in Gulf Livery F...

Though it's been more than 40 years since the blue and orange Gulf livery was seen on Steve McQueen's 1971 Le Mans race car, a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder is bringing the iconic colors onto a road car of today. Featuring the Weissach package, this hybrid has 887 hp under the hood and a Nürburgring Nordschleiffe time of 6 minutes 57 seconds - and it's one of two 918s to sport these period correct colors. The Best Gulf Oil Livery Cars The marque's customization department, Porsche Exclusive, ensured that this 918 Spyder's Gulf livery was created accurately, covering even the most minute details in the correct shades of blue and orange. The calipers were repainted by hand to better match the exterior, the upholstery was custom stitched, the key fob sports Gulf colors and the carbon fiber floor mats feature matching piping. And these are just the first few details that make this Spyder so stunning. Learn more at the button below, and contact the seller to make this Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid yours today. Buy Now Gallery

By Caitlin Duffy – November 02, 2015

Porsche 918 Spyder Launch Control Accelerations

Shift-S3ctor has been gaining a reputation for putting together some of the West Coast's best high-horsepower racing events, with the country's finest supercars turning out to test their stuff at Airstrip Attacks up and down the Pacific.(See Also: 918 Spyder, Veyron & 3 Koenigseggs Tear Down the Autobahn)At a 2015 California Airstrip Attack, a Porsche 918 Spyder sporting Martini Racing Livery had a chance to test out its launch control and top speeds, all with BrianZuk there to catch it on camera. A video shared to YouTube Nov. 1 gives us a good look at a few of its runs. As the video's caption tells us, it was able to hit 173 mph in the half-mile.Turn your speakers up and enjoy the sweet sounds of the video below, and when you're finished, find your own 918 to test at an Airstrip Attack from our exclusive listings.Sale (via YouTube) See More Porsche News

By Edward Jones – October 16, 2015

Over Thirteen Porsche 918s Take Over Laguna Seca

Rennsport Reunion is what Porsche call's "the world's largest gathering of Porsche racecars, renowned driver, and Porsche collector cars," on their website. And, if you were at the September 25-27th event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, you'd see just how true their claim is.At the Rennsport Reunion V, over 1,000 Porsches showed up, as did legendary drivers Derek Bell, Jacky Ickx, Hurley Haywood, and many more.Of the 1,000 German sports cars that showed up, around 13-20 of them were the brand's new hypercar: the 918 Spyder.(Also Read: P1 vs. LaFerrari vs. 918 Spyder Hot Laps: Part 1)Effspot was in attendance at the event and happened to film 13 of the 20 918's that were scattered around the event, according to the description of his video uploaded on September 29. If you were to add up the horsepower of just the 13 hypercars, that would amount to 11,531 hp. What's more, there was a wide variety of finishes being represented, including colors like Acid Green, Viper Green, Black, White, Voodoo Blue and more.See them now by watching the video below.918s For Sale (Source: YouTube) More Porsche News

By Edward Jones – August 27, 2015

"Acid Green" Porsche 918 Spyder Looking for New Owner

Now that the Porsche 918 Spyder is no longer being produced, it's going to become an even hotter commodity than it was before. This fact also makes examples like this one even more highly sought after.Finished in an electric "Acid Green" paint contrasted against its "Authentic Mocha Brown" interior, this 918 Spyder is a rarity. In fact, it's only 1-of-2 known Weissach Package 918 Spyders in this color and 1-of-1 in the United States. Needless to say, this 918 Spyder has a pedigree that stands out among the rest.The car is currently being offered on duPontREGISTRY.com with only 8.3 factory miles, making it a brand-new example.For those unfamiliar with Porsche's latest hypercar, it's a hybrid powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine and two electric motors. This setup provides the car with 887 hp and 944 lb-ft of torque. These specs are good for a 0-60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds and a 9.9 seconds quarter-mile at 146 mph.Porsche For SaleThis is, without a doubt, the most extreme car the German automaker has ever produced. And now, a rare example of it can be yours. Click the button below to see its price and more info.View Price and Info Gallery Photos by: Bart Cepek Post sponsored by the seller See More Hyper and Supercars For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 21, 2015

Man Buys and Immediately Races Porsche 918 Spyder, Carrer...

The word "epic" can be thrown around quite often in the exotic and super car world, but this story is most deserving of the adjective.A man simply known as Sandro in a video uploaded Aug. 14 by Pfaff Automotive Partners recently acquired three very special vehicles: a Porsche 918 Spyder, Carrera GT and a McLaren P1. These are three of just a handful of hyper and supercars that exist in the world, and they were all delivered to him on the same day.But, the location of the delivery is really the best part of this story. These cars were delivered to the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, where Sandro flew in via helicopter to receive them.(Also Read: Steven Spielberg is Selling his $185, 282 ft Million Mega Yacht)While some will buy these cars and only take them out for a stroll every once in a while, Sandro wasted no time and immediately took them out onto the track.Check out the video below to see the delivery of the three supercars for yourself and let us know in the comments below which you'd like to take around the track.(Source: YouTube) See More Porsche News, Pics and Videos

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By Caitlin Duffy – August 07, 2015

Building a Porsche 918 Spyder: Behind the Scenes in Zuffe...

There's no questioning the fact that each of the 918 examples of the Porsche 918 Spyder created were meticulously crafted from start to finish, with careful attention paid to every detail of its construction.But just how does that construction happen? If you've ever been curious about the full process behind the assembly of the 918 Spyder, a new video from Porsche will answer most all of your questions. From the chassis, to the engine and carbon fiber inserts, it documents the 100 selected employees who hand-crafted each of these cars. Added to YouTube today is a behind-the-scenes look at the factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany, where the 918 Spyders were assembled, and follows each step of one example's creation. Close shots show the women and men behind the production, placing each bolt and measuring each strip of leather by hand. (See Also: Q&A With Graham Rahal: Racing, His New Green 918 Spyder and Car Collection) Check out the video above to see just how much care goes into each Porsche created, and when you're finished, browse our exclusive listings of 918 Spyders to see the final product of their efforts. (Source: YouTube) See More Porsche News

By Edward Jones – July 22, 2015

Unique Red and White Porsche 918 Spyder at Miller Motorcars

Recently at Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, Connecticut was a special visitor: a Porsche 918 Spyder with the Weissach Package in a unique livery.Typically, Porsche offers the 918 Spyder with standard and metallic paints, as well as wraps that include the Martini Racing and Salzburg Racing liveries. But, this example of Porsche's hypercar has a primarily white finish with red racing stripes that flow from the side air vents behind the front wheels, over the rear wheel arches and into the tail lights. Matching the striping are the wheels and added aerodynamic body pieces included in the Weissach Package.(Related: Porsche Finishes Production on the 918 Spyder)The paint was finished by Detailing Dynamics, a Mineola, New York, with some help from Finish Line Collision, a Long Island-based customization and body repair facility. Detailing Dynamics posted a photo to their Instagram account July 18 of the stunning 918, showing it prepping for the trip to Connecticut. #forthosewhoexpectthebest #porsche #918spyder #winning #designbydetailingdynamics. After 2 months of complete transformation the all custom painted design created with the help of @finishlinecollisionny was a show stopper and the most photographed car at last week's event @millermotorcars. Whoever said paint is dead needs a reality check. @lamborghiniks you always been such great inspiration. ? A photo posted by Detailing Dynamics (@detailingdynamics) on Jul 18, 2015 at 4:37pm PDT For those wanting to brush up on their 918 Spyder knowledge, here are some quick notes about the hypercar. Being a hybrid with two electric motors and a 4.6-liter V8, you’d think that it would be a heavy car. In fact, at 3,616-3,715 pounds, you might even think it needs to shave off a few pounds. But, this seemingly makes no difference to the performance. A heart-stopping 0-60 mph time of 2.8 seconds keeps you second guessing whether you’re actually driving a hybrid.Porsche has designed the 918 to be one of the easiest track cars to drive. Electric assisted quick-ratio steering mated with a counter-steering system angles the rear wheels up to 3° to give the perfect turn. The driver can choose from four different driving modes: the innovative E (electric)-mode, Hybrid mode, Sport Hybrid mode and an extra Sport Hybrid mode that is activated by a dangerous little red button in the center console that lets out all the power on reserve.View Miller Motorcars' ListingsGallery (Source: Miller Motorcars) See More Exotic Automotive Dealer News

By Edward Jones – June 19, 2015

Porsche Finishes Production on the 918 Spyder

It seems as though it's over just as quickly as it all began: after 21 months of production time, Porsche has rolled the last 918 Spyder off of the line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.This news comes to us in a press release issued today by Porsche. It's sad to see the 887 hp hybrid hypercar go, but we know that Porsche will be using the groundbreaking technology at the center of the car in future models.In the press release, Porsche talks heavily about how the 918 Spyder is the foundation for what's to come from the automaker. They state that the car "can convert far more kinetic energy into electrical energy than other hybrid vehicles because of its intelligent control of generator functionality and conventional brakes." This means we could see the kinetic energy recovery system in future models, which none of us would mind at all.We would like to take this time to congratulate Porsche on producing one of the most fascinating and incredible cars ever crafted. It will certainly leave a large mark in automotive history and will be talked about for years to come, just like the 959 and Carrera GT supercars.To reflect on the hypercar that is the 918 Spyder, here are some of the car's highlights: Lapped the Nurburgring North Loop in a record-breaking 6:57 Accelerates from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds 0-124 mph in 7.3 seconds 0-186 mph 20.9 seconds Beat the LaFerrari in a Dragrace Showdown Beat the McLaren P1 Around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca That being said, this doesn't mean you still can't buy a 918 Spyder. Actually, now is a better time than ever. Check out the examples we currently have for sale by clicking the button below.918s For Sale (Source: Porsche)See More Porsche News

By Caitlin Duffy – May 28, 2015

918 Spyder 1,000 km Road Trip Recap Video

Throughout Ingo Vandenberghe's trip across the United Kingdom, Porsche was sharing photo updates of the journey on their Facebook page, but now we have a chance to hear his impressions of the trip and thoughts on the experience for ourselves.In honor of reaching the impressive milestone of 10 million Facebook fans, Porsche launched a contest Jan. 26 offering one lucky fan the chance to take a four-day long, 1,000 km road trip in the 918 Spyder. Vandenberghe was selected as the winner Feb. 22, and on April 27 his trip began with its first stop in London. The trip took him through some of the United Kingdom's most recognized locations, from Windsor, to Oxford, to Brecon Beacons National Park, with the final stop being the Silverstone track, where Vandenberghe had his chance to sit behind the wheel and test out the 918 Spyder's power for himself. (See Also: Das Renn Treffen 2015 Recap: A Porsche Lover's Dream Event) Check out his recap of the experience in the video above, added to YouTube May 26 by Porsche, and then browse our exclusive selection of 918 Spyders for sale to get a taste of his experience for yourself. 918 Spyders For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Porsche News

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