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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 Andrew Nabors – August 10, 2018

What is Porsche's "Project Gold"?

Of all the innovators and skilled workers at Porsche's Stuttgart factory, there is one aspect you won't find in any employee: Idle Hands. Porsche Classic is up to something big. In a teaser uploaded to YouTube this morning we see the body of a 993 Turbo being dipped to prevent rust. So what's the big deal?Porsche 993 Specs, Photos, Prices & ReviewThis isn't just any 993 that was sitting in the museum, it's all new. In a press release also earlier today, we've learned that it took 18 months to get here. You can't deny all the prices of air-cooled turbos have skyrocketed in the last decade, so perhaps the factory is tired of seeing 20-year old examples selling for more than a new Porsche 911 Turbo S.RWB 993 Porsche Photoshoot by Marcel LechThe upcoming 992 Series 911 will be a Swiss Army Knife. It will be the basis for all Porsche 911 variants for the immediate future, and we have no doubt it will have mindblowing improvements. Two decades of advances make the 993 series look like a rusty razor in comparison. But some of us like the traditional ways. Consider how expensive and popular the RWB and Singer 911 restorations are. If Porsche is truly building new examples of the 993 Turbo, it will shake up the automotive industry and the aftermarket. We didn't mean to wreck your concentration, but this is unprecedented. We sell more new and classic Porsches than anyone else, so click the link below and have a great weekend!Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 30, 2018

2020 Porsche Taycan: 600 Horsepower Confirmed

Porsche has been in development of the Mission E concept for years, and recently we learned its name: Taycan. In a press release this morning, the finer details of this super SUV were made known. The most shocking news is that Porsche has raised the bar by building the Taycan around an 800-volt battery and drive system. It can also be charged at Audi dealers who are building their 400-volt network. Working with Ford, BMW, and Mercedes are developing "Ionity" fast charging parks. They will have multiple chargers and a nice place to stretch your legs.New chargers are being installed at every Porsche dealer, and a full charge will offer 310 miles of range. Porsche includes the regular 110V home charger, and the 240v can be easily wired into your home panel. It has two electric motors mounted on the front and rear axles. These proprietary designs are AC synchronous for long life and instant torque.Porsche made the windings square instead of round, allowing for more coils in a smaller case. They also purchased a portion of Rimac, to be a supplier for their electric future. This is the same technology used in their 919 Hybrid and the VW I. D. R Pike's Peak. You will be at 62 mph in 3.5 seconds and 124 mph arrives in less than a dozen ticks. If electric is not quite your thing, our dealers are starting to receive the 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, so get your twin turbos in gear and check out the fastest production 911 ever built!Browse Porsche 911 GT2 RS For Sale Tested for perfection!

By Andrew Nabors – July 25, 2018

Porsche Unveils 2019 Macan in Shanghai

If you don't need the size and space of the Cayenne, Porsche's new 2019 Macan will be an unprecedented success. We first saw it in 2014, and it was ahead of its time. But Porsche keeps their lineup on the cutting edge. That's why the second generation Macan arrives with plenty of upgrades. LED headlights are now standard, and the 3D taillights allow it to be unmistakable, even at a distance.2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Specs, Price, Photos, & ReviewInside, the dash and instrument cluster are all new. The A/C vents are now more direct, flowing more air and being more ergonomic will keep you from being distracted while driving. Before the air reaches the vents it now goes through an ionizer to remove the odors of an active family. A new version of Porsche Communication Management is shown on an 11" touchscreen. The Porsche GT steering wheel has finally made it into their SUV lineup, and it offers stress relief along with an elegant design.Traffic-Jam Assist is their name for adaptive cruise control. It slows to a stop and returns to cruising speed without wearing out your fancy footwear. The chassis was reinforced to handle the strains of 21" wheels, which will be offered in several designs. Your engine choices will be a few flavors of V6, with the Macan Turbo returning next year. Our dealers have great incentives on 2018 examples, so click the link below to find yours.Browse Porsche Macan For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 16, 2018

Porsche Steals the show at Goodwood

Inflatable Gorillas might help used car lots, but every dealer has been outdone by Porsche's Anniversary Display. Placed at on the lawn of Goodwood House was a spire holding six significant Porsches. Using a 4.72" thick steel pole, the six cars were balanced on a star, 170 feet above the grass. Because they were elevated, Porshe sent us a press release with the details of the elevated automobiles. 6. 1978 Porsche 935 Moby Dick Built to dominate, Type 935 won its first race only 7 laps in front of the 2nd place car. Hans Mezger built a 3.2-liter twin turbo that made 845 horsepower. The top speed of 227 mph was too much for the FIA, so it was restricted to 750 to remain competitive. While the cylinders remained air-cooled, a water jacket surrounded each cylinder head to keep the cams and valves happy during endurance runs. 5. Porsche 962 C This car would be fine in any direction because it generates more downforce than it weighs. Using a full belly pan and several NACA ducts, the 965 and 962 brought home 7 LeMans Victories and three Manufacturers' World Championships. This 1987 example is powered by a 3.0L flat six with twin turbos. It makes 700 horsepower and only weighs 1,874 lbs 1962 Porsche 804 F1 The first Porsche with disc brakes also featured other wild innovations. It has a 1.5L flat eight-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams. It allowed this 1,016 lb rocket to reach 167 mph thanks to 180 horsepower. 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1 If you are wondering why the rear tires are so wide, it is because the Carrera RSR had a 31.7-gallon gas tank right behind the driver. Mounting the tank where the rear seats were changes the center of gravity to an optimal position. Every other 911 has a front-mounted tank that changes the load on the front suspension as fuel is consumed. The 2.1 turbo made 500 horsepower and offered a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds. The top speed was limited by the wide rear quarter panels to 186 mph. 1984 Porsche Carrera 4x4 Paris-Dakar Porsche's rear engine design has always made it a favorite for off-road adventures, so Type 953 was built for the Paris-Dakar Rally. Using a nearly stock engine, the coil-spring suspension had dual shocks at each corner and 10.6" of travel. It was the first sports car to win the event, and it proved the performance of 4WD in the 911. 1988 Porsche 2708 Indycar Another one of Mezger's masterpiece engines was used to power their 1988 Indycar team. It packs a 2.65L V8 with twin turbos into a one-piece chassis. Made of alternating layers of carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb, it allowed this 750 horsepower beast to be a dominant force in the '88 season.Hopefully, these historic models make it home safely. It makes us wonder what Porsche will do in their next 70 years. Tell us which one you would daily drive in the comments below and stay with us for more coverage of Goodwood.

By Andrew Nabors – July 02, 2018

Jerry Seinfeld Buys Porsche Werks 911 RSR

Porsche had a problem in the early 70's. Their 917 was banned for being so dominant. So they went back to the drawing board for a new race car. Using the shell of a normal 911, the Werks racing department installed a roll cage and deleted many of the accessories along with insulation. The result was the 1974 and 1975 Porsche 911 RSR. Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee Returns July 6th Power comes from a 3.0L flat six and a giant turbo. Conservatively rated at 330 hp, it was cast from aluminum rather than magnesium for durability. Each cylinder had twin spark plugs and Porsche Werks offered aggressive cams to bump the power to 345 hp. Only a handful were built. Mostly for the Werks drivers, and some were purchased by privateer teams once the program was announced. Jerry Seinfeld’s 911 GT3 RS Is 1 of 1 Needless to say these factory-built race cars are rare, and that's why our friend Jerry Seinfeld had to have one. In an Instagram Post yesterday, the famous comedian & actor uploaded his new acquisition. We saw it in 2012 at the Gooding auction on Amelia Island, and this car is perfect in every aspect. Since 1985, we have been your source for rare & collectible Porsches, so click the link below to find the perfect one for your collection. Browse Porsche 911 For Sale Just arrived in US. 1 of 31. So excited. A post shared by Jerry Seinfeld (@jerryseinfeld) on Jun 30, 2018 at 9:19pm PDT

By Edward Jones – June 29, 2018

Limited Edition Gunther Werks’ 400R Enters Production

Gunther Werks, a company dedicated to remastering the iconic Porsche® 993, today announced production of its bespoke 400R vehicles has begun at the company’s Southern California facility. The first three vehicles will be delivered in Q3 of 2018 with additional cars being delivered by year’s end as production ramps up.More than 45 employees work diligently to assemble each Gunther Werks 400R by hand, including some of the leading Porsche experts in the world. The production team boasts more than 15 years of carbon fiber and composite experience, 30 years of Porsche engine building mastery and 20 years of suspension tuning knowledge.“I wanted to add something unique to my collection where I could be involved in the design process from start to finish,” said a prominent car collector and Gunther Werks customer known as @Dan_am_i on Instagram. “The fact that only 25 will be built and each one is guaranteed to be unique really piqued my interest. Once I met the team and saw the facility firsthand I knew I was making the right decision. My 400R will be something special, so keep your eyes open for the debut.”For more information on Gunther Werks and the 400R program please visit GuntherWerks.com or follow the team on Facebook and Instagram.Visit GuntherWerks.com

By Andrew Nabors – June 29, 2018

Porsche Sets New Record Time at the 'Ring

Porsche is retiring the 919 Hybrid Evo, so they have been taking it on a tribute tour around the world. What started on the streets of New York City had a stop at Spa, where it ran a faster lap than Lewis Hamilton's track record. Other stops along the way have let Porsche fans get one final glimpse at this winner before it goes into their museum.Porsche 919 Hybrid Parades Around NYCKnowing full well it would be the last time to lap the historic track, driver Timo Bernhard had one goal: keep the right pedal on the floor. The press release this morning stunned us because he followed orders. The result is a lap time of 5.19.55.... He destroyed every prior record for the 12.9 mile Nordschleife (North Loop). The previous record of 6.11.13 was set in 1983 by Stefan Bellof in 1983. The closest we can get to driving the 919 Hybrid is the 918 Spyder, so check out these listings from our dealers in the link below.Browse Porsche 918 Spyder For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – June 27, 2018

Cuvée 356: Porsche 70th Anniversary Wine

If you are looking for a wine with perfect balance, Armin Tement has the perfect bottle. The Austrian Vinter is highly respected amongst his peers, using the same land cultivated by his father Manfred. Alexander Baron von Essen is Germany's most prestigious wine importers, so he recommended Tement to create a unique blend for Porsche's 70th Anniversary. Porsche 356 Speedster: Review & Specs Cuvée 356 is a blend of several varieties that provides an experience far greater than its individual components. The Tement Vinyard is located near Austria's border with Slovenia, and only 155 miles from the original Porsche 356 workshop in Gmünd. The rolling fertile hills are not unlike Tuscany, just on the other side of the Alps. The soil and climate are perfect for grapes, and the narrow mountain roads enticed Walter Röhrl to attend the announcement. Visitors to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart can order their own bottle, which is comprised of 65 percent pinot blanc, 18 percent chardonnay, 12 percent sauvignon blanc, and 5 percent pinot gris. Or, you can order it directly from Baron von Essen in the link below. If you do, please enjoy it responsibly, and stay with us for all your Porsche Anniversary updates. Click Here To Order

By Andrew Nabors – June 26, 2018

2020 Porsche 911 Turbo S Caught Testing

Something new is being cooked up in Stuttgart. The recipe includes a flat-six engine, carbon fiber, and a heaping helping of horsepower. Model year 2019 will be the Grand Finale for the 991 generation of the Porsche 911. Logically, the next generation car is the 992 chassis, and it appears to be in the final stages of development. We say that because a YouTube video uploaded by Automotive Mike shows a test car wearing almost no camouflage. Although it doesn't really need to, because the 911 has stayed true to its heritage since the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963. The motor pool is a week of hot laps at the Nurburgring. It is a chance for Teutonic Test machines to be pushed to their limits. As such, we see Audis along with a Bugatti Chiron testing alongside other models in the VW Group's portfolio. As their most expensive model, the Turbo S Cabriolet is easily identified by the large intakes and the chin spoiler. Most of the significant changes will be under the skin so it will be interesting to see how they surpass the incredible chassis of the current series. Our guess is more composites and perhaps a spaceframe instead of the unibody. But as soon as we have more details, you will see them first here on Autofluence. Browse Porsche 911 Turbo S For Sale https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=_hWiZmrBlWM

By Andrew Nabors – June 20, 2018

How To Drive a Porsche 911 GT3 RS Faster Than Ever

How many laps of the 'Ring did it take for Porsche to tune the 2019 GT3 RS? We don't know, but the time spent building this car has surely paid off. If you opt for the Weissach package, the rubber suspension joints are replaced by steel ball joints. You will have a massive rear spoiler and more downforce than many race cars.Porsche Explains the Lizard Green Paint on the 911 GT3 RSSome of the components are actually shared with the GT3 R, which is raced around the world. Nothing was left on the table. The new 4.0-liter engine has solid lifters, which eliminates valve float at a screaming 9,000 rpm. A thicker forged crankshaft and titanium rods allow it to make 520 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque. This allows it to lap the historic track in 6.56.4. It is faster than your car, your friend's LS-swap, and even the Porsche 918 Spyder. So if you want to experience it, our dealers will get yours on the way. Stay with us for all your Porsche news.Browse Porsche GT3 RS For Sale

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