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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 – December 22, 2020

Porsche Top 5: 959 Paris-Dakar Highlights

What happens when you build the world's fastest production car? You send it into an inhospitable territory to prove the Porsche Top 5 959 Paris-Dakar highlights. For the 1986 running of the world's hardest rally, the supercar from Stuttgart was fitted with their first sequential turbochargers. Bruce Canepa Explains The Porsche 959 Boost was limited to 400 horsepower because 86 octane was all teams could use across the desert. Therefore, the drivers were blessed to have four driving modes to control the All-Wheel Drive system. The crankshaft had 7 main bearings and titanium rods, features that can be seen on the latest Porsche 911 Turbo for sale. After 8,700 miles the Porsche 959 teams finished first and second, immortalizing the car and its innovations. Click the button for an experience unlike any other and stay with us for all your Porsche uploads. Browse Porsche 911 Turbo For Sale " width="680"> Image (C) Porsche North America

By Dylan Orluck – December 21, 2020

Watch NativeFour's Porsche Filled "Ascension" Video Featu...

In a world filled with media and content, often hard to find a quality piece that speaks to you the way NativeFour’s newest video, “Ascension” spoke to us. Every car enthusiast is looking to fuel their passion, and Magnus Walker is the quintessential example of this. If you consider yourself a Porsche person, chances are you are familiar with the name Magnus Walker. Originally from England, he chased his dreams, came to America, and became one of the most influential people in the automotive world. His collection of air-cooled Porsches is what dreams are made of. View All Porsche Turbo For Sale NativeFours latest video is short, concise, and to the point, yet the quality is unbelievable. It gets you excited to get out and get after it. In its new video together, Magnus gives you step by step instructions on how to chase your dreams in a thrilling minute long film that keeps you at the edge of your seat and features some of his favorite Porsches (1975 930 Turbo, 1974 930 slant-nose, 2021 992 Turbo S). With this mentality, Magnus can reach his goals and live a life unmatched by nearly anyone. Check out ‘Ascension’ below, and stay tuned for more NativeFour content in the future. " width="680"> A film by Cameron Thuman and Dilan MistryProduction Company: NativeFour

By Andrew Nabors – December 15, 2020

Porsche 911 Magazine: Unseen Design Studies

We never had any idea that one book would lead to a year of amazing videos. Porsche Unseen is a perfect-bound hardcover by Stefan Bogner that looks at 15 years of stunning concepts. As their head of design, Michael Mauer throws back the covers on these stunning cars, and its easy to see how they inspired every new Porsche for sale. The book makes a perfect gift for any Porsche enthusiast, so click the button below and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Shop Now " width="680">

By Edward Jones – December 14, 2020

2021 Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup Revealed

The new 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car has bene revealed as a more cost-efficient and better-performing car than the outgoing generation. This new race car will be used in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, as well as the Porsche Carrera Cups in Germany France, Asia, Benelux and North America. Now, the drivers in these series will be able to take advantage of the extra 25 horsepower that the 2021 911 GT3 Cup has for a total of 510 hp. With this extra power, optimized aerodynamics, turbo-spec lightweight body and more precise handling, Porsche says that lap times of the new 911 GT3 Cup should be slashed by a "good one percent, depending on the track layout." Deliveries of the new 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup are expected to start in February 2021, but it's available for purchase right now with a price of 225,000 Euros (~$273,000 USD). See All 911 GT3 Cups For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – December 14, 2020

Porsche Taycan Sets New EV Record At Road Atlanta

Last week, fans from around the south gathered to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Porsche Experience Center. While the festivities lasted through the weekend, the Porsche Taycan was setting a new EV Record at Road Atlanta. Leh Keen is a professional racer who builds 911s on the side. After loading a stock Taycan Turbo S with instrumentation he was able to cross the finish line in 1:33.88. This scorching lap was good enough for 7th place, and as a reference, 1st and 2nd spots are held by 911 GT cars. An electric sedan is only a few ticks slower than a Corvette ZR1, and that's why our dealers have one for you. Browse Porsche Taycan For Sale " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – December 11, 2020

Porsche Collector Celebrates 80th Birthday With 80th Porsche

For many enthusiasts, owning 79 cars would be enough. One man decided to make room for one more, and a Porsche collector celebrated his 80th birthday with his 80th Porsche. In the latest press release from Porsche Newsroom, Ottocar J. describes his love of the brand. Taking delivery of a 2021 Boxster Spyder in Miami Blue, it was just as exciting as the others in his collection. “I came the first time in 1977. A 911 Carrera 3.0 was waiting for me then". Because his enthusiasm for Porsche is known around the world, technicians allowed him to instal the hood badge after personal congratulations from Dr. Wolfgang Porsche. Porsche 918 Spyder Price, Specs, Photos & Review The new car will join a collection that includes a 917, 956, a 910 with eight-cylinder power, and a 964 Cup car. His 904 retains the original Fuhrmann engine, and the most prized pieces of memorabilia are featured in the living room of his home in Vienna. When he has visitors, they are taken aback by racing cars on the left and the evolution of 911 models on the right. Because he enjoys driving, 9 cars are on standby in the garage. These daily drivers include a 911 R, 991-Series Speedster, Boxsters, and Spyders. All it takes is a few minutes behind the wheel for this addiction to begin, so click the button below to find yours and stay with us for more amazing Porsche collections. Browse Porsche For Sale Images (C) Porsche Cars North America

By Andrew Nabors – December 10, 2020

Porsche Celebrates One Million Cayennes & Counting

Leading the way is how Stuttgart stays ahead of competitors, but the 911 is not always the answer. In order to reach new customers and keep them for life, Porsche is celebrating the one-millionth Cayenne and counting. Watching their cousins at Volkswagen and Audi become leaders in the luxury marketplace, the Porsche top-brass needed something to expand their lineup. Hammered by the exchange rates between the U.S. and Germany, they only sold 14,362 cars in the '93 model year. 2021 Porsche Cayenne Coupe By Mansory Offers Aggressive Acceleration Daring to be different, "Project Colorado" was the idea for a 5-seat, 4WD without any compromises. The concept was revealed in 1998 to rave reviews, and production began in 2001. Cited by industry experts and our dealers as the car that saved the brand, the Cayenne has spawned a coupe, hybrid, and a forthcoming electric model. Early examples with six-speed manual transmissions are found in the world's most demanding environments and the latest Turbo S E-Hybrid offers 670 horsepower at all wheels. Click the button to find out why the Cayenne is your next SUV and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Browse Porsche Cayenne For Sale

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 09, 2020

Porsche Design Introduce The Amphibio 2.0 Skis

We have all seen what Porsche vehicles can do on track, off-road, and around town, but how about on the ski slope. Although a GT2RS could probably make it up the mountain, Porsche Design decided to try to make it down with a set of skis first. The German automobile manufacturer announced the partnership with Elan, a leader in the industry of ski technology. The Porsche Design x Elan Amphibio 2.0 is an all-mountain ski that guarantees maximum versatility to perform with ease in a variety of conditions and terrain. The sleek design combined with the lightweight performance results in another area for Porsche to dominate. The Porsche Design x Elan Amphibio 2.0 skis are currently available by clicking the link below. Shop Porsche Design Skis

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By Andrew Nabors – December 09, 2020

1967 Porsche 911 S Targa Receives Factory Restoration

A copy of a copy is a poor imitation of the original. That is why this 1967 Porsche 911 S Targa has received a factory restoration. As one of the earliest Targas to be produced, the Porsche Classic Restoration Center has just completed a 3-year project. This car was found in a barn in New York, and purchased by a prominent Porsche collector. Porsche Classic Unveils Communication Management Making waves across the Atlantic, the significance of the car was extolled by archivists in Zuffenhausen. The soft rear window was a rare offering, as it was replaced by glass later in the year. Also being a short-wheelbase S model makes it one of only 925 examples offered between '66 and ''68. Aftermarket shops offer many details that you might need, but they weren't up to factory standards. Therefore the team at Porsche Classic made new examples of parts that other owners might need. This car is just one example of what Porsche is capable of, so click the button below to find your 911 Targa and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Browse Porsche 911 Targa For Sale

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By Andrew Nabors – December 07, 2020

TECHART 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Configurator Is Live

Last month we gave you a preview of what your new Porsche 911 Turbo S could be. Now, after over a year in development, the Techart 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S configurator is live. Their comprehensive slough of upgrades transforms an already potent machine into a world-class supercar. Starting inside, you can specify a new interior, completely in leather from top to bottom. Once the interior is sorted, their body upgrades give the car aggression and improved aerodynamics. " width="680"> The visual transformation culminates with their iconic rear spoiler. Along with wheels, tires, suspension, and exhaust, your Turbo S will be unlike anything else on the street. Now we come to the elephant in the room: What can Techart add to a 640 horsepower beast? By integrating their own engine controls, you will have 710 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque in Sport and Sport+ modes. The system also includes a remapped WET mode for greater control in adverse weather. A leap to 62 mph takes only 2.6 seconds, and you will be at 186 mph in less than 22 ticks. Click the button to learn what Techart can do and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Learn More

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