Porsche News

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 29, 2023

Porsche Celebrates 1 Year Of Success Since Its IPO

Strong sales, partnership deals, and an ambitious roadmap toward electrification highlight the past year. On this day last year, September 29, 2022, Porsche AG took a historic leap by going public and since then, the German automaker has been in overdrive, setting the standard for success in the luxury automotive market. Celebrating its first anniversary since the IPO, Porsche's leadership has shared enthusiastic insights on the company's progress and future trajectory, making it clear that their initial public offering wasn't just a financial play but a strategy for accelerated growth. Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board, sums it up perfectly, stating that the IPO has granted the brand "greater entrepreneurial freedom and flexibility." By setting its own priorities, Porsche has been more nimble in reacting to market shifts. This dynamism is crucial in today's fast-paced automotive landscape, teeming with disruptive technologies and an ever-evolving consumer demand. One of the significant moves Porsche made post-IPO is establishing key partnerships in the software realm, notably with tech giants like Apple and Mobileye. According to Deputy Chairman Lutz Meschke, these partnerships are foundational for providing unique and unforgettable Porsche experiences in the future. "Forward-looking steps," as Meschke calls them, underscore Porsche's commitment to innovation and customer delight. A testament to its robust business strategy, Porsche also marked its debut on the leading German stock index (DAX) just three months after ringing the stock exchange bell at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Their quick entry to the DAX reaffirmed the capital market's strong confidence in the brand's product strategy and overall business model. Notably, Porsche has repaid that trust, boasting significant gains in Group sales revenue, operating profit, and deliveries within the first six months of 2023. Sustainability and electrification are at the heart of Porsche's future. The company aims for more than 80% of all new cars to be all-electric by 2030. This plan includes transitioning existing model lines to battery electric powertrains from 2024 onwards, and introducing new electric versions of celebrated and popular models like the Macan and the 718, and introducing new models like an upcoming SUV that will be positioned above the iconic Cayenne. This clear roadmap indicates how Porsche is not only committed to meeting customer demands for performance but also global calls for sustainability. The financial markets have shown volatility lately due to various macroeconomic pressures, yet Porsche remains optimistic. The company has confirmed its forecast for the current and subsequent financial years, expecting a Group operating return on sales in the range of 17 to 19 percent by the end of 2023. Considering an expected sales revenue ranging from 40 to 42 billion euros, the brand is even looking towards a possible long-term operating return on sales of over 20%. Overall, Porsche's first year post-IPO has been a tour de force, demonstrating that with the right mix of innovation, partnerships, and customer focus, a traditional luxury brand can successfully steer through modern-day challenges. Whether you're a shareholder or a sports car enthusiast, Porsche AG is unquestionably a brand and a business to keep an eye on. View All Porsches For Sale

By Jordan Aquistapace – July 12, 2023

Porsche Cars North America Sets First-Half Sales Record F...

Leading the way both on and off the track, Porsche proves its worth with massive sales figures for the start of 2023.

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 25, 2023

Porsche Issues $1.04 Billion Of ABS Bonds In The US

Porsche’s financials reach yet another milestone.

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 03, 2023

Porsche Increases Profits By 25% In Q1 2023 After Going P...

Porsche’s first results as a public company prove that it’s a big fish, even in a bigger pond.

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 12, 2023

1 In 10 Porsches Sold In 2022 In The U.S. Were Electric

The brand’s 2022 results show that it’s arriving to the future with all its well-known style, luxury, and performance. It’s no secret that 2022 was a tough year for the automotive industry, but Porsche, as well as many other brands we love, was able to overcome that crisis and come out of the other side with a strong product line, and strong demand for its excellent vehicles. Porsche Cars North America, or PCNA for short, is happy to report that deliveries here in the United States totaled 70,065 cars, which eclipses the manufacturer’s 2021 record making for the best year ever for deliveries. For the fourth quarter alone, the record was broken by an increase of 14 percent with 20,955 deliveries. MUST READ: How To Buy: Daniel Arsham’s Veiled Porsche 930 Turbo Mid-Reveal Sculpture For the second year in a row, over 10,000 examples of the legendary Porsche 911 were delivered, helping it succeed against its new popularity rival, the Taycan. However, the Taycan is not to be counted out, as with 7,271 deliveries in the year, electric models made up 10% of Porsche’s U.S. 2022 sales. As we’ve come to expect, the most popular models are, of course, the Cayenne and Macan, selling 21,194 examples and 23,688 respectively. Looking forward, Porsche hopes to build on its existing success, and celebrate its success in the past, with the heralded Rennsport Reunion event returning in September. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 14, 2022

Porsche Delivers 221,512 Cars Worldwide In The First 9 Mo...

Porsche’s brand is stronger than the economic difficulties it faces. In the first 9 months of this year, Porsche managed to deliver 221,512 vehicles worldwide, representing an increase of two percent over the same period of last year. This good news comes despite quite a few challenges that plagued the entire automotive industry this year. 2021 was an incredibly strong year for Porsche, and 2022’s challenges made keeping up difficult. However, a successful third quarter has helped shrink the gap, and Porsche hopes to finish strong for the year. MUST READ: The New 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Is 10.6 Seconds Faster At The Nürburgring Than The 992 GT3 Both with the model’s famous popularity within the brand’s lineup and the trends of the automotive industry, the Cayenne continues to serve the role as Porsche’s most popular seller, with the smaller Macan trailing closely behind at 66,769 and 59,604 worldwide deliveries respectively so far in 2022. With a 9-percent increase over last year’s period, the 911 sold 30,611 examples in the first nine months of the year, with the Panamera coming in at 25,452, and the Taycan declining by 12 percent at 25,073 due to supply chain issues. The 718 range had 14,003 examples delivered in the first nine months of this year, and Porsche has an optimistic outlook on the remaining 3 months. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Edward Jones – October 03, 2022

Porsche Posts Promising Q3 2022 Sales Numbers

Porsche pushes for an impressive third quarter, cutting the year-to-date deficit. The past couple of years has been more than tumultuous for automakers due to many factors outside of their grasp. Thankfully, they have seen quite the recovery and Porsche is no exception. Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has just announced their Q3 2022 numbers and they have helped cut the automaker's YTD deficit when compared to the 2021. In total, PCNA delivered 16,581 vehicles in the third quarter of 2022 which is an 8.5 percent increase compared to 2021. While the 2022 YTD deliveries are down by 2,505 cars, the promising Q3 results did cut the deficit. “I’m grateful for the relentless enthusiasm of our customers for the Porsche brand as we delivered 16,581 cars in the past quarter, while at the same time working with our teams in Germany and the U.S., and with our dealers, to reduce wait times to a minimum,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of PCNA. “Our order books are in good health across the range of Porsche models. The ongoing expansion of new dealership facilities that offer a walk-in brand experience and a real ‘wow’ factor is also helping connect new audiences with our legendary cars.” In other good news, PCNA noted that the Porsche-approved Certified Pro-Owned (CPO) U.S. sales were up by 9.7 percent for the first nine months in 2022 when compared to the same period in 2021. As far as what's selling, the Cayenne and Macan took the top two spots, with the 911 in third. The all-electric Taycan took the fourth spot, a promising place for the new model. You can see the sales figures down below. See All Porsches For Sale Model July-Sept Sales Year to Date 2022 2021 2022 2021 ALL 911 2,236 1,621 7,411 6,729 ALL 718 682 753 2,426 3,165 ALL TAYCAN 1,325 1,861 5,774 7,228 ALL PANAMERA 1,050 1,090 2,963 2,806 ALL CAYENNE 6,017 4,874 14,583 15,108 ALL MACAN 5,271 5,090 15,953 16,579 TOTALS 16,581 15,289 49,110 51,615 Source: Porsche

By Edward Jones – September 29, 2022

Porsche IPO Listed With $72 Billion Valuation

It's a tough time to launch an IPO, but that's not stopping Porsche. After months of speculation and wait, Porsche AG has finally been listed in the German stock market with a strong valuation of $72 million. At that amount, Porsche's IPO has become the second biggest market debut in Germany. On top of the fantastic valuation, Porsche's stock began trading up 3% from its issue price of 82.50 euros after it was listed. That's a very promising start for the highly anticipated IPO. Why is Porsche IPO doing so well? There are many answers to that. First, Porsche is diving headfirst into electrification and has laid it all out for the public to see. From the all-electric Taycan to plug-in variants of the Cayenne and Panamera, Porsche has quickly engineered and adapted their new electrified powertrains to fit the needs of their customers. Secondly, Porsche is an unbelievably well-known company with decades of success and the name itself is known by everyone. With such a strong brand presence and known for well-built automobiles, no one could ever imagine the Porsche brand declining in popularity or quality. Let's face it, everyone wants a Porsche, and those who buy them want more. This is a very promising start for Porsche's IPO and we can't see where it goes next. See All Porsches For Sale " width="680">

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 19, 2022

Porsche's Upcoming IPO Could Make $9.4 Billion For Volksw...

Car enthusiasts know that Porsche is a force to be reckoned with, but the anticipated IPO of the brand is further proof. Now that Volkswagen Group has clearly announced an IPO for Porsche, the anticipation for investors has continued to build, with trading set to begin for shares of the incredibly iconic sports and luxury car brand on September 29, 2022. The target that the Volkswagen Group has set for the IPO is a staggering number, which is as much as $9.4 billion. With the way things are shaping up ahead of the IPO, Porsche’s IPO will be quite the large event in the stock market, and the incredible amount of money that Volkswagen and Porsche are hoping to raise from the IPO is set to fund new developments for the brand and group as a whole. MUST READ: Icons Of Porsche Is Coming Back To The Dubai Design District In November Looking toward the future, the money raised from the IPO is going to be put towards the R&D required to come up with new electric mobility technologies, something that Porsche and Volkswagen have both already shown great interest in pursuing, and have already made great strides in moving forward. Cars like the Porsche Taycan and upcoming electric Porsche Macan model show an existing prowess and experience in the field, so whatever is going to come next with money coming from the future IPO and further investment is going to be even bigger, better, and hopefully for us car enthusiasts, faster. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Volkswagen Group

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 31, 2022

Porsche Engineering Opens A New Chinese Office In Beijing

A new Beijing office complements Porsche Engineering’s existing Shanghai site. For the automotive industry, many aspects of China make it quite a unique market. Whether it’s purchasing, driving, and car ownership behaviors that are unique to China, or the distinct challenges that dense urban environments located throughout the country present, China is a country that requires automotive firms to show ingenuity and creativity, whether it be just for the Chinese market or for the entire world. To this end, Porsche Engineering has established a site in Shanghai, where 130 employees are tasked with high-tech automotive projects. However, Porsche has made the decision to expand its technology service provider’s Chinese presence with a new office in Beijing. MUST READ: The GearBox: Porsche GT3 RS Performance Style The new office is focusing on China-specific solutions for creating intelligent vehicles that feature things like automated driving, and electric drive, as well as advanced connectivity for infotainment and other systems throughout the car. While many of the innovations that come out of this new Beijing Porsche Engineering office are going to be created with the Chinese market in mind, we surely hope that it spells a brighter future for the automotive world as a whole. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

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