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 Andrew Nabors – May 10, 2018

Happy 75th Birthday Dr. Porsche!

I don't know about you, but I hope to be retired when I reach 3/4 of a century. Placing 75 candles on a cake might be difficult, but Porsche engineers will find a way because they're celebrating the birthday of Dr. Wolfgang Porsche. He is the son of the company's founder, Ferry Porsche. And as the grandson of Ferdinand, he is the living legacy to Volkswagen and its automotive empire. Wolfgang as a child at LeMans 1951 with dad in the plaid cap.Born in Stuttgart in 1943, the family moved to Austria to escape the ravages of the Second World War. The French put his Grandfather in jail for designing the Volkswagen Beetle, because somehow that made him a war criminal. As a youngster, he watched his father use the Beetle's simple and rugged chassis and built a beautiful sports car upon it. The first Porsche 356 bodies were built in Gmund, Austria, and they were built for one purpose. Ferry wasn't looking to change the world, he simply wanted to pay the bounty for his father's release. Grandpa in 1949In a press release this morning, Dr. Porsche reminisces about times spent with his Grandfather. When the old man saw his son's creation, they brought together a skilled team of engineers and designers and returned to Stuttgart in 1949. Full-scale production of the Porsche 356 began soon after, and the rest is history. The patriarch died in late 1950, knowing that his name would live on in the world's best-engineered machines. Wolfgang in front, with his father and brothers- 1950Wolfgang and his brothers watched their father build amazing automobiles for 50 years until Ferry passed away in 1998. Twenty years ago was also the end of the air-cooled Porsche. Wolfgang is looking back over a long career in the automotive world. He began by importing Yamaha bikes to Austria, then went into management for Daimler-Benz. He had a few business ventures before he joined his older brothers in the boardroom. Ferry Porsche's 75th Birthday in 1984- Wolfgang at the rightWhile he wasn't an engineer, he used his business might to attempt a takeover of Volkswagen in 1998, but his cousin Ferdinand Piech wouldn't allow it. Instead, the other side of the family bought a majority of stock in Porsche. Wolfgang is still a board member and the brand's ambassador. The family traditions are strong, as he has groomed his children for the life they are destined for. Wolfgang and his son Ferdinand at his 65th Birthday- 2008“I feel personally connected with my family, the company, and all the employees. People and employees have always been the focus for the Porsche family and therefore for me as well. Mutual appreciation and interest have been crucial factors in the success of the Porsche company. My grandfather Ferdinand and my father, Ferry, instilled these values in me from early childhood on. A Porsche isn’t just a fast car. Porsche is a community.”From all of us here at duPont REGISTRY, we wish Dr. Wolgang Porsche a happy birthday! Tell us your favorite Porsche story in the comments below and stay with us for all your Porsche news.Browse Porsches For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 02, 2018

Porsche Unveils 2019 Cayenne E-Hybrid

The market for luxury SUVs is hotter than ever, so leave it to Porsche to shake up the status quo. A press release last night dished out the details on the 2019 Cayenne E-Hybrid. It replaces the Cayenne S E-Hybrid with all new hardware.Under the hood is a single turbo 3.0 liter V6 that is very similar to the other V6 Cayennes. The differences begin with an electric motor/generator that sits between the engine and a new 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission. It is similar to what is found on the 918 Spyder, but this new hybrid module uses an electro-mechanical clutch to disconnect it when not needed.While the battery pack might be the same size, it has 30% more juice. With 14.1 kWh on tap, it offers an electric range of 27 miles. A 120-volt charger is standard equipment, and it is built-in to the vehicle. An optional 230-volt charger will allow you to plug in without the clutter of a wall-mounted box. This one will charge the battery in only 2.3 hours.TECHART Unveils “30 Years” Edition Magnum SportYou might figure all this technology will be expensive, but the starting price is only $79,900. For that, you will have massaging seats, 5 driving modes, 455 horsepower, and 516 lb-ft of torque. Sixty mph arrives in 4.7 seconds on your way to a 13.3-second quarter-mile. Going fast while saving gas is a smart buy, so click the link below to find a Porsche dealer near you.Browse Porsche Cayenne For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 01, 2018

Porsche Builds Stunning 911 Carrera S Cabriolet

This year marks Porsche's 70th anniversary, so they are featuring a series of new cars in classic color combinations. Uploaded yesterday to their Facebook page, this new Carrera S Cabriolet has a manual transmission and Bordeaux Red interior. This build was not part of the main assembly line, it was done by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. Master coachbuilders assemble your car by hand, while also training their apprentices to keep these skills alive for future generations.A 3.0-liter flat-six is helped by two small turbos to make 420 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. The stick shift offers 29 mpg on the highway, which makes the Carrera S the best of both worlds. This combination won't break the bank, as the MSRP is listed at $105,100. This car is a bargain if you want to go fast because a little aftermarket help will allow you to turn up the boost. Click the link below and tell them you saw it here, they might help you out with a great lease opportunity.Browse Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 27, 2018

Porsche Announces Experience Center @ Hockenheimring

Porsches look great while parked, but they aren't made to sit still. That is why the Porsche Experience Centers are the best way to interact with their cars. There are six locations around the world where you can do this, and this morning they announced construction on a new one inside the Hockenheimring.A two-year project will see the construction of a 1.9 million square foot complex inside the historic race track. Detlev von Platen is in charge of Sales & Marketing, and he said " The Porsche Experience Centres allow our customers and fans to experience the performance of our vehicles as well as the fascination of the brand at first hand. We are extending this unique offering by constructing this new site near our main plant in Zuffenhausen."The 3-story building will have space for private events, corporate meetings, a Porsche Selection Shop, Porsche Classic Lounge, along with a restaurant and cafe. If you haven't been to one, the others are located in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Silverstone, LeMans, Leipzig, and Shanghai. Each one offers a unique road course with facilities for driver instruction. The press release also mentions infrastructure for the electric future, including the 800 volt charging stations for the Mission E., Of course, you need a Porsche to fully grasp what this project is about, so click the link below and have a great weekend.Browse Porsches For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 19, 2018

Porsche Unveils Macan Turbo Exclusive Performance Edition

Automation takes much of the soul out of mass-produced items. So Porsche devised the Exclusive Manufaktur program for buyers looking for a hand-built car. It was only natural to build a limited run of the 911 Turbo S, but we never thought it would trickle down to the Macan Turbo.SUV and crossover sales are hot again, so Porsche decided to shame every other automaker. In a YouTube video uploaded last night, we see attention paid to even the smallest parts. The time and effort that goes into painting every body part by hand is something that has been lost ever since Ford fired up their assembly line. This is a true resurrection of a coach-built car, the Macan Turbo Exclusive Performance Edition is built by master craftspeople for enthusiasts like us.Porsche 911 Turbo S With Paint Worth Over $90k: Most Expensive Ever?It sends 440 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque to all wheels. The twin-turbo V6 measures 3.6 liters and it offers max torque from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. Squarely aimed at Mercedes-AMG's 43 series V6 models, it offers power, comfort, and build-quality simultaneously. Click the link below to find out more from your local dealer, and stay with us for all your Porsche news.Browse Porsche Macan Turbo For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 16, 2018

Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo: Charge Time Revealed

If you missed the Porsche booth at the Geneva Motor Show, the Concept Mission E Cross Turismo took everyone by surprise. Just like their cousins at Audi, Porsche is not tip-toeing into the electric car marketplace. They have some kind of battery voodoo hidden in Stuttgart, and it was first unleashed in the form of the 918 Spyder.Aside from being one of the best cars I have driven, it charges remarkably quick. Not just in regeneration mode, the 120v plug from an extension cord seems to whip the HV battery into shape in no time. Porsche knows their owners are not fond of wasting time, so in a Tweet this morning they shocked the world. #porscheinnumbers: 15 min.: The time it takes to charge the new Concept Study #MissionECrossTurismo for a range of 400 km. The 2017 #Porsche Annual and Sustainability Report offers more numbers on different topics: https://t.co/iUDeEpWJZn #PorschePerformance pic.twitter.com/2FCls1Rk2r — Porsche Newsroom (@PorscheNewsroom) April 16, 2018 The Mission E Cross Turismo Concept has a range of 400 kilometers or 248 miles. That's competitive against any electric car on the market. Sure it will need to be plugged in, but will be ready in 15 minutes! Charging a battery that potent so quickly seems harder than shoving a lightning bolt into a time-traveling DeLorean, 1.21 gigawatts! We're sure this level of charging will only happen at Porsche's 3-phase 480v chargers, but it raises the bar for the entire industry.

By Andrew Nabors – October 23, 2017

Porsche Unveils the 911 Carrera T: The Lightest 911 Carrera

In the center of our showroom is a gorgeous classic 911 Targa. It is a flat-six engine with leather seats and an Alpine radio. If you thought Porsche was done with building the perfect driving car, think again. Listening to customer demands, the 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T for sale is built for touring in style. Starting with a manual transmission, it is the first Carrera to have full-size bucket seats from the upper-level models. Weight was a priority for the brand, so the rear seats are optional and sound insulation is not. The manual transmission has a short shifter for easy throws, and rear-steering will hold you deep in the corners. The differential was also bumped up a few points and given a lock. It allows the 370 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque to shoot you to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. The PDK does it in 4.0 flat, but automatics are boring. The perfectly matched turbos allow the torque to be available from 1,750 to 5,000- fun in any situation! Door panels are straight from the GT series, with pull straps in lieu of handles. The press release shows a storage bin where the radio should be, but hopefully, some sound system is optional. It is a faithful homage to the original 911 T which launched 50 years ago. If you like the idea of a 3,142 lb Carrera, it should arrive by March with a starting price of $102,100. It will probably be a limited production series, so click the link below to contact your local dealer and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Search Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – August 30, 2017

Porsche Unveils New 2019 Cayenne

Only a few times in automotive history has one model saved a brand. The Cayenne was met with mixed emotions at when it arrived in 2002, but since then no less than 760,000 examples have been sold. Porsche needed something new to entice buyers into the showroom at the turn of the century. The Boxster and Cayman were not in danger, but people viewed the brand as a sports car company. The Cayenne redefined the luxury SUV. Last night at the Porsche Museum, Dr. Porsche and his team took the cover off Cayenne's third generation.Chairman of the Executive Board Oliver Blume had this to say "We have completely redeveloped our successful model. It has been visibly and tangibly improved and perfected in all respects. The Cayenne has also been digitalised and networked throughout to give it a forward-thinking design". The scene was host to dancers, a laser light show, and the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra.Cayenne borrows styling from the 911. It arrives with staggered tire sizes, rear wheel steering, and AWD as standard equipment. Two twin turbo V6 engines will be initially available. The base model will offer 340 hp and the Cayenne S will have 440 hp. Both are bolted to an 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic.For incredible comfort on or off road, it has triple-chamber air suspension and Porsche 4D Chassis Control. Even with all the new parts, it weighs in at 143 lbs less than current examples thanks to clever engineering. The first production example will remain on display as part of a special display entitled "New tracks. Every destination. Always Porsche." The exhibit is planned to run until February 25th, to showcase the history of the Cayenne. No mention of a V8 was made, so if you need a great deal on a powerful Porsche, check out our Cayennes for sale and stay with us for all your Porsche news.

By Edward Jones – August 02, 2017

Golfer Gets Hole-In-One, Wins a Porsche

Sinking a hole-in-one may be an easy feat when you're at the mini-putt course. On a real gold course, however, sinking a ball off of the tee ground isn't easy... but don't tell Marcel Siem.At the 17th hole of the Porsche European Open in Hamburg on Saturday, July 29, 2017, Siem chose his 7 iron to take on the 170-yard, par 3 hole. His choice of club, his swing, power and everything had to be perfect in order to sing a hole-in-one. Thankfully, Siem knew what he was doing and swung the perfect swing and sunk the ball with one stroke.His achievement may have been enough, but this feat also scored him a brand-new Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. “Today’s hole in one was my third on the European Tour,” said Siem. “So far, I'd had a handshake and a bottle of champagne - and now, finally, something useful.”The new Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo has 550 hp on tap and comes in with some new exterior changes. By far, the most noticeable change made to the Sport Turismo model is the redesigned rear. Starting at the B-pillars, the Porsche has changed the shape of the car’s rear with a more pronounced shoulder, elongated window line and an adaptive spoiler.

By Edward Jones – June 08, 2017

New Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series is the Most Powe...

Announced today is the brand-new Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series, which will be the most powerful and distinct 911 Turbo S ever.To make the car more powerful, Porsche installed an exclusive power kit to the twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine. After installation, horsepower and torque is brought up to 607 hp and 553 lb-ft. With this increase in power, the car will sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds and takes 9.6 seconds to hit 124 mph. Top speed of the car is set at 205 mph.Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series Specs 607 horsepower 553 lb-ft of torque 0-60 mph in 2.8 sec (with Sport Chrono) All-wheel Drive As for the new 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series' look, Porsche made a handful of changes. Each model comes with 20-inch center lock wheels as standard. Other new standard features include the active sports chassis and Sport Chrono package.The example pictured in this article features a very bright "Golden Yellow Metallic" finish that's hard to miss. While Porsche will be offering the car in other exterior colors, they do not specify is certain color accents will be available in other colors, like the wheels, brake colors and interior trim. One thing all examples will get is the carbon fiber accents on the bonnet, roof, rear wing and side skirts.Its exterior may have been overhauled, but so did its interior. Perforated leather with two Golden Yellow stripes on the inside layer, providing a unique visual. Contrasting against the leather is the Golden Yellow stitching found on the seating, door panels, dashboard and just about everywhere else.If you think you're getting just a car when you buy the new 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series, you're wrong. When this car is purchased, the buyer also gets a limited edition Porsche Design Chronograph (limited to 500 examples) that was designed after the sports car itself. If that's not enough, customers can also get the matching Exclusive Series luggage set.Only 500 examples of the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series will be created, but they're price won't be as little. Pricing is set at $257,000 in North America. The luggage set will cost $6,324, while the chronograph has yet to be priced.

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