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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 Tyler Rampersaud – January 19, 2023

Porsche Classic Introduces New Modern Infotainment System...

Porsche solves one of the biggest drawbacks to owning one of its classics. It’s hard not to love Porsche. With its long history of excellent cars that boast luxury, performance, and timeless design, there’s a reason to love just about every car the brand has ever made, which is why Porsche Classic is dedicated to making it as easy, enjoyable, and practical as possible to own a past Porsche, and with the announcement of new Porsche Classic Communication Management devices, one of the biggest drawbacks of owning a classic is able to be easily and seamlessly solved. MUST READ: Learn Your Classic Porsche’s Origin Story With modern infotainment systems and especially the advents of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, current vehicles are able to seamlessly integrate with our everyday technology and make driving easier. While many older cars lack these modern features in their systems, retrofitting an aftermarket modern system can be difficult, tedious, and disrupt the original look of the vehicle. Porsche Classic Communication Management devices solve this problem by offering a new genuine Porsche head unit that blends seamlessly into the original dashboard for an expanding range of models, like the early Boxster, first-generation Cayenne, and 997-generation 911. These new systems, the PPCM and PCCM Plus, offer modern infotainment that integrates seamlessly with existing speakers, antennas, et cetera, and, in the case of the PCCM Plus, is even compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Porsche dealers sell the PCCM Plus system for $1475.99. Porsche recommends installation at a Porsche Classic Partner or qualified Porsche dealer. For many classic car owners, the sacrifice of inconvenience is made to experience a timelessly enjoyable car, but with Porsche Classic, it gets even better, because that inconvenience is gone. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 17, 2023

Discover The New RECARO x Porsche Limited-Edition Gaming ...

The exclusive Porsche gaming chair in collaboration with RECARO offers comfortable seat performance for any home or office. Straight from the cockpit of a German racecar comes an exclusive collaboration between Porsche and the luxury seating professionals at RECARO. Establishing a household name in the world of motorsports, RECARO specializes in engineering lightweight and safe seat configurations for automobiles, aircraft, and eGaming. The new RECARO x Porsche Gaming Chair features the same design as the RECARO Exo Platinum bucket seat, using an ergonomically optimized shell constructed of high-quality upholstery foam and breathable fabrics. Whether you are tackling tasks on the computer or tracking lap times on your favorite videogame, the RECARO x Porsche Gaming Chair adds performance to any environment. The color scheme pays homage to Porsche Motorsport’s classic colors designed by Studio F.A. Porsche. Along with a red, black, and grey colorway, the gaming chair also includes an embroidered Porsche crest on the headrest. Complement the home or office of any passionate Porsche enthusiast by pre-ordering the new RECARO x Porsche Gaming Chair, limited to only 911 units. Price: $2,499 Shop Now Source: Porsche Design

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 12, 2023

The PUMA PCA Classic Club Coupe Wild Rider Sneakers Are A...

In collaboration with Porsche Club of America, PUMA commemorate the historic community with its very own sneaker release. As automotive-inspired collaborations continue to grow in popularity, enthusiasts are finding new and exclusive collection releases that feature icons like the Porsche 911. With Porsche being one of the most celebrated brands through its community of passionate followers, Porsche Design and PUMA Motorsports teamed up with Porsche Club of America to release a performance-driven sneaker for PCA members. The training sneaker features a colorway that resembles the PCA logo, showcasing shades of red, white, and blue through the low-cut silhouette. Paying tribute to PCA’s founding year (1955), the sneakers are limited to only 1,955 pairs, which are solely available to PCA members with a valid membership I.D. If you do not have an active membership upon checkout, one can be easily purchased through the Porsche Club of America for $45 per year. The all-new PCA Classic Club Coupe Limited Edition Wild Rider sneakers are currently available for $150 by clicking on the link below. Shop Now Source: Porsche Design

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 Jordan Aquistapace – January 10, 2023

Porsche's New Optional 911 Dakar Liveries Honor Historic ...

As if the Porsche 911 Dakar couldn't get any cooler, now we get to design them as blasts from the past. Viewed as one of the most timeless automotive designs ever created, the Porsche 911’s historic legacy continues with modern examples that embody their predecessors. Unveiling the 911 Dakar as its off-road capable supercar, Porsche dives deep into its involvement in the iconic Dakar Rally during the 1970s. Porsche is proud to honor those 911 race cars by styling the 992 911 Dakar and Dakar Rallye Design Package with three exclusive wraps that mirror their liveries. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Rallye 1971: Fifth Place For Polish 911 team Porsche The Rallye 1971 design celebrates the fifth-place Kenya Dakar finisher for the Polish 911 team, highlighting its silhouette with black decals and a pronounced #19 competition number. The optional decal set is available during configuration for an additional $4,475. Rallye 1974: Björn Waldegård Enters The Fray Porsche During the 1974 East African Safari Rallye, Björn Waldegård sprinted across desert terrain in a Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. The livery of the 911 incorporated blue stripes that traced the shoulder lines of the otherwise white car. The modern-day wrap features the same theme, fit with narrower stripes and augmented by the Porsche logo on the lower edges of the doors. The Rallye 1974 decal set is available for $4,475. Rally 1978: The Legendary Racing Design Porsche One of the most iconic designs mirrors the two 911 SC Group 4 cars custom-built for the 1978 East African Safari Rally. Using wave-shaped surfaces of orange, light grey, and dark grey, Porsche quickly became most well-known for its Martini Racing Team livery. The competition number 14 on the doors was that of second-placed Vic Preston Jr. The Rallye 1978 decal set is available for $6,400. View all current Porsche 911 models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 09, 2023

The New Porsche Experience Center Atlanta Race Track Open...

After 7 years of success, the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta looks forward to a bright future. The Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, a place where Porsche enthusiasts are able to witness Porsche history and witness the unbridled performance potential of the brand’s iconic cars, has embarked on a long journey of improvements throughout, coming together as a multi-million dollar investment. One important part of it is the construction of a second driver development track on the property, designed by Tilke. With this second track, the length of the full course is doubled, allowing for 90-minute driving experiences with 1-on-1 training with a Porsche coach. MUST READ: Porsche Reveals That Its Logo Was Conceived In New York The two tracks can now be configured with each other or on their own for different racing experiences, and the new track is going to open on April 1. With the opening of the new track, four new instruction modules will be offered, each led by an instructor: Low-Friction Circle, Ice Hill, Autocross Area, and Handling Circuit. Each will teach drivers how to handle cars by safely demonstrating grip limits, traction control, proper steering angles, and proper braking and cornering. With the two circuits coming together, drivers can take on as much as 2.9 miles of challenging track to bring Porsche cars to their limits. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 09, 2023

Porsche Reveals That Its Logo Was Conceived In New York

The story of one of the auto industry’s most respected emblems is quite unexpected. Porsche is one of the most loved brands in the automotive world, especially when it comes to cars that feature elevated luxury and performance. As a result, its signature crest, featuring a golden shield, with a horse in the center, antlers, and red and black stripes, inspired by the city seal of Stuttgart, Porsche’s German hometown, as well as by the Württemberg-Hohenzollern coat of arms, has become a ubiquitous symbol that is closely associated with some of the best cars that the world has ever seen. MUST READ: The Best Porsches You Can Buy Today The Porsche crest, however, wasn’t always with the brand. Since 1948, every single Porsche has featured the brand’s iconic all-caps lettering. But it wasn’t until 1951, when Porsche, as well as one of its original customers, Doctor Ottomar Domnick, entrusted art schools in Germany with the challenge of designing a logo for Porsche, with 1,000 deutsche marks as the stake. None of the designs proposed won the challenge. It was actually in New York City where the Porsche Crest was born, with Max Hoffman and his Hoffman Motor Company, the first to import a Porsche 356 to the United States, who reminded Ferry Porsche at dinner of the need for Porsche to develop a seal. After that, Porsche designer Franz Xaver Reimspieß designed the trademark that eventually became the crest emblazoned on every Porsche since 1952. The logo is currently in its fifth iteration, which was introduced in 2008, but it retains the same essential characteristics as the logo from 1952, only undergoing minor changes to remain contemporary. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 04, 2023

Former F1 Driver Felipe Nasr Will Drive Porsche's 963 LMD...

With F1 experience under his belt, Felipe Nasr looks forward to a pivotal endurance racing season. Having raced in the 2010s for Williams and Sauber’s F1 teams, Felipe Nasr has some of the most respected racing experience in the world under his belt. However, he is no longer on the Formula 1 stage, and instead has participated in sports car racing, and since 2022, he has been a driver with Porsche. His first outing with Porsche was at 2022’s 24 Hours of Daytona, where he was able to win the GTD PRO class with his Porsche 911 GT3 R, and this upcoming season, he will be at the wheel of Porsche’s new LMDh car, the 963, which will debut at the same venue of Daytona very soon. MUST READ: The New Porsche 963 LMDh Race Car Will Debut This Month At Daytona Being Brazilian, Nasr compares being part of an endurance racing team to the ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest, saying that each part serves its purpose and that everything within the system respects and depends on everything else in the system to survive. Racing was ingrained as a part of his childhood, as his father and uncle ran a motorsport team, and he started racing karts from an early age as a result. As a teen he moved to Italy to begin racing, and entered Formula 1 in 2014, racing until the Sauber team was sold in 2017. It was after that that he discovered sports car racing, which led him to Porsche, where today he is preparing to take part in one of the most anticipated endurance racing seasons yet. View All Porsches For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 03, 2023

The New Porsche 963 LMDh Race Car Will Debut This Month A...

Porsche’s new racing endeavor is driving fast to the future. The time is coming very soon for one of the most anticipated racing series yet to begin. It’s finally 2023, which means that in a matter of weeks, LMDh race cars from manufacturers all over the world will begin to show off their incredible performance and world-changing innovation on the world’s most intense endurance racing stage. One of these manufacturers, an existing honored name in endurance racing is Porsche, and its new LMDh prototype race car, the 963, will be racing all over the world to expand Porsche’s racing legacy and demonstrate the performance ability of hybrid powertrains. MUST READ: This PTS Rubystone Red Porsche 911 Turbo S For Sale Is A Pink Performance Machine Like the other LMDh cars, the new Porsche 963 is powered by a hybrid system, pairing a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with electric motors, with the engine being the latest descendant in a long line of racing V8s from Porsche. Due to an agreement between international racing organizations, the car, along with other LMDh cars from around the world, will participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. As a result, the car will make its debut at this month’s 2023 24 Hours of Daytona. With the start of the new year, the future of racing is here, and Porsche plans to be the first name mentioned when this exciting era of motorsport is talked about. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 29, 2022

This PTS Rubystone Red Porsche 911 Turbo S For Sale Is A ...

This bright color is both head-turning and historical. First appearing on the 964 generation of the Porsche 911, the shocking pink Rubystone or Rubystar Red has been in Porsche’s spectrum of colors since the early 90s. The stunning color quickly became iconic within the Porsche palette and is now a favorite among the available colors with Porsche’s Paint to Sample program, and through Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, the color is also available for the 2022 Taycan. With a customized 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera painted in Rubystone Red taking part in Porsche’s “Colors of Porsche” exhibit in the Heritage Gallery at Porsche’s Atlanta Experience Center that took place this year, this Paint to Sample Rubystone Red 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S for sale is in very good company. However, the color is just the beginning of what makes this car special. MUST READ: The GearBox: Styled For The Porsche 918 Sypder Featuring touches like a carbon fiber roof, and the signature yellow calipers that characterize the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes on the car, there’s even more to look at on this 911 Turbo S than just the incredibly vibrant color. In addition, yellow can be seen in the interior, where flashes of Racing Yellow interrupt the black leather upholstery in the steering wheel, tachometer, and stopwatch dial. However, looks aren’t the only department where this car excels. With 640 horsepower going to all four wheels, the Turbo S has the performance to rival some of the world’s best, not to mention a top speed of 205 mph. If you want the next addition to your garage to feature a shocking color and even more shocking performance, this 2022 Porsche 911 for sale at McLaren Charlotte on duPont REGISTRY may well be the car for you. View the price and listing by clicking below. View Price And Listing

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