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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 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

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 20, 2022

The Porsche Taycan's New Charger Upgrade Reduces At-Home ...

The Porsche Taycan is able to do more things quickly than drive. One of the most convenient aspects of owning an electric vehicle is the fact that owners have the ability to charge their vehicles at home. For Porsche’s all-electric model, the Taycan, that convenience is even better, as Porsche has announced a new upgrade for the onboard charging components of the vehicle that can nearly halve at-home charging times from 0-100% battery capacity. Better yet, for current Porsche Taycan owners, the new device is able to be retrofitted to their own cars. MUST READ: Porsche Design Hits The Ice With Its New Chronograph 1 GP 2023 Edition, Limited to 250-Pieces With the new charging device, charging time at 19.2 kW is reduced to 4.8 hours from 9.5 hours for cars with the Performance Battery, while charging time for cars with the Performance Battery Plus is down from 10.5 hours to only 5.3. Current Taycan owners can have the kit ordered and installed at a Porsche service center for $1,850.15. The estimated labor time for the job to be completed is 12 hours. However, should you want the improved charging system on a new Taycan, all you need to do is select the new option on the configurator. Along with the improved onboard charging device, Porsche has also revealed a new 19.2 kW Wall Charger Connect, which must be hardwired to a 100-amp circuit by an electrician for optimal performance, but is adjustable for other configurations. With Wi-Fi connectivity and a 5-inch touchscreen, the charger can receive over-the-air updates and retails for $1,586. View All Porsche Taycans For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 16, 2022

RUF Automobile Teams Up With MAC Jeans On The Ultimate Dr...

The perfect pair for long car rides or time spent out on the race track. RUF Automobile prides itself on creating a truly unique driving experience throughout its line of modified Porsche chassis, perfectly balancing performance and comfort characteristics. Operating as a well-rounded luxury brand, the automotive specialists also collaborate with companies and industries to further diversify its lifestyle portfolio. Since working on exclusive releases with Highsnobiety and TAG Heuer, RUF is back to showcase its talents in the world of fashion with the denim professionals at MAC Jeans. MUST-READ: The duPont REGISTRY 2022 Holiday Luxury Gift Guide The new MAC Ultimate Drivers Pants are a limited-edition release from RUF Automobile x MAC Jeans, combining talents to create the perfect pair of automotive-inspired jeans. Made from high-quality stretch denim with elasticity, the Ultimate Drivers Pants feature a modern fit that is comfortable while working in the shop or behind the wheel. The dynamic duo also incorporates small hidden features like a RUF car silhouette stitched just above the right side pocket. Available in an array of sizes, the Ultimate Drivers Pants from RUF Automobile x MAC Jeans can be purchased for $235 by clicking on the link below. Shop Now Source: RUF Automobile

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 16, 2022

Porsche Design Hits The Ice With Its New Chronograph 1 GP...

Created to perform just as the brand's sports cars, the Chronograph 1 is made with true Porsche DNA. As temperatures drop while winter takes full effect, Porsche is proud to once again participate in the legendary GP Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria. This year’s GP Ice Race features a 650-meter-long race track, a drift circle, and a separate karting track that are constructed from ice. Reviving the tradition of racing spectacular sports cars on the frozen tundra, GP Team leader Constantin Klein and Ferdi Porsche (nephew of F.A. Porsche) prep for the occasion with a special edition luxury timepiece from Porsche Design. The new Chronograph 1 GP 2023 Edition takes shape as a modern rendition of the first Porsche Design watch created in 1972. MUST-READ: RM Sotheby’s Sells The Porsche Design 911 S 2.4 Targa For $1,149,000 The exclusive Chronograph 1 presents a simplistic case design crafted from satin-finished titanium, utilizing a lightweight design that adds strength for daily wear. A chronograph dial configuration proudly showcases a vintage Porsche Design logo, as well as a series of sundials that control its timekeeping functions. The Chronograph 1 GP 2023 Edition gets its power from a COSC-certified Porsche Design Calibre WERK 01.240 movement, offering a high-precision operation and impressive power reserve. The covered backcase displays commemorative engravings that include the Porsche Design logo, GP-Signet, and Yeti laser engravings to signify the limited 250-piece release. Fit with an interchangeable quick-release system, the watch comes equipped with comfortable black and white nylon straps. The all-new Porsche Design Chronograph 1 GP 2023 Edition is currently available for $9,650 by clicking on the link below. Shop Now View this post on Instagram A post shared by duPont REGISTRY Watches (@dupontregistry_watches) Source: Porsche Design

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 15, 2022

RM Sotheby's Sells The Porsche Design 911 S 2.4 Targa For...

The configuration was designed in close cooperation between Porsche Design and Porsche Classic. As Porsche Design’s extravagant 50th Anniversary celebration comes to an end for 2022, the luxury lifestyle division wraps up the festivities with the auction sale of its fully-restored 1972 Porsche 911 Targa restored by Porsche Classic. The one-of-a-kind example features the same color way as the special-edition Porsche Design Chronograph 1 that accompanies the sale. As a special collector’s item, it not only pays tribute to the past but celebrates the present and leads the brand forward into the future. MUST-READ: These Porsche Design Speakers Add Luxury And Performance To Any Home Or Office The 1972 Porsche 911 S 2.4 Targa highlighted RM Sotheby’s NYC auction, allowing collectors the opportunity to bid on the commemorative set online from November 24th to December 14th. After long-awaited anticipation to see the final sales figure, the Porsche Design 911 Targa: An Homage to F.A. Porsche sold to the highest bidder for an astonishing $1,149,000. Off to its new forever home, we congratulate its lucky new owner and hope to see the Porsche 911 in the future. View all Porsche 911 for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View Porsche 911 For Sale Source: RM Sotheby's

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 12, 2022

Porsche x Vodafone Create Europe's First 5G Facility For ...

he new mobile network infrastructure enables 4G and 5G coverage throughout the testing center. Always striving to improve performance, technology, and comfort, the Porsche brand invests its money and resources towards the development of intelligent and connected vehicles. Teaming up with British multinational communications company Vodafone, the new partnership breaks ground in Southern Italy at a facility managed by Porsche Engineering. Porsche Engineering and Vodafone are proud to have established Europe’s first 5G hybrid mobile private network (MPN). The 5G technology contributes by enhancing the connectivity of a vehicle by improving backend services, roadside infrastructures, and other vehicles. MUST-READ: These Porsche Design Speakers Add Luxury And Performance To Any Home Or Office The 5G Infrastructure at Nardò Technical Center provides coverage throughout the 1,730 acres of the Apulian region, which features more than 20 tracks for high-performance testing on models like the Taycan and Cayenne. The goal of Porsche x Vodafone is to create new connectivity, vehicle-to-infrastructure, vehicle-to-vehicle, and highly-automated driving functions for self-driving vehicles. With an industry-leading communications company on its sideline, we can expect future Porsche models to incorporate more upcoming state-of-the-art technology. View all current Porsche models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking on the link below. View All Porsche For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 09, 2022

Porsche's New Generation 3 Formula E Race Car Is Better T...

Porsche’s new Formula 3 racer is an electric trailblazer. As Formula E enters its 9th season, its Generation 3 race cars have become better than they have before, and the new season promises to be the most electrifying race calendar the series has seen so far. Porsche, an avid participant in Formula E, has refined its 99X Electric Gen 3 car in Weissach, and as Porsche is responsible for the rear components and the vehicle's software, the car is optimized to take on the upcoming race calendar. MUST READ: Porsche’s New “Sunken Romance” Film Tells The Story Of The Polish Undersea 911 When it comes to power, weight, and dynamics, the Generation 3 Formula E racers are the best electric racing cars yet. Featuring a powertrain at both the front and rear for the first time, the cars boast up to 804 horsepower, and the electric motor is able to achieve a power efficiency of as much as 95 percent. With all Generation 3 Formula E race cars having this capability, this coming season promises to be the most intense one yet, and as it quickly approaches, Porsche is preparing by doing final testing for its 99X Electric Gen 3 car in Valencia before the race calendar begins in Mexico. Along with its rivals, Porsche will be making a thunderous return to Formula E very soon. View All Porsches For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 08, 2022

Porsche's New "Sunken Romance" Film Tells The Story Of Th...

A beautiful story surfaces with a Porsche 911 front and center. In Poland’s coastal city of Gdynia, people gathered around an old, air-cooled Porsche 911 that looked as though it had been washed ashore after spending a very long time at sea, as it was covered in coral and seaweed. This wasn’t the case, rather it was an art installation for the Gdynia Design Days festival created by Ada Zielinska and Rafal Dominik. With the festival’s themes of the ocean and climate change, the artists created a piece that evoked a fictional interpretation of an artificial reef on the 1973 Porsche 911 T. MUST READ: Porsche Brooklyn Debuts Its New Urban Store Format Entitled “Sunken Romance,” the art piece begged the question of what its backstory might be, and long after the project was over and the car was restored and given back to its original owner, the project was revisited, and a short film was made showing a beautiful cinematic look at the origins of the strangely nautical Porsche. With a new short film that dives into the origin story of the undersea Porsche 911, the collaboration between Polish artists and Porsche blossoms into something even bigger than it already was. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

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