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 – May 23, 2022

The New "Colors of Porsche" Exhibit In Atlanta Celebrates...

In the Heritage Gallery at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Porsche shows off an extensive palette. A Porsche is a classic and instantly recognizable car by people all over the world, but at the same time, Porsche’s cars are incredibly easy to personalize and make your own. The principle of being both a personal and cultural statement has been important to Porsche for a long time, which is why the paint that goes on a Porsche is such an important consideration to the brand, with the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and the Paint To Sample program, as well as other programs and special colors throughout the decades providing options for people to express themselves and create a truly beautiful Porsche. MUST READ: The Best Porsches You Can Buy Today To celebrate this, the Heritage Gallery at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta has an exhibition called “Colors of Porsche” which will be on display through 2022. It features Porsches in unique colors, all of which have a story and a personality behind them, like the Fern Green 1978 Porsche 911 SC owned by Mark Fisk, or the Rubystone Red 1988 “Safari” Carrera, the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur-specified Ice Green Metallic 2018 911 GT2 RS, the Viola Metallic 2015 918 Spyder, and more. This new exhibit shows how an amazing color can bring a Porsche to life and tell a story that lasts generations. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 20, 2022

The New Porsche Taycan GTS Hockenheimring Edition Honors ...

90 years into its existence, the Hockenheimring is honored with an all-electric sports sedan. The Hockenheimring is one of Germany’s most storied and important race tracks, and the Porsche Experience Centre at the track is a place where Porsche clients and fans get the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being able to push a Porsche to its limits. To honor these things on the 90th anniversary of the Hockenheimring, which had its first event, a motorcycle race, on May 29, 1932, Porsche has introduced a new special edition, the Porsche Taycan GTS Hockenheimring Edition. MUST READ: Daniel Arsham Releases His New Porsche 930 Turbo Reveal Sculpture This special edition Taycan GTS features Stone Grey paintwork from the custom color program, along with bronze-colored accents throughout, making it a unique, elegant and beautiful car to look at. This continues on the inside with black leather that features Island Green stitching for the first time in a Taycan, as well as open-pore Paldao wood throughout the interior. A Hockenheimring 90th Anniversary logo is also featured throughout, in places like the puddle lights, and the custom key that features the same color as the car, and grants owners of this special edition access to the Hockenheimring Porsche Experience Centre with two years of free charging, as well as preferential parking at the PEC’s Frühschicht events. The car will be available in Germany and other European markets soon. View All Porsche Taycans For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 19, 2022

Daniel Arsham Releases His New Porsche 930 Turbo Reveal S...

Celebrating delivery day for all automotive enthusiasts. The feeling of taking delivery of a new vehicle poses an unforgettable moment for any car enthusiast, building an immense amount of emotion and anticipation until the car cover is finally removed. World-renowned artist and automotive enthusiast Daniel Arsham aims to capture that moment in time with the release of his newest sculpture. With an appreciation for the way sculptures and cars look underneath a white cloth, Daniel creates a static sculpture of his iconic Porsche 930 Turbo in mid-reveal. The automotive-inspired piece features a single blue tonal finish, which beautifully contrasts against the flowing white cloth. MUST-READ: Check The Spec: 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Finished in Chalk Over Bordeaux Leather Daniel Arsham’s Porsche 930 Turbo continues to be the inspiration behind many of his creative pieces, celebrating Porsche’s early era of design and performance that is best described as timeless. Daniel Arkham’s new Porsche 930 Turbo reveal sculpture is currently on-scene at Perrotin Gallery NYC in collaboration with global contemporary art magazine Frieze. View all of the current Porsche 930 examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and Porsche news. View All Porsche 930 For Sale Source: @danielarsham IG

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 18, 2022

The Development Of Porsche's LMDh Race Car Is In Full Swi...

Testing is going full speed ahead for Porsche’s LMDh prototype. For the past four months, Porsche’s LMDh race car has been in development, and in that development, it has covered a total of 6,000 kilometers with positive results thus far. It’s had driving experience at Weissach, Barcelona, Aragon, and Spa-Francorchamps, and it’s experienced a wide range of different driving conditions. MUST READ: Check The Spec: 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Finished in Chalk Over Bordeaux Leather As development continues, Porsche plans to bring the car to North America for more testing. With the completion of development, the car is set to enter 24-hour race events and compete for victory in Le Mans, Daytona Sebring, and other cities starting in 2023. While there’s still plenty of ground to cover, it seems that Porsche’s LMDh racing prototype has already started on the road toward victory. Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 18, 2022

Porsche's Rennsport Reunion Is Coming to Laguna Seca In S...

The Rennsport Reunion is back, and a car culture capital is the host. September 28, 2023 is the date for the return of the Rennsport Reunion, and Porsche has announced that it’s going to be held at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California. The four-day event, like the Rennsport Reunions of the past, is going to be an enormous celebration of Porsche’s past, present, and future. Racing of both vintage and contemporary Porsches will be held, as well as shows for rare Porsches, reveals of new Porsches, along with Esports and fan activities for an event that will be enjoyed and cherished by Porsche fans of all ages. MUST READ: Ken Block Debuts His 1,400HP Porsche SVRSR ‘Hoonipigasus’ For Pikes Peak 2022 As the seventh Rennsport Reunion, this upcoming event is the highly anticipated and largest Porsche fan gathering in the world. It is also the fourth time that Rennsport Reunion has been held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and the combination of an iconic brand with an iconic racetrack is sure to make an amazing event. More information on ticket sales and themes will be announced as the date draws nearer. View All Porsches For Sale Source: Porsche

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 17, 2022

Ken Block Debuts His 1,400HP Porsche SVRSR 'Hoonipigasus'...

A perfect Porsche recipe for success on the curvy sprint up Pikes Peak. Arguably known as one of the most experienced rally drivers in history, Ken Block showcases his skills behind the wheel on an array of motorsport stages around the world. Whether it's drifting in urban areas for his next YouTube video or competing in world-class race events, Ken focuses his lifestyle on automotive power and performance. Ken Block and the Hoonigan Racing Division are proud to announce their next venture to the 2022 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. Built by BBi Autosport in collaboration with Hoonigan and Hoonigan Racing Division, Ken Block is proud to present the 1,400-horsepower Porsche SVRSR ‘Hoonipigasus’ as his new Pikes Peak race car. MUST-READ: Ken Block Recruits A New Audi e-tron SUV For Off-Road Adventures The Porsche SVRSR ‘Hoonipigasus’ takes its shape as a heavily modified vintage 911 that embodies an entirely new aerodynamic design that achieves maximum downforce during its sprint up the mountain. The vibrant livery is created by renowned artist Trouble Andrew a.k.a. Guccighost and pays homage to the famous 1972 Porsche 917/20 ‘Pink Pig’, an iconic design still being celebrated by the brand, collectors, and fans. Its astonishing 1,400-horsepower twin-turbocharged engine platform uses a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system that allows power to be evenly distributed to each will for maximum traction. Adding to its advanced technological features, the engineers at BBi Autosport fit the once classic 911 with a state-of-the-art GPS height-adjusted suspension that is based on the previous year’s telemetry of the course. The one-of-a-kind Porsche SVRSR ‘Hoonipigasus’ build proves to be the perfect recipe for success, making its appearance as the first-ever mid-engine, AWD, twin-turbo vintage Porsche 911 in the PPO (Pikes Peak Open) class. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an invitation-only automobile hill climb to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. This year’s event, scheduled for Sunday, June 26, will mark the 100th running of the PPIHC, which features a 12.42-mile course with 156 turns and an elevation gain of 4,725 feet, rising to the finish line at 14,115 feet above sea level. View all of the current Porsche 911 examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle releases and celebrity car news. View All Porsche 911 For Sale Source: Hoonigan

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 16, 2022

The New Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance Shows What El...

The automotive world’s electric revolution is hitting the track. The Porsche Mission R’s vision of an electric future for racing is becoming real at a pace that’s lightning fast. To begin with, the Mission R wasn’t terribly far-fetched. It made use of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport’s chassis, and to test the real-world performance capabilities of the Mission R, Porsche has given the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance the responsibility of serving as a test vehicle for the Mission R’s technology. MUST READ: Makes & Movements: Porsche Design 911 Sport Classic Chronograph x 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic What the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance has already proven is that the idea of the Mission R can be executed at the same level of performance as the current 992 generation 911 GT3 Cup. With all-wheel drive and a maximum power output of up to over 1,073 horsepower, the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is incredible by any standard for a race car, let alone an electric one. However, that’s just the beginning of the amazing technology in the ePerformance GT4. Even in an electric car, the kind of power the ePerformance GT4 is producing comes with serious heat. Direct oil cooling for the motors and battery helps the “racing mode” power output last half an hour, the duration of a Carrera Cup race. Along with this, 900-volt technology gives the ePerformance GT4 the ability to charge from 5 to 80 percent battery in just 15 minutes. The shocking change in the racing world is no longer hypothetical. View All Electric Cars For Sale Source: Porsche

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 13, 2022

Engineering Explained Breaks Down Why Porsche's Variable ...

Turbochargers have their disadvantages, but Porsche has a unique way of solving them. The way that turbochargers work, using the engine to spin a turbine which encourages more air into the engine to create a cycle of boost, takes quite a bit of time to get started. When it comes to responsiveness, a turbocharger is generally slower than a naturally aspirated engine or one with a supercharger. Traditionally, effective turbocharging requires compromise: a larger turbo helps at higher engine speeds, while a smaller turbo does a better job at lower speeds. However, Porsche, since the 997 generation of the 911, has used the technology of a variable turbine geometry turbo, which uses vanes on the turbine to act as though the size of the turbocharger was changing depending on the engine speed. Jason Fenske from the Engineering Explained YouTube channel explains how the Variable Geometry Turbo in the Porsche 911 works and why it’s an ingenious solution to turbocharging’s problem. MUST READ: Porsche Expands Its Porsche Studios Retail Space Worldwide This technology was introduced to the automotive world in diesel cars in 1997, and the reason it took nearly a decade for the technology to be introduced in a gasoline car for the first time (in the 997 Porsche 911 Turbo in 2006) is that exhaust temperatures in a gasoline engine is much higher than in a diesel. The small parts involved in these systems are difficult to maintain surrounded by such high temperatures, so the engineering and materials involved are very specific and difficult to execute to make a reliable variable geometry turbocharger for a gasoline engine. The current generation of the Porsche 911 Turbo S, the 992, thanks to this technology, makes up to 640 horsepower and 590 lb/ft of torque. The greatest bonus of the Variable Geometry Turbo is the fact that at peak power, you still have an estimated 500 lb/ft of torque. The 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S also has a symmetrical design to the turbochargers, meaning the flow is cleaner and more efficient than in the 991 generation, where the air didn’t flow quite as neatly. It’s no secret that the Porsche 911 Turbo S is an incredible machine, but learning how it’s able to achieve its incredible performance makes it even more special. View All Porsche 911 Turbo Ss For Sale Source: Engineering Explained

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By Jordan Aquistapace – May 12, 2022

Porsche Expands Its Porsche Studios Retail Space Worldwide

The walk-in store space made for Porsche owners, collectors, and enthusiasts. While Porsche continues its successful legacy as an industry-leading performance car manufacturer, the automotive brand extends its business portfolio to an array of other sectors and markets. Porsche is proud to make its introduction into the retail space with its Porsche Studios project, a series of new locations that attract both existing customers and new target market groups that share the same passion for automobiles. The current Porsche Studio locations include Bundang (Korea), Nihombashi in the Japanese capital of Tokyo, Brisbane (Australia), and many more. Each location features an inviting atmosphere that blends modern design with classic Porsche styling, showcasing the rich heritage of the brand and its involvement in the automotive world. MUST-READ: Porsche Offers Endless Options With The Exclusive Manufaktur Leather Interior Although every location aims to create its own geographic look and feel, they are all designed to have Porsche Lifestyle merchandise, a private café area, and a fitting lounge that allows customers the opportunity to configure and order vehicles. Showrooms act as art galleries by displaying some of the most iconic and exclusive vehicles from Porsche. Locations like Bundang, Korea offer a wide range of brand experiences like test drive zones, vehicle maintenance, repair services, and outdoor charging areas for electric vehicles like the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The latest location in Brisbane is the 20th Porsche Studio opened globally since 2017, with plans on developing more around the world. View all of the current Porsche examples for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY Daily for more upcoming Porsche news and releases. View All Porsche For Sale Source: Porsche Newsroom

By Edward Jones – May 11, 2022

Porsche Offers Endless Options With The Exclusive Manufak...

Presented by Porsche Cars North America - Working together with the design experts from Weissach, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur has created a two-tone interior concept that features a wide variety of colors, materials and individual finishes to offer handcrafted interiors as vivid as the dreams that inspire them. With a plethora of possible color combinations, the Exclusive Manufaktur leather interior provides customers the opportunity to select from a variety of leather colors to create an individualized interior to their own specification. The first customization opportunity requires a selection from the four available base colors: Black Slate Grey Graphite Blue Bordeaux Red The color selected from this first step fashions the upper areas of the interior and is only available in darker shades to limit reflections in the windows and windshield. The second customization opportunity requires the selection of a color to complement the first color selection. These colors include the four offered in the first step, as well as the following: Chalk Mojave Beige Island Green Speed Blue Riviera Blue Mamba Green Guards Red Lipstick Red Cohiba Brown Cognac Cream The below options are included in the Exclusive Manufaktur Leather Interior package, further enhancing the already stunning cabin: Additional interior leather dashboard package (dashboard end panels, dashboard upper section center trim including Sport Chrono stopwatch cover) Leather steering column casing Decorative stitching in a contrasting color on the steering wheel Additional interior leather door panel package (interior door handles, lower door panel trims, lower rear side panels) Quilted seat centers at the front and rear and quilted door panels (leather package 930) Porsche Crest on headrests Storage compartment lid with “Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur” embossed detail To visualize the interior of your dreams, contact your authorized Porsche Dealer or click the button below. Learn More

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