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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 Andrew Nabors – March 17, 2021

Bill & Ted's Ultimate Porsche Taycan Adventure

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are back in action again. The famous metalhead slackers who always seem to find adventure have been challenged to see how far a Porsche Taycan for sale can go on a single charge. Their journey takes them from the Central Valley then over to the Pacific Coast Highway. This scenic drive along the ocean offers amazing curves when it's not packed with tourists. Spots around the famous Bixby Bridge in Big Sur have also been the backdrop for many famous car commercials. Range anxiety was a term once lauded by those who feared taking a long trip and being marooned with a dead battery. Every Porsche Taycan for sale has independent cooling circuits for the battery pack and the engine, and the computer is constantly making changes to keep them optimized. Officially rated at 201 miles, it can be quick-charged from 5% to 80% in under 23 minutes. Where will your Taycan take you? See All Porsche Taycan For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 04, 2021

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Debuts in Four Flavors

Social Media is making it hard for automakers to hide updates to their lineup, so we're thankful the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo has debuted in four flavors. The global premiere began a few minutes ago with the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo. It will arrive with 476 horsepower (in overboost) to reach 62 mph in 5.1 seconds. Next up is the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo rated at 571 horsepower. It does the same trick a second faster, but they don't compare to the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo. You will have 680 horsepower with a time of 3.3 seconds. The first three models are rated to offer a range of 280 miles, but if you can settle with 260 miles, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo leaps to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds thanks to 761 horsepower. Perhaps the best feature is the off-road package. It rides 30mm higher to incorporate unique bumpers and protected rocker panels. Another accessory for your active lifestyle is a bike rack that doesn't block the tailgate. Porsche has set a goal to exceed 50% electric car deliveries by 2025, and we think their future is fully charged. Stay with us for all your Porsche news. Shop Porsche Taycan Images (C) Porsche A.G.

By Andrew Nabors – March 01, 2021

Porsche Taycan Art Car Being Auctioned by RM Sotheby's

Switzerland has been hit hard by Covid, so that's why a Porsche Taycan Art Car is being auctioned by RM Sotheby's. This masterpiece was created by artist Richard Phillips in front of a Zurich restaurant back in December. It is the centerpiece of an upcoming auction from April 6 to the 13th, with all proceeds going to Suisseculture Sociale. Richard started up front by adapting his famous work from 2010. Queen Of The Night is his large-format painting inspired by Swiss artist Adolf Dietrich. At nearly 8 square meters, the landscape thanks to the Taycan for carbon-neutral luxury. The car is embarking on a tour of Switzerland, and your dealer has the itinerary. The Taycan price and specs make it perfect for your collection, so stay with us for all your Porsche news. Porsche Taycan For Sale images (C) Porsche Cars North America

By Andrew Nabors – February 26, 2021

2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is Testing Around the W...

In order to offer a perfect electric crossover, the 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is testing around the world. Their latest press release likens their upcoming model as a "Swiss Army Knife on 21" wheels". As such, the camouflaged test mules are approaching 100,000 kilometers. Equivalent to 25 trips around the Equator, they have been heat and cold-soaked to punish the battery's thermal system. The Taycan has separate cooling circuits for the motors, batteries, and the cockpit's heater core, and the computer connects them to send heat where its needed. If you don't need the long roof, check out the Taycan sedan price and specs then give our dealers a call. Porsche Taycan For Sale Images (C) Porsche A.G.

By Andrew Nabors – February 25, 2021

New Porsche Taycan Delivered By Mark Webber

While we're slowly warming up, it feels like Summer Down Under. So its perfect weather for a new Porsche Taycan to be delivered by Mark Webber. He has been a critical part of the car's development. Not only in driving, but offering insights to fans around the world. Sales of the Taycan Turbo and the 4S models are defying our dealers' forecasts, and the big news is the arrival of the Taycan RWD. The entry-level model starts at only $81,250, but we can't guarantee Mr. Webbber will be available. If you need to drive the world's fastest indoor car, click the button below and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Porsche Taycan For Sale Image (C) Porsche A.G.

By Andrew Nabors – February 23, 2021

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Ergonomics Explained

Even with great lines and amazing power, the interior can make or break your driving experience. The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo ergonomics are explained in their latest upload, so let's see what it takes to build a comfortable sedan. Now that the Taycan sedan is selling well, a longer roofline will appeal to those who need a bit more room. Manufacturers are often reticent to show how they mock-up the layout, but this neat jig allows everyone to give feedback on the materials and their placement. Is it a sedan, a shooting brake, or a crossover? We don't care. It is a sleek electric supercar from Stuttgart that recently broke the indoor land speed record. Click the button to learn more from our dealers and tell us which Taycan you prefer in the comments below. Porsche Taycan For Sale Image (C) Porsche Cars North America

By Andrew Nabors – February 10, 2021

Porsche Taycan Sets New Indoor Land Speed Record

The world's largest contiguous exhibit hall in the U.S. is located in the Big Easy, and that is where the Porsche Taycan set a new indoor land speed record. Knowing full well what the new Taycan is capable of, driver Leh Keen and the team invited Guiness World Records to join them in New Orleans. To optimize traction on the slick concrete, the AWD Taycan Turbo S was fitted with tire warmers. It took a few runs to optimize the battery regeneration mode and to harness 750 horsepower. In an ideal situation the car would reach 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, so how fast can it go while still braking safely? They reached 102.6 mph, so please don't try this at home. Remember, Guinness Awards and Darwin Awards are not separated by much, so check out the Taycan price and specs to find one for yourself. Porsche Taycan For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – February 03, 2021

2022 Porsche Taycan Sets 13 New Records At Brands Hatch

Falling asleep on the 14th floor can be tricky because you know what floor you are really on. Despite the foreboding feelings about the number, the 2022 Porsche Taycan has set 13 new records at Brands Hatch. While a sunny, dry weekend was too much to ask for it didn't stop the Taycan lineup from being quick-charged. Their press release highlights the car's ability to jump from 5% to 80% in less than 23 minutes. The track is famous for a 1,000 km endurance race. That's 622 miles in Freedom Units, a tough task for any car. Compared to all-electric cars weighing over 1,000 kg, they chopped down all previous times for a standing start. Not only does is the Taycan the most efficient electric car on the market, but it has also been proven to perform in all weather. Click the button below to find yours and stay with us for all your Porsche news. Porsche Taycan For Sale Images (C) Porsche Cars North America

By Andrew Nabors – January 20, 2021

2021 Porsche Taycan RWD Arrives With Affordable Price

Now that us gearheads have jumped on their most powerful model, the 2021 Porsche Taycan RWD arrives with an affordable price. This new entry-level electric sedan was unveiled last night, with a price point just above $79,000. Without a front motor or its hardware, weight savings is based on two battery options. " width="680"> The Performance Battery offers 402 horsepower while opting for Performance Battery Plus is rated at 469 horsepower in Overboost. Both models can reach 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, but the latter offers a range of 300 miles. Porsche Taycan Turbo vs 911 GT3 RS vs 911 GT3 Cup A run to 100 mph is done in 11 seconds flat, and the $7,500 tax credit from the I.R.S. makes the Taycan much more appealing than any Tesla. Click the button to find yours. Browse Porsche Taycan For Sale Images (C) Porsche

By Andrew Nabors – January 07, 2021

2021 Porsche Taycan Audio System Explained

Engineers went to great lengths to develop a nearly silent driving experience. This places a burden on the speakers to replicate sound as cleanly as possible, so here is the 2021 Porsche Taycan audio system explained. For the 5th video documenting the car's creation, we see an unprecedented collaboration between Burmester and Bose. 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Driven By Astronaut Charlie Duke The first group worked on power and sound-staging while Bose engineers revised their "SoundTrue" signal processing to up-convert compressed digital sources like Bluetooth and satellite radio. You will experience music like nothing before, so click the button to find a Taycan near you. Browse Porsche Taycan For Sale " width="680"> Image (C) Porsche North America

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