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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 – April 27, 2018

Porsche Announces Experience Center @ Hockenheimring

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

By Andrew Nabors – April 20, 2018

2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Laps the 'Ring Faster Than 918 Sp...

Happy Friday to you and yours. The longest day of the week can play havoc on traffic, so Porsche has decided to show us a proper way to leave work. In a YouTube video uploaded this morning, we find ourselves strapped into a 2019 GT3 RS for a hot lap at the Nürburgring.The press release mentions how factory driver Kevin Estre uses the skinny pedal as an on/off switch above 7,000 rpm. That's because the GT3 RS has a linear power curve. We have a 2017 911 GT3 RS for sale downstairs and is powered by the perfect naturally aspirated engine. For 2019, it offers 520 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque. An optional Weissach Package includes magnesium wheels and a roll cage of titanium.Porsche Exclusive 911 GT3 RS is a Black and Gold GemReal improvements lie in the solid subframe and motor mounts along with a stiffer chassis. They allowed him to run a lap in 6.56.4. That is faster than the 918 Spyder and any GT3 RS before it. Listen closely and watch the tach for moments when the Porsche temporarily goes airborne. If you don't need the wild aerodynamics and you like audio, the non-RS is perfect for you. Click the link below for your next 911 and have a great weekend.

By Andrew Nabors – April 17, 2018

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Weissach POV Drive

Of course the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS would be fun on the Autobahn, but a winding mountain road is a great place to put the latest PDK transmission through its paces. Our friends at AutoTopNL are based in the Netherlands, and they somehow get hold of the world's hottest rides.Porsche's most potent 911 to date, it offers 700 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Sent only to the rear wheels, it would seem to be a modern version of the Widowmaker. The optional Weissach package is distinguished by a stripe on the hood along with the giant Porsche logo on the rear spoiler. It comes with magnesium wheels and roof panel, along with a titanium roll cage. That's right, the roll cage is 26 lbs lighter than the DOM steel tubing offered in the Club Sport 911. The tubing alone is probably more expensive than your daily driver. Various bolts and fasteners are also made of lighter materials, which makes the Weissach Package mandatory in our opinion. Click the link below to find yours and stay with us for more wild Porsche videos.Browse Porsche 911 GT2 RS For SaleCheck Out the Specs & Prices For the 911 GT2 RS

By Andrew Nabors – April 16, 2018

Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo: Charge Time Revealed

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

By Andrew Nabors – March 28, 2018

Porsche: Top 5 Advantages Of The Boxer Engine

Germans are not known for wasting space. So when Dr. Porsche was asked to design a "people's car" he decided on a flat four-cylinder engine. The original Volkswagen design is what his son based the Porsche 356 on, and Porsche has used the flat (or Boxer) engine layout ever since.The Boxer name probably comes from how the pistons oppose each other, like the fists of fighters. They have so many advantages that Subaru and other manufacturers have embraced it over the years. The driving public probably doesn't know what lies behind the cockpit of their Porsche 911, so they decided to highlight the top 5 benefits of the design. Instead of a corporate lackey, they turned to the man responsible for perfecting the Porsche engine, Dr. Hans Mezger.2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T Exhaust SymphonyMention the Mezger engine to any Porsche owner and they will respond with reverence and respect. As the leader of Porsche's racing engines, he also transformed the LeMans winning six-cylinder into a brutal street machine. The Porsche 911's 997 series (2005 to 2012) is regarded as the pinnacle, with the 911 GT3 RS 4.0. For a modern take, he was joined by Jean Pierre Kraemer, the brains behind JP Performance. These gentlemen know how to extract every ounce of power from a Boxer engine, so tell us your favorite aspect of Porsche's designs below and click the link to find a Porsche 911 for yourself.Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 27, 2018

2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T Exhaust Symphony

Let's face it: some cars just sound terrible. Porsche engineers know this, so they decided to tune the 911 Carrera T to sing like nothing else on the road. Going back to basics, the Carrera T uses lightweight parts from the GT series cars along with less insulation. The result is a curb weight of 3,142 lbs if you opt for the manual transmission. Porsche Unveils the 911 Carrera T: The Lightest 911 Carrera Engineers in Stuttgart fired up several vintage Porsches to study their exhaust notes. The result is a tuned system that sounds and performs better than anything the aftermarket can offer. A tuned manifold has unequal length tubes coming from each cylinder. This might seem counterintuitive but the length is based on the engine's firing order. each exhaust pulse arrives at the muffler just in time to suck the next one down the pipes. 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T: Fun Is Not Optional This scavenging effect offers loads of torque across the RPM range, and smiles per gallon. Starting at only $102,100, this 370 hp 911 is a throwback to cars like the 964 and the 930. Our friends at AutoTop NL seem to get all the hottest cars before they reach the US, so turn up the volume for this HD footage of Porsche's latest achievement. If you are interested, click the link to find our dealer nearest you and tell us what you think of the audio in the comments below.

By Edward Jones – March 23, 2018

New Porsche 911 GT3 RS Goes Wild in New Video

The new 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS was revealed in February 2018 as a new and improved version of the sports car/race car cross-breed. With 520 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque, it outpowers the outgoing generation in both stats. Also, the new GT3 RS is 0.2 quicker when it comes to a 0-60 mph sprint and can accomplish it in 3.2 seconds.Porsche has only just unveiled the new model, so nobody has really had a chance to see it on the road just yet. Thankfully, Porsche has released a new video that shows the new 911 GT3 RS ripping around a track. In the video we can hear the four-liter naturally aspirated engine hit high revs and scream through the exhaust. Click play below to hear it for yourself.Porsche Employees Get Massive Bonus

By Andrew Nabors – January 24, 2018

Porsche Engineers Explain 718 Series GTS Cayman & Boxster

If you are looking for the best combination of track day winner and daily driver, the new GTS is the ultimate Boxster or Cayman. The siblings are so potent that Porsche's engineers decided to explain the upgrades in detail.Top 10 Reasons Why To Buy Porsche 918 SpyderFor a quick refresher, the base models are powered by 2.0L turbocharged flat fours that offer 296 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The S models up the ante with 2.5 liters with 345 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. For the new GTS, they revised the intake with a larger turbo, throttle body, and other associated parts.This has allowed the GTS to arrive with 365 horsepower. The real advantage is in torque. In the S models, torque arrived slowly at lower engine speeds. But the GTS has 371 lb-ft available from 1,900 rpm all the way to 5 grand. How they extract V8 levels of power from a four-cylinder is just one of the reasons Porsche stays at the top of their game. The Cayman GTS is capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, this is approaching the level of a base model 911 Carrera...Standard equipment on the GTS includes the iconic blacked out headlights and taillights, along with unique front and rear bumpers. The Sport Chrono system links to your smartphone to record telemetry from your laps, and it even controls the active motor mounts. The best part of the 718 GTS is the availability of a manual transmission and a base price under $80,000. If you demand the very best from your Porsche, tell us which one you would own in the comments below.Cayman S For SaleBoxster S For Salehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&amp=&v=2PckgiN_b98

By Andrew Nabors – December 06, 2017

2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T: Less Is More

As we look back on 2017, it seems that almost every car has grown in size and in amenities. That's why we applaud Porshe for going against the grain. The new 911 Carrera T is a throwback to a simpler time. Petrolicious decided it was worthy of a film so they interviewed the father & son team at CPR Classics. Porsche Unveils the 911 Carrera T: The Lightest 911 Carrera Porsche North America allowed them to experience the new model, and the similarities are shocking. It has been a half-century since the original T, which launched as a no-frills base model with a more attainable retail price. For 2018, the Carrera T uses the same 3.0 liter twin-turbo engine as the normal Carrera along with a nice drop in weight. Aimed at Porsche purists, all non-essential junk was eliminated to achieve a curb weight of 3,135 lbs. With 370 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque on tap, it will have a better power-weight ratio than a nitrous'ed go-kart. With a price expected to start just over $100,000, it will be a nice driver for those of us who can't exactly afford the 911.R. It is sure to be a hit, so stay with us for all your Porsche updates. Browse Porsche 911 For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 03, 2017

The Intricate Final Touches of the Porsche 911 Turbo S Ex...

The new Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series is without a doubt one of the German automaker's finest creations. In fact, this exact model is the most powerful 911 Turbo S, which is an achievement when you consider just how quick the 911 Turbo S really is.This new model features a long list of modifications that make it faster and more unique that any other. For example, here are just a few standard features that the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series comes with: 20-inch center lock wheels, active sports chassis,the Sport Chrono package and model-specific badging.Those tasked with installing the final touches, like the aforementioned badging, are some of Porsche's finest craftsman and take pride in their work. In a new video from Porsche, we get to see one of these craftsmen performing the final touches on the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. CLick play on the video below to see them for yourself, and get a good look at just how intricate the work really is.

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