Luxury and Exotic Car Reviews

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 Michael Van Runkle – February 21, 2026

Review: 2026 Porsche 911 GT3 Andial Edition

By: Michael Teo Van RunkleFor model year 2026, Porsche released a new special edition of the GT3 that celebrates the legendary American engine tuning and race prep company Andial. The livery wrap first debuted at Werks Reunion during Monterey Car Week last summer, and is available exclusively on the facelifted 992.2-generation GT3. Now, with an Andial media loaner car available in Los Angeles, I got the chance not just to check out the eye-popping wrap job in person, but also to experience how the GT3’s latest revisions take Porsche’s racecar for the road to a new level of performance and refinement. Fittingly, my loaner arrived with a six-speed manual transmission – a clutch pedal and stick shift seems more appropriate than the optional seven-speed PDK gearbox, given the retro theme of the Andial livery, which adds the unique stripes, racing numbers, names above the doors, carpeting, and a host of other minor details for a pricetag of $7,680. Versus the 992.1 GT3, the 992.2 generation steps further into the future with a mildly redesigned front and rear end that improves aerodynamics, which also extends to redesigned suspension components beneath the car. From a more noticeable performance perspective, the 992.2 gen also receives an 8% shorter final drive ratio, to combat slightly reduced torque output from the 4.0-liter flat-six engine, plus a new short shifter borrowed from the halo 911 S/T. Fully digital gauges carryover from the rest of the Carrera lineup – though thankfully not the push-button stop-start. My GT3 specifically features a surprisingly low number of additions from Porsche’s infamous and infinite options list. No Weissach package, no carbon buckets, not a Touring, the 992.2 therefore stays just barely on the right side of liveable. The GT3’s adjustable suspension only offers the choice between Sport and Track mode, with no Comfort or Normal setting, so the chassis rides taut and tight at all times. Still, only the worst bumps and ruts send harsh reverberations into the cockpit, and even the typically unbearable heaves of the 405 freeway in West LA never quite reach the level of pain as in other sports cars. Meanwhile, perhaps the greatest drivetrain ever to grace planet Earth hangs off the tail. That naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter pumps out 502 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque, all in a car that weighs as little as 3,130 pounds in Touring trim when spec-ed with the optional Lightweight package. My car probably weighed around 130 pounds more without the carbon roof, magnesium wheels, lightweight glass, etc. And I put a ton of testing miles on this GT3. With minimal sound deadening, highway cruising lacks much appeal since 80 miles an hour translates to about 3,750 rpm. So much tire, wind, and engine noise intrude into the cockpit that even the sound system becomes pretty pointless. Luckily, the aural signature of the motorsport-derived engine constantly tingles the spine with a scintillating cacophony of mechanical vibrato and exhaust resonance. Driving the GT3 as a daily made more sense, and luckily, front axle lift (a $3,800 option) can raise the nose to prevent scraping on drainage ruts and speed bumps. Consider this mandatory, but accept that the underbody plastics – for the all-important aero – will scrape on mild driveway entrances still, another reminder that Porsche somehow made this racecar legal for street driving. Naturally, the GT3 therefore enjoys pushing anywhere near the limit much more than puttering around town. Punching the throttle can chirp the tires in first through third gear in Track mode, which turns stability and traction control fully off immediately. Those shorter gear ratios do result in quick acceleration, though nowhere near the kind of brutality that modern turbocharged or hybrid supercars can thump out. But the lack of instantaneously available thrust means the driver and car need to work together to find speed, wringing out the engine with the manual transmission, higher and higher up toward the screaming 9,000-rpm redline where the last two thousand revs whip by seemingly faster than the human mind can comprehend. Lift off early, and the exhaust overrun pops and bangs under braking, the tail will still shimmy in quintessential 911 fashion despite the additional stability of rear-axle steering, and then the steering comes into play. At some point, everyone who drives the 992.2 GT3 will reach the same point I did: First amazement, then confusion, then absolute shock that electrically assisted steering can reach this level of direct muscular connection between driver, steering wheel, and road. Each minuscule movement of my hands translated perfectly to linear tire input. Smooth yet responsive, not quite darty, a willing dance partner despite the chassis flatness. The GT3’s suspension calibration and steering provide so much traction at all times that even a half hour of canyon driving legitimately made my neck sore – and I ride superbikes on the racetrack regularly. I don’t mean the kind of whiplash from launching hybrid hypercars off the line. Instead, eternal lateral grip, cornering harder than any road car I’ve ever driven before. Diving into corners, braking later than possibly imaginable, whipping through apex, then blasting back out onto the straights, all while heel-toeing through some of the quickest downshifts of my life. With automatic rev-matching turned off, of course, since that level of connection with the machine is the whole point anyhow. Whether the Andial livery adds to the ownership of a GT3 probably comes down to personal connection with the team or the pride of Deutsche national colors. Unfortunately, on a white car, the mustard yellow and catsup red wind up resembling a certain global burger chain more than anything, at least to my eye. And remember this is a wrap, not a paint job –, and on closer examination, the new mats don’t quite snug up nor match the rest of the carpeting. Without a doubt, the bright colors turn noticeably more heads, but I do wonder how the stripes might look on an all-black car, even if that wouldn’t quite match the period-correctness of the white paint. Meanwhile, the under-the-radar nature of a GT3 Touring obviously renders the Andial package pointless. But in terms of other options, the Chrono Package for $320 seems like a no-brainer to add both a clock on the dash and unlock a performance gauge screen. The larger 22.1-gallon fuel tank costs just $230. My loaner surprisingly lacked Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, which I recommend for $10,140 if only for the additional longevity. And I also thought the faux-leather plastic dash looked ripe for more premium materials – various dash finishes can fix this easily. I’d skip upgrading the sound system, since the engine volume alone will render any additional fidelity completely unnoticeable. Same for bucket seats, though I might spring for the 18-ways for $2,730 for anything short of a dedicated track toy (and hopefully Porsche’s redesigned buckets will be more comfortable than the last few years). All of this, of course, assuming a dealer will even consider speccing a GT3 rather than tacking on unbelievable markups (or both). Given the GT3’s track-ready capability, arguing for seven-speed PDK – the best automatic transmission in the biz – makes some semblance of sense. But then I believe in stepping up to a GT3 RS, which cannot come with the manual gearbox. Doing so will likely graduate nearer into legit supercar status, but this six-speed borders so nearly on perfection that skipping the chance to shift by hand seems anathema to the existence of the GT3 in the first place. In fact, especially in first or second gears, the flat-six revs up so quickly that I frequently got caught out redlining at fuel cutoff before shifting – something that hasn’t happened to me in a long time. This level of mechanical connection, from the screaming soundtrack to the telepathic inputs and the never-ending grip, highlights why Porsche still offers a manual at all. I simply kept finding excuses to go out for a drive, hitting the canyons or racking up miles on road trips, even just grocery runs. My week with the 992.2 GT3 Andial does beg the question, though: Is the GT3 too perfect, too clinical a study into impeccable conception, development, and execution? Luckily, no. Because of the sensory stimulation alone. A 6 am drive, double shot of espresso on an empty stomach, rushing to an early morning meeting, absolutely peaking in the flow while carving through traffic. This “normal” GT3 is anything but, a reminder that Porsche can still engineer a car so good that the rest of the automotive industry almost struggles to comprehend, much less replicate. Having driven just everything under the sun, from Ferraris to Lambos, McLarens, and Bugattis, despite the point becoming almost passé, all other sports cars truly irrelevant after driving the GT3. Visceral, raw, intoxicating… This car requires reframing the entire pantheon of Porsche performance. If this is the pinnacle, then everything else gets thrown into a new perspective. I can admit to becoming thoroughly addicted, gobsmacked by the transcendental life experience available in my driveway for a full week. And for better or worse, without any exaggeration, the single new car I’ve most regretted handing back the keys to in my entire automotive career thus far. <- Gallery -> View All Porsche 911 GT3s For Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

By Kirk Bell – September 27, 2025

Review: 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid Electrifies...

Picking through the menus of the infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster of the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid, I can configure the screens to see how much power is on boil and where it’s coming from. Not only that, but I can also see exactly how the 911’s first-ever hybrid system works in real time. For the left side of the new, fully digital 12.6-inch instrument panel, I chose a display that shows the battery temperature and psi of turbo boost. In the center, I opt for the digital tachometer that replaces last year’s analog version. For the right side, I pick a torque gauge. Moving over to the 10.9-inch touchscreen, I pick the Energy display nested under the Performance widget. It shows the state of charge for the battery and the current output of the combustion engine and electric motor in kilowatts. All this information would be a novel curiosity most of the time, but here it shows the interplay of the electric motor, turbo boost, revs, and engine output. It reveals that the 911’s first hybrid system is incredibly well integrated and demonstrates the advantages the 992.2-generation GTS has over the outgoing 992.1 generation. When my right foot twitches, I can see the electric motor react immediately, adding up to 53 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque to help the car accelerate. This motor is located within the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and it never drives the car on its own. It’s not here to improve fuel economy, at least not significantly. Instead, it’s included to improve performance, provide torque fill as turbo boost builds, and help future-proof the 911 for European emissions regulations. Shortly thereafter, the turbo catches up. The new 911 GTS T-Hybrid uses a larger 3.6-liter flat-six with a single turbo instead of a 3.0-liter engine with dual turbos. The major change, however, is the addition of another 20-kW electric motor located between the compressor and exhaust sides of the turbocharger. This motor helps the larger single turbo spool up quicker than the twin turbos of the last-generation GTS. That model took a little more than three seconds to achieve its full 18.6 psi of boost. The T-Hybrid’s turbo takes less than a second to spool up 26.1 psi. With more boost and displacement, the 3.6-liter engine makes 478 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque on its own. Add the motor’s contribution and total output is 532 horsepower and 449 pounds-feet of torque. That beats the last model by 59 horsepower and 29 pound-feet. When I keep my foot in the throttle, the flat-six revs freely up to 7,500 rpm, and the exhaust belts out its intoxicating raspy thrum accompanied by the whistle and chuff of the turbocharger. The transmission fires through gears with urgency, and the car builds speed relentlessly. The 0-60 mph sprint flashes by in 2.9 seconds, according to Porsche, 0.3 seconds quicker than last year. However, a few launch control blasts show that the strong power makes it hard to get the wide rear tires to hook up and achieve that time. Were I to keep my foot in it, it would accelerate to 194 mph. That’s supercar territory. EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 24 highway, 20 combined are no better than the last model. However, the hybrid system is well-engineered and integrated. Throttle response is quicker, power is more robust, and the whole system adds only 103 pounds to the total weight of the car versus the 2024 model. The modest weight gain means the 2025 911 GTS boasts the same confident, stable, and confidence-inspiring handling that has been a hallmark of the 992 generation since it arrived for the 2019 model year. With quick and direct steering that supplies a lot of road feel, it’s easy to control the GTS. Throw it into a corner and it takes a set, rotates willingly, and the 245/35R20 front and 315/30R21 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Super Sport tires grip hard. Standard rear-axle steering makes it more stable mid-corner and shortens parking lot turns, while a standard limited-slip rear differential puts the power down effectively to rocket out of corners. The 911 GTS comes standard with adaptive dampers and the PASM Sport suspension. Compared to the base and S models, the PASM Sport setup gets a 0.4-inch lower ride height, additional negative camber for a more tire contact patch in corners, and stiffer spring rates and rear helper springs that help keep the coil-over shocks seated at full suspension travel. This suspension makes for a firm but not punishing ride. Some may find it too firm and would be better served by choosing the no-cost regular PASM suspension that rides higher and has softer Tuning. This test car also has the optional electro-hydraulically controlled active anti-roll bars. They respond quicker this year thanks to the hybrid system’s 400-volt electrical system, but I see no need for them. The 911 GTS has precious little body lean, and some body lean translates as feel in the corners. My tester is also equipped with the $10,680 carbon-ceramic brakes. These massive binders employ 16.5-inch front rotors and 10-piston (!) calipers and 16.1-inch rear rotors and six-piston calipers. They’ll stand up to numerous track days with a firm pedal and no fade. My tester also comes with the standard Sport Seats Plus. They’re wide enough or larger gentlemen and do a great job of keeping me in place in the face of lateral Gs, but they have only four-way manual adjustments, and their tall, rigid side bolsters become buns scrapers when getting in and out. Spend another $1,580 for the 14-way power-adjustable seats. The rest of the changes for the 992.2 version of the 911 GTS are minor. The headlights now have LED matrix technology and incorporate the daytime running lights into a single unit. The taillights get a new look, and the fascias are more aerodynamic, especially up front, where Porsche adds active grille shutters and a continuously variable diffuser. The 2025 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid starts at $166,895, including a $1,995 destination fee. That’s about $15,000 more than the 2024 model, which reflects both improved performance of the new GTS and Porsche’s recent effort to increase profit margins. Expect further price increases due to tariffs. It costs a lot, but 911 GTS buyers get more than just a sports car. The first 911 hybrid tilts toward a supercar in its power and performance, and the new hybrid system is a big part of that additional power. It’s engineered as expected for the Porsche brand, adding minimal weight and working seamlessly. You can watch it all happen in real time if you pick the right displays for the dashboard screens, but mostly you’ll just enjoy feeling it doing its job. View All Porsche 911 GTS' For Sale Images: Porsche

By Gabriel Vega – December 02, 2021

TechArt GTstreet R First Drive: A Porsche Fit For Batman

For most of us, the Porsche 911 Turbo S is as good as it gets. With its widened bodywork, active aero, and outrageous performance, the Turbo offers up hypercar-beating stats at a quarter of the price. However, german tuning house TechArt believes even the Turbo leaves room for improvement on the table. The first GTstreet was born in the early 2000s, based on the 996 generation of the 911. The formula was simple yet effective. The GTstreet series improved the Turbo's aerodynamics, suspension, and powertrain, pushing what the 996's platform could do. Flash forward 20 years, and TechArt's formula remains largely unchanged with their latest creation, the GTstreet R. It uses the 992 911 Turbo S as its base, and I drove it in the canyons above Los Angeles to see just how different it is from its distant cousin. Styling Turned Up To 11 The GT Street R looks like nothing on the road. While its crazy aero is visible from a mile away, there's a method to the madness. The aero on the GTstreet R was developed through extensive wind tunnel testing. The result is 45 percent less lift on the front axle and four times more downforce on the rear axle than a standard Turbo S. Despite the drastic exterior changes, the R retains the Turbo's active aero systems. However, TechArt reworked these components extensively, as seen by the massive wing in the rear. To keep the weight down, most of the elements that give the GTstreet R its distinct look are made out of carbon fiber. Matching the wicked styling is a more aggressive stance, widened by 30 millimeters in the front. Both 20 and 21-inch center-lock wheels are available with an optional aero disk. If it were up to me, the aero disks are a no-brainer as they tie in nicely with the rest of the aero-focused design. A Monster, Even In Stock Form If the stock Turbo S' 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque aren't enough, TechArt will happily give you more power with one of its two optional packages. The first sees power jump up to 710 hp without significant hardware changes or tuning the stock engine management software. However, the second pack and its new turbochargers push the R to up to 800 hp and include new software for both the engine and transmission to keep things in check. Unfortunately, the GTstreet R I got a chance to play with didn't feature any additional power. However, it did have TechArt's lowering springs and all of the aero bits mentioned earlier. If you want greater adjustability, TechArt also offers a coilover kit that'll let you adjust your R even further. In a straight line, the R without the performance upgrades feels quite similar to the Turbo S upon which it's based. The turbo flat-six under the hood delivers instant acceleration, massive torque, and consistent power to redline. Starting with a Turbo S means that even in stock form, the R is already a monster. Around the bends, those aero improvements mentioned earlier are instantly detectable. While the R is undoubtedly stiffer than a Turbo S, it feels extremely planted while offering tremendous grip around corners. The GTstreet R I drove didn't have TechArt's recommended Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tire. Regardless it still managed to hang on even in the tightest bends. One surprising aspect of the R was how much induction noise you get in the cabin as you blast your way up the road. You can literally hear the engine sucking in the air as you climb up the rpms. The added noises only add to the overall drama of the driving experience. Thankfully, this R retained the stock carbon-ceramic brakes of the Turbo S, which are, without a doubt, some of the best in the business. You get a strong initial bite and immense stopping power, which you'll need if you plan to order an R with added power. An Ultra-Customizable Cabin With its wind tunnels and groups of engineers, TechArt does the heavy lifting with the exterior of the GTstreet R. However, the German tuning house gives the buyer total freedom over the interior. You can option different leather materials, Alcantara, and carbon fiber parts. The only limiting factor as to how wicked the interior can get is the buyer's wallet. My tester's interior was pretty close to what you get on a normal Turbo S. Most of the money was spent on the exterior. However, this R did feature a re-trimmed steering wheel with perforated red leather and Alcantara. Additionally, the R gets a unique badge on the dashboard reminding you of which chassis number you're in. Since the rest of the interior is pretty much standard Turbo S, it works well. The ergonomics are fantastic, easily suiting taller drivers. However, one thing that always surprises me about the current-gen Turbo S is how comfortable of a place to be it is. This is a car that you could easily tackle a track-day with or a cross-country road trip. How Much Does The GTstreet R Cost? The TechArt GTstreet R is a hard car to price, mainly because it is so extensively customizable. As a result, no two R's will ever be alike. In fact, the R is an extremely rare machine, with just 87 planned for production in total. As a starter, you'll need to find a 911 Turbo or Turbo S, which start at $174,300 and $207,000, respectively. The GTstreet R kit then commands €73,000, or around $82,000 to start. Once you've got your car and your kit, you'll need to reach out to one of many of TechArt's recommended installers to install the parts, at which point you can change the color of the car or add additional extras. This example actually came from Creative Bespoke located in Phoenix, Arizona. According to the folks at TechArt, a fully customized GTstreet R can cost around $450,000 to $500,000 once it's done. Given its hefty price tag, the GTstreet R isn't for everyone. Add in the immense performance you get from a standard Turbo S, and that'll likely be the route most buyers go. However, with its crazy aero, and intense driving experience, the R continues to carve its own lane as an ultra-rare performance-focused supercar for those who want something beyond what the best in the business can offer.

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