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 Andrew Nabors – December 20, 2018

2018 Dodge Durango SRT 392 Review

Press cars can be hit or miss when it comes to options. When we arrived on Monday this looked like a Dodge Durango. Named after a Colorado mining town, this popular SUV is essentially a longer version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both are built at the Jefferson North plant in Detroit and they make use of the durable 3.6L Pentastar V6. But as I got out of my car I noticed something odd. A Durango with hood vents? Yep, the crazy engineers at SRT crammed their 392 (6.4L) HEMI under the hood. V8 versions of the Durango have been seen in the past, and the 2003 R/T was the last hurrah for the Magnum engine. It made 245 horsepower, a far cry from its Muscle Car origins. The 3rd generation Durango arrived in 2012 as one of the final products of the Daimler-Chrysler merger. That is why it shares much of its suspension with the Mercedes ML, GL, and R-Class models. It arrived with the 5.7L HEMI rated at 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. Those are completely sensible numbers for an family hauler. But if you are feeling a little bonkers, hang on. The SRT model was hinted about in 2017 and it returned in mid '18 with 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. It has more power than any other American 3-row SUV. Jeep offers the Trackhawk with the supercharged Hellcat engine, but it only has 2 rows and much less cargo room. Being able to reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds is impressive for any automobile, especially a 5,500-lb SUV. Power is channeled by an 8-speed automatic to all wheels. It would be nice to have a low-range transfer case, but first gear is a chunky 4.71 and the differentials are 3.70. This allows it to tow 8,700 lbs, with almost 900 lbs on the hitch! Power of this magnitude will have you at illegal speeds. The interior is awash in Nappa leather and the touchscreen is the same great head unit shared across the high end Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge lineup. With a sticker price of $73,500, its $20,000 cheaper than a fully loaded Escalade. You will have 55 more horsepower and a NASCAR soundtrack when provoked. Need proof, they chained it down at Gainesville International Raceway for a all-wheel burnout! Find Your Local Dodge Dealer Here! " width="680">

By Andrew Nabors – December 14, 2017

Reviewed: 2017 Dodge Durango GT

What image pops in your mind when you hear "Caravan"? Dodge needed a new family hauler in 1997, so the Durango arrived with Hemi power and room for an active lifestyle. It was a product of the combined Daimler-Chrysler, and influences of both can still be felt today.The 3rd generation Durango has been around since 2011, so we decided to see how it copes with fall in Florida. We chose a mid-level Durango GT, which is the trim level that replaced Limited in the lineup. The creative department knows their target audience well, so our example had the optional Brass Monkey package. It is a monochrome exterior with matte black trim and snazzy "Brass Monkey" wheels in 20"x8".Viper-Powered 1968 Dodge Charger RTR on Jay Leno’s GarageAt first glance, you might think the Durango is another FWD crossover, but the truth is satisfying. The Durango is actually a badge-engineered sibling of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. They share a strong steel unibody that is based on the Mercedes GL & M Classes. Coil suspension at all corners and RWD are the recipe for a proper SUV, ours was only lacking one detail: Power.Last year the old "Pentastar" V6 was upgraded with higher compression along with an EGR cooler. Now that it has 11.3 compression, running on regular gas will make it unbearably slow. Cooling the EGR flow works well on paper, but any leak in the system will result in catastrophic failure. With 93 octane and your foot on the floor, you have 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Durango has a dry weight approaching 5,000 lbs so you will have time to file your taxes as you merge onto the highway. Get the Hemi, you won't regret it.Interior fit & finish is much better than you would expect. Fiat-Chrysler has set out to improve the quality of materials. This starts with more leather and less plastic. Even the dash is hand-wrapped with double contrast stitching. Nappa leather and seating for 7 seems like an automotive oxymoron. Even the 3rd row is plush, and it would be a perfect sleeper for a road trip. Controls and media interfaces are easy and accessible, but the rotary shifter is just hokey. It is located behind the SD card and USB slots, waiting for a drip of condensation or cola from the adjacent cupholder. Heated 2nd-row seats are brilliant.Sharing so much of its DNA with the Grand Cherokee, you can bet the suspension, climate control, and audio are all top-notch. With all seats folded, you will have plenty of room for cargo along with a reliable (yet uninspiring) powertrain. You will have 26 mpg on the highway and minimal maintenance costs for under $38,000. Tell your significant other that FWD is dead, and Durango is your best bet for fun, comfort, and reliability. Stay with us for more reviews here on Autofluence.Browse Dodge For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 16, 2017

Reviewed: 2017 Dodge Charger Daytona

Being a Native Floridian, I am proud to see a modern sedan named after a familiar city. The 2017 Dodge Charger Daytona is a reference to Dodge's dominance at the historic track. The original Daytona was built to win the aero wars that were taking place at NASCAR's fastest tracks. The transformation involved adding a 23" tall rear spoiler and aerodynamic nose to the 440ci powered Charger R/T. The incredible advantage allowed it to be the first car to break the 200 mph barrier. NASCAR responded by banning the low production supercars and their Ford rivals.Since the Charger returned as a sedan in 2006, we have enjoyed the power and value of the HEMI V8. But with Hellcat and Demon getting all the press, we honestly forgot about the venerable 5.7-liter. The bigger V8s get all the notoriety because of the higher output, but with exponentially less fuel mileage. We were glad to see our weekly test car arrived with the smallest V8 in the lineup. Because advances in the big brothers inevitably trickle down to lesser models. That is the case here, as the latest 5.7 has active cam timing and four-cylinder mode.The Daytona package is aimed at value. It combines a host of popular interior and exterior upgrades under one line item. This keeps the dealer from gouging you on them individually. Black wheels and vinyl accents have proved to be very successful for the SRT models, but you will pay a premium for the 392 or Hellcat. Driving the Charger is just as rewarding as it always has. Visibility is great, and the ride is very comfortable. Building a strong chassis for the SRT cars, Dodge has relaxed the spring rates and sway bars on the regular production models. Try as we might, it took on ever pothole and speed bump with the grace and agility of a Mercedes. That's because the Charger rides on an evolution of the previous E-Class suspension, back from the Daimler-Chrysler days.The black 20" wheels are beautiful, but it would be nice to have SRT Brakes behind the spokes. Another gripe is rear wheel drive. The police edition Chargers also have the 5.7-liter, but All Wheel Drive is standard. If it is rated for Law Enforcement abuse, why is it not available to the public? The Chevy caprice doesn't even have a civilian model, I guess we don't deserve it. The reason it needs all wheel drive can be demonstrated by your right foot. Going wide open from even a decent roll will have the skinny 245 rear tires screaming. Even with all the customizable suspension settings, cars of this weight and power are ridiculous on skinny tires.The control interface is great. A sport screen allows the driver to customize the steering, suspension, and stability settings, which is something we wish every car had. The audio is from Beats, and the sound is clean. But the bass is more than the door panels can take, so they rattle at any decent volume. In all honesty, this could have been done by hooligans that had the car before us, and it's something a dealer could easily fix. The funky shifter looked straight out of an arcade. We know it has no physical link to the automatic transmission so it would be nice to use that space more effectively. Safety includes the latest in lane keeping, cross traffic, and forward collision warning. Things you might not expect are an adaptive cruise, LED fogs, rain sensing wipers and very comfortable lumbar seats. Rated at 25 mpg, the window sticker of $46,315 is a bargain for what you get. Dealer incentives along with a plentiful aftermarket will allow for years of fun without breaking the bank. See you in Daytona!

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