Rimac

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – January 13, 2023

Rimac Opens A New Showroom In Brussels, Belgium

The futuristic manufacturer continues to execute its plans for hypercar world domination. With its all-electric Nevera Hypercar demonstrating simply impossible levels of performance, Rimac has made quite the splash within the automotive world despite its youth as a manufacturer. Already, a partnership with Bugatti and the construction of an impressive Croatian headquarters shows the rapid and astonishing growth of the brand, and to add to this blindingly-quick success, Rimac has now opened a new showroom strategically located in the cosmopolitan European city of Brussels, Belgium. MUST READ: Watch Nico Rosberg Rip Through Monaco In His 2,000HP Rimac Nevera Opened in partnership with D’leteren Automotive, the showroom gives Rimac access to Belgium and Luxembourg, and helps the brand firmly plant its roots in the European hypercar market. The showroom is specifically designed for an immaculate experience in configuring, ordering, and taking delivery of a Nevera or one of Rimac’s future hypercars. The beautiful retail space was welcomed with a grand opening ceremony, attended by CEO Mate Rimac himself, as well as Head of Sales Roni Kert and Managing Director for Bugatti Rimac Hendrik Malinowski, as well as David Favest, General Manager for Rimac with D’leteren Automotive. In 2022 and now at the start of 2023, the Rimac brand is growing just as quickly as its incredible Nevera hypercar drives. View All Rimacs For Sale Source: Rimac

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 28, 2022

Watch Nico Rosberg Rip Through Monaco In His 2,000HP Rima...

With the goal of reaching 0-60mph in under 1.85 seconds, you'll have to watch to see if Nico breaks the Rimac's record. The Rimac Nevera first hit the scene at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, continuing the automaker’s legacy just behind the Concept One predecessor. Four years later, former Formula One driver Nico Rosberg took delivery of his Rimac Nevera with the intention of making content for his popular YouTube channel. In his newest video, Nico takes the 2,000-horsepower Nevera on the ultimate drive through tight and narrow roads of Monaco. The goal of the drive is to experience the feeling of full acceleration while trying to beat Rimac’s official 0-60mph time of 1.85 seconds. MUST-READ: Watch Nico Rosberg Take Delivery Of The First 2000HP Rimac Nevera With CEO Mate Rimac Learning the intuitive system of the Nevera, Nico Rosberg ventures through all the settings to configure the perfect performance setup that will unleash all of the electric-driven power. Although almost everything was taken into consideration when prepping the hypercar for its drive, delay set in as Rosberg accidentally locked the keys in the car after securing it in the start position. Once a second key arrives, the Rimac Nevera sets off through Monaco and completely astonishes the two passengers as it sprints through the city's tunnel. The Rimac really shows off its power, braking, and handling on the twisting roads that lead to the top of Monaco's breathtaking overlook. Watch to see if Nico Rosberg beats Rimac's record with his Nevera by clicking the video link above. Source: Nico Rosberg YouTube

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 02, 2022

Watch The Rimac Nevera And The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ ...

Spoiler alert: the Rimac wins. It’s no secret that the new Rimac Nevera is one of the fastest hypercars we as the world of car enthusiasts have ever witnessed. In fact, it’s hard to even explain just how fast the Rimac Nevera is because it’s simply unprecedented. However, a drag race could help demonstrate, and the Nevera’s opponent in this drag race orchestrated by Top Gear is the iconic Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. One of the most extreme versions of Lamborghini’s now-retired flagship supercar, the SVJ boasts a 759-horsepower V12 engine with 531 lb/ft of torque, which simply isn’t enough to even hold a candle to the Nevera. MUST READ: The New 3D Rimac Nevera Configurator Uses NVIDIA Omniverse Cloud Tech For Seamless Access On Any Device The Rimac Nevera’s has one electric motor for each wheel, the system’s power totaling to an incredible 1,914 horsepower with 1,741 lb/ft of torque. The hypercar can reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than 2 seconds, and with that kind of power it dominated in the straight-line battle. The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ might be one of the world’s greatest modern supercars. However, harrowing performance of the Rimac Nevera shows that the performance potential of electric vehicles is not to be underestimated. View All Rimac Neveras For Sale Source: YouTube/Top Gear

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 21, 2022

The New 3D Rimac Nevera Configurator Uses NVIDIA Omnivers...

The bold futurism of the Rimac Nevera extends far beyond the car itself. The all-electric Rimac Nevera hypercar changes the performance world and shows us now what very well could be the future of automotive performance. Incredible engineering renders the car capable of producing 1,813 horsepower and 1,741 lb/ft of torque, doing the quarter-mile in less than 9 seconds, and getting from 0-60 in less than two. If you manage to keep your foot on the accelerator through that, you’ll be rewarded with a top speed of 258 mph. But with a price tag of over $2 million and a production run limited to just 150 examples, experiencing the Rimac Nevera is only within reach for a handful of people. However, Rimac is providing an experience that allows everyone to experience the Nevera in a unique way with NVIDIA Omniverse Cloud through the new 3D Rimac Nevera configurator. MUST READ: Lamborghini’s New LMDh Prototype Race Car Will Have A Twin-Turbo V8 Engine With amazing new technology, NVIDIA and Rimac are able to deliver the configurator to any device by streaming it. The stunning graphics of the configurator would be an incredible task for the average computer to run, but all kinds of devices are able to access it seamlessly through streaming. The result is a beautiful and unique configuration experience that evokes sci-fi fantasy and optimistic futurism. Even if you can’t get behind the wheel of a Rimac Nevera, you’ll be able to experience the innovation that the all-electric hypercar has brought to the automotive industry by clicking here. View All Rimacs For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rimac Automobili (@rimac_automobili) Source: Instagram/Rimac

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 04, 2022

Watch Nico Rosberg Take Delivery Of The First 2000HP Rima...

Nico visits RIMAC HQ in Zagreb to pick up the first Nevera customer chassis. Ever since its humble beginnings as small-batch hypercar developer, RIMAC continued to gain traction with the Nevera project and its promises of astonishing performance using state-of-the-art technology. While most of the Nevera’s characteristics stay true to its original sketches, the company itself took on significant changes with the new Bugatti RIMAC name. Additionally, Bugatti RIMAC also happily welcomed outside investors that include Goldman Sachs, Porsche, and SoftBank. After 11 years of engineering behind closed, the RIMAC Nevera is finally proud to be in full production with a long list of 150 excited to clients awaiting delivery day. Bugatti RIMAC is proud to deliver the first customer Nevera chassis to former German-Finnish racing driver Nico Rosberg, who documented his delivery day at the headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia on his YouTube channel. MUST-READ: The Rimac Nevera Formally Opens The New Pelješac Bridge In Croatia To Road Traffic Nico began the day with a facility tour from the CEO of Bugatti Rimac Mate Rimac, discussing the brand's progression, inspiration, and future in the automotive world. Giving Nico the honors of counting down the reveal, all were in attendance to see the showcase of his stealthy all-black Rimac Nevera. As part of the delivery process, Mate and Nico both signed the official Rimac welcome package that also includes the set of keys. Nico takes a seat in the Nevera for a quick tutorial of the interior and some of its unique features, like the foldable display screen, electronic seat settings, and track camera system. Now that Nico Rosberg holds the Rimac Nevera in his possession, we are definitely excited to see some of the new content he creates behind the wheel of the all-new hypercar. Watch Nico Rosberg take delivery of his new Rimac Nevera by clicking on the video link above. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury lifestyle and hypercar news. Source: Nico Rosberg YouTube

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 27, 2022

The Rimac Nevera Formally Opens The New Pelješac Bridge I...

The new Rimac Nevera takes part in a big celebration in its home country. The new Rimac Nevera is finally in production, and its development and creation have been amazing for the brand’s home country of Croatia, as that’s where the business is located, and that’s where the car was designed and engineered, and where it is manufactured now. It’s one of the greatest engineering achievements to come out of Croatia, and it took part in celebrating the inauguration of another Croatian engineering achievement. Recently, the new Pelješac Bridge connected the southern parts of Croatia to the rest of the country, which was previously disconnected by a small part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. MUST READ: The First Production Rimac Nevera Has Arrived At Long Last The bridge cost over half a billion dollars and spans over 1.3 miles, and it opened to road traffic on July 26. The ceremony involved a running race that spanned the length of the bridge and further, live music, fireworks, and the Rimac Nevera crossing the bridge to formally open it to road traffic. Coming together to celebrate new ventures that are innovative, beautiful, and Croatian at their core, the Rimac Nevera served as the perfect way to inaugurate the Pelješac Bridge. View All Rimac Neveras For Sale Source: Rimac

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 12, 2022

The First Production Rimac Nevera Has Arrived At Long Last

It’s finally here, and it’s ready to change the automotive world. The Rimac Nevera has been the subject of lots of anticipation, and for very good reason. It’s an all-electric hypercar that boasts a mind-blowing 1,914 horsepower and a 0-60 time of just 1.85 seconds. The car has spent what seemed like an eternity in testing, with three generations of powertrain tech, 18 prototypes, 45 crash tests, and 1.6 million hours of research of development. Now, Rimac is going to build 50 Neveras a year, and they’re going to dominate streets and tracks all over the world. MUST READ: Rimac Group Raised Over $537 Million in Series D Investment Round From New And Existing Investors Showed at Goodwood on the Hillclimb, the first car finished in Callisto Green with Graphite Vertex wheels and a Sand Alcantara interior, will remain a Bugatti Rimac-owned demonstration and marketing car. Now, the car will begin to be delivered to customers around the world, featuring various customizations like 36 different paint colors, along with the option of bespoke creation, various liveries, interiors, and finishes throughout. Not only will all 150 Rimac Neveras be fearsomely powerful and incredible hypercars, but Rimac has promised that each will be visually unique, as well. The Nevera is named after the word for an unexpected Mediterranean summer storm off the coast of Croatia, and that serves as a fitting metaphor for what the Nevera and Rimac itself are going to do in the automotive world, with otherworldly performance, stunning looks, and revolutionary technology. View All Electric Cars For Sale Source: Rimac

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 02, 2022

Rimac Group Raised Over $537 Million in Series D Investme...

Over $537 million of funding in its Series D adds new investors to the Rimac Group’s roster. With cutting-edge innovation and technology in the world of electric hypercars and electric mobility as a whole, Rimac may be young in the automotive industry, but it has certainly proven that it’s not to be underestimated. After completing a merger with Bugatti this past November, Bugatti Rimac has laid out ambitious plans to continue changing the hypercar world in an even greater way than they have done already. MUST READ: The Rimac Nevera Clears Final Winter Testing And Nears Deliveries This Series D investment provides over half a billion dollars to go towards Rimac Technology with the goal of continuing to innovate and expand the product line, as well as acquiring talent. The investment also brings new firms into Rimac’s portfolio of investors, like SoftBank and Goldman Sachs, alongside existing investors and partners to the company like Porsche, Hyundai, Pininfarina, Koenigsegg, and Aston Martin. As work continues on increasing production capacity and completing the Zagreb, Croatia Rimac Campus, Rimac aims to be able to produce tens of thousands of components each year, ranging from hybrid and battery electric systems to complete chassis, that will advance both the Bugatti Rimac brands and the entire automotive world with the advanced levels of innovation and engineering that will be hitting the road. The news of this investment isn’t just exciting for Rimac fans, it’s exciting for the entire industry. View All Rimacs For Sale Source: Rimac

Rimac NeveraColdWeatherTesting Sweden 048

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 11, 2022

The Rimac Nevera Clears Final Winter Testing And Nears De...

Rimac drops the temperature ahead of dropping the Nevera. Deliveries are set to commence in the coming months of the incredible Rimac Nevera, the world’s fastest accelerating production car with a mind-boggling 1,914 horsepower. It’s already cleared rigorous testing to be given the green light for production, but Rimac’s dedication to perfection extends even further. To make sure the Nevera is ready for any situation, Rimac took it to Sweden for testing in extreme cold weather. MUST READ: Bugatti Rimac Is Opening A New Innovation Hub In Berlin During the testing, temperatures dipped as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit, and in that extreme weather and low grip terrain, Rimac was able to test the car on its Pirelli P Zero Winter tires, and also make sure that everything functioned properly even in the most extreme temperatures. The car promises to be invigorating and safe, while also being suitable both for inexperienced drivers and seasoned professionals to enjoy. With the two weeks of testing showing exactly the results that Rimac sought to achieve, deliveries of the car are set to commence soon. Source: Rimac Automobili

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 14, 2021

Rimac Releases The First Issue Of Its 2021 Magazine

Sit back and read the history and future direction of the Rimac brand. During the development and production of historic automotive brands, milestones take shape as the vehicles that roll off the production floor. The hypercar specialists at Rimac Automobili recently set out to begin documenting its progression as an industry leader with a new publication. Rica is proud to announce the first issue release of Rica Magazine 2021. The magazine features over 70-pages of exclusive stories and photos highlighting the story of the company of over 1,200 employees. MUST-READ: Rimac Nevera Goes Offroading Before Being Crashed Along with brand history, the Rimac Magazine also includes a special feature on the highly-anticipated electric Nevera and its 1,914-horsepower development process. Discover the story behind the world record-setting Nevera acceleration and more from Bugatti Rimac by picking up a copy of the hypercar-focused magazine. The all-new Rimac 2021 Magazine is currently available online by clicking the link below. Check back into duPont REGISTRY Daily for more luxury automotive news and releases. Shop Now Source: Rimac Automobili

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