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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 – September 02, 2020

Can’t Wait for the New Rolls-Royce Ghost? Here Are The Be...

English Poet Alexander Pope wrote "Angels fear to tread" to describe a scary place. Some ghosts should be feared and others revered, and the latter is what you'll see here. The new Rolls-Royce Ghost will be arriving next year with more aluminum and less steel, but that doesn't mean the 2020 models and their older siblings aren't as refined. Ghost Series II arrived in 2015 with more leather, lambswool, all-new suspension and hydraulic bearings for the axle shafts. Needless to say, they are silent as a library at triple-digit speeds with 580 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque at your driver's command. I have had the opportunity to display them at our events around the U.S., and each one has been a respite from the hustle of an auto show. Therefore, have a look at these great offers or be haunted by missing a great opportunity. 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost $357,075 :: 1,853 miles View Listing 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge $434,675 :: 27 miles View Listing 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge CALL FOR PRICE :: 38 miles View Listing 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost $259,900 :: 216 miles View Listing 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge CALL FOR PRICE :: 7,253 miles View Listing 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost $214,950 :: 15,650 miles View Listing 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge $219,990 :: 34,365 miles View Listing 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost $194,500 :: 12,209 miles View Listing 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost CALL FOR PRICE :: 4,101 miles View Listing

By Jordan Aquistapace – September 01, 2020

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Revealed

Rolls-Royce has been the epidemy of luxurious excellence when it comes to exotic motor vehicles since the day the first example strolled off the production floor. Fast forward to 2009, when Rolls-Royce released what they would later find out would be "the most successful model in the marque's 116-year history". The British automobile manufacturer is more than excited to announce the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost revealed. The list of new advancements to the Ghost touch on every aspect of the vehicle's design, performance, and interior but is also known as the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet. The only two remaining features from the first Ghost are the infamous spirit of ecstasy badging and the built-in umbrellas. PerformanceThe heart of the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost is powered by the notorious 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12, responsible for delivering 571 mechanical horsepower and 627 ft-lbs. of torque. It will be equipped with an all-wheel-drive and all-wheel steering system to ensure an effortless glide during each driving experience. Rolls-Royce has introduced the all-new Planar Suspension System to the new Ghost, which operates with the help of cameras and the satellite added transmission to help prepare for the road ahead. " width="680"> DesignVisual updates to the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost begin with a new down lit pantheon grille that features 20 LED bulbs hidden under the top of the grille. The new 30mm wider body style has been crafted to flow effortlessly as what the company calls "a single straight stroke". The door and glass dimensions are now created equal to balance the vehicle whether it's being used as a driving or chauffeur experience. As we move to the rear, the new subtle near-square taillights illuminate the back end and feature small details including Rolls-Royce symbols. Watch the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Reveal With us! InteriorOnce the self-opening doors expose the interior, it's clear to see that the comfort aspect of the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost has been upgraded as well. The approach to a more minimalist interior has been achieved using the finest leathers, woods, and metals. Rolls-Royce has mirrored the starlight headliner to a new illuminated fascia inscribed with the Ghost insignia, which is a first in the automobile industry. Browse Rolls-Royce Ghost For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – September 01, 2020

Watch the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Reveal With us!

" width="680"> Tell us what you think of their latest achievement and stay with us for all your Rolls-Royce news.

By Edward Jones – August 25, 2020

New Illuminated Fascia Coming to 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost

It won't be until September 1 that we get to see the new 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost unveiled in full. To hold us over, Rolls-Royce has unveiled one feature that will be found in the ultra-luxury car that's completely new. The new Illuminated Fascia is a new Ghost nameplate on the passenger side of the dashboard that's surrounded by more than 850 stars. Think of this as a Starlight Headliner for the dashboard. To create this visual, Rolls-Royce installs 152 LEDs and places over 9,000 laser-etched dots across the surface of the fascia. This allows the light to not only be dispersed, but it also creates a stunning twinkling effect when you glance across the fascia. Lead Bespoke Designer, Michael Bryden, had this to say about the beautiful new feature: “Illuminated Fascia is perfectly in tune with the Post Opulent design direction we pursued with new Ghost. This elegant and minimal aesthetic is a specific response to the layer of clients who respond to Ghost: men and women who share a desire for a clean, pared-back expression of Rolls-Royce. Like the rest of the motor car’s progressive design, this hidden-until-lit feature hides the complexity required to create a sense of effortless luxury with a simple decorative statement.” See All Rolls-Royce Ghosts for Sale

By Edward Jones – August 21, 2020

See the First Images of the Rolls-Royce Dawn Silver Bullet

Rolls-Royce has just released the first official images of the new Dawn Silver Bullet. These images were taken at Lake Garda as it careened through hairpin turns and cruised down straight open roads. The scenery fits the elegance of the car perfectly and Rolls-Royce says the images capture the Dawn Silver Bullet "in its natural habitat." The paint you see in these images was chosen for a specific reason as it calls upon models of the past, like the Silver Dawn, Silver King, Silver Silence and Silver Spectre. As for the car, the Dawn Silver Bullet is a four-seater that can be turned into a two-seat roadster that's accompanied by a rakish Aero Cowling. Only 50 examples of the Rolls-Royce Dawn Silver Bullet will be created worldwide, so this ultra-luxury, transforming car will certainly be a rarity. See All Dawns for Sale

By Andrew Nabors – August 07, 2020

Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy Explained by Supercars in S...

Have you ever wondered about the world's most coveted hood ornament? This beautiful sculpture was often stolen by punks who could never afford such an amazing car. That all changed when the Ghost unveiled a unique feature. At your command, the flying lady can drop into a titanium box. Much like how the Declaration of Independence drops into a nuclear-hardened bunker every night, we treasonous colonists can appreciate protecting a national treasure. Matthew Jones is in charge of the English brands at Dimmitt Automotive Group. He knows more about Aston-Martin, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce than the engineers from each brand. Allow him to explain her in a proper English accent, and stay with us for his latest uploads. Browse Rolls-Royce For Sale

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By Andrew Nabors – July 28, 2020

2021 Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection Deepens the My...

The world's first encrypted car has just gained another variable. Appealing to the intellect of their target audience, 30 cars will be built with unique ciphers and cryptograms throughout. If you don't have an Enigma machine on hand, they provide a few starting clues. While you are trying to crack the codes, you might want to spend a weekend away from home. Rolls-Royce’s New Wraith Kryptos Collection Holds a Secret Code That is why their master tailors have crafted a unique luggage set. All six pieces are available individually, and they have been crafted to maximize your trunk space. Our dealers have all the info, so click the button below for all the details. Browse 2021 Rolls Royce Wraith For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – July 27, 2020

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Teased in Open Letter from the CEO

Torsten Müller-Ötvös has kept his brand at the cutting edge for years. After a decade of upgrades and fresh parts, it is time for something all-new. Starting with customer input, dealers sent their desires back to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It allowed them to formulate an ethos or ideology known as "Post Opulence". It is based on the notion that buyers appreciate the luxury and quality of the object without it shouting our being overtly haute couture. Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge: Price, Review, & Specs This was not an easy task, and the car has been in development for over 5 years. The project is now on the final stretch, and he wants us to know they will not compromise the launch date or quality of each car despite social conditions. It will be exciting to see the Ghost leave its BMW 7-Series chassis in the dust, so stay with us for all your Rolls-Royce news. Browse All Rolls-Royce Ghost For Sale " width="680">

By Edward Jones – July 07, 2020

Rolls-Royce's New Wraith Kryptos Collection Holds a Secre...

Katrin Lehmann, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, has always been fascinated by cryptography and that's why this very subject for the inspiration for the new Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection that's limited to just 50 examples. “The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even," said Lehman in a press release from Rolls-Royce. "Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds." The Wraiths within this collection have a stunning Delphic Grey exterior paint. This bespoke paint has a base color of Anthracite with blue and green mica flakes. These green flakes match the hand-painted Kryptos Green double coachline. Inside, the Kryptos Green color is used as a contrast against the grey tones. Altogether, the appearance of this collection is exactly what you'd expect in a sci-fi film. Rolls-Royce has also included a secret code across the cars in the Wraith Kryptos Collection. Regarding this code, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commented: "On closer examination, a series of messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!” See All Rolls-Royce Wraiths for Sale

By Edward Jones – June 30, 2020

Rolls-Royce Unveils Black Badge Cullinan Capella - One-of...

Rolls-Royce took inspiration from a star for their new Black Badge Cullinan Capella, a one-of-one creation. The name 'Capella' comes from a yellow star that's actually the biggest and bright of its kind in our sky. 'Iced Forge' is the name of the striking paint that gives this Cullinan a luminous appearance. Inside, there's the Starlight Headliner that includes a display of shooting stars. And because this is a Black Badge Cullinan, it includes the special wheels with onyx brake calipers and more. Inside, Rolls-Royce matched the exterior with yellowing piping and embroidery that contrasts against the grey and black leather. Our favorite feature of this SUV has to be the two seats that fold out from the tailgate that's called the Viewing Suite. Now that would be an awesome place to watch the stars. To learn more, click here. See All Cullinans for Sale

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