Tesla

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 Jordan Aquistapace – October 22, 2026

Tesla's Rocket-Powered Roadster Heads to Petersen Automotive Museum

Tesla’s latest Roadster is heading to Los Angeles just days after its unveiling in Texas. From October 24th to 27th, the same thruster-equipped Roadster revealed by Elon Musk and the Tesla team will be on display in the lobby of the Petersen Automotive Museum. The four-day exhibit marks the public’s first chance to see the new EV up close since its October 14th reveal in McGregor, Texas. For future owners who have been following the Roadster’s rather long development, it’s an opportunity to get a closer look at what comes with the quarter-million-dollar price tag. One of the most unusual features of the new Tesla Roadster is its proposed thruster system. Tesla has previously discussed using rockets as part of its plans for the car, although it’ll be quite some time before that actually happens. There's no better way to show off Tesla’s latest and greatest EV sports car than in a museum known for showcasing everything from collector classics to seven-figure supercars and experimental creations. The Tesla Roadster will be on display in the Petersen Automotive Museum lobby at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, from Saturday, October 24th, through Tuesday, October 27th. The museum is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, with general admission for adults priced at $23. Visitors should check the museum website for current admission details before planning a trip. Since the display runs for just four days, anyone hoping to see Tesla’s thruster-equipped electric sports car in person will have a short window to stop by. Source: Petersen Automotive Museum

By Khris Bharath – October 15, 2026

Next-Gen Tesla Roadster Revealed: 0-60 in 0.81 Seconds, and It Can Fly

Flying cars – we've seen them in cartoons, TV shows, and movies, and for decades, they have been the stuff of dreams for generations. Sure, some attempts have tried to make cars transform into something that resembles a plane, but earlier tonight, Tesla moved that idea a little closer to reality with a form that still resembles a supercar. In our preview ahead of the originally planned October 1 reveal, we noted that Musk had teased radically higher design goals and a SpaceX connection. Tonight, Tesla finally showed what that meant. Nearly nine years after Tesla first showed its second-generation Roadster, the car has finally returned, and this time its headline act goes far beyond acceleration. At SpaceX’s rocket development and test facility in McGregor, Texas, Tesla demonstrated a Roadster capable of lifting itself off the ground, hovering and performing controlled aerial maneuvers using compressed-air thrusters. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tesla (@teslamotors) On Stage were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy, and Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen. Musk said he wanted an audience present partly to prove the demonstration was real and not AI, describing the Roadster as what happens when the “world’s best car company” works with the “world’s best rocket company.” He also warned that success was not guaranteed, although excitement was. Spectators were positioned at a safe distance, but, as he put it, “excitement is 100% guaranteed.”Tesla is understood to be developing four versions of the Roadster: a base model, Performance, Thrust, and Rocket. The base car has not yet appeared on Tesla’s public website, while Performance is the road-ready version with fan-assisted aero, Thrust adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters, and the invite-only Rocket takes things further with perimeter-mounted thrusters and genuine aerial capability. The SpaceX-derived hardware becomes progressively more extreme depending on the version. The Thrust model adds a 200-liter composite-overwrapped pressure vessel behind the occupants, storing more than 100 kilograms of pressurized nitrogen at up to 10,000 psi and feeding four rear-facing cold-gas thrusters.The invite-only Rocket goes considerably further, adding another 400-liter pressure vessel in place of the passenger seat and six additional thrusters positioned around the car. That brings total capacity to 600 liters and the nozzle count to 10, giving the Roadster forward, upward, lateral, and rotational control. An onboard system can repressurize the tanks without requiring special propellant. <- Gallery -> The Rocket’s thrusters provide altitude and directional control, effectively allowing the Roadster to behave like a reusable rocket in miniature. Tesla demonstrated the car climbing vertically, hovering tens of feet above the ground and performing what it calls a “kick flip,” with on-screen telemetry showing 68 feet of altitude and 170 degrees of pitch. The demonstration was performed autonomously, with a Starman mannequin in the driver's seat. There is equally serious engineering underneath. The Roadster’s multi-mode fan and ground-sealing system create a low-pressure area beneath the car, generating downforce even at a standstill. Tesla says the system can produce enough suction to hold the car upside down, while its demonstrated setup generated more than 4,000 kilograms of stationary downforce. At speed, active underbody elements open to increase airflow, while a variable-pitch rear wing automatically balances downforce and drag. Track Mode also lowers and stiffens the suspension, turning the Roadster from a straight-line showcase into something intended for sustained circuit use. Tesla demonstrated the Roadster accelerating from 0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds, while top speed is claimed at 230 mph. Visually, it is significantly different from the smooth 2017 prototype we covered previously. The new Roadster adopts a low-slung, wedge-shaped profile with strong 1980s cyberpunk influences, butterfly doors, razor-thin full-width light bars front and rear, an enormous deployable wing and four prominent thruster outlets positioned above an aggressive diffuser. The result looks closer to a science-fiction movie car made functional than a conventional EV, appropriate given Musk’s long-running claim that the Roadster should outdo fictional James Bond cars. Tesla has also taken the aerospace theme unusually far. Ano White paint takes inspiration from coatings designed to protect spacecraft against ultraviolet exposure, cryogenic conditions, corrosion, and electrostatic buildup. The Gold Glazed glass is intended to mimic the copper-toned coating used on spacesuit visors, complemented by titanium accents.Inside, the yoke is designed specifically around steer-by-wire, while a central touchscreen is joined by two smaller displays positioned further forward. Instead of moving the entire seat, Tesla uses a fixed seating position and an adjustable pedal box to accommodate different drivers while reducing weight. Microsuede bolsters provide additional grip, while magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber feature extensively throughout the car.More significant is what sits underneath. Tesla’s latest Roadster is rear-wheel drive, using two compact rear motors producing a claimed 1,300 horsepower and 1,033 pound-feet of torque. Despite its battery pack and additional aero hardware, the company is targeting a weight below 1,700 kilograms. Brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, double-wishbone suspension and extensive active aerodynamics further underline the Roadster’s focus on driving engagement. Tesla has not announced final pricing or battery capacity, but post-reveal technical briefings have filled in several important gaps. The new Roadster is targeting more than 300 miles of range, considerably less than the 620 miles originally promised in 2017, while 500-kW Supercharging is expected to take the battery from 15 to 80 percent in around 10 minutes. Tesla is also targeting roughly 25 to 30 minutes of sustained maximum-performance track driving before charging becomes necessary. Reservations for Performance are now open with a fully refundable $5,000 payment followed by another $45,000 within 10 days, bringing the total deposit to $50,000. The Thrust version requires a substantially larger reservation commitment, while Rocket remains invite-only. Musk says production will begin “for real” in 2028, although Tesla’s reservation agreement cautions that the Roadster remains under development and does not guarantee when, or ultimately whether, a reserved vehicle will be delivered. As significant automotive moments go, this is a big one. The Roadster moves the game forward dramatically, combining automotive and aerospace engineering in a way only Tesla was likely to attempt, let alone demonstrate live. View All Teslas for Sale Images: Tesla

By Khris Bharath – September 25, 2026

Tesla Teases Next-Generation Roadster Ahead of October 1 Reveal

Tesla has dropped another teaser for its long-awaited second-generation Roadster, with the company now pointing toward an October 1 reveal after nearly nine years of waiting. Shown at the close of Tesla’s latest Semi event, the few-second clip depicts what appears to be shipping container doors opening around an extremely low-slung vehicle, with a thin light bar and fast-cut graphics lending it a cyberpunk, almost Back to the Future feel. A distorted SpaceX logo also flashes briefly across the screen before the ‘Roadster’ name appears. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tesla (@teslamotors) The timing feels appropriate because Tesla’s own story effectively began with the original Lotus-based Roadster back in the late 2000s. Tesla later described that car’s proprietary electric powertrain as the foundation of its business, with the technology helping form the basis of the Model S. Since then, the company has increasingly embraced unconventional ideas, from the Model X’s Falcon Wing doors and minimalist cabins to the Cybertruck, Semi, and more recently Robotaxi. That history makes a major evolution from designer Franz von Holzhausen’s 2017 Roadster concept increasingly plausible. CEO Elon Musk said back in 2024 that Tesla had “radically increased the design goals” for the car. The original performance targets were already extraordinary, with Tesla claiming a 1.9-second 0-60 mph time, a top speed above 250 mph, and 620 miles of range, as we noted in our coverage of the 2017 reveal. However, Tesla’s now-discontinued Model S Plaid carries a claimed 1.99-second 0-60 mph time, meaning straight-line acceleration alone would no longer deliver the shock value it did back in 2017, and Musk tweeted back in 2024 that the upcoming Roadster will have a 0-60 mph time of under one second. That brings the long-rumored SpaceX package sharply back into focus. Musk has previously described the system in unusually specific terms, telling Jay Leno that the Roadster would use ultra-high-pressure compressed air through cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX, including a primary rear thruster concealed behind the license plate. More recently, Reuters reported that Tesla could demonstrate a limited-edition version equipped with those thrusters at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas test facility. Tesla-focused outlets have also reported that the FAA issued a temporary flight restriction over the McGregor facility through October 2, although the restriction itself does not identify the Roadster or specify the reason for the closure. In terms of cars featuring unconventional technology around the rear, a few notable examples already exist. The GMA T.50 employs a rear-mounted fan to manage airflow, while the McMurtry Spéirling relies on fan-assisted downforce to effectively suck itself to the road. More extreme still, the Nebula NEXT 01 Jet Edition concept has proposed dual solid-fuel rocket boosters. The Roadster will also provide another reference point against the EV hypercars, and we’re curious to see where it will land on our list of the world’s most powerful production cars. Tesla has meanwhile reopened Roadster reservations at $50,000. The original 2017 pricing stood at $200,000 for the standard car and $250,000 for the Founder Series, although final pricing for the production version has yet to be confirmed. Nine years after the original prototype appeared, the October 1 unveiling now looks increasingly like the debut of something far more ambitious than the Roadster Tesla first showed in 2017. View All Teslas for Sale Images: Tesla Motors

By Jordan Aquistapace – March 01, 2024

Elon Musk Tweets That The Tesla Roadster Will Have A 0-60...

And he said that's the least interesting part! We all remember the viral video from 2019 of a Tesla Roadster prototype sprinting off in front of an audience, leaving them all speechless from the instant torque and absence of normal combustion engine noises. While the idea of performance-focused EVs have been thoroughly exercised with cars like the Model S Plaid, Tesla is always striving to push the boundaries and limits of what its vehicles can achieve. As we wait in anticipation for the Roadster's release, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk recently updated the automotive world on some mind-blowing news that he tweeted on his X account. His first tweet read, "Tonight, we radically increased the design goals for the new Tesla Roadster. There will never be another car like this, if you could even call it a car." And while that may not give us any more insight into what to expect, a follower pushed for more answers by asking, "Targeting a 0-60mph time of -1 second with the fastest spec?" For clarity, the Dodge SRT Demon 170 holds the current 0-60mph time at 1.66 seconds, achieved from a 1,025 horsepower supercharged V8 and a ton of drag racing upgrades. Elon responded to the tweet by saying, "0-60mph < 1 sec And that is the least interesting part." Leaving Tesla fans and the rest of the automotive world jaw-dropped, we can only expect that the Tesla Roadster is about to break into the performance realm of multi-million dollar hypercars. In addition to the metaphorical mic drop he left on social media, Elon also expressed the project comes as a Tesla x SpaceX collaboration and that the production design phase is complete. Expecting to showcase "the most mind-blowing product demo of all time", Elon plans the Tesla Roadster to ship next year. View all current Tesla EVs for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Tesla EVs For Sale https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1762716007913652650?s=46&t=s2GpjYe3YRXzyOlSIgDYTA Source: Elon Musk X (@elonmusk)

By Andrew Nabors – August 29, 2018

Jay Leno Tests the 2020 Tesla Roadster

The first production car by Tesla was their Roadster which was unveiled a decade ago. It was based on a Lotus but featured a 53 kWh battery and a 3-phase AC motor. Twelve years and several thousand cars later, the 2020 Roadster is poised to shake up the industry. Using battery improvements pioneered on the Model S P100 and the Model X, the 2020 Tesla Roadster will arrive with a 200 kWh battery.Check Out Jay Leno's Car CollectionWith four times the power of its predecessor, Jay Leno decided to take control of their latest creation. While it would have been nice to drive the 1st example, it is on its way to the outer solar system, thanks to a Space X test flight. It arrives with three motors, one for the front and two for the rear. The allows it to have 7,400 lb-ft of torque at any speed. If you drive politely, you will have 620 miles between charges. Tell us what you think in the comments below, and click the link to find a Tesla for yourself.Browse Tesla For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 09, 2018

NASA: Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is Officially a Celestia...

If you haven't heard about Tesla's recent Falcon Heavy launch, you're absolutely missing out. Not only was it a tremendous success for the future of space exploration, they launched Elon Musk's personal Tesla Roadster into space. I'm not saying that launched it into the sky for it to fall back down. No, the car is currently floating around somewhere in between Mars and Earth. In fact, the electric car is so far gone into space that NASA has officially declared it a celestial object.New Tesla Roadster: Quickest Car in the WorldWhat's a celestial object? I'll save you the Google search and tell you that it's a "structure that exists in the observable universe." Along with the title, NASA has entered the Roadster into their HORIZONS Web-Interface. Within this system, you can get the ephemerides for the object (an ephemeris is a data file that gives the calculated position of a specific celestial object). With this information, you can theoretically track the exact location of the Tesla within the solar system.Now that the Tesla was launched into space, does that make it the fastest car ever? I mean, it did reach speeds of over 16,000 mph on its way out to space...

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