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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 Nicole Slaughter-Graham – June 17, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: June 17, 2016

Nothing beats a one-of-a-kind set of tires or a really hot find on the auction block. How about Dubai's police Super Fleet? These and more were among the favorite articles this week. Check out the full list and let us know which one was your favorite.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/aftermarket/z-tyres-makes-guinness-book-records-reason/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/celebrity-cars/cars-transformers-5-last-knight/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/dubais-police-seize-81-vehicles-for-high-speeds/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/land-rover-england/land-rover-discovery-sport-tows-train-weighing-100-tons/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/events/barrett-jackson/two-gas-monkey-garage-autos-barrett-jackson/

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – June 10, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: June 10, 2016

Speed and danger are in for this second, sunny week in June. Check out the Isle of Man race and watch as a hybrid and electric car face off on the Autobahn. Check out the rest of your favorite posts for this week, and let us know which one is your favorite.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/michael-dunlop-crushes-isle-man-tt-superbike-race-times/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/tesla-model-s-bmw-i8-face-off-autobahn/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/porsche/new-porsche-911-r-pushes-200-mph-autobahn/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/toyota/toyota-alludes-bringing-back-supra/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/number-one-plate-sells-for-nearly-5-million-in-uae/

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – June 03, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: June 3, 2016

It's all about the track and specialty vehicles this week. Check out our full list of top articles and let us know which one was your favorite.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/ferrari-488-gtb-shocks-crowd-massive-burnout/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/revealed-new-ferrari-458-mm-speciale/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/celebrity-cars/pagani-huayra-delivers-shoes-christiano-ronaldo/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ford/whatever-happened-ford-gt90/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/bugatti/first-bugatti-chiron-passenger-lap-around-nurburgring/

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – April 15, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: April 15, 2016

It's all about speed and start up this week. From hitting over 200 mph to setting open top track records, speed dominated the polls this time. Check out what Hennessey was up to and decide for yourself whether the Bugatti EB110 or the Chiron revs better.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/bugatti/bugatti-eb110-gt-revs-and-accelerations/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/road-legal-ferrari-fxx-hits-200-mph/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/aftermarket/hennessey/venom-gt-fastest-convertible-world/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/bmw/bmw-m5-192-mph/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/bugatti/black-bugatti-chiron-cold-start-up-and-unloading/

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – April 08, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: April 8, 2016

This week brings in the weird, the amazing and the all out fantastic. From exotic hearse mobiles to racing and drifting in the snow, this week was a hit for fun videos. Check out the full list below and let us know which article was your favorite.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/supra-corvette-drift-battle-snowy-epicness/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/tesla-model-s-boeing-737-face-off/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/trunk-space-ferrari-laferrari-vs-f12tdf/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/porsche/spotted-porsche-panamera-hearse/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/lamborghini/mclaren-675lt-vs-supercharged-lamborghini-huracan/

By Edward Jones – April 01, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: April 1, 2016

Tesla unveiled the new Tesla Model 3 just yesterday, but it seems our readers were more interested in articles of the supercar nature. Our most view article involved a hilarious prank involving Batman and a Lamborghini Aventador. We also saw a lot of hits on a scary incident with a Camaro losing its brakes. Check them all out below.5.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/ferrari-599-gtb-vs-koenigsegg-agera-r/4.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/f40/ferrari-f40-goes-rallying-snow-camp-site/3.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/camaro-loses-brakes-100-mph-make-amazing-recovery-ever-seen/2.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/rolls-royce-hyperion-sale/1.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/celebrity-cars/batman-lamborghini-aventador-uber-prank/

By Edward Jones – February 19, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: Feb. 19 2016

We had a lot of great content this week, with a lot of it containing some very exciting videos. From a Tesla Model X racing a Model S on the drag strip, to a woman's hilarious reaction to winning an Aston Martin on The Price is Right, there was a lot of automotive entertainment to be had. Check out the top five most popular articles from this week to see what I'm talking about. #5https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/model-x-vs-model-x/#4https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/insanely-fast-bugatti-veyron-vitesse-wrc-donuts/#3https://blog.dupontregistry.com/aston-martin/woman-wins-aston-martin-vantage-gt-on-the-price-is-right/#2https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/lamborghini-diablo-vt-6-0-shows-ferrari-how-snow-donuts-are-done/And your #1 Autofluence article of the week is...https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/lamborghini-sesto-elemento-rips-up-qatar-highway/

By Steve Chapman Jr – February 05, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: Feb 5. 2016

February 2016 started off as a loud month. From Porsche 918's racing McLaren 650's, Bugatti Gran Turismo revs and a lot of sad/mad Ford fans realizing that the new GT is going to be a lot harder to own than originally thought.Check out the Top 5 Autofluence Articles from the week of Feb 5th below and let us know what the highlight of your week was in the comments below!#5https://blog.dupontregistry.com/porsche/918-spyder/porsche-918-spyder-mclaren-650s-drag-race/#4https://blog.dupontregistry.com/bugatti/bugatti-vision-gran-turismo-startup-paris/#3https://blog.dupontregistry.com/lamborghini/porsche-918-spyder-vs-lamborghini-aventador-pirelli-edition-launch-control-drag-race/#2https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/1-6-million-offered-for-impounded-ferrari-enzo-cannot-accept/#1https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ford/heres-why-you-probably-wont-own-a-new-ford-gt/

By Edward Jones – January 29, 2016

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: Jan. 29 2016

My highlight of the week? Having an Aston Martin Vulcan show up for sale on our website. And, it looks like it was big news for many of our readers out there as well, because it made it in as the fifth most viewed article of the week. Check out the Top 5 Autofluence Articles from the week of January 29th below and let us know what the highlight of your week was in the comments below!#5https://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/aston-martin-vulcan-for-sale/#4https://blog.dupontregistry.com/porsche/new-2017-porsche-718-boxster-and-boxster-s-adds-power/#3https://blog.dupontregistry.com/ferrari/96350/#2https://blog.dupontregistry.com/celebrity-cars/conor-mcgregor-car-collection/And your #1 Autofluence article of the week is....https://blog.dupontregistry.com/koenigsegg/koenigsegg-agera-r-races-porsche-918-spyder-on-autobahn/

By Edward Jones – December 18, 2015

Top 5 Autofluence Articles of the Week: Dec. 18 2015

It's the week before Christmas and we've already received some great presents. These include some the premiere of the new Star Wars film, and the articles below, which were are top five most viewed articles.If you happened to miss one or just want to see it again, be sure to click the articles below to see what made them so popular.https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/900-hp-dodge-viper-vs-1000-hp-toyota-supra/https://blog.dupontregistry.com/rolls-royce/wraith-carbon-fiber-edition/https://blog.dupontregistry.com/celebrity-cars/jay-leno-drives-hot-wheels-darth-vader-car/https://blog.dupontregistry.com/the-lifestyle/michael-jordans-estate-in-illinois-for-sale/ https://blog.dupontregistry.com/videos/ferrari-458-vs-lamborghini-aventador/

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