Toyota

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

2027 GR GT Lexus LFA Japan Charles Bradley-13

By Charles Bradley – December 07, 2025

Analysis: Decoding The Double Toyotas And Lexus LFA Rebirth

duPont REGISTRY grabbed a front-row seat for the world premiere of not just one but three supercars in Japan last week. The countdown clock and music set the scene, before the wraps came off Lexus’s new LFA concept at Toyota’s Woven City plant in eastern Japan. It sat in right front of me, to the left of the stage, with space for the two other cars I was expecting – and when the wraps came off, it was essentially the Lexus Sport Concept that I previously saw debuted at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and latterly on the concept lawn at Pebble Beach two days later. That same design, featuring elegant styling for a future-focused flagship for Lexus’s range, will signal the way forward for future designs. Its wide but low-profile two-door form blends dynamic elements that give some visual nods to the LFA of 2010-’12. But the big reveal here was that its powertrain will be all-electric, yet details about its specifics and potential performance were scarce from the engineering team. Are they perhaps waiting for solid state battery technology to mature? Next to hit the stage – well, drive on to it at least, were two cars that will be available way before the next-gen LFA. The Gazoo Racing-badged GR GT and its racing GR GT3 sibling cut a dramatic scene as they burbled into view, four-liter V8 engines echoing off the backdrop as they revved to a halt. Before we walked into the hall, a display outside had borrowed a Toyota 2000GT from the nearby Fuji Motorsports Museum, and that long nose, sweeping fastback tail was a nice throwback to the future-forward machines that will headline Toyota’s future. Typically for a Japanese manufacturer, Toyota leans on its heritage and claims these cars embody its “Shikinen Sengu” – or “secret sauce” of car making – to a new generation. After a warmup from Simon Humphries, Toyota’s operating officer and chief branding guru, company chairman Akio Toyoda took to the stage. We’d already heard that the trigger for this trio of cars came from Toyoda’s visit to Pebble Beach 14 years ago, where he heard that “Toyota designs boring cars”. His response was to feel “kuyashisa” – a Japanese word often used literally to express “frustration,” “regret,” or “vexation” – but Toyoda himself stood in front of the English word “humiliation” at the world premiere – the harshest translation you can get. “I will never forget that feeling of humiliation,” Toyoda said on stage, via an interpreter. “The pain is definitely the force that drives me even now.” Wow, when was the last time you heard an automotive executive admit that? He also spoke of his dismay that his products were outclassed, from a performance perspective, around the Nürburgring’s fearsome Nordschleife, so it’s no surprise that the new GR GT has been pounding around it in pre-production testing, as they seek a sub-seven minute laptime. In that vein, Toyota told us how the road car and race car were designed and built in tandem, with each requirement complementing the other. It really can claim to be a GT3 racing car with road license plates, and if squint hard at its lines, I got a strong sense of Nissan GT-R R32 vibes, which is no bad thing! Has Toyota created its very own JDM Godzilla? Time will tell… The GR GT was born in a post-Covid world, and we saw photos of Toyota’s engineers all masked as they created the basic layout of the car. They considered a mid-engined layout, as Toyoda had given them a completely open brief, but settled on front-engined, rear-wheel drive. The road version also boasts a small electric motor (hybrids are banned in GT3 racing), that transmits extra power into its wild, rear-mounted transmission – that they proudly showed off in a cutaway format, along with the all-new engine and turbos. The all-aluminum spaceframe chassis is also incredible to behold, yet just where the LFA Concept – which shares this platform – will store its batteries is an interesting question. Of course, you’d expect it to be four-wheel drive with multiple motors at the front and rear, so there’ll be no need for that carbon torque tube of the GR GT. While that was on clear display, many details were still under wraps. We expect the GR GT to be on sale at some point in 2027, and we asked questions on pricing many times, with the best response being “reference the road cars of our GT3 racing rivals”. So, if we take that as a Porsche 992.2-gen 911, that’s somewhere north of $200,000 but under $250k. Another nugget we learned from Humphries was that “when this car is finally finished, it’ll answer Akio’s last request to completely redefine the sound of an electric sportscar.” And perhaps that’s the only sad aspect to this launch, that iconic sound of the LFA’s V10 – which has developed such a cult-like respect in recent years – will likely never be heard again. That was a car which didn’t sell well, because it was probably ahead of its time. How will the second-gen LFA be regarded, and more to the point, what will it sound like? But you can rest assured about the GR GT, as after a little encouragement a day later at Fuji Speedway, we got to hear the car revved hard in the garage. Stood right behind it, my flapping jeans were a testament to its current 641 horsepower level. It seems not all Toyotas are boring, after all. View All Toyotas For Sale View All Lexus For Sale Images: Charles Bradley

Three sleek, high-performance sports cars—including the striking Lexus LFA Concept—are showcased in a studio setting under dramatic lighting, with the central car flaunting a prominent rear wing and racing modifications.

By Khris Bharath – December 04, 2025

Toyota Unveils GR GT, GR GT3, and Lexus LFA Concept in Japan

Toyota Gazoo Racing and Lexus have finally given us the moment that we’ve all been waiting for. The successor to one of the greatest-sounding road cars ever built has a name: GR GT. Over in Toyota Woven City, Japan, the world’s largest automaker has showcased not one, but three high-performance flagships together: the GR GT, the GR GT3, and the Lexus LFA Concept. But before we get to the GR-GT, some context first. Looking back at the original LFA, besides being the flagship, the highlight of that car was its high-revving 4.8-liter V10 that put out 552 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Tuned by Yamaha, the 1LR-GUE could hit 9,000 rpm and earned reverence through sensation and an evocative soundtrack, rather than outright power figures. It proved Japan could build a halo car that belonged in the same conversation, such as mid-engined exotics like the Carrera GT. With time passing, a successor wasn’t just inevitable but imminent. Momentum about a potential LFA successor began building in 2021 when Chairman Akio Toyoda rolled out his mega lineup of 30 BEV concepts. Among them sat a low-slung coupe that was quickly labeled LFR. In 2022, the front-engined Rear Wheel Drive GR GT concept appeared. A year later, a short Fuji Speedway clip surfaced on Twitter (now X), and the tone was unmistakable. No V10 anymore, but something deeper like a V8. Since then, prototypes have been spotted at Nürburgring, California test loops, at Goodwood, and even at the Quail as the Lexus Sport Concept. Then came the teaser at last month’s Japan Mobility Week, showing the 2000 GT, the LFA, and a blank space waiting to be filled. Now, Toyota is bringing something new to carry that torch forward, and the approach this time is all about capability and track consistency. Toyota is calling the GR GT a road-legal version of its GT3 race car based on the same platform, and the spec sheet backs that up. Under the hood sits a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with dry sump lubrication, paired with a single-motor hybrid unit integrated into the rear transaxle. Power is transmitted through a carbon torque tube into a new 8-speed automatic with a wet-start clutch and a mechanical, limited-slip differential (LSD). Target output is 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. Heavy components are mounted low down to drop the center of gravity, and the weight distribution is 45 percent front, 55 percent rear. The chassis is Toyota’s first all-aluminum frame, with aluminum castings and extrusions forming the core structure, joined with advanced bonding methods normally associated with motorsport. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and aluminum panels keep mass in check. Exterior dimensions confirm the larger footprint. The GR GT measures up 189.8 inches long, 78.7 inches wide, 47 inches tall, and sits on a longer 107.3-inch wheelbase. The original LFA was shorter at around 177 inches, narrower at 74.6, and carried a slightly taller roofline. Visually, each of the three cars carries its own distinctive character. While the GT GT3 features an aggressive swan-neck fixed wing, the LFA concept appears far more restrained, whereas the GR GT sits somewhere in between. Inside, everything prioritizes visibility and driver connection. With two screens, one for instrumentation and a larger central display, controls sit near the flat-bottom steering wheel, physical buttons for added tactility, and sporty Recaro seats. Here is a cabin that puts function front and center. Development weight was set at 3,858 pounds or lower, which would make the GR GT heavier than the original LFA, but with far greater aero, footprint, and hybrid hardware. You get double wishbone suspension front and rear, wrapped in 265-section front and 325 rear tires on 20-inch wheels, braking handled by Brembo carbon ceramics, and you get Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s developed specifically for this car. These tires are not an off-the-shelf compound. Simulator testing began early, with development at Shimoyama, Fuji Speedway, the aforementioned Nürburgring, and even on public roads to ensure balance between circuit performance and road usability. One of the biggest development differences from the old LFA is how Toyota built the car. The GR GT follows an aero-first philosophy, reversing the normal styling, then the aero workflow. Toyota locked the driving position first, then shaped the car around it. Steering angle, pedal reach, and visibility. The test program followed a simple loop. Drive it hard, break something, fix it, and make it stronger, repeat. Engineering was not a checklist exercise. It was seat time with Morizo pushing for more pace, and development drivers Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroaki Ishiura, Naoya Gamo, Daisuke Toyoda, along with internal test drivers helped refine feedback at every stage. In the hybrid system, the motor-generator fills torque during acceleration and eliminates the response dip during shifts, delivering constant thrust rather than the typical turbo wait. Stability control is multi-stage adjustable, derived from Nürburgring 24-hour programs, allowing drivers to dial difficulty and slip based on skill and conditions. Cooling also played a major role. Vents carved into the bodywork feed radiators, brakes, and hybrid components. Air exits behind the doors to manage pressure and heat. This reveal also features the GR GT3, a full FIA GT3-spec race car built to win, sharing its core engine architecture with the road-going GR GT. Same 4.0-liter twin turbo V8, same fundamental layout, but stripped, hardened, and tuned for competitive endurance. Toyota has engineered the platform to operate on grids around the world with factory-backed support for customer teams, simulator development, and a chassis built to handle wheel-to-wheel action. Also, starting in 2026, Haas will enter the grid as the TGR Haas F1 Team, marking Toyota Gazoo Racing’s official return to the top tier of motorsport. And opposite that fuel-burning future sits the LFA BEV Concept, which Lexus has revealed as the electric evolution of the original LFA spirit. It shares the same development philosophy as the GR GT and GT3: low center of gravity, high rigidity, aero-first packaging, but applies it to electric architecture. Inside, a wrap-around cockpit around the driver, along with a yoke steering wheel. The brand is further building on its motorsport ambitions. Toyota expects ongoing development toward a 2027 launch timeframe, with further details released as testing continues. With no Nissan R36 GT-R in sight, the Gazoo Racing GT is Japan’s new halo performance car, period. View All Toyotas for Sale Images: Toyota / Lexus

Two men present two futuristic concept SUVs on stage—one silver with open doors (top) and one red (bottom)—both under dramatic lighting at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, showcasing the innovation of Century Brands and Lexus.

By Khris Bharath – October 29, 2025

Toyota Reimagines Luxury and Heritage with Lexus Century ...

A few teasers had already set the tone for Toyota’s big reveal at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. In the weeks leading up to the event, the company dropped glimpses of a radical four-seater Toyota Century coupe concept, a surprise futuristic and sleek all-electric Corolla, and a luxury Lexus minivan. This momentum followed the debut of the compact 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ, signaling a clear message: Toyota is reshaping its entire lineup for a new design-led era. When the covers finally came off in Tokyo, Toyota Group laid out a new philosophy for its future. Across brands like Lexus, Toyota, Daihatsu, and now Century as a standalone marque, the company presented a vision built around individuality, lifestyle, technology, and tradition. Lexus’s Chief Branding Officer, Simon Humphries, presented the new LS Van Concept, a radical-looking six-wheeled “luxury space,” which redefines what a flagship model can be in an age where traditional sedans have been losing ground to the likes of SUVs. The focus here is on freedom, privacy, and personal space, three things that resonate deeply in a world where time and tranquility are the ultimate luxuries. Supporting its debut were two other flagships: the LS Coupe Concept and the Lexus Sport Concept, which we've previously seen earlier this year at the Quail. Lexus also showcased its broader “360-degree mobility” vision, expanding beyond roads. In collaboration with Joby Aviation, it previewed quiet, fully electric air mobility systems that could let you travel between your residence, city hub, and coastal retreat without touching the ground. Lexus even teased an autonomous catamaran concept, showing how its design principles can extend seamlessly to the sea. During Chairman Akio Toyoda’s presentation of the new Century Coupe and the Century brand, he told the story of Japan’s resilience and identity. He recalled how, in 1963, Chief Engineer Kenya Nakamura created the first Century under the mantra “to be like no other,” bringing together cutting-edge innovation with Japanese craftsmanship, such as Nishijin-ori brocade and Edo metal engraving. Toyoda framed the Century as “a symbol of Japan’s pride,” created to embody peace, and cultural exchange. With its iconic phoenix emblem representing harmony and renewal, the new Century brand stands for Japan’s rebirth as much as Toyota’s next century of innovation, and within the brand hierarchy, the marque will now sit above Lexus. For those unaware, the Century brand until now has been exclusive to Japan, and is often favored by the nation's elite, including the Japanese Royal Family. But with this move and the introduction of the SUV in 2023, the Japanese automaker is set to take on flagship luxury marques from the West like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. While Toyota revealed a lot during its presentation, all eyes are now on Toyota Gazoo Racing's first supercar, confirmed for a December reveal. Watch this space. View All Toyotas For Sale Images: Toyota Motor Corporation

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