Valkyrie

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

A row of Aston Martin race cars, including the limited to 10, track-only Valkyrie LM with Le Mans DNA, are lined up side by side on a racetrack pit lane.

By Khris Bharath – June 08, 2025

Aston Martin Valkyrie LM Unleashed: Track-Only Hypercar L...

Aston Martin has just lifted the veil on one of its most ambitious and exclusive track cars to date. Meet the Valkyrie LM (short for Le Mans), an ultra-exclusive limited-run hypercar tribute born from the brand’s 2025 competition Valkyrie, the very car preparing to compete at the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans next weekend. The Valkyrie LM combines the British marque's long-storied legacy with the iconic French venue and some of the latest cutting-edge tech from the world of motorsports. Aston Martin first took part in Le Mans nearly a century ago in 1928; this year’s return to Le Mans is the sports carmaker’s most ambitious effort since the company’s outright victory in 1959 with Roy Salvadori and the legendary Carroll Shelby at the wheel of a DBR1. 2026 Aston Martin Valkyrie LM Conceived directly from the brand’s Le Mans racing program, but engineered exclusively for private hands, the Valkyrie LM is a track-only machine that is nearly identical to Aston’s current FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) hypercar contenders. Production is limited to just 10 examples. At the heart of the Valkyrie LM lies the same lean-burn 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated Cosworth-built V12, which is limited to 697 horsepower by regulation. But compared to the competition Valkyrie, the LM forgoes things like the ballast, torque sensors, and other restrictive FIA electronics of the race car. Instead, you get more friendly calibrations ideal for amateur drivers, with an open-loop torque control and a bespoke cockpit interface. Power is routed to the rear wheels wrapped in model-exclusive Pirelli tires through a seven-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters, identical in operation to the racing version. Suspension stays race-spec with the LM packing a double wishbone setup, pushrod-actuated torsion bar springs, and adjustable dampers. “The Valkyrie LM is close to identical to the race car that is currently competing in WEC and IMSA. With only a few minor deviations, it remains the most authentic Hypercar track experience now available.” - Adam Carter, Head of Endurance Motorsport, Aston Martin Inside, things continue to stay driver-focused, and safety remains a priority. You get a custom carbon-fiber race seat that features a FIA 8853 six-point harness, a fire suppression system, and a multifunctional steering wheel display and shift lights, rounding up this stripped-down cockpit. Experience and Ownership “There is nothing on Earth that compares to Valkyrie. With LM, we bring customers closer than ever to the visceral forces and cutting-edge tech of modern endurance racing.” - Adrian Hallmark, CEO, Aston Martin. Owning this track-exclusive hypercar will get you into Aston Martin’s Valkyrie LM Performance Club, an experience that begins with an exclusive handover event of the car in Q2 2026. This will be followed by an immersive factory-managed driver development programme. Organized by a professional motorsport team, the fully-managed ‘fly-in-and-drive’ format comprises everything from simulator coaching, track walks, and classroom briefings to one-on-one driver training sessions, telemetry, and video analysis. A full driver kit is also part of the package that includes a custom helmet, a fireproof suit, gloves, boots, molded ear pieces, as well as a Head and Neck Support (HANS) device. As for the cars, they will be prepared, maintained, and stored by Aston Martin themselves and will be transported to F1-grade circuits for a series of curated events, under the brand’s UNLEASHED programme, in Q3 and Q4 of 2026. A celebratory gala dinner for the 10 lucky Valkyrie LM owners will follow at Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ, in England, in December. Summing Up The Valkyrie LM With Aston Martin finally returning to the top tier of endurance racing in 2025 and gunning for the top spot this year, the stakes are higher than ever. One thing that also sets the competition Valkyrie AMR LMH apart from the rest of the field is that it is the only road-derived non-hybrid hypercar to compete in both the WEC and IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar Championships. Since its inception in 2016, the Valkyrie has pushed the boundaries of performance, both in Coupe, Spider, and racing formats. Neither built for homologation nor street use, the Valkyrie LM is an extension of that philosophy and presents an opportunity to 10 lucky owners to experience the closest thing to an endurance racing machine, without having to hold a competition license. View All Aston Martins For Sale Source: Aston Martin

Two teal Aston Martin hypercars, including the Valkyrie AMR LMH set to make its Le Mans debut, are showcased side by side—one in race-ready form with sponsor decals and the other in a sleek road car version.

By Khris Bharath – June 04, 2025

Valkyrie AMR-LMH Set To Make Le Mans Debut: One Thing Tha...

As the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans fast approaches later this month, the grid for the FIA World Endurance Championship’s (WEC) hypercar class continues to remain one of the most diverse in recent memory. From Ferrari’s all-conquering 499P to the Porsche 963, both the LMH and LMDh grids are packed with cutting-edge racing machines. But among them, one entry in particular stands out, for what it represents. Aston Martin’s AMR-LMH is the only car in the hypercar class that was born on the road. While most cars are designed from the ground up as purebred racers, the Valkyrie LMH is a race-modified version of Aston Martin’s already potent road-going Valkyrie, borrowing a carbon fiber chassis, key aerodynamic elements like the distinctive underfloor Venturi tunnels, and a teardrop cockpit canopy. It is also the only hypercar this year to participate in both the WEC and IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar Championship. Co-developed with Formula 1 mastermind Adrian Newey, the Valkyrie is powered by a screaming naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine. Now this is noteworthy because, unlike most LMH and LMDh cars that run a hybrid drivetrain, the Valkyrie sticks with a Cosworth-built V12 unit that revs to 11,000 rpm and ditches the hybrid system of the road-going car. That makes it the only one on the grid powered purely by internal combustion. Power output is down by 300 hp compared to the street car’s 1,160 horsepower, but 700 horsepower (as per LMH BoP regulations) is still substantial, especially in a car that weighs just 1,030 kg (2,270 pounds). This decision of trading outright efficiency for old-school performance is as much an emotional move as a strategic one. It captures the essence of what endurance racing used to be back in the day. Aston Martin has a rich and storied history with 24 Hours of Le Mans going back nearly a century, making its first appearance in 1928. The most significant moment at the venue arrived for the British marque when it achived multiple class wins in 1959 with the DBR 1. While the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH is yet to deliver anything higher than eighth this season, all eyes will be on the Circuit de la Sarthe, where Aston with an all-British driver lineup will most certainly be the loudest down the Mulsanne straight View All Aston Martins For Sale " width="680"> Watch the team principal of Aston Martin (The Heart Of Racing, THOR), Ian James, talk us through the highlights of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH Image Source: Aston Martin

A vintage silver car and a modern blue sports car drive side by side on a tree-lined road in daylight—where Valkyrie Meets Cloverleaf On Aston Hill: Where It All Began 100 Years Ago.

By Khris Bharath – May 18, 2025

Valkyrie Meets Cloverleaf On Aston Hill: Where It All Beg...

When you think Aston Martin, you often associate the British automaker with stunning, luxurious continent-crossing long-distance V12 GT cars, or with the glamorous world of James Bond. However, decades before Sean Connery’s DB5 ever hit the big screen, the marque forged its history through motorsport. The company can trace its roots back to Aston Clinton hill-climb, in Buckinghamshire, England. Over a century ago, the brand’s founder, Lionel Martin, and his business partner, Robert Bamford, were regulars on the hillclimb scene, with their lightweight racing machines. It was at this venue that the pair got their first taste of victory, leading Martin’s wife to suggest naming the company after the Hill Climb, and Aston Martin was born. The final race at Aston Hill took place in 1925. To mark the centenary of that final race, the company brought its F1-bred carbon fiber-clad 1,140 horsepower Valkyrie hypercar to run alongside one of Aston’s oldest surviving historic race cars, known as the Clover Leaf. The short clip released by Aston Martin shows both cars taking on the iconic hill climb in dramatic fashion. Designed by the legendary F1 designer, Adrian Newey, the Valkyrie’s 6.5-liter Cosworth-built V12 is seen howling through the same tree-lined bit of tarmac that once brought glory to its ancestors. Aston Martin’s motorsport legacy dates back to the 1910s and the high-speed banking at Brooklands in 1914, a venue where a works car would top 103 mph a decade later with the Aston Martin Razor Blade. By the early 1920s, Aston was being backed by a wealthy investor, Count Louis Zborowski, and his funding propelled Aston into Europe’s premier Grand Prix scene, where the company saw even more success. While Zborowski’s death in 1924 almost killed the dream, Aston’s reputation stuck and is one that has helped it persevere through turbulent times and multiple ownerships in the past 100 years. But it was under Sir David Brown in the post-war years that the company took a giant leap forward, with both its race cars and road cars. The ‘DB’ moniker seen on popular Aston models to this day honors Brown, who acquired the company in 1947 and resurrected it, steering Aston to a Le Mans victory and a World Sports Cars Championship in 1959. While Formula 1 was a tougher nut to crack back in the early 1960s, decades later, and after countless GT victories, Aston finally returned to F1 as a full works team in 2021, under Canadian businessman and billionaire Lawrence Stroll. While the two cars seen in the film are over a century apart, both are at the cutting-edge of technology, innovation and top-tier performance for their respective eras and serve as a fitting tribute to the venue, where the Aston story all began. View All Aston Martins For Sale " width="680"> Image Source: Aston Martin YouTube

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