Veyron

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 group of men in business attire stand near two Bugatti Veyron cars, famed for their W16 engines, in a clean, modern showroom with white walls and glossy floors.

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 17, 2025

Bugatti Recaps The Veyron Story On Ferdinand Piëch's 88th...

Bugatti honors the creator of a legendary engineering breakthrough. Over 20 years ago, Bugatti introduced the Veyron, which permanently changed the course of the automotive industry, especially in the realm of high performance. Thanks to an incredible quad-turbocharged W16 engine with 8 liters of displacement, the Veyron mustered nearly 1,000 horsepower and boasted the ability to reach a record-breaking top speed above 250 mph. Of course, the Veyron made easy for the Chiron after it, which made that performance even greater, and after that came models like the Divo, Centodieci, Bolide and Mistral, which have all shown off the incredible ability of Bugatti’s unmatched W16 engine. That engine was the brainchild of a true legend in German automotive engineering, Ferdinand Piëch, whose other feats include the Porsche 917, the five-cylinder Audi engine, TDI technology, quattro all-wheel drive and many more. Today would mark his 88th birthday, as he was born on April 17, 1937, and it was on a train from Tokyo to Nagoya, Japan in 1997, when the idea that would manifest in the Bugatti Veyron was first born. Messily sketched on the back of an envelope, Piëch originally envisioned an 18-cylinder engine, meant to power a car with 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of around 250 mph, both feats the Veyron achieved. Trying to determine a brand that would serve as the face of this incredible innovation, Piëch considered names like Bentley and Rolls-Royce. However, it was his son, Gregor’s interest in buying a model of a Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic that made him realize that Bugatti would be the perfect name for the W16 car to wear. Volkswagen Group secured the Bugatti name, and the Bugatti EB 118 concept was shown only a few months later. After that, the EB 218 sedan concept was shown in Geneva, and the EB 18/3 Chiron supercar concept was shown shortly after, with looks that would somewhat echo the production Veyron. Closer to the eventual production Veyron was the EB 18/4 Veyron concept, unveiled in 1999 at the Tokyo Motor Show, and the announcement that a production car of the Veyron’s proportions would be built came in 2001. In 2005, the vision came to life, and the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 was born, combining groundbreaking performance with luxury, elegance, and distinguished style. Over 20 years later, the legacy of the Veyron still remains an incredibly important fixture on the trajectory of the automotive industry, and as Bugatti introduces the hybrid V16 Tourbillon, the Veyron is an important benchmark to measure its innovation and influence. View All Bugatti Veyrons For Sale Image Source: Bugatti

By Andrew Nabors – August 02, 2019

O'Gara Beverly Hills: Low Mileage 2008 Bugatti Veyron For...

Age is a major consideration if you are buying a daily driver. It is merely a detail if you are looking for an investment. A Bugatti Veyron is the culmination of a decade of development by a team of experts. The company handpicked the best designers, engineers, and coachbuilders from around the world. It takes an extensive payroll to build each example because there is no automation involved. Once you drive one, this quality speaks for itself. A Veyron has no compromises. It can be driven every day, as it is as quiet and refined as the world's best luxury cars. Or, you can tickle the dragon that lies beneath the accelerator. At your command is 1001 horsepower and 922 lb-ft of torque. The 8.0L sixteen-cylinder is built by hand for perfect 3rd order harmonic balance. The engine's firing order ignites opposing cylinders simultaneously, so you won't even feel it running. You will hear it, as the four turbochargers have equal length manifolds. This pristine 2008 example has only been outside for 2,538 miles, so it has no signs of wear inside our out. This 2-tone motif with polished wheels and Anthracite interior is highly desirable. Like its siblings, the over-engineered nature of the Veyron offers years reliability, with collectibility that is unmatched in the automotive world. This is a great opportunity to own a like-new hypercar. It is being offered by our friends at O'Gara Beverly Hills, so please click the link below and stay with us for more of their amazing inventory. Click Here to View Listing " width="680">

By Edward Jones – November 16, 2015

Bugatti Veyron Vitesse WRC AWD Burnout

In celebration of Bugatti hitting 254 mph in the Veyron Vitesse, they created the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC (World Record Car) edition. This model featured an easily identified Arancia orange and naked carbon fiber exterior. It's cabin also enjoys the orange and black color scheme. But, what's even more important than the visual modifications is the raw power that the car's W16 engine sends through its all-wheel drive system.Displaying the WRC edition's power was DutchBugs, who performed an AWD burnout their example of the hypercar in Amsterdam. Van Dorp Exclusive Automobiles was on hand to capture the car's takeoff and uploaded the resulting video to YouTube. You can view this video above. (Don't try this at home and always be sure to follow traffic laws.)The WRC edition is just one of the many special Veyrons that Bugatti has produced. In fact, we have quite a few special Veyrons for sale on duPontREGISTRY.com. You can view them by clicking the button below.Veyrons For Sale (via YouTube/TheSupercarKids) More Bugatti news

By Caitlin Duffy – November 03, 2015

McLaren P1 vs Bugatti Veyron Rolling Start Drag Race

When the Bugatti Veyron was first introduced, it was the fastest production car in the world. But that was a decade ago, and other manufacturers have caught on to Bugatti's engineering and devised powerful beasts of their own.McLaren was able to craft a hybrid capable of taking on the Veyron's massive W16 engine, achieving a 0-62 mph time just a few milliseconds shy of the Veyron's with about two-thirds of the the horsepower. For comparison's sake, the Veyron reaches 62 mph from a standstill in 2.4 seconds, while the P1 does it in 2.8.So who wins when the two come up against each other for a rolling start drag race down an airstrip? Shift S3ctor recently had a chance to find out during their October Airstrip Attack event, and Charles May was there with his camera. May shared a video of the match up on YouTube Oct. 29, and we get to see for ourselves, from the passenger seat of the P1, which car hits the end fastest.Let us know in the comments which one you think wins, then check out the video and find your own P1 or Veyron for your collection from our exclusive listings.P1s For Sale Veyrons For Sale (via YouTube) See More Automotive News

By Edward Jones – October 22, 2015

Bugatti Veyron Demolishes Mercedes-AMG GT S Despite Head ...

Drag races between high-powered cars happen all the time, all around the world. But if it weren't for the invention of the internet, we wouldn't be able to see most of the more spectacular races. Case-in-point, this video of a Mercedes-AMG GT S taking on a Bugatti Veyron, uploaded by GTBOARD.com Oct. 21.(See Also: Porsche 918 Spyder vs Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Drag Race)In the video, the two cars pull up to the drag strip for a rolling start, with the AMG GT S getting a little head start. But, can you blame its driver? The power difference between the two cars is staggering.Even with the head start, the AMG GT S was ultimately taken for a walk by the Veyron in the end. See this happen for yourself by clicking the play button below. Engine: 4.0-liter V8Transmission: 7-speed DCTHorsepower: 503Torque: 479 lb-ftDry Weight: 3,695 lbs0-60 mph: 3.7 secondsTop Speed: 193 mph918 Listings Engine: 8.0-liter W16Transmission: 7-speed DSGHorsepower: 1,001Torque: 922 lb-ftDry Weight: 4,162 lbs0-62 mph: 2.5 secondsTop Speed: 253 mphVeyron Listings

By Edward Jones – October 21, 2015

Porsche 918 Spyder vs Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Drag Race

It's a battle between two hypercars: one hails from France, the other from Germany.During the fourth annual Stars Rallye Télévie event in Europe, TheCaraf witnessed the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 take on the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar. The race itself occurred at the Circuit of the Pole des Ardennes in France.(See Also: Sports Car Drag Race: Cayman GT4 vs M4 vs i8 vs RC F)They thankfully uploaded a video of the race to YouTube Oct. 20, so the entire world can see the two automotive brutes face off against each other. You can see this video below.Spec-wise, how do these two stack up against each other? Here's a quick breakdown. Engine: 4.6-liter V8, 2 electric motorsTransmission: 7-speed PDK dual-clutchHorsepower: 887Torque: 944 lb-ftDry Weight: 3,650 lbs0-60 mph: 2.6 secondsTop Speed: 211+ mph Engine: 8.0-liter W16Transmission: 7-speed DSGHorsepower: 1,001Torque: 922 lb-ftDry Weight: 4,162 lbs0-62 mph: 2.5 secondsTop Speed: 253 mphVeyron Listings(Source: YouTube) More Porsche News

By Caitlin Duffy – September 17, 2015

Koenigsegg Founder Races Veyron Against His Own CCXR

No, you didn't misread that headline - Christian von Koenigsegg took a turn behind the wheel of a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 to test it against one of his own creations.A Koenigsegg CCXR was put to the test in a rolling start race, and a Sept. 16 YouTube video from Trust gives us a look at the race from a few different angles. The two tear down an airstrip, and you can see the power of the Veyron's g-forces snap von Koenigsegg back in the driver's seat.There aren't many supercar creators who spend time driving one of their competitors' cars, and even fewer who will drive that car against their own. When you take into account how few supercar creators there are in general, that just makes this all the more impressive.Compare the two cars' specs below, check out the video above and find your own Bugatti or Koenigsegg for yourself from our exclusive listings.Bugattis For Sale Koenigseggs For Sale Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Engine: 8.0-liter quad turbocharged W16Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutchHorsepower: 1,001Torque: 922 lb-ftDry Weight: 4,162 lbs0-62 mph: 2.5 secondsTop Speed: 254 mph Koenigsegg CCXR Engine: Twin-supercharged 4.7-liter V8Transmission: 6-speed transversalHorsepower: 1,018 bhpTorque: 740 lb-ftDry Weight: 2,821 lbs0-62 mph: 3.1 secondsTop Speed: 250+ mph(Source: YouTube, Bugatti, Koenigsegg) See More Koenigsegg News

By Edward Jones – August 25, 2015

Bugatti Veyron Vitesse vs Nissan GT-R Alpha 12 - 1,200 HP...

Seeing a 1,000+ hp car is a rarity in itself, but seeing two take each other on in a high-speed race is an even rarer occasion. But, if you're GTBOARD.com, these type of things are commonplace, à la their latest video where a Bugatti Veyron Vitesse takes on a Nissan GT-R Alpha 12 by Alpha Performance at a high-speed oval. (Related: Nissan GT-R Nismo vs Nissan Juke-R 2.0) The video, uploaded to YouTube Aug. 24, shows the two cars battling it out at the channel's event in 2014. The Bugatti at one point "easily" hits speeds of up to 217 mph with only one hand on the steering wheel. To give you an idea of how these cars stack up, here is a quick breakdown from the video, followed by the video itself: Nissan GT-R Alpha 12 Twin-Turbo 4.0-liter V6 Engine 1,200+ hp on race gas* 885 lb-ft of torque 6-speed dual-clutch 4,001 lbs 0-62 mph in 2.7 seconds 196 mph top speed GTRs For Sale Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Quad-Turbo 8.0-liter W16 Engine 1,200 hp 1,106 lb-ft of torque 7-speed dual-clutch 4,387 lbs 0-62 mph in 2.6 seconds 254.7 mph top speed Veyrons For Sale (*GT-R is running on 98 octane for the video) (Source: YouTube) See More Exotic and Super Car Videos, News and Pics

By Caitlin Duffy – June 11, 2015

Veyron Super Sport vs. 918 Spyder during Gold Rush Rally

When it was first introduced, the Bugatti Veyron was hailed as the fasted production car in existence.When it was released in 2013, the Porsche 918 Spyder was hailed as one of the first true hybrid supercars.Today, they're going up against each other on circuits and tracks left and right, checking to see whether French or German engineering holds the key to the world's fastest performance times. goldRush Rally 7 was one of the most recent events that gave cause for the two to challenge each other, and a June 10 YouTube video from Salomondrin gives us a look at this match up from the inside view.Which do you think is the winner of these matchups? Three quarter-mile races can be seen in the video, though the Veyron Super Sport and 918 Spyder completed 6 races against each other total. Check out the video, peruse the performance specs and let us know in the comments which you would rather rally in. Engine: 7.9-liter W16, 4 TurbochargersTransmission: 7-gear sequentialHorsepower: 1,184Torque: 1,106 lb-ftDry Weight: 4,052 lbs0-62 mph: 2.7 secondsTop Speed: 267.8 mphVeyrons For Sale Engine: 4.6-liter V8, Two Electric MotorsTransmission: 7-speed PDK dual-clutchHorsepower: 887Torque: 944 lb-ftDry Weight: 3,650 lbs0-62 mph: 2.6 secondsTop Speed: 211+ mph918 Spyders For Sale(Source: YouTube) See More Automotive Videos

By Edward Jones – May 27, 2015

Bugatti Veyron Races an Aventador, 900 hp 911 Turbo S and...

There aren't many things that we love more than videos of high powered exotic cars going head-to-head, flat out. And today, we have a great video of four exotic cars battling it out during the VMAX200 Hypermax event.(See Also: World’s Fastest Hyperbike (Kawasaki H2R) vs Veyron, 12C and 1,350 hp GT-R)In the video, uploaded by Marchettino to YouTube today, we see a Bugatti Veyron taking on three separate cars: a Porsche 911 Turbo S tuned to 900 hp, a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and a Lamborghini Aventador.Check out the video below to see who wins in the races. Editor's Note: Do not attempt to recreate anything seen in the video above unless on a closed course under professional supervision. Autofluence and duPont REGISTRY do not condone any illegal activities on the roadway, and remind you to always obey local traffic laws. Porsche 911 Turbo For Sale (Source: YouTube) See More Automotive Videos

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