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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 Andrew Nabors – May 31, 2018

Carfection: The Ultimate Color For A McLaren

No other automaker cares as much for their heritage as McLaren. So in order to honor the memory of their founder, McLaren Special Operations has developed a new color: Muriwai White. The name carries a great significance, so Carfection filmed this new " title="YouTube video" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen> cruising the Isle of Wight.From his first racing win to his tragic death, Bruce McLaren's career was only 12 years. In that time, he bridged the gap between Automotive Engineer and Race Winner. The company he founded was a racing team. By the time had won several trophies in the Can-Am series and many Grand Prix events, he and his crew were ready for a bigger challenge.In order to race in Group 4, the FIA mandated 50 street-legal cars must be sold to homologate the design. The race car was named the M6A, and the production version was the M6GT. The first production street legal McLaren was a beast. Powered by a fuel-injected Chevrolet Big Block, it was and is a force to be reckoned with. But McLaren lacked the funds to build them, so only a few examples were completed.McLaren Special Operations Delivers 10 Wild 570S CoupesWe're glad Carfection reminded us the McLaren F1 was not their first streetcar; but what is the significance of the new color? Bruce McLaren and his family lived in the village of Walton-on-Thames, in a home he named "Muriwai House". It is a white house with blue doors, and it inspired MSO to create the new color. But Muriwai is not just a house, it was the city in New Zealand that he won his first race. At the age of 15, Bruce was on his way to England to make history. If you are enchanted by the pale blue hue, click the link below to find our McLaren dealer nearest you. And stay with us for more great uploads from Carfection.Browse McLaren 570S Spiders For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – May 01, 2018

What Does McLaren's Logo Mean?

A corporate logo says a lot about the brand. While many automakers choose symbols that are self-explanatory, McLaren's accent has several plausible backgrounds. Carfection decided to feature them on their latest YouTube upload, so get ready for a neat story. A 570S Spider is a perfect way to tell the tale, so we hope he drove fast enough to keep the rain out.The first hypothesis is that Marlboro's trademark chevron has slowly evolved, along with the McLaren script. This makes sense because of the collaboration between McLaren's race cars and Phillip Morris tobacco. But something tells us this could be incorrect, due to the public's changing perception of big tobacco.A Minute Of Noise For Bruce McLarenAnother possibility is the Kiwi bird. Bruce McLaren was a native of New Zealand, so every one of his cars had a reference to the Kiwi. Over time it evolved into the Speedy Kiwi, taking the form we know it now. Tell us your theory, and your favorite automotive emblem in the comments below and stay with us for more great Carfection films.Browse McLaren For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – April 11, 2018

Watch: New 2019 Corvette ZR1 vs McLaren 570S

When it comes to taking delivery of your new 2019 Corvette ZR1, you will fall into one of two categories. The first is the owner who will abide by the break-in procedures and go easy for the first 1,000 miles. The second group is those who go hunting for a race while it is still running on factory gas.Chevrolet Begins Corvette ZR1 DeliveriesBy building the fastest & most powerful Corvette, Chevrolet is taking on the world. This means everyone from Alpha Romeo to Zagato, which means McLaren owners need to be ready for racing in Mexico. As their entry-level model, the McLaren 570S arrives with 562 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. It might look unmatched on paper because the 2019 Corvette ZR1 has 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque.The numbers are only the beginning of their differences. McLaren uses a carbon fiber body to support itself, while Corvette rides on an aluminum chassis. McLaren doesn't offer a manual transmission while most ZR1 owners will order three pedals. Chevrolet has priced the ZR1 at $119,995, around $100,000 less than a new McLaren 570S Coupe. Nevertheless, the team from Street Speed 717 decided to see what happens when they meet on the highway. In a YouTube video uploaded last night, we get a glimpse of what the ZR1 will be capable of. That's because the piston rings, bearings, and other critical parts haven't found their forever homes. Tell us what you think of breaking in a new car in the comments below and stay with us for more wild videos.View McLaren 570S For SaleView Corvette ZR1 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 19, 2018

Top Speed Shootout: 750 HP M5 vs McLaren 570S

If you are looking for a fun-filled sedan, the previous generation BMW M5 is a relative bargain. Known as the F10 chassis, it was built from 2012 to 2016 and powered by a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8. They are incredibly fast in every situation, which is why this owner chose to race a McLaren 570S coupe on a runway. With upgraded downpipes and full exhaust, it allows the turbos to breathe easier. This results in 750 horsepower sent to the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.Check Out The 5,000 Cars of the Sultan of BruneiMcLaren claims their 570S only make 570 horsepower, which is conservative to say the least. Their sports series does away with the complex hydraulic suspension of the Super Series cars, and it is a comfortable daily driver. Having driven both the 570GT and the 570S, they absolutely make more than their rated power. But in a top speed race, aerodynamics is the great equalizer of all cars. So put on your 3D headset and watch this action in 4K. Thanks to GTboard for the great footage, and stay with us for more 3D action. Tell us who would win given a few more miles of top end action in the comments below.Sports Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 12, 2018

McLaren 570S Goes 215 MPH on the Autobahn

Want to know what I like about AutoTopNL? They take some of the raddest cars in the world and make them go super fast, especially on the Autobahn. I mean, if I had that road near me like that, I'd do that same thing. Alas, I live in a congested Florida county and I make do by watching AutoTopNL's videos.Their recent video is a perfect example of what I was talking about in the previous paragraph. In this new video we see a McLaren 570S being taken up to 215.6 mph on the Autobahn. If you're familiar with the 570S, you may know that McLaren has the top speed for the 570S set at 204 mph, but that's for a stock example of the exotic car. The one being driven in the video found below has 676 hp, which is 114 more than stock. Check out the top speed run in the video below to get an idea of how fast this tuned McLaren really is.McLaren's New Hyper-GT to be McLaren's Fastest Ever

By Andrew Nabors – August 07, 2017

McLaren 570S Races to 212 mph on the Autobahn

The Sports Series from McLaren is aimed at a different audience than their Super Series cars. The 570S and 570GT are not as powerful as the 650S or 657LT, but who would pass up the opportunity to drive a carbon fiber super car? The 570S has 562 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, along with the same advanced construction and aerodynamics found on their other cars. The 3.8 liter twin-turbo V8 is detuned in order to not compete with the Super Series cars, which means it won't reach top speed as soon as its bigger brothers. We're talking fractions of a second here, so many have been wonder how it handles a wide open run on the world's fastest highway.Also Check Out: Offroading In two McLaren 570GTsOur friends at AutoTopNL have a knack for filming the fastest cars on earth on the Autobahn, so get ready for a wild ride. McLaren's launch control system works like brake-boosting at the drag strip. Once activated, the computer kills spark to half the cylinders. This holds rpm constant while the turbos spool up. When the brakes are released, all 8 cylinders are engaged at full boost. Hold on, as the driver is pushing this car to its limit. Detuning an engine puts less stress on the internals, and the car handles 7,000 rpm like a walk in the park. The speedometer on the camera can't keep up with acceleration like this. Tell which McLaren Series you would buy, and why in the comments below. Stay with us for more top speed cruising here on Autofluence.

By Andrew Nabors – January 24, 2017

Bruno Senna Drifts McLaren 570S On Ice

Frozen precipitation presents several obstacles to competent driving. Rear wheel drive isn't optimal for low traction surfaces, but thanks to the magic of electronics it makes for great fun. As the flagship of their Sports Series, the McLaren 570S is daily driver of the brand. With the ability to reach 124 mph in 9.5 seconds, it offers 562 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque from a 3.8 liter twin turbo V8. Since the engine is mid-mounted in front of the rear axles, drivers might not be willing to approach its limits while cornering. In order to properly demonstrate how much grip is available, McLaren invited owners and the press to an Arctic Experience. McLaren on IcePure McLaren is a back to basics approach to driving instructions. At their first arctic outing, the best drivers in the world met with lucky owners in Ivalo, Finland. The list of drivers was impressive, but one name stands out: Bruno Senna. As the nephew of the late Ayrton Senna, he has raced in Formula1 and for Team McLaren in the P1 GTR. To demonstrate his prowess in car control, one lucky participant was allowed to film the experience. In a YouTube video uploaded by Mr JWW, a 570S is flogged across 11 tracks of snow covered tundra. After dialing back the stability controls, Senna rides shotgun as an instructor. Snow eliminates any feedback to the steering wheel which makes it a perfect test bed for drifting. A delicate dance of brakes and throttle are used to rotate through the corners, with beautiful footage from a hovering drone. The event will be running until February 6th, so stay with us for more hot footage from the frozen north. All McLaren 570S For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – September 13, 2016

How to Make an Exhaust Video that Isn't Trash

The guys at AfterGNARket are tired of watching your average exhaust videos on YouTube. They understand that no matter how good a car's exhaust sounds, factory exhaust just isn't going to cut it. In an attempt to figure out which aftermarket exhaust to add to his McLaren 570S, Mike Tornabene, the video's narrator, laments about the abundance of options left him overwhelmed so he turned to YouTube for help. But all he found was more confusion. The videos he watched didn't accurately portray exhaust sounds, and as a result, he still had no idea which option to choose for his supercar.This experience led him to create a video, which explains and demonstrates the intricacies of making a proper video about car exhaust sounds.Here's what we learned: DO NOT be that guy with the cell phone recording some car revving in the driveway. It's low quality and doesn't serve as an accurate representation of the sound of the vehicle DO use some kind of high-quality sound device to capture exhaust sounds DO attempt to use different perspectives to obtain the full spectrum of exhaust sounds-- driving, revving, different speeds, from the air, from the inside of the car, etc. DO add some funky music and a sweet mountainous backdrop, followed by a run-in with the law for dramatic effect Admittedly, this is one of the better exhaust videos out there. Check it out below, and let us know what you think in the comments! McLaren 570S for Sale

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