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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 – March 30, 2017

2019 Porsche 911 Caught Winter Testing

In order to make sure the upcoming 2019 Porsche 911 is ready for colder climates, autoevolution spotted a test mule somewhere in Northern Europe. It is always exciting to see pre-production cars without camouflage, but often times the engineers behind the wheel get very upset for being made. VW Group's hot weather lab is two blocks from our headquarters, so we've had a chance to see the new RS5 convertible, A3 e-tron and a few Lamborghini Huracans with passengers holding laptops and recording data. Last week we shared a preview of updates for 2018, but these could be a proper send off for the 991 series.Computer simulations do a fine job of predicting real-world situations, but the human variable is needed when the rubber meets the road. The next 911 appears to have influences from the Panamera in the large rear spoiler and LED taillights. The audio can't deny the PDK's shifting abilities, but we're curious if this car is RWD or AWD. Porsche fans chime in here at 1:55 you see the nose rise when the turbos awake, so tell us if you think the front tires are powered. Telltale signs are mismatched wheels front and rear, and we doubt a base model Carrera will arrive with such a large rear spoiler. The 911 has not had a clean-sheet redesign since the 991 launched in 2011, so this might be an all new car wearing familiar body panels. You know we will have more information as it becomes available, so stay with us for all your Porsche news.Porsche 911 For Sale - duPont REGISTRY

By Andrew Nabors – March 14, 2017

Jay Leno Drives Incredible 1985 Porsche Carrera Rally Car

If you a Porsche Purist you might want to avoid this video. One thing we noticed about the Amelia Island Concours is that air-cooled Porsche 911s have come out of the woodwork. Every we looked, the sounds (and smells) of vintage flat six engines were overwhelming. Riding atop the wave of enthusiasm for classic Carreras, one veteran LeMans winner decided to take the path less traveled and transform his daily driver into a rally monster. Like the rally versions of VW Beetles that preceded it, the Porshe 911 is well suited to going offroad. With the engine hanging behind the rear wheels, it keeps the tires planted to terra firma and makes for great fun.Patrick Long decided to build this car in tribute to the famous rallies of East Africa. On a recent upload from Jay Leno's garage, he said the previous owner sold him the car because he was tired of shifting gears. You might be quick to cry foul at such a ludicrous statement, but if you have driven a vintage 911 for any length of time you can relate to the experience. Patrick built the car to raise awareness of Pancreatic Cancer and it can handle any terrain. A fabricated roll cage incorporates the coil over shock mounts which takes the loads off of the twisty floor pans. Headers and a locking differential send 200 hp to the ground, so who needs a turbo? We dislike the idea of sacrificing such a classic, but watch it in action and tell us how you would build your rally 911 in the comments below. Stay with us for more updates from Jay Leno's Garage.All Porsche 911 For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 21, 2017

Porsche 911 Turbo S Races an Army Helicopter

It happens all the time, you pull up to a spotlight and some jerk in a helicopter next to you starts revving his engine and challenges you to a race. It's like these helicopter pilots just cruise around looking for races... It's just annoying.Related - Five of the Rarest Porsche Factory Models, EverAuto Moto ran into this race on a drag strip, with the car of choice being a Porsche 911 Turbo S (991). In this car's engine is 560 horsepower, while the Tiger helicopter it was racing was packing 4,450 horsepower.So, who won the race from a dead stop? Click play below to find out for yourself, you won't regret it. Now, what's next? I suggest a Bugatti Chiron against an SR-71 Blackbird, and if I could get an invite to actually see the bird, that'd be great.Porsche For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 26, 2017

Doug DeMuro Explains Why the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is the Ul...

If you like going fast without forced induction, Porsche has a car for you. Every year we see naturally aspirated engines fall by the wayside as turbochargers become more popular. Even the base model 911 could not resist the urge for boost. But many enthusiasts have cried foul after driving the latest examples of turbocharged cars. So Porsche engineers decided to push engine design beyond what we thought possible. Six cylinders that only displace 4.0 liters are making 500 hp. The 911 GT3 RS is the polar opposite of the 911 Turbo S. Both are in the same price range and offer incredible acceleration, but that is where the similarities end. MUST READ: 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Price & Specs Doug DeMuro knows a thing or two about the brand, as he was head of allocations for Porsche North America. If you haven't had a chance to experience a new GT3 RS in person you might not understand how or why Stuttgart put such effort into going against the grain. From the reverse pattern shifter to carbon fiber body panels, any aspect that hurt performance was revised. We had an orange example downstairs for most of 2016 along with a Turbo S Cabriolet, and guess which one stopped people in their tracks? Allow Doug to explain the finer points and check out the listings from our dealers below. All Porsche GT3 RS For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – January 25, 2017

C.J. Wilson Tears Up a Porsche 911 GT3 RS

The world of professional sports and racing have many parallels. Both require determination and endurance which is why many athletes enjoy having well-engineered cars in their collection. To elaborate on his devotion to Porsche, MLB Pitcher C.J. Wilson explains how determination and innovation lead to success. He admits he wasn't the biggest or strongest competitor on the field, but with attention to the details, he found ways to succeed. Porsche's endurance racing efforts have used similar strategies to get podium finishes, finding areas for improvement that other teams have overlooked.(Related - Driver's Seat: C.J. Wilson On His McLaren P1 Road Trip)As the owner of CJ Wilson Racing, he is fielding two Porsche Cayman GT4s in the Grand Sport division of the Continental SportsCar Challenge. A glance of his Twitter page reveals that he is happy with the results from early testing, and looking forward to Friday's BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona. As a 4 hour prelude to this weekend's Rolex 24, it will be a brutal test of man and machine. Porsche wants us to know they are ready for battle, so they asked CJ to explain his love of the brand. He looks at home behind the wheel of a 911 GT3 RS in a YouTube video uploaded yesterday. A grueling workout routine is how he became a two-time All Star. Relentless refinement is how the GT3 RS makes 500 hp without turbos. We wish him well in Friday's race, so stay with us for complete coverage of Daytona Speedweeks 2017. All Porsche GT3 RS For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 22, 2016

The Heavenly Sounds of a Rally Porsche 911

Sometimes you need a moment to sit back and listen to the sounds of cars. For me, this moment comes just about every day. So, when I was sitting at the desk watching a Porsche 911 taking turns at the Rallye Köln-Ahrweiler 2016, I figured I should share it with you guys.(Related - 5 of the Rarest Classic Porsche Models Ever Made)First off, I'm a sucker for rally racing, so this video was already going to be watched. But the sound of the 911 in this video is just heavenly. There's something about the raw noise a rally car makes that just puts a smile on my face.Because I enjoyed the video, I figured you guys would enjoy it as well. Click play below and enjoys the sounds! If you want your own Porsche to listen to, click the big red button and see what we have up for sale.Porsche For Sale Porsche Cayman For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 08, 2016

Not Even Close: Cadillac CTS-V vs Porsche 911 GT3 RS

It's a battle of a German and an American in GTBOARD.com's latest video. In the video, we see a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V take on a Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991) in a roll race.(Related - Koenigsegg Agera R vs Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Drag Race)These two cars have very different internals, which isn't surprising considering one was born on American roads, while the other on the autobahn. For comparison's sake, here is a breakdown of the two cars.Cadillac CTS-V Engine: Supercharged 6.2-liter V8Horsepower: 640 hpTorque: 630 lb-ft0-60 mph: 3.7 secondsPorsche 911 GT3 RS Engine: 4.0-liter Flat 6Horsepower: 500 hpTorque: 339 lb-ft0-60 mph: 3.1 secondsFrom those specs, you can see that the 0-60 times between the two cars are very different. Is the 911's 0.6 second lead in the 0-60 time enough to rocket it ahead of the CTS-V? Well, just click play below and it will become very apparent.All Cadillac CTS-V For Sale | All Porsche 911 GT3 RS For SalePorsche For Sale Chicago

By Edward Jones – October 18, 2016

Porsche 911 Becomes the Perfect Rally Car

Whenever my significant other asks me what my dream car is, I always reply with "a rally car." Why? For starters, I was raised in the desert where dirt roads were the only roads and driving on them could be either treacherous or exciting. Unfortunately, I currently live in a part of Florida where dirt roads are nowhere to be found and a drive to the central area of the state is necessary for some dirt driving. But even still, I want a rally car I can take sideways around corners, drive through nature and just beat to hell. For me, the ideal car was a Subaru, but after watching /DRIVE's latest video, my opinion might've changed.Race car driver Leh Keen is like me and loves the thought of driving through nature and getting in on some predictable oversteer. Naturally, he bought a 1981 Porsche 911 SC and installed long travel shocks, upgraded torsion bars, a skid plate, fog lights and, of course, mud flaps. The result is what he calls Project Keen, a rally-ready Porsche 911 that surprised /DRIVE's Matt Farah beyond belief.(Related - Horacio Pagani Shows Off His Porsche Collection)In the video below, Farah takes the car throw the forests of North Carolina, enjoying every bit of the car's predictable oversteer. After watching the video and listening to Farah's thoughts on the car, I may be leaning towards having a 911 as my dream rally car. Although, he does note in the video that this was no cheap project, costing around $35,000-$40,000 (not including the price of the classic 911, which can cost around $30,000).Be sure to click play on the video below to see why Matt Farah freaked over one of his favorite Porsche 911s.Porsche 911 Carrera For Sale

By Edward Jones – October 06, 2016

Chris Harris Reviews Porsche 911 R vs Aston Martin V12 Va...

Alright, I get it, a lot of you don't like Top Gear since Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond left. But, drop that train of thought for just a couple of seconds and think back to the time when Chris Harris was one of THE automotive YouTubers. Remember when we all used to enjoy all of his videos? Well, you still can enjoy him on YouTube, but now he has a bigger budget and they're being posted by the Top Gear channel. This is Chris Harris Drives.(Related - Chris Harris and Rory Reid Join Matt LeBlanc as Top Gear Hosts)In his latest video, Harris warms up his left foot for some three-pedal action with the Porsche 911 R and Aston Martin V12 Vantage S. The two cars each feature a manual gearbox, which is, unfortunately, a rarity in the year 2016. He takes the cars through some gorgeous back roads and out for some laps at the Anglesey Circuit. Which car did he like better: the V12 tourer or the flat-six German sports car? Click play on the video below to find out.View 911 R For Sale | View V12 Vantage S For Sale

By Edward Jones – September 21, 2016

Purple Porsche 911 Turbo Drives on Train Track

Train tracks are presumably meant for trains, and rightfully so. But BrianZuk and the drive of a Porsche 911 Turbo decided it would be interesting to drive their Purple German on the track because...why not?In the video below, we see the Turbo sports car carefully making its way down the tracks, with all four wheels on the railing. In the video's description Brian notes that this was done for a photoshoot, which makes perfect sense. You see, anyone can take a picture of a Porsche, but not everyone is willing to drive one on train tracks. So, when you find a willing driver, you take the chance.What do you guys think about this stunt? Do you think you could do it? Let me know in the comments below. Personally, I'd be scared as heck to do this, but with a spotter it would be feasible, as shown below. Porsche 911 Turbo For Sale

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