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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 Edward Jones – March 16, 2018

BAC Mono is a Snow Track Toy We All Need

Created for pure joy and as a perfect track toy, the BAC Mono can perform like a real race car on any circuit...even snow ones. Recently, the BAC Mono Ice Driving Experience event went down in Åre, Sweden. This event allowed drivers to take the Mono out for an exciting drive through a custom snow track. The 1,278 lbs Mono may be light, but it performs exceptionally in the snow as the video below displays. Click play to see it for yourself.Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6 Meets its Match: The SnowThe BAC Mono is powered by a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine. It may seem small in both displacement and cylinder count, but it still pushes out 305 horsepower and 227 lb-ft of torque. With that power, the Mono's minimal weight and center-staged driving, this car is built for a thrilling ride.

By Edward Jones – March 15, 2018

Porsche Valet Prank With Pro Racing Driver

YouTube has become a breeding ground for prank videos and many companies have hopped onto the trend. Porsche recently posted a video of a prank of their own. The setup was simple: when people come back to the valet for their car, they're presented with a new Porsche Panamera instead of their own car. From there, the guests can then go for a test drive in the Panamera. Simple enough, right?Top 5 Attributes of the Porsche 911 GT2 RSWell, there's a twist. When one gentleman comes to pick up his car, instead of hopping into the back of the Panamera, he gets into the driver's seat. From there, the four-door Porsche rips away and starts pulling off some sideways stunts. This obviously scares the director as he supposedly does not know that the man behind the wheel is actually Jack Ickx, a very accomplished race car driver. Click play below and see the prank for yourself below, and let us know whether you think it's fake or real in the comments below. The massive camera filming the prank doesn't bode well for authenticity.

By Andrew Nabors – March 15, 2018

Top 5 Attributes of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Germans are not known for bragging about their abilities. But with the new 911 GT2 RS, Porsche has outdone not only themselves but every other car in production. For a quick refresher, it is a rear wheel drive only twin-turbo 3.8 liter making 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. To keep this monster glued to the track, it took several innovations to the 911 body. To show the world the amount of effort that went into this build, Porsche uploaded the top 5 features to YouTube last night.The New Porsche 911 GT2 RS Has Smashed the Nurburgring RecordThe body features are just as beautiful as they are functional. For the first time, the front brakes are cooled by NACA ducts in the carbon fiber hood. At high speeds, the front spoiler makes 440 lbs of downforce. Normal bolts wouldn't handle it, so stainless steel wires were added between the spoiler and the chassis. The rear wing working with the belly pan diffuser makes 880 lbs of downforce at the rear wheels. Those big 21" wheels are 12.5" wide and wrapped in 325/30 tires. Rear-steering offers almost 3 degrees left or right to out-corner your competitors. Every transparent panel except the windshield is Gorilla Glass, and the roof panel is magnesium. No expenses were spared in cutting weight. All these changed allowed it to shatter the 'Ring record with a lap time of 6:47. If you think you can handle it, click the link below to find a Porsche dealer near you and stay with us for all your 911 news.Browse Porsche 911 For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 14, 2018

Jeep Trackhawk vs Hennessey HPE 800 Cadillac Escalade

In the old days, adding massive power to an SUV was hard to do. Automakers offered V8 powered family haulers, but their engines were low compression versions that didn't respond well to performance parts. Now that Jeep has stuffed the 707 horsepower Hellcat engine into the Trackhawk, Hennessey Performance decided to test it against their 800 horsepower Cadillac Escalade. Hennessey HPE1000 Jeep Trackhawk Gets Over 1,000 Horsepower Cadillac uses the same 6.2 liter V8 that is found in the base model Corvette Stingray and Camaro SS. It will make 450 horsepower all day long, but that is not enough for people like us So they swap in a 6.8 liter and top it with a 2.9-liter supercharger. The Jeep is based on the Grand Cherokee, which is a unibody design to offer a weight advantage. The big 'Sclade is based on GM's body-on-frame architecture shared with the Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks. So what happens when these two supercharged SUVs line up? Hennessey Performance decided to use this as a baseline for Trackhawk performance because it will surely be insane once they dig into it. Stay with Autofluence to see what a Hennessey Trackhawk will do, tell us your guesses in the comments below.

By Andrew Nabors – March 14, 2018

John Cena: Is the McLaren 675LT a Ferrari Wanna-Be?

Our local WWE champion is at it again. Aside from being an incredible wrestler, John Cena knows a thing or two about exotic cars. After finding a loophole in his Ford GT contract, he might be considering a new McLaren. But not just any model will do. The 675LT was a proper sendoff for the first generation of their Super Series. While work was underway on the 720S, McLaren built 500 cars in homage to the 1996 F1 GTR Long Tail. It was this dominating aerodynamic advantage that made the F1 essentially unbeatable on the track. Ford Suing John Cena for Selling his Ford GT While most of the body resembles the 650S Coupe, the 675 LT weighs in 200 lbs lighter. Thanks to fixed Recaro racing seats, plexiglass, and a few other tricks it is lighter and more powerful than anything before or since. The engine makes an evil 666 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. I have driven them both, and I prefer the sound of the 3.8-liter engine over the new 4.0 liter found in the 720S. Something about the firing order and instant boost makes for a fun ride. Don't get me wrong, the 720S is a great car, but you feel the engine being held back by the computer to make the car acceptable as a daily driver. Click the link below to browse our listings for the 675 LT and stay with us for more John Cena Autogeek updates. Browse 675 LT For Sale 675 LT Spider For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 14, 2018

Lamborghini's New Race Car Caught Testing on Track

The new Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo is the Italian automaker's latest race and it has the most violent-looking exterior that they've ever designed. Granted, all race car should look aggressive, right? YouTube Channel 19Bozzy92 recently captured the new Huracan Super Trofeo Evo testing at Monza Circuit, allowing us to see this razor-like race car shoot across the tarmac. In the new video, we hear the 5.2-liter V10 engine push out 620 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque as it races from turn to turn. During acceleration and corners, the Evo's new aerokit does its job of maintaining maximum downforce while also making the car look devilish. Click play on the video down below if you want to listen to raw sound of Lamborghini's latest race car. No talking, just racing.Father Surprises 14-Year-Old with Lamborghini Race Car

By Edward Jones – March 14, 2018

Range Rover SVR Sets New Record on Tianmen Road

Tianmen road looks like something you'd expect to see in a Fast & Furious film or Initial D episode. Its 99 turns cut into the side of the Chinese mountains, with concrete guards protecting the drivers from falling off the side of the mountain. Tianmen road is both beautiful and quite frightening if you're scared of heights. But that didn't stop Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Ho-Pin Tung from racing the new Range Rover Sport SVR across the road for a new unofficial record time of 9 minutes and 51 seconds. This record beats out the previous record of 10 minutes and 31 seconds, set by a Ferrari 458 Italia in 2016.Onboard Video (Check those tight turns!)"I am used to the high speeds of racing but these 99 turns were something unique. Maintaining concentration was the biggest challenge as the road twists and turns constantly, with huge drop-offs to the side," said Tung, regarding the record-breaking drive. "The consequences of getting it wrong would have been really serious so I focused on establishing a rhythm and the Range Rover Sport SVR made this easy – it may be an SUV but it has the performance and agility of a supercar and can take you to places a supercar can only dream of."Exotic Cars For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – March 13, 2018

2019 Aston Martin Vantage: Extreme Winter Drive

Testing is an essential part of building any new model. For the return of the Vantage, Aston Martin has assaulted the Arctic at their Finnish proving grounds. Carfection was invited to drive a VP car along with Chief Engineer Matt Becker. The Validation Prototype is the 3rd and final series of test cars that were built to make the new Vantage simply unbeatable.Next-Gen 2018 Aston Martin Vantage is Finally HereStarting with powertrain mules, these are older cars fitted with new engines and running gear to make sure they are well calibrated. The M1 cars were used to set up the chassis under an older body. Finally, these VP cars have the final body and chassis, with the only unfinished parameters being the power steering feedback. As Mr. Becker explains, it will take warmer weather to calibrate the steering, as the snow offers little resistance to changes in direction. After 20,000 kilometers of cold weather validation, the team will head to Arizona for punishing sweat tests. The new Vantage will shake up the market when it arrives, so stay with us for all your Aston Martin updates.Aston Martin Vantages For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 13, 2018

Hear the Porsche's Electric Mission E Whine Through McDon...

The new Porsche Mission E is set to be the German automaker's first fully-electric car. Back in the early 1900's, the Lohner-Porsche Mixed Hybrid was technically the first electrified Porsche, but it was a hybrid designed by Ferdinand Porsche before the founding of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche GmbH, Konstruktionen und Beratungen für Motoren und Fahrzeugbau in April of 1931. Now, decades later, Porsche has the Mission E in their hands. Porsche's Mission E is set to make big waves within their model lineup in a very good way. Not only is it a technological breakthrough for Porsche, it's also competent. With over 600 horsepower on tap and a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, the Mission E can perform.Electric Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo RevealedSome may not like the idea of 0% exhaust note, but that may be the sound of the future. recently, Magazín ProDriver CZ caught a Mission E test mule grabbing some grub from McDonald's in Stuttgart. In the video, we hear the Mission E's electric drive in action. Click play below and get an idea of what an electric Porsche will sound like.https://www.facebook.com/MagProDriverCZ/videos/1658768424241251/Used Luxury Cars

By Edward Jones – March 12, 2018

Koenigesgg Agera X and Friends Rip Through

The Koenigsegg Agera X is a one-off model that features a satin black finish and a devilishly handsome front-end. Its 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 pumps out 940 horsepower for a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 245 mph.Koenigsegg Regera d'Elegance is an Ocean on WheelsNow that you've learned about the Agera X, you probably want to see it right? Well, you're in luck. Thanks to Carspotter Jeroen, we get to see the one-of-a-kind Koenigsegg rip through Spa Francorchamps alongside some incredible cars. The Koenigsegg may be the star of the video, but the other cars included are also equally impressive. Check the Agera X in action down below and see if you can spot all of the cars as they rip by one of my favorite sections in any circuit.

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