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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 – February 15, 2017

The Five Best Sounding Porsches, Ever

As part of Porsche's new "Top 5" series, the German brand has decided to look at the five best sounding vehicles they have every created. It seems as though the criteria for this list included how iconic and ferocious the sound of the cars are. Each of the cars included in the video is quite recognizable in their own rights, ranging from some of the classics to modern masterpieces.(Five of the Rarest Porsche Factory Models, Ever)Porsche engines and their exhaust systems have changed a lot over the years and this video does a great job at displaying this. The Porsches of the past didn't have the brutal sounds that they have now. Compare the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 and the Carrera GT, for example. Both of these cars sound completely different in just about every aspect, yet both sound like heaven. Click play on the video below and let me know if you thought there was another Porsche that should've been added to the list in the comments section below. Our publisher, Tom duPont's, favorite sounding Porsche? His own 1961 Super 90 that he's owned for decades.Porsche For Sale

C7 Corvette Z06 Convertible specs by Hennessey performance are up to 1,000 hp

By Andrew Nabors – February 15, 2017

Hennessey Unleashes HPE1000 Corvette Z06

It must be fun to send tire engineers back to the drawing board. Educated rubber specialists meet their match at Hennessey's Lonestar Motorsports Park. The quarter-mile drag strip has transformed countless tons of expensive radials into smoke. In the most potent example to date, Mr. Hennnessey takes us for a ride in a new HPE1000 Corvette Z06. In order to break the 1,000 hp barrier, the 6.2 liter V8 is bored and stroked to 6.8 liters, or 416 cubic inches. No replacement for displacement, the extra volume makes use of more boost from a new supercharger. Every other moving part is part of the secret recipe for performance. Without getting too technical, the cam shaft sounds like it has significant overlap. Keeping the intake and exhaust valve events closer together promotes incredible mid range torque and a screaming top end.(This is the Final Hennessey Venom GT, Ever)With all of the modifications in place, the engine is rated at 1,008 hp and 823 lb-ft of torque. The beauty of this package is that it is available on the seven speed manual or the eight speed automatic transmission. Because power of this level normally requires a full race tire, our test ride was a casual roll into the throttle. Since he knows a thing or two about traction, allow the master to explain the finer points of street legal acceleration. Of course it would not be possible without a potent starting point, so browse our listings for a new Z06 and get ready for the ride of your life.Corvette Z06 For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 10, 2017

Rory Reid Drives Aston Martin Through Heavenly Road

Personally, I've been a fan of Rory Reid ever since he did his rap-review of the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II. In that one video, he showed off his passion for the automobile, creativity and great personality. When he was chosen to join the Top Gear crew, I was pretty excited.(Aston Martin One-77 For Sale)In his latest video on Top Gear's YouTube channel, he takes us all on a road trip through one of the most beautiful roads ever: Furka Pass. If this stretch of road looks familiar to you, that's because this is where James Bond (Sean Connery) took his Aston Martin. So, it's fitting that Rory drove an Aston Martin Rapide S through these roads.While the views of this video were enough to make it worth a watch, it's Rory's presence that really takes center stage. I certainly hope we see more from him in the future.Aston Martin For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 09, 2017

Bugatti Chiron Revs and Sounds Off in Monaco, Sounds Down...

Some people have complained that the Bugatti Veyron didn't have that great of an exhaust sound when compared to other hypercars. Thankfully, those who have doubted Bugatti won't be able to make that same complaint against the Chiron, because it sounds like an automotive demon.(Lamborghini Centenario Roadster Sounds Like a Monster)While many cars sound like banshees and go for an F1-style exhaust note that's high-pitched, the Bugatti Chiron channels its sound from its inner depths. This results in an exhaust note that's full of bass and downright ferocious.YouTuber Fipeux recently caught the Chiron showing off its exhaust in Monaco. From the revs in the early beginning of the video to the tunnels sounds, I could listen to this car all-day-long.Bugatti Veyron For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 09, 2017

Five of the Rarest Porsche Factory Models, Ever

If there is one place I want to visit before I die, it would have to be the secret Porsche warehouse that is home to the rarest models ever created. As part of Porsche's new "Top 5" series, they delved into the five rarest factory models.(Doug DeMuro Explains Why the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is the Ultimate 911)Dieter Landenberger presents the five rare Porsche in this new video. Who is he? How about the Manager of Historical Archives for Porsche. That's right, his job is to look over the cars that we dream about. Yes, he is one lucky guy.In the video, the cars include the 911 Turbo S (964), 924 Carrera GTS, 911 GT1, 911 SC/RS and 356 America Roadster. Click play below to see these cars for yourself, because this is one special video. Keep 'em comin' Porsche!Porsche For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 08, 2017

Chris Harris Celebrates McLaren in One Minute

McLaren has come a long way in the recent years, transforming from a company that only produced the MP4-12C into a full-blown automaker with an impressive lineup. Currently, McLaren offers the 570S, 570GT, 540C, 675LT Spider, 675LT, 650S Spider, 650S Coupe and a few bespoke models. That's a massive increase in models over the singular 12C. And, it's even crazier to think about how quickly McLaren is making all of this happen. In fact, it wasn't until 2015 that they announced their three-tier product lineup that included the Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series.(Also Check Out - McLaren 650S Makes Mom Throw Up)Chris Harris of Top Gear and YouTube fame recently sat down to give the world a quick 60-second rundown on why he appreciates McLaren. It's an interesting and short dialogue that will have you researching even more into the English automaker's incredible past. Check it out by hitting the play button below.McLaren For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 07, 2017

McLaren 650S Makes Mom Throw Up

Friend of the blog, the.leviathan, has already taken his dad out in his McLaren 650S and made him quite unhappy. Now, it's his mom's turn.In his latest YouTube video, he had his mom in the passenger seat while he rocketed around, throwing her back into her seat. He used his McLaren's monster twin-turbo V8 to give her with what she called her "best ride ever." Although, she did end up getting sick after the video. Shame on you, Leviathan, for gettin' your mom sick!Check out the video below and let me know what your mom would do if you drove her around in a McLaren. My mom? She'd be begging for me to let her drive it!McLaren 650S Spider For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 02, 2017

The Bugatti Chiron: A Lesson From The Grand Tour

Michelin and The Grand Tour have just uploaded a video that goes into what makes the Bugatti Chiron such an incredible car.So, what's the Chiron all about? It features an impressive spec sheet, which includes an 8-liter W 16 engine capable of 1500 horsepower and 1180 lb-ft of torque. This powerhouse propels from 0-60 in a mere 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 260 mph. This elegant, beast of a supercar comes in myriad color combinations perfectly suited for its owners.You can learn even more by watching the video below.

By Edward Jones – February 02, 2017

German Drag Race: BMW M3 vs Mercedes-AMG A45

There are plenty of rivals in the automotive world, whether it be between manufacturers, models or even drivers. One of the greatest rivalries has to be between Mercedes-Benz and BMW, two German companies that are constantly competing against each other.(Dodge Challenger Hellcat vs Ford Mustang GT350)Archie Hamilton Racing recently took this rivalry to the tarmac and pitted two cars together in different races. The cars in the race were an M3 and an A45 AMG. The races included one from a stop, which gave the A45 and its launch control the advantage. After this drag race came the rolls races from 30 mph and 50 mph.Check out the video below to see who wins the race! BMW M3 For Sale | Mercedes-Benz For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 01, 2017

See-Through Engine Shows How It Works

Almost every car has an engine powering it, no matter if it's a sports car or a van. Whether the engine is found in the front or in the rear, it runs almost similarly to every other engine on the planet. But, do we all know how these engines work? Well, we all might know HOW they work, but have we ever SEEN how they work? I'm not talking about watching it vibrate under the hood, I'm talking about seeing the combustion itself.(A Mid Engine Corvette May Be Coming)YouTube channel SmarterEveryDay, one of my favorite channels, recently traveled to a shop that specializes in taking apart one-cylinder Briggs & Stratton gas engines and converting them into various other things. For this video, they showed off an engine that allows you to see into the engine as it's being fired.In the video, you'll learn how a four-stroke engine works and get to see the explosions in the engine (sounds like a band name...). Check it out in the video below!

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