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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 – August 29, 2016

Rally Car Jumps Over Luckiest Dog in the World

We may not cover rally racing as much as I'd like to, but this video was just too good to not share with you guys. During the recent Codasur 2016 race in Santa Cruz, Bolivia a Mitsubishi Evo driven by Fernando Zuasnabar was flying through as usual. That is, until a certain corner came up.On one side of the corner was the Evo, traveling at high speeds. On the other side was what I would call one of the luckiest dogs in the world.(Related: Porsche 964 Barely Escapes Nurburgring Corner Crash)After taking the corner, the dog sees the car and starts making a run for it...down the center of the road (he didn't know any better). It looked like the video was going to have a bad ending until the Evo literally took flight and jumped over the dog at the perfect moment.It seriously doesn't get much luckier than this.

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – August 29, 2016

The 1939 Plymouth Radial Air on Jay Leno's Garage

It's graced the cover of Hot Rod magazine. It's become a huge sensation. It's gained notoriety wherever it goes, and now, it has made its way to Jay Leno's Garage. We're talking about the 1939 Plymouth Radial Air. Gary Corns of Colorado Auto & Parts fully restored this now iconic vehicle after it sat in his yard for 30 years.(Related: Go Inside the Aston-Martin DB11 With Jay Leno)He actually purchased an airplane to take parts from to restore the Radial. Leno thought many Colorado's legalization of certain substances made this project come to life, but Corns states the project was a lifelong dream of his. He states it took about a year and a half to complete. He and some friends worked on it on Wednesdays after work. The vehicle is definitely something special and unique, and it's definitely worth a look. Want to learn more? Check out Leno's full review in the video below.

By Edward Jones – August 29, 2016

Porsche 964 Barely Escapes Nurburgring Corner Crash

If you live in or around the country of Germany and like to drive cars fast, you surely frequent the Autobahn and the magnificent stretch of road known as Nürburgring. Located in Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Nürburgring has a combined circuit length of 16.123 miles. All of these miles are filled with winding corners that are separated by stretches of straights that give drivers a chance to take in the scenery. But, don't take your eyes away from the road ahead of you because the Ring's corners can hop up on your quite fast.(Related: Audi R8 Almost Crashes at the Ring)In a new YouTube video from EMS Nordschleife TV, we see what looks like a Porsche 964 coming into a corner at all the wrong angles. I'm not exactly sure what happened, it could be that the driver was trying to drift into the corner, downshifted to far or who knows. All we can see is that the rear-end on the German sports car gets out and steers it towards the guard rail. It looks like the front bumper did scrape the rail, but the Porsche did escape what could have been a nasty accident that resulted in extensive damage. Check it out below!View All Porsches For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 25, 2016

The Iron Knight - World' Fastest Truck

Volvo Trucks' Iron Knight might sound like it belongs in a Transformers movie, but it really belongs on a drag strip. This truck houses a powertrain capable of producing an astonishing 2,400 hp and 4,425 lb-ft of torque.“The Iron Knight is the perfect way to showcase the competence and innovative power of Volvo Trucks. At the same time, our aim was to generate new insights into technical and design solutions. The intention is to transfer some of these to our series-produced trucks,” says Claes Nilsson, President and CEO of Volvo Trucks, in an August 17 press release.The team at Volvo Trucks put Boije Ovebrink behind the wheel of the rolling knight on a closed-off test track in Northern Sweden. After his launch, he recorded a 1000 meter run in just 21.29 seconds with an average speed of 105 mph. It also ran 500 meters in 13.71 seconds with an average speed of 81.5 mph. While these numbers may not seem crazy to you, it was enough for the car to beat the international records for 500 and 1000 meters."Specialists from several different Volvo Trucks departments worked closely together to develop a truck with unsurpassed performance. Apart from Volvo Trucks' powertrain, which is the heart and soul of The Iron Knight, we've hand-built the truck from the ground up. The fact that we succeeded in securing not just one record but two is absolutely amazing," says Olof Johansson, a technician at Volvo Trucks, in an August 24 press release.Check out the record run in the video below.View All Volvos For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 23, 2016

Bugatti Vision GT Runs Out of Fuel, Is Difficult To Load ...

When showing a car, sometimes it a good idea to keep it low on fuel in case a leak were to spring. In fact, some locations, mostly indoor shows, have strict rules when it comes to fuel, per organizers or fire marshall. For the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, low fuel was definitely a problem, but how it ran so low is a mystery.(Related: Lamborghini Centenario Roadster Sounds Like a Monster) While being displayed, the hypercar concept seemed to run out of fuel, prompting a Bugatti rep to bring out a gas can. White gloves were used. After being fueled up, it was time to load it up. However, the Vision GT seems like quite a pain to load onto a trailer. Could this be because of its size? Who knows, but it definitely looked like it wasn't an easy car to load. But, then again, nobody ever said driving a race car was easy! Check out the video from Marchettino below to see the happenings for yourself.View All Bugattis For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 22, 2016

American Street Battle: Z06 vs Hellcat vs GT500

Somewhere, on some road, three forces of American power came together to see which patriot would come out on top. The forces included a 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and a 2014 Ford Mustang GT500. Each car is completely stock and equipped with a manual transmission. For comparison's sake, here is a quick breakdown of the cars. Z06: 6.2-liter supercharged V8 (650 hp) Hellcat: 6.2-liter supercharged V8 (707 hp) GT500: 5.8-liter supercharged V8 (662 hp) From the numbers alone, the Hellcat reigns supreme in the horsepower category and is regarded as the most powerful American production coupe ever. But, can it hold up against the other two? The video below shows the three rolling up against each other on a road in an undisclosed location. Click play below to see who comes out on top.Editor's Note: We do not condone street racing or the actions performed in the video below. Always follow your local traffic laws.

By Edward Jones – August 17, 2016

Two 2,000 HP Lamborghinis (Gallardo and Huracan) Duke It Out

At a drag event, two brothers took their respective Lamborghinis to the starting line to see which of their would come out on top. Each of the brothers own a different model Lamborghini: Huracan and Gallardo. While their cars have different names, both of the cars have been tuned up to 2,000 hp.(Also Check Out : Electric Hypercar Crushes LaFerrari and Tesla Model S in Race)During the race, the cars easily cruised to speeds of over 200 mph, but one dominated the race, hitting over 220 mph. While one of the cars definitely took the win, one guy came out as a winner no matter what: their dad. In fact, the brothers' dad was at the event and even noted that there was no way he could lose.Check out the race below to see whether the Gallardo or Huracan takes the win.Lamborghini For Sale Lamborghini Gallardo For SaleBuy Lamborghini Huracan

By Edward Jones – August 15, 2016

Hypercar Track Time: LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Pagani Huayra...

Four of the world's most insane hypercars just gathered at the Monticello Motor Club and it looks like just about everyone missed out on seeing it. Except for Krispy Media, who was there to film the entire event and upload it all to YouTube.The outing was made possible by Miller Motorcars, with most of the cars being customer cars (they note in the description that this was why they couldn't "get on them hard"). The cars showing up were the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Pagani Huayra and Porsche 918 Spyder. Between them there's thousands of horsepower and the finest engineering in the automotive world.Check out the video below to see all of the cars rip up the track together.View Exotic Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – August 12, 2016

Ten Minutes of Hypercars and Supercars Going Nuts

Below is ten minutes of hypercars and supercars going insane, burning out and accelerating like madmen at this year's Goodwood Hillclimb, courtesy of Marchettino. It's a long video, so I'll spare the words. Just click play below and enjoy!Want your own supercar or hypercar? Check out duPontREGISTRY.com to see them all for sale.

By Edward Jones – August 09, 2016

Are Cops Overreacting to Supercars in London?

The summer of supercars in London is in full swing, bringing some of the world's loudest cars to the English streets. As they roll through the streets, they rev their engines and put on a show for all those watching. However, a lot of Londoners aren't in the mood for a show and have called upon their local law enforcement to put an end to the impromptu supercar antics. This call for action has led to an increase in traffic stops for supercars.One person, and YouTuber, who witnessed the increase in police activity regarding supercars is Van Drop Exclusive Automobiles. In fact, he released a video today where he asks if the police are being too strict when it comes to these exotic cars. Check out the video below and let me know what you think in the comments. I, for one, can't speak on the matter as I neither live in London nor own a supercar.

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