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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 – April 14, 2017

Up Close and Personal: The Lamborghini Huracan Performante

Lamborghini Newport Beach has had some fun with the new Lamborghini Huracan Performante. In the darkness, the dealership recorded some incredibly detailed footage of the new Italian supercar. In the video, you'll see the car like never before. You'll also be able to hear the car rev up, allowing you to hear just how powerful this car truly is.The new Huracan Performante is powered by a 5.2-liter V10 engine that has been modified and now creates 640 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. This power and a suite of active aero components grant the car a 0-60 mph time of just 2.9 seconds and a top speed of over 202 mph. The exhaust that you'll be hearing in the video is all new from Lamborghini, with tuned runners exiting higher up than before. This allows 70% of maximum torque by 1,000 rpm.View Dealer InventoryView All Lamborghini News, Article and Videos

By Andrew Nabors – April 13, 2017

The Last Dodge Viper Goes Wild and Gets Airborne

If you haven't heard the news, Dodge has announced the end of the Viper. Since it won't return in the near future, Pennzoil has decided to give it a proper farewell. In a new series of YouTube videos, "The Last Viper" showcases the abilities of the 2017 Viper ACR. In an opening scene reminiscent of Miami Vice, shady figures count a load of cash in a derelict warehouse. Somewhere a wealthy Viper connoisseur is missing his yellow car and hires a professional to get it back. Crockett and Tubbs would not be able to catch the mean ACR as it tears across the port and makes for the mainland.In a series of high-speed action shots, the masked wheel man drifts and jumps the car while it blasts flames from the side pipes. Viper is going out on top, with is Swan Song coming from an 8.4 liter V10. The engine is the final version of Chrysler's Magnum family that debuted in 1964. All good things must come to an end, and it does so with 645 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. The Viper ACR stands for American Club Racer. The most hardcore of all snakes, it uses massive carbon fiber spoilers to deliver 1,700 lbs of downforce. One fact underlines the entire first video: the driver knows what he's doing. Part 2 is a behind the scenes look at how it was filmed and we see a variety of expensive camera apparatus. We learn the identity of the master driver is none other than Rhys Millen. As a veteran of Grand Prix, Rally, and Formula Drift racing he knows a thing or two about chassis control.The final video looks back on the partnership between Dodge and Pennzoil, and how the high-performance synthetic is literally the blood of the engine. We're glad the owner got his car back but sad to know the Viper is leaving us. Because Pennzoil is derived from Natural Gas, it is clear enough to shoot an HD movie through. A film of oil is sandwiched between panes of glass without hindering the camera's view. This motion picture took the efforts of Miami's finest along with the Men & Women at Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit. Thank you for this work of art.

By Edward Jones – April 13, 2017

Lucid Air Electric Car Hits 217 MPH in Test

The Lucid Air electric car is being prepared for production, and that means the manufacturer is going to be putting the prototypes to the test. Lucid's Alpha Speed Car recently had its first test session at the TRC Ohio 7.5-mile oval test track and it put up massive numbers, which they expect.This test was a great way for the team to see how the car's power and aerodynamics would work in the real world, so they launched the car around the track until it hit a limited top speed of 217 mph. Yes, you read that correctly, 217 mph in this electric four-door sedan. Granted, this test car was designed as a high-performance test vehicle that has a roll-cage.Related - The Dendrobium is a Bizarre, 1,000 bhp Electric HypercarWhat's next for this prototype? Lucid says that they'll collect all the data, put them into simulations, work on improving the car and test it at high speeds later this year.As for the production version of the Lucid Air, its battery is capable of producing 1,000 horsepower and 400 miles of range. Lucid announced that a 400 hp version will cost around $60,000, while the 1,000 hp version will cost more than $100,000. Will Tesla have to keep an eye out for a new Model S competitor? You bet.https://vimeo.com/212837413

By Edward Jones – April 10, 2017

Stuntman Front Flips Over BMW i8

If you're a stuntman that can do massive front flips, why wouldn't you do a front flip over a BMW i8? Well, that's what this Russian stuntman did.It looks like a group of friends got together to set up a pretty crazy car stunt in a parking lot. Two guys are in a blue i8, driving towards their stuntman friend that's running right at them. At the last possible moment, the stuntman leaps into the air and does a front flip right over the BMW sports car. If you look closely, you can see just how close his head was to the rear of the car. If someone jumping over a car looks familiar, that's probably because you watched " title="YouTube video" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen> back in 2008. You can see the flip for yourself in the video below (skip to 24 minutes for the actual jump.)Now the question is if you COULD front flip high enough to get over a car, would you do it? I mean, the timing and everything would have to be perfect, otherwise...Let me know in the comments below!

By Edward Jones – April 07, 2017

Vice President of Google Shows Off and Races His Viper ACR

Many may think the Vice President of Google is probably just a rich executive with no time for things like racing cars. That couldn't be farther from the truth.In reality, Benjamin Sloss, the Vice President of Google, is a massive car fanatic. In fact, we've covered his previous cars, like his incredible Ferraris and the fact that he and his wife take them out to the track quite often.Aside from his Ferraris, Sloss also owns a one-of-one Dodge Viper ACR. In a video by Dodge, they spent some time with Sloss as he took the Viper ACR around Laguna Seca for the very first time. After driving the car, it seemed as though the car exceeded his expectations as a track car. Better yet, because this car is street legal, he was able to take his unique race car to work at Google the very next day. Check out the video below to learn more about Benjamin Sloss and his Dodge Viper ACR.

By Edward Jones – April 06, 2017

25 Minutes of the Best Pagani Sounds. Period.

If you've ever heard the sounds of the Mercedes-AMG V12 engines in Pagani hypercars, you still haven't forgotten it. The extreme noise that these cars make can be heard from a long distance away, but no matter how close or far away you are they still sound amazing. Heck, the Zonda R is almost TOO loud.Effspot has put together a 25-minute video of pure Pagani sounds. The clips he used for the video are from all around the world, including the Pagani Raduno, Shanghai Hypercar Meet, and goldRush Rally. If you've ever wanted to just sit back and listen to some of the finest automobiles ever made, the video below is exactly what you're looking for. Supercars For Sale

By Edward Jones – April 04, 2017

Sad: Classic Ford GT40 Crashes into Can-Am McLaren

Hey guys, want me to put a damper on your day? Well, here's a 1965 Ford GT40 crashing into a 1965 McLaren-Chevrolet M1A. At the Goodwood circuit, the 75MM Surtees Trophy took place recently, which is the fastest race of the circuit's Members' Meeting weekend. Group 7 sports-prototypes from the 60's that once raced in the north American Can-Am series met on the track to honor John Surtees, a motorsports legend that passed away on March 10 of this year. During the race, one of the racers spin out off of the track and then reentered the track in the thick of it. This caused the GT40 to spin out and ultimately crash into the unsuspecting McLaren. It looks like both drivers were unharmed in the accident, but I can't say the same for the classic cars.

By Edward Jones – April 03, 2017

Lamborghini Aventador Races Huracan to Prove Which is Fas...

Lamborghini has two main models available right now, the Huracan and Aventador, not including their variants like the SuperVeloce or Performante. The Aventador sits above the Huracan in terms of power and price, but the Huracan is most definitely no slouch.Powering the Aventador is a 6.5-liter V12 engine that produces 690 horsepower and 507 lb-ft of torque. With all-wheel drive at the ready, this supercar will run 0-62 mph in just 3.0 seconds. As for the Huracan, it's powered by a 5.2-liter V10 engine that's good for 601 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. The Huracan also has an all-wheel drive setup, but will complete the 0-62 mph run in 3.2 seconds.To test these two models, GTBOARD.com pitted an Aventador Roadster against a Huracan coupe on a private drag strip. The two cars lined up against each other and took off from a roll-start. Click play below to see which Lamborghini comes out on top.Lamborghini For Sale - duPont REGISTRY

By Edward Jones – April 03, 2017

Lamborghini Aventador S is a Non-Stop Flamethrower

The new Lamborghini Aventador S is fitted with the base original Aventador's V12 engine but sees its power increased to 740 horsepower and 509 lb-ft of torque. This power translates into a terrific drive, due in part to the rear wheel steering, a first for a Lamborghini production car.Those of us who don't have the cash to pick up an Aventador S right now may not be able to appreciate the car's drive, but there are other things we will get to experience regarding the supercar. First off is the car's sound, which is incredible when the throttle is open. Needless to say, you can experience the sound of the car's exhaust from miles away. The second thing we can all enjoy are the flames that the Aventador S spits out of its exhaust. Carfection has just uploaded a video that shows just how constant flames appear out of the car's exhaust at night. It's quite the treat to watch.Lamborghini For Sale - duPont REGISTRY

By Edward Jones – April 03, 2017

2018 Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS Spied on Nurburgring

The new 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS haven't been delivered just yet, but they've already been spied on Nurburgring being tested. Youtube channel Supercarsfromeu spotted the pair during a recent trip to the famous stretch of road.First up is the new 911 GT3 RS. The model he spied was finished in all-black, but had a few features that were pretty interested. One of the most notable modifications had to be the air ducts on the hood. Other than that, it looks very similar to the 2017 model year 911 GT3 RS.Next is the 2018 911 GT3. This new model has a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine that provides 500 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. Essentially, this engine is a carryover from the 911 GT3 Cup racecar and has been relatively untouched. It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 197 miles per hour.

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