Videos

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 15, 2017

Top Five Best Porsche Concept Cars

Every year, automakers show off concept cars at auto shows that they hope will garner a positive reaction from show goers. This is because if all goes well, the concept car will morph in a production car that will be sold to the public. However, it can be hit or miss when it comes to concept cars, with some working out and others flopping.Related - Porsche's Top Five Most Epic Track MomentsIn Porsche's latest "Top 5" video, the German automaker looks at their five best concepts that they've created over the decades. This includes the Typ 754 <> from 1959 and the brand-new Mission E concept. Click play below to see the cars for yourself and let me know which was your favorite concept car in the comments below. From this video, mine would have to be the 918 concept, while outside of the video it would most definitely be the Ford GT90.All Porsche For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 15, 2017

Official Ferrari 812 Superfast Video Released, Sounds as ...

The new Ferrari 812 Superfast is the brand's fastest and most powerful production car that they've ever produced. Underneath the hood of the 812 Superfast is a massive 6.5-liter V12 engine that’s capable of 789 hp and 529 lb-ft of torque. With 80% of its power available at just 3.500 rpm, the 812 Superfast can rocket from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds. What’s more, it has a top speed of over 211 mph.Related - This is What Makes the Ferrari FXX K So EpicBut, does this power translate to a great sounding car? Why even ask the question-- we're talking about Ferrari here! In the official video for the 812 Superfast, we hear the Italian supercar in action for the first time and it sure sounds incredible. What's even better? It looks absolutely fantastic in motion. Click play below to see it in action for the first time for yourself.All Ferrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 14, 2017

Seven Koenigseggs Rev and Spit Flames For Fun

Not many who didn't attend the Geneva show know this, but a group of Koenigseggs took over the event. Seven of these Swedish hypercars appeared at the event, some making their way onto the showroom floor. This includes the Agera RS MR and many others. While they weren't making appearances at the show, they were driving around Geneva, putting on a show of their own.Related - New Koenigsegg Regera and Agera RS Gryphon Making an AppearanceIn a video from theswisssupercars YouTube channel, we all get the ability to see these Swedes in action. From revs and accelerations to flames, this video has it all. Click play below to see them in action.Sports Cars For Sale

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 – March 14, 2017

How to Properly Pronounce Car Brand Names

Is your friend saying Porsche wrong, bringing you to a boiling point? Have you always wondered how to actually pronounce Seat or Koenigsegg? Don't worry friend, because coches.net has a terrific video that helps everyone out with the correct pronunciation of the most popular car brands.In the video, they walk around what looks like the Geneva Motor Show, asking a native person from the country of each car brand how to pronounce the names. Most of those asked seem to be working with the car brands themselves, so it's safe to assume the pronunciations are as perfect as they can be.Click play below to learn how to properly pronounce the names!Exotic Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 13, 2017

Base Model Tesla Model S Destroys Competition at Drag Strip

Tesla Racing Channel has a well-optioned Model S P100D that they constantly take to the drag strip. While this Model S takes down just about every competitor that goes against in, they wanted to see how a base model example would fair.Luckily, they were able to get their hands on a base model Model S with no options included. This means no high-end audio options, smaller charger, a price of $138,000 and more.When they made it to the track, the two Teslas went head-to-head, showing just how important losing a couple of pounds can be in the world of drag racing. After the all-electric race, the Tesla then went on to take down a Hellcat, custom truck and even launch right in front of a cop. (Warning, some NSFW language)All Tesla For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 13, 2017

This is What Makes the Ferrari FXX K So Epic

There's no denying that when Ferrari unveiled the FXX K, every automotive enthusiast was blown away. Its appearance is undeniable, with aero components that create an absurd amount of downforce and an overall look that's as extreme as the X-Games.Jack Rix of Top Gear recently had the chance to spend some alone time with the Ferrari FXX K and give us an in-depth look into the hyper race car. In the video, he goes over the specifics of the FXX K's abilities in the downforce area, its massive 6.3-liter V12 engine, the massive price and how the owners go about driving their own. Check it out in the video below to see the car up close and personal for yourself.All Ferrari For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 10, 2017

Porsche's Top Five Most Epic Track Moments

Automakers, especially ones with motorsport backgrounds, like to prove themselves on the track. One manufacturer, in particular, has an extensive background in a myriad of motorsports: Porsche.Related - Top Five Porsche Racing Technologies Used in Production CarsOver the years, Porsche has conquered many types of circuits, including some off-road ones. In the German brand's latest "Top 5" video, they took a look at their five most thrilling milestones that they've accomplished on the track. From the 959 Paris Dakar to the legendary 956, they go over what they consider to be their greatest milestones.Check out the video below to get a crash-course in some of Porsche's greatest milestones on the track.All Porsche For Sale

By Edward Jones – March 06, 2017

Koenigsegg Agera RS "ML" Drives Through Swiss Alps

Most supercar and hypercar owners keep their cars safe inside a garage during Winter. However, there are a few owners out there that don't let the white stuff get the best of them and take their prized possessions out any time of the year, at just about every location.Take the owner of the Koenigsegg Agera RS "ML" for example, who didn't care that the Swiss Alps were covered in snow when he took his Swedish hypercar out for a spin. TheStradman came along for the journey, recording the one-off Agera RS as it made its way up the snow-covered mountains. He even noted that the owner of the Koenigsegg installed Pirelli SottoZero winter tires before the trip in order to give it more traction.Check out the video below to see a Koenigsegg completely out of its natural habitat.Supercars For SaleBonus Video -

By Edward Jones – March 06, 2017

Ferrari 458 Speciale Crashes During Wet Track Day

Update: Looks like the video has been made private. I'll update this article if it's reuploaded. Near Marseille, France is a track called the Circuit Paul Ricard. This track measures in at 19,229 feet long with a massive straight interrupted by an S-curve and a shape that's quite elongated. Recently, a car styling company was out on this circuit in their BMW M3 (E92) when a Ferrari 458 Speciale came zooming past them. Then, all hell broke loose.With 597 hp on tap, thanks to a 4.5-liter V8 engine, the 458 Speciale has some serious power in its wheels. If not kept in check during unfavorable conditions, spinouts can happen. Unfortunately for one driver on the Circuit Paul Ricard, this is exactly what happened.After passing the BMW, which was recording their lap, the black 458 Speciale spun out and hit a wall. There was no word as to the driver's status, but it didn't seem like a life-threatening accident. Albeit, it may have been a Ferrari ending accident. Check the crash out in the video below.Ferrari 458 Speciale For SaleView All Ferrari 458 Italia News, Articles, Video

Videos

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe