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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 Andrew Nabors – April 12, 2018

Bugatti Veyron Spins $150,000 Donuts

You and your tires share a close relationship. They keep you safe, but in the world of hypercars, they should be scared of your right foot. New tire day is like Christmas to us because the best way to celebrate the end of an era is to vaporize your old tires. This is an easy task for Rear Wheel Drive cars, but who in their right mind would do it in a Bugatti Veyron?When Bugatti first introduced it, the Veyron's capabilities awed the world. Of course, maintenance would be expensive, but they took it to an obscene level. The most expensive tires ever made could only be mounted to the wheels at the factory in Molshieim. That is because the rubber is glued to the wheels with a special epoxy. For many, this crossed the line between regular service and downright inconvenience. Perhaps that is why the Chiron has a conventional wheel/tire setup.Fastest Quarter-Mile Production CarSo if you combine the cost of shipping your stock wheels back to France, and buying new wheels & tires in the meantime, you will be $150,000 out of pocket. Daily Driven Exotics came across this situation, and what you are about to see is the most expensive tire destruction ever filmed.Browse Bugatti For Sale

By Andrew Nabors – November 30, 2017

Hypercar Races: Bugatti Veyron vs Koenigsegg Agera R

Place your bets here. It's time for a fight between two of the world's most powerful cars. Hailing from Sweden, the Koenigsegg Agera R was limited to 18 examples, built from 2011 to 2014. It is powered by a 5.0 liter V8 with dual turbos. It is capable of running on anything between 95 octane gas and E100 ethanol, and anything in between. Topped off on moonshine, it yields 1,140 horsepower and 885 lb-ft of torque. Hennessey Venom F5: 300mph Rival to the Bugatti Chiron Fighting for France, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse is a sixteen-cylinder statement of dominance. It is rated at 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 lb-ft of torque. Both cars reach 60 mph in around 2.6 seconds, so GTboard.com decided to give them a rolling start. Vitesse is French for "speed", and this Veyron is similar to the one used to redefine the top speed of a production car. The opponent was engineered by a genius who is intent on changing the automotive industry. Tell us what would happen from a standing start, and which one you would own in the comments below. Stay with us for more high-speed comparisons.

By Edward Jones – August 23, 2017

Ouch: Bugatti Chiron and Veyron Scratch Their Lips On The...

One of the worst feelings is when you're driving over a speed bump or out onto the street and you hear the awful grinding noise of your car's front lip scratching the pavement. Is that just the piece of plastic scraping against the road, or is it the front bumper itself? Do you keep going or do you back up before it gets worse? This situation is always a bad one. And don't get me starting about driving too far over a parking space bumper...Now, imagine that the car you're scraping up against the pavement is a Bugatti Veyron or Chiron? I can personally tell you my soul would drop out of my body and out of the car.G-E Supercars captured both of Bugatti's latest supercars scraping the concrete at the same exact place. The gasps from the crowd are audible and the cringing is visual. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any serious damage to either car.

By Edward Jones – January 23, 2017

It's a Sound Fight! Koenigsegg Agera vs Bugatti Veyron

When buying a car, many car fanatics always make sure their new ride will have a great sound or it has the ability to have great sound with some aftermarket parts. PRonTheRoad recently spotted a couple of cars that have a sound any owner would be proud of.(Also Check Out - Jaguar F-TYPE SVR vs Corvette Z06 Rev Battle)The cars he captured on film were a Koenigsegg Agera R and Bugatti Veyron. These two cars were spending some time having fun around the streets of Monaco and were joined by a few other exotic cars as well.While these two were the stars of the video, I have to say that the heavily modified Porsche Panamera sounded more to my tasting-- deep exhaust notes are my jam. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!Exotic Cars For Sale

By Edward Jones – October 04, 2016

Koenigsegg Agera R vs Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse ...

Hypercar drag races will never get old. It doesn't matter which cars or racing, why they are driving, or who's driving. As long as the cars have over 1,000 hp, the race will be epic. One YouTube channel who specializes in races of the hypercar kind is GTBOARD.com. And their latest video shows off one of these videos. (Related - Ferrari 599 GTB vs Koenigsegg Agera R Drag Race) Uploaded today, this video pits the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse against the Koenigsegg Agera R. The two cars are similar in horsepower, with the Agera R having 1,140 hp on tap and the Grand Sport Vitesse sporting 1,200 hp. But, which car will run down the line quicker? To find out, click play below. View All Koenigsegg For Sale | View All Bugatti For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – July 26, 2016

13-Year-Old Steven Aghakhani at it Again: 200+ mph in a B...

Setting records is something 13-year-old Steven Aghakhani isn't new to. In fact, Steven gained some notoriety as he raced down the straightaway hitting 162 mph and beating Team GSA driver, Bryce Diamond, to the finish line. He was just 12-years-old at the time.He's set records in his favorite car, the McLaren 650S, and in a video posted by NARA Speed, he had his sights set on hitting over 200 mph at the Shift-S3ctor Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack event. He states to an interviewer that his fastest time prior to this event was 195 mph, but he's confident he can hit 200+.With father, Armik, there to cheer him on and provide some pointers, Aghakhani climbs into the driver's seat of a Bugatti Veyron and steps on it. He's clocked hitting 202 mph. Check out the full video below to see Aghakhani in action.Bugatti Veyron For Sale

By Nicole Slaughter-Graham – February 24, 2016

Who Wins? Bugatti Veyron vs Nissan GTR Nismo

When comparing a Bugatti with a Nissan, one would think the Bugatti would win without argument, but in a video posted to YouTube by GTBoard, the race doesn't turn out as clear cut one might think.At the start of the race, the GTR effortlessly speeds in front of the Veyron and looks as though it's in for an easy win, but the tables turn as the Veyron kicks into gear and sails past the GTR, all while the passenger of the Veyron records the race. As you can see, the Nissan's AWD and launch capabilities are top notch, but the high top end of the Veyron lays waste to the GTR.Check out the video below and tell us what you think. Did you expect the result? Veyrons For Sale | Nissan GTRs For Sale

By Edward Jones – February 17, 2016

Insanely Fast Bugatti Veyron Vitesse WRC Donuts

When you have to pay around $30,000 to replace the tires for your Bugatti Veyron, you're going to want to get every ounce of rubber out of them. At least the owner of this Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC Edition wanted to use up his tires before they were replaced.In a video uploaded by Gumbal, the Veyron owner decided to shred his tires before his new ones were fitted. How did he do it? By performing some incredibly fast donuts and burning all of that precious rubber.To give you an idea of what's taking place, this special edition Veyron was created in celebration of the record-breaking Vitesse that hits 254.04 mph. It's an incredibly rare car that is capable of pushing 1,200 hp through all four of its wheels. These might just be the most expensive donuts you'll ever see.Bugatti Veyrons For Sale

By Edward Jones – November 20, 2015

LaFerrari, P1, 918, Veyron and Huayra Drag Races and Fina...

Over the past weeks, Salomondrin has been releasing a videos series that pits the Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Pagani Huayra and Porsche 918 Spyder against each other.The first video covered the preparation needed for the race. In the second video, they raced the cars at The Thermal Club's private track. Now, we finally have the final video in the three-part series. You can view this video below (NSFW language).In the video, we now get to see which of the five cars can win in a drag race. The cars went against each other in an elimination-style bracket, with the Veyron Super Sport being the final matchup. The results? Not terribly surprising.What was definitely surprising were the finals results of the lap times recorded in the second video.It's sad to see this series come to a close, but in the video's description he does note that Ferrari's "Big 5" will be the next. Stay with us to check out the video when it's released. (Source: YouTube)

By Edward Jones – July 28, 2014

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Pur Blanc Hits 246.4 MPH (Video)

" width="680"> This weekend, on July 26, Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Pur Blanc owner Ben Chen hit an incredible top speed of 246.4 mph down Highway 75. In a video uploaded to YouTube by The Stradman on July 27, the Panda, as Chen calls his Pur Blanc, can be seen flying down the highway in Ketchum, Idaho. This top speed run was held during the Sun Valley Road Rally where Highway 75 was transformed into a "No Speed Limit" zone to benefit the Blaine County Community Drug Coalition. Check out the top speed run video above. The goldRush Rally was also on hand at the event and they have provided us with a large gallery of photos of the event, which can be seen below. (See also: Hypercar Shootout (Video)) The Pur Blanc is a one-off based on the Super Sport commissioned for Ben Chen. Not only do just 30 Super Sports exist, only one Pur Blanc exists and this car has now gone faster than most cars in existence. Gallery by Gold Rush Rally (Source: The Stradman / YouTube, Sun Valley Road Rally, goldRush RALLY) See More Videos

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