I have been fortunate enough to have been invited to drive McLaren cars in the past and they all have the same thing in common: An absolute purity of function, aerodynamics and driving finesse and it won’t be any different with their latest model, the very recently announced W1. Not for this British company the gaudy trimmings of some supposed sports cars; these superb, premium examples of automotive engineering are designed to meet the demand of the true aficionado. Prestige motoring at its very best.
Desirable Looks & Impressive Ground Force
McLaren’s ‘Performance by Design’ strategic approach centres on the five key principles of McLaren’s DNA and the new W1 clearly meets this brief. The heavily sculpted form, with almost every panel made from carbon fibre, is immediately recognisable as a McLaren supercar and a bold visual demonstration of the W1’s duality of character, the smooth, flowing upper surface contrasting with the extreme and uncompromising ground effect underbody.
The front aspect of the W1 showcases aerodynamic brilliance with a large amount of lower bodywork layering designed to condition the flow of air towards aerodynamic surfaces heading towards the rear of the car. The upper nose section features intakes around the lights and upper wheel arches, with a large single ‘nostril’ in the centre of the bonnet (hood). At the rear of this is an aerodynamic blade that lifts to reveal the EVSE charging port (yes, it really is a hybrid), brake and washer fluid reservoirs. Visible carbon fibre aerodynamic structures and exposed suspension components are also a theme that echoes throughout the car.
The side aspect of the W1 is influenced by Formula 1 side-pod design, with a wide cut-out for the convex-shaped door that creates space for air to exit the front wheel arch via two outlets, through which the front suspension arms can be seen, and two large intakes ahead of the rear section. The most prominent of these, which feeds the high temperature radiators, is triangular in shape and provides an undercut in which the second intake is located ahead of the rear wheel and features a channel that feeds the rear diffuser and brake ducts. Even the side mirrors have been designed with aerodynamics in mind; they are placed as far outboard as possible on a support blade and are shaped to direct their wake away from the rear of the car so as not to disrupt efficiency of the radiators or the ‘Active Long Tail’ wing.
The heavily-haunched rear bodywork includes an intricately detailed engine cover that sits below the flow diverter, which also houses the shark fin audio and navigation antennae and sits above and forward of the central stop light and rear-view camera. This directs clean air towards the twin-element ‘Active Long Tail’ wing, which sits above the large twin centre-exit exhaust. Completing the muscular rear section is the prominent multi-fenced rear diffuser.
A Driver’s Interior
The excitement of driving the McLaren W1 begins with the ‘Anhedral’ doors opening upwards to reveal recesses in the roof and the front lower opening that help to provide access to the innovative and comfortable cabin. The doors also feature a sculpted concave section on the inside to maximise occupant space. With unmatched supercar ergonomics and best-in-class visibility, with a remarkably spacious cockpit which has ample space for both driver and passenger. Glazed sections in the rear three-quarter view and optionally in the upper doors provide an airy feel to the interior.
When driving, forward vision is exceptional with the W1 incorporating McLaren’s narrowest A-pillars yet. Even the sun visors are designed with light weight in mind; made from carbon fibre, they are just 3mm thick.
Seating is uniquely integrated into the McLaren ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre monocoque, directly connecting the driver and passenger to the chassis. Both seats are fully upholstered for optimal support and comfort and provide a driving position that is more reclined than usual, with a high level of thigh support so often lacking in even the best of other brands, especially for tall drivers.
The pedals, steering wheel and primary controls move to fully embrace the driver within the cockpit environment, with a perfect driving position easily found by adjusting the floor-mounted aluminium pedals, which have a unique adjustment action. The unique steering wheel is smaller and flatter than previous McLaren steering wheel designs. Integral shift lights that prompt the driver to select the next gear as the 9,200rpm ‘red line’ approaches, are optionally available.
True to the McLaren supercar principle of a pure driver-focused interface, the only two buttons on the steering wheel are Boost and McLaren Aero Deployment controls. Inspired by Formula 1 development no less, these have been ergonomically designed to be easy to reach and activate by the driver moving their thumbs and not their hands from the wheel.
Chassis and power-train modes are adjusted via rocker controls on the instrument binnacle, which moves with the steering column to allow mode adjustments within easy reach of the wheel. The W1’s driver display has been engineered to ensure the full screen remains visible to the driver despite the smaller steering wheel and even doubles as an aid to providing cool or warm air as desired in all driving modes, including electric vehicle (EV) only operation.
Further glorious theatre is provided by overhead start/stop, gear selection and Race mode switchgear together with the window controls. These are housed by the digital rear-view display, designed to resemble a conventional rear-view mirror for driver familiarity, the camera position and angle is deliberately placed to discreetly display a small section of the ‘Active Long Tail’ wing in order to give context and perspective to the driver’s rear view to ease vehicle positioning in traffic and low-speed manoeuvring including parking, which is a thoughtful idea.
Further information and adjustments can be found on the high resolution eight inch touch screen with the ‘McLaren Infotainment System’ located between the driver and passenger. This has Apple ‘CarPlay’ with USB C connectivity, with USB A also provided for device charging and storage access. Between the fixed seats there is a storage area with a sliding cupholder, while there is a second area for small items behind the armrest. The W1 also has a luggage stowage shelf behind the seats, accessible by moving the headrests, which fold flat forwards to provide a loading platform. With up to 117 litres of storage space, two weekend bags or two crash helmets (you might want to go to the track) can be accommodated.
Epic Performance
At the heart of W1 is an all-new High-Performance Hybrid power-train, comprising McLaren’s all-new V8 combustion engine combined with an all-new E-module (integrating a radial flux electric motor and motor control unit), and an 8-speed transmission with E-reverse. Power and torque are to the rear wheels only, through an E-differential.
The 915bhp (928PS) of the new V8 and 342bhp (347PS) of the E-module combine to produce 1275PS, giving W1 the highest-ever power output of any McLaren and putting it above all core competitors. This car is engineered for epic power delivery and breathtaking performance, the highest ever for any road-legal McLaren and more importantly, best-in-class. 5.8 seconds to 124mph (200KPH) anyone.
There is so much interesting detail and engineering to this car that this post has been edited to a readable length, but that’s often the case with McLaren supercars. These vehicles are superb to look at even though they don’t flaunt their automotive beauty or aero expertise as can be seen to the current models currently available from MHH International on this page.
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