McLaren Lets the W1 Loose
Top Gear, Chris Harris, and Hagerty put McLaren's next '1' car on track, on the road, and under real scrutiny.
Until now, the McLaren W1 has mostly lived as a promise: incredible power, rear-wheel drive, heavy aero, and the weight of the F1/P1 bloodline. Last week, that changed. Top Gear took it to Navarra, Chris Harris drove it at Mugello and on the road, and Henry Catchpole gave it the Hagerty treatment in Tuscany.
Across the three films, the same traits keep coming through. The W1 looks serious, but not numb: hydraulic steering, visible aero movement, rear-drive balance, and a Race mode that drops the car into something much sharper. The question is whether the aero, hybrid power, hydraulic steering, and road ride feel like a one car.
The headline numbers are still incredible
McLaren's factory figures are worth saying plainly: 1,275PS, 1,340Nm, a 1,399kg dry weight, 911PS per tonne, up to 1,000kg of downforce, 0-200km/h in 5.8 seconds, 0-300km/h in less than 12.7 seconds, and a 350km/h limited top speed. Production is limited to 399 customer cars, all already allocated.
Watch the first drives
Top Gear starts with the Ferrari F80 comparison, but Navarra is the reason to watch. The W1 looks massive in capability without looking detached from the driver.
Chris Harris gets past the launch numbers and into feel: steering, brakes, Race Plus, road manners, and the decision to keep the car rear-drive.
Henry Catchpole gives the W1 space away from the circuit. The Tuscan roads show whether the car can stay sharp without feeling brittle when the surface and rhythm are less perfect.
This is where the W1 starts to earn its place in the '1' car line. The F1 made packaging and feel matter. The P1 made hybrid performance desirable. The W1 has to make extreme aero, hybrid power, hydraulic steering, and rear-drive performance feel like a one car, not just a set of numbers.
While the W1 might sit at the outer edge of McLaren performance, every McLaren is built around the same core ideas: low weight, transparent controls, and a car that stays close to the driver. Interested parties, please contact McLaren Chicago.