MCLAREN CLEARED THE tricky 'second album' hurdle with aplomb. The F1 had long been established as an automotive deity, a new generation's 250 GTO and seemingly untouchable, but the P1 has held its own as an equally significant hypercar. It's rare, too, although not F1-rare, with 375 built compared with the mere 106 F1s that McLaren produced during a lifespan shortened by global financial issues and the consequentially low demand for $1million hypercars. The P1 was, and remains, a technical titan with its torque-fill hybrid powertrain and active aerodynamics, while its looks are proving ageless (although as the 15-year-old in our household pointed out, it's still not as cool as the OG).
Now McLaren has released its third Ultimate Series '1' album, titled W1. It mixes tried and tested elements from its previous two smash hits with some cutting-edge new tracks it hopes will see it reach the top of the charts once again. And with that, you'll be pleased to hear, I'm out of music analogies.
The W1, however, is more than the third member of McLaren's '1' family. It forms the basis of the next generation of Ultimate Series cars and beyond, with a new Aerocell central tub replacing the long-serving MonoCell. Its V8 engine is allnew too, something McLaren personnel were at pains to stress at the car's presentation. It's no upsized V6 from the Artura, nor is it a reworked M480T. It's entirely new. In fact there's nothing in the W1 that's carried over from the P1, and even the existing model line-up has been leapfrogged where it might have been tempting to share some under-the-skin elements.
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BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
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