duPont REGISTRY

Just get in and drive. That’s what I tell myself when the pressures of the world weigh heavily on me. Just get in and drive. When the noise of everyday life is shouting over the song in my soul. Just get in and drive. What I’m talking about is driving for the sake of pleasure. Whether on a country road or a private track, driving for pleasure is a luxury that anyone with a car can afford, regardless of income. It merely involves a willing machine and the absence of a Point B. Money can help, though. There is no better automobile I’ve found for pleasure driving than a McLaren, which doesn’t come cheap. A drive in a McLaren is like an antidepressant overdose with a stimulant chaser. Visceral, intimate, and thrilling…

As the years pass, automakers of all kinds push forward in the pursuit of electrifying their lineups. This fact is ever-present in the supercar segment, where the fastest cars in the world are getting an extra boost of power courtesy of electrification. For McLaren Automotive, the first attempt at producing an electric model resulted in the P1, which was a smashing success for the British manufacturer. Now, McLaren has introduced the Artura, a supercar that delivers their hybrid technology to even more drivers than ever before. Since the production of the P1 ended back in 2015, McLaren has made incredible advancements in regards to electrified powertrain — and those are on full display with the Artura. For power, the Artura relies on an all-new 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that’s mated to…

Luxury is rarely logical. Across the first century of automotive history, car connoisseurs revered the finery of leather, wood, and intricate 12-cylinder engines in the same way they regarded mechanical watches: with a healthy respect for handmade complication. Traditional car building followed the same principles as the horological world, placing a premium on painstaking craftsmanship. But when a changing world forced new demands on vehicle emissions, the next revolution trickled down from the top. Formula 1 racing introduced gas/electric hybrid powertrains, and the so-called “holy trinity of hypercars” — the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyder — followed. If million-dollar ultra-exotics can gain an edge through electrification, surely change isn’t all bad. We’re now five years into that paradigm shift, and top carmakers are at fever pitch, ready to…

As automotive and motorsport enthusiasts, we all dream of the day we can get behind the wheel of a factory race car and push it to the limits on a legendary circuit. While the reality of becoming a professional racing driver is a challenging task in itself, automotive brands are making the goal of owning a factory race car more attainable by establishing dedicated motorsport divisions. These client factory race programs allow individuals the opportunity to purchase, service, and race vehicles that sport the badging of the world-renowned brands that compete in professional settings. Manufacturers that participate in these programs include Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW, Toyota, and Mazda, among others. Starting as a blank canvas, each chassis comes fit with identical performance and technology features that level the playing…

592 Horsepower 155 (mph) Top Speed 8 Speed Transmission Suppose you distill a Rolls-Royce down to its essence: a tremendously comfortable vehicle with world-class suspension and enough noise isolation to make even police sirens sound no louder than a notification on your phone. While these attributes make a Rolls-Royce ideal for navigating urban environments in your own personal bubble, they should also make it the ideal machine for a road trip. To confirm this hypothesis, I reached out to the folks at Rolls-Royce with a simple idea: a round trip in the Ghost Black Badge from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Setting off from my home in Pasadena, I had three routes to choose from, two of which took me through the Middle of Nowhere, California. After about 10 seconds of internal debate, I…

As Formula 1 stumbles blinking into the sunlight from under the shadow of COVID-19, the world championship enters its most ambitious season yet with a new jewel in its crown: a second grand prix in the United States — in Miami, one of the Sunshine State’s most vibrant cities. This race, happening May 8, features an almost unprecedented level of partnership between Formula One Management and the race promoter. “The U.S. is a key growth market for us,” was the succinct summary of Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali when the race was confirmed last April. With a Las Vegas event also in the running for consideration, it likely won’t be long before the United States is hosting a trio of grands prix. Students of the sport will recall that former chief executive…