This is our latest look of the McLaren P1. It's one of the most anticipated hypercars
in recent memory, and faces stiff competition from the likes of the Porsche 918 Spyder and
LaFerrari. First, the headlines. The P1 is a technical
tour de force and is powered by a 3.8-litre twin turbo charged V8 engine in conjunction
with an electric motor, producing a combined output of 903bhp.
That means the P1 is able to accelerate to 62mph in under three seconds and
onto a top speed of 217mph. It can also be a very green car, managing an
official 34mpg on a combined cycle and emitting 194g/km of CO2. The P1 is built around a carbonfibre
tub known as the Mono Cage. This tub weighs 90 kilos and includes space
for all of the P1's electrical systems, as well as its battery.
McLaren has been obsessed with saving weight in the P1, so much so that the windscreen
has been planed down to become just 3.2mm thick, 1mm thinner than that
used on the 12C and 3.5 kilos lighter. The diet continues inside, where each seat weighs
just 10.5 kilos. It's joined by a carbonfibre trim, which does without its top layer of
resin. McLaren says this gives a more natural look
and crucially saves another 1.5 kilos.
Don't think of the P1 as only being for the track, however.
McLaren tells us it's engineered the hypercar to ride as
well around town as it does on the circuit. Its
suspension system is again based on the 12C, but uses special hydraulic adjustment to control
ride height and vertical stiffness. In some cases, the space-age technology showcased
on the P1 really is from space. A silicone carbide coating, used to get the carbon ceramic
brakes their stopping power generating up to 2g in places
was first used on the Ariane space rocket.
At £866,000 each, the P1 is likely to be a rare and exclusive machine. Just 375 models
will be produced in total, all of which have already sold out.