McLaren’s Next Big Thing: A P1 for the 21st Century

So, people, get ready to buckle up because McLaren is about to drop a bombshell. We’re talking about the successor to the legendary P1, the hyper car that basically redefined what it means to be fast and furious. But we’re all a bit nervous too, hoping they can live up to the original.

While we don’t have all the juicy details yet, here’s what we know:

It’s coming soon: McLaren has confirmed that the new car, codenamed P18 but has subsequently been officially announced as the McLaren W1, will make its debut on October 6th at 1pm. That’s right, folks, less than two weeks away!
It’s gonna be a beast: Expect a hybrid powertrain that’s even more powerful than the P1’s, with a rumoured output of around 1200 horsepower. We’re talking enough speed to make your hair stand on end.
It’s going to be rare: McLaren is keeping production numbers low, so expect this to be a very exclusive car. Likely to be invite-only which means only a select few will be lucky enough to own one.
The Name W1 – The company says the W1 name celebrates McLaren’s world championship mindset, the public reveal date marking the 50th anniversary of McLaren winning its first Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship, and Emerson Fittipaldi winning the 1974 World Drivers’ Championship with McLaren

So, there you have it. McLaren is about to unleash a new hyper car that’s sure to turn heads and break records. I think it’s safe to say we’re all excited for the big reveal!

In the meantime, we thought we’d take a closer look at the McLaren P1, which took the world by storm over a decade ago in 2013

The McLaren P1: Designed to be the best driver’s car in the world

First things first, here are the highlights of the P1:

Aero-led design produces more downforce than any other production road car
916PS (903 hp) generated by 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine coupled to an electric motor gives tremendous power and instant throttle response with an electronically limited top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph)
Active ride height, and aerodynamics work with large adjustable rear wing to give ground effect suction and optimised downforce
IPAS (Instant Power Assist System) and DRS (Drag Reduction System) offer instant boost of power and straight-line speed
The MonoCage is one of the lightest carbon fibre full-body structures used in any road car to date, weighing 90kg. This weight includes the roof and lower structures, roof snorkel, engine air intake cavity, battery and power electronics housing
0 to 300 km/h in 16.5 seconds – a full 5.5 seconds quicker than the legendary McLaren F1
Braking from 100 km/h to zero takes just 30.2 metres
Bespoke tyres and braking system, developed in conjunction with technical partners Pirelli and Akebono, ensure optimised performance
To maintain exclusivity, production will be strictly limited to 375 units – all now sold

The astonishing McLaren P1™, which debuted in production form at the Geneva Motor Show, has a clear goal – to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track. To achieve this objective, McLaren is using all of its 50 years of racing experience and success, especially in the fields of aerodynamics and lightweight carbon fibre technology.

The result is a car that has an unprecedented amount of downforce for a road vehicle: similar levels to a GT3 racing car and yet with even greater ground effect. This downforce not only boosts cornering and braking performance. It also helps balance, stability and driveability at all speeds.

‘McLaren introduced the carbon fibre chassis to the world of Formula 1 in 1981 with the MP4/1, and we had the first carbon-bodied road car,’. ‘We have always been at the cutting edge of vehicle aerodynamics, and all of this experience has gone into the new McLaren P1™. Twenty years ago, with the McLaren F1, we raised the supercar performance bar. With the McLaren P1™, we have redefined it once more.’

Ron Dennis | Former McLaren Automotive Chairman

(talking when the car was released)

The best driver’s car in the world must also have exceptional straight-line performance and instant throttle response. To deliver this, the McLaren P1™ uses an innovative IPAS petrol-electric powertrain comprising a substantially revised 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, coupled to a single electric motor, collectively known as M838TQ. Combined power output is 916 PS (903 hp). As important as absolute power is the electric motor’s ability to provide instant torque, making the powertrain superbly responsive. It is also amazingly efficient. The McLaren P1™ returns 34.0 mpg (8.3 l/100km) on the EU combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 194 g/km. The electric motor offers a range of 11 km (6.8 miles) in full electric mode on the NEDC cycle, which sees emissions drop to zero.

Top speed is electronically limited to 350 km/h (217 mph), with the 0-100 km/h standing start acceleration taking just 2.8 seconds .The McLaren P1™ will power from rest to 200 km/h in 6.8 seconds, and on to 300 km/h in 16.5 seconds – a full 5.5 seconds quicker than the McLaren F1.

The braking figures are equally as impressive for the McLaren P1™, with the levels of performance provided by the bespoke Akebono system. The specially formulated carbon ceramic discs, coated in silicon carbide, can bring the McLaren P1™ to a halt from 62 mph (100 km/h) in a distance of just 30.2 metres.

‘We believe the McLaren P1™ is the most exciting, capable, technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made,’. ‘It may not be the fastest car in the world in absolute top speed, but that was never our goal. Rather, we believe it is the fastest ever production car on a racing circuit, a much more important technical statement, and far more relevant for on-road driving. It is a true test of a supercar’s all-round ability. Plus many owners will use the car on the circuit, at special track and test days.’

Paul Mackenzie | McLaren P1™ programme director at the time

The astonishing technology developed for the McLaren P1™ includes active aerodynamics and adjustable suspension – both now banned in Formula 1, due to being seen to give a performance advantage. Airflow is optimised around the body through the use of an active wing and underbody devices. The adjustable rear wing can extend from the bodywork by 120mm on road, up to 300mm on the race track, maximising the levels of downforce. The wing is directly inspired by Formula 1 design, with the intersection of the double element rear wing and design of the endplates being the same as that on the 2008 championship winning MP4-23.

In addition, the McLaren P1™ also features adjustable ride height as part of the new hydro-pneumatic suspension. The revolutionary RaceActive Chassis Control (RCC) can lower the car by 50mm in Race mode, to produce ground effect aerodynamics. It also features adaptive spring rates, roll control, pitch control and damping, all providing a huge range of adjustment, making the McLaren P1™ perfect for either road or track. In Race mode, the spring rates stiffen by 300 per cent, allowing the McLaren P1™ to corner at more than 2g.

Formula 1-inspired technology permeates the McLaren P1™. The revolutionary new carbon fibre MonoCage monocoque forms a complete structure incorporating the vehicle’s roof and its distinctive snorkel air intake – a styling feature inspired by the McLaren F1 road car.

McLaren is an acknowledged world leader in carbon technology. The material offers lightness, strength and rigidity – improving performance, safety, handling, agility, durability, efficiency and ride comfort. The body panels of the McLaren P1™ are also made from lightweight yet strong carbon composite, with their complex shapes tuned for optimal aerodynamics.

The McLaren P1™ was designed from the outset to prioritise aerodynamic performance – just like a Formula 1 car. As with a Formula 1 car, wind tunnel testing and CFD (computational fluid dynamics) aerodynamic modelling were used to optimise the aerodynamic flow, both to provide incredible levels of downforce and to cool the powertrain. The result is 600kg of downforce at well below maximum speed (257 km/h / 161 mph) in Race mode, which is considerably higher than most other high performance supercars, and more in line with the levels of downforce generated by a GT3 racing car. This downforce improves the car’s cornering ability, especially in high speed corners. Balance, agility and controllability are all outstanding.

Other areas of Formula 1 technology evident on the McLaren P1™ include the revolutionary layered carbon ceramic brakes, developed for the road by McLaren’s Formula 1 partners Akebono. The highly efficient IPAS (Instant Power Assist System) is a development of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) used on Formula 1 cars, while DRS (Drag Reduction System) is also used on the McLaren P1™, giving extra power and straight-line speed both at the touch of a button. Brake Steer – an outlawed Formula 1 technology – is also used on the McLaren P1™. It improves cornering behaviour and cornering speed.

‘The carryover Formula 1 technology on the McLaren P1™ is palpable,’. ‘From the aero work, to the carbon fibre MonoCage monocoque and body, to the active suspension [now banned in Formula 1] to the Brake Steer [now banned in Formula 1], to the turbocharging [which comes back into Formula 1 in 2014], to many other engine examples including the low crankshaft and dry sump lubrication.’

Dick Glover, | Research Director of the time

The IPAS petrol-electric powertrain also ties in with upcoming Formula 1 regulations. From next year, Formula 1 cars will have hybrid power, including an electric mode for the pit lane.

The McLaren P1™ name is also inspired by Formula 1. P1 refers to ‘first place’ or ‘position one’ – particularly fitting as McLaren has 182 Grand Prix victories and 155 pole positions to-date, in its 47-year Formula 1 history.

But did you know, there was also heritage in that name: the McLaren F1 was initially known internally within McLaren as Project 1, or P1.