McLaren P1

Since McLaren presented the successor to the old F1 at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, many videos and images have accompanied Ron Dennis’s prototype. With just a week to go before the 2013 Geneva Motor Show begins, the Woking firm has definitively revealed its greatest work to date, the incredible P1, a hypercar that will set the trend from now on.

The McLaren P1, limited to 375 units, will have a starting price in the European market of €1,004,000. When the prototype began to take shape, the McLaren team decided to build a maximum of 500 units, but later Ron Dennis reduced that figure to the current 375 vehicles after speaking with its future owners, thus achieving a truly exclusive automotive jewel.

MECHANICS

This hypercar is packed with technology and engineering inherited directly from the Formula 1 team. Its greatest virtue is therefore not the power it possesses, but the downforce it is capable of generating thanks to its multiple wings, flat underbody and diffuser. The McLaren P1 has a drag coefficient of 0.34 and can generate up to 600 kg of downforce, a figure five times higher than that of the MP4-12C.

In the mid-rear position sits the McLaren P1’s powertrain. Unlike other hypercars, this one uses two motors. The main one is a supercharged V8 petrol engine delivering 737 CV at 7,500 rpm and 720 Nm of peak torque. Secondly, we find a 179 CV electric motor. The latter can propel the vehicle on its own for more than 10 km thanks to batteries that can be recharged either from an electrical outlet or by lifting off the accelerator. Together, the McLaren P1 delivers 916 CV to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

With the use of an electric motor, the exhaust emissions of the vehicle have been reduced to 200 g/km, minimal figures for the performance it offers.

It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under three seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in under seven, and from 0 to 300 km/h in 17 seconds. Its top speed is 350 km/h.

Behind the wheels, fitted with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres, are brake discs developed from a new type of carbon ceramic never before used in a car. Only space rockets have used them. Under braking, the P1’s aerodynamics also play a leading role, changing the position of the wings to increase air resistance.

INTERIOR

The cabin interior, set on a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, has been oriented directly towards the driver. The steering column and seats are adjustable, while the backrests are fixed at a 28-degree angle. All cabin surfaces have been covered or made from carbon, although compared with the competition, McLaren has omitted the material’s top resin layer to save 1.5 kg.

The most curious thing about this vehicle is that it was designed by and for racing, but the designers and project directors have also thought about the tastes of their wealthy customers. For that reason, satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control and a premium sound system have been fitted.

The steering wheel, made of carbon fibre and Alcantara, has two buttons from which the DRS and IPAS are activated. The first reduces the rear wing angle to achieve a higher top speed, while the second works much like the KERS on a Formula 1 car. When pressed, the electric motor delivers all its power for a few seconds, improving the car’s acceleration.

Source | McLaren