Five years have passed since McLaren revealed the P1 as a design study at the 2012 Paris Motor Show and the British supercar maker is celebrating the occasion.
The first model in McLaren’s Ultimate Series and the spiritual successor of the iconic F1, the P1 hypercar set the foundations of the company’s new golden era.
McLaren sold the entire production run of 375 examples even before the first P1 was delivered, with the company claiming that not two P1s were the same as each was custom built to the owner’s specifications.
With aerodynamic performance prioritized, the McLaren P1 came with an advanced aero agenda that helped it produce 600kg (1,323 lbs) of downforce at its electronically limited top speed of 217mph (350km/h).
Features like a F1-style DRS were fitted to change-on-demand the pitch of the rear wing, reducing drag and increasing straight-line speed. The wing could also work as an air-brake. McLaren even added two flaps under the body ahead of the front wheels to increase downforce and aero efficiency.
The first Ultimate Series McLaren was also focused on reducing its mass, with the dry weight of the P1 being just 1,395kg (3.075lbs). The incredibly stiff and lightweight carbon fiber MonoCage is the core of the P1, with all the main body panels also made from the same material. More impressively McLaren opted for not applying the top layer of resin on the interior carbon components, saving this way 1.5kg. The cabin also employed super-thin and super-light glass while there are no carpets or even sound-deadening material.
The hybrid powertrain combined a 727hp twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 with a lightweight 176hp electric motor, producing in total 903hp. 0-62mph (100km/h) came in 2.8 seconds, with 124mph (200km/h) coming in 6.8 seconds and 186mph (300km/h) in 16.5 seconds. The P1 could even drive on pure electric mode for more than 10km (6.8 miles), in case you want to sneak out at night.
Another highlight is of course the Race mode which lowered the P1 by 50mm and stiffened the spring rates by an astonishing 300 percent, enabling the car to corner at more than 2g.
Happy fifth anniversary you beast, you still are breathtaking.
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