How do you succeed cars as iconic as the F1 and P1? McLaren unveils its all-new hyper car that pushes EV-bolstered powertrains into a new dimension. Check out McLaren’s latest €2.1 million fire breathing tyre slayer!
Words Sam Hexter, Photography Courtesy Of McLaren
How do you succeed cars as iconic as the F1 and P1? McLaren unveils its all-new hyper car that pushes EV-bolstered powertrains into a new dimension. Check out McLaren’s latest €2.1 million fire breathing tyre slayer!
Words Sam Hexter, Photography Courtesy Of McLaren
It’s no secret that McLaren had its own enormous pair of shoes to fill when left in the wake of the infamous P1 that debuted over a decade ago. And so, the P1’s successor needs to redefine the apex of hyper car performance, ushering in a new dawn for hybrid technologies. And, on paper at least, the all-new W1 certainly seems up to task.
Off the bat, it’s fair to say that while the W1 certainly looks striking, it’s not quite as in-your-face as the raw design philosophy of the P1 upon launch – with its exposed carbon tub and enormous cutaway sections and spaceship-esque posterior. But the P1 paved the way for McLaren’s design language for the next decade, meaning we’ve had time to digest the shapes and lines over that time across various models from within the lineup. And the W1 is more an evolution of that, at least superficially. Under the skin is where the W1 hides a lot of new tricks.
Starting from the outside, the W1 keeps a familiar side profile, boasting a rigid carbon-fibre monocoque tub, flanked by extreme cutaways and a hood-mounted intake for channelling air for various practical functions. The doors open skyward, and in the raised position show off the W1’s multilayered aero skin. This elite level air management cools the drivetrain, and through the various wings and flaps, enable the active aerodynamics in pushing up to a tonne of downforce onto the W1 at speed. It’s the rear wing that serves as the most impressive visual cue of this new pinnacle car. Dubbed the ‘Active Long Tail’, this e-motor powered spoiler can contort to an impressive array of angles. When deployed in its most rearward setting, the wing sits 300mm back, which contributes to 650kg of additional downforce on the rear of the car, and 350kg on the front end. With extreme breaking, the wing will act as an airbrake to assist the 390mm carbon-ceramic discs, rising to a vertical position, helping slow the car while maintaining poise under load. The W1 has a truly athletic aesthetic, with a low-slung, wide stance and sharp angles that give it a menacing and purposeful presence.
Inside, this mighty McLaren will offer a driver-focused cockpit, with digital displays and advanced controls that put everything a driver needs right at their fingertips; and really build from the latest interior design found in the 750S. As you’d expect, bespoke options are plentiful, mixing materials such as leather, brushed metals, and carbon-fibre parts, maintaining the luxurious feel that McLaren is known for while providing the necessary functionality and upholding the lightweight, race-ready allure.
Under the skin is where the W1 really seeks to innovate with some impossibly clever tech. Powering McLaren’s latest and greatest is an all-new engine; a V8 hybrid powertrain, capable of a combined output of 1,258bhp. You read that right.
On internal combustion power alone, the W1’s 4.0-litre V8 produces a staggering 915bhp. Add to that the electric motors, or ‘E-module’ and that’ll boost the output by an additional 342bhp. All that power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels, and in a car that weighs just 1,399kg dry, that results in some seriously impressive performance, and a power-to-weight ratio of 899bhp per tonne. The results? The W1 will see you off to 100km/h in 2.7 seconds, and 200km/h not long after, at 5.8 seconds. And for anyone brave enough, 300km/h in less than 12.7 seconds. To say it’s merely fast might be an understatement.
The MHP-8, the name for McLaren’s new hybrid V8 motor, will rev out higher than any other road-going car in the lineup, spinning up to a screaming 9,200rpm. Peak torque comes in at an organ-rearranging 988lb ft of shove, put to work by an all-new eight speed dual-shift transmission, capable of handling higher torque figures than the previous flagship gearbox. Oh, and for any eco-conscious petrol heads out there, McLaren say the W1 is capable of zero-emissions driving on electric power alone. How far? Probably, not very. But it’s not really the point.
The intentions of the W1 are clear. This is McLaren’s follow-up to the pinnacle that was the P1, and there’s no doubt that this car will lock horns with Ferrari’s F80, and likely a newcomer from Porsche that will be revealed in the not-too-distant future, reassembling the ‘holy trinity’ of hyper cars from a decade ago. The W1 will be limited to just 399 production examples, all of which have already been allocated to eager clientele to the tune of around €2.100.000. But what an incredibly special motor vehicle to own, if you should be so lucky.
Power: 1,258bhp and 988lb ft (1,340nm) of torque
0-100km/h: 2.7 seconds
Top Speed: 350km/h
Market Alternatives: Ferrari F80, Aston Martin Valkyrie, a new Porsche supercar (to be confirmed)
Price: From €2.100.000 plus local taxes