The McLaren P1 is a limited production plug-in hybrid supercar by British automotive manufacturer McLaren Automotive. The concept car debuted at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Deliveries to retail customers began in the UK in October 2013. The entire P1 production of 375 units was sold out by November 2013. A track-only version of the P1, the McLaren P1 GTR, was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Production of the GTR will be limited to 35 units and only the 375 McLaren P1 owners will be invited to buy one.
It is considered to be the long-awaited successor to the McLaren F1, utilizing hybrid power and Formula 1 technology. It does not have the same three seat layout as its predecessor. The design of the headlights is very similar to the shape of the McLaren logo. Just like the McLaren F1 road car of 1992, the McLaren P1 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive design that uses a carbon fibre monocoque and roof structure safety cage concept called MonoCage, which is a development of the MonoCell used in the current MP4-12C and MP4-12C Spider upgrade that came out in early 2012.
Specifications
The P1 features a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine that is only similar to the MP4-12C motor in its displacement.[8] The twin turbos boost the petrol motor at 2.4 bar to deliver 727 bhp (542 kW) and 719 Nm (531 lb ft) of torque at 7500 rpm, combined with an in-house developed electric motor producing 176 bhp (131 kW) and 260 Nm (192 lb ft). With both motors, the P1 will have a total power and torque output of 903 bhp (916 PS) and 978 Nm (722 lb ft) of torque respectively. The electric motor can be deployed manually by the driver or left in automatic mode, whereby the car's ECUs 'torque fill' the gaps in the petrol motor's output, which is considered turbo lag. This gives the powertrain an effective powerband of almost 7000rpm.[9] The car is rear-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission by Graziano.
Power for the electric motor is stored in a 324-cell lithium-ion high density battery pack located behind the cabin, developed by Johnson Matthey Battery Systems. The battery can be charged by the engine or through a plug-in equipment and can be fully charged in two hours. The car can be operated using either the petrol engine, the electric motor or with a combination of the two. The P1 has an all-electric range of at least 10 km (6.2 mi) on the combined European drive cycle.[2] Under the EPA cycle, the range in EV mode is 19 mi (31 km). During EV mode the P1 has a gasoline consumption of 4.8 gallons per 100 mi, and as a result, EPA's all-electric range is rated as zero. The total range is 330 mi (530 km).[1] The P1 combined fuel economy in EV mode was rated by the EPA at 18 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-equivalent) (13 L gasoline equivalent/100 km; 22 mpg-imp gasoline equivalent), with an energy consumption of 25 kW-hrs/100 mi and gasoline consumption of 4.8 gal-US/100 mi. The combined fuel economy when running only with gasoline is 17 mpg-US (14 L/100 km; 20 mpg-imp), 16 mpg-US (15 L/100 km; 19 mpg-imp) for city driving, and 20 mpg-US (12 L/100 km; 24 mpg-imp) in highway.[1][10]
The P1 comes with Formula 1 derived features such as the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), which will give an instant boost in acceleration via the electric motor, a Drag Reduction System (DRS) which operates the car's rear wing, thereby increasing straight line speed, and a KERS. Both of these features (IPAS, DRS) are operated via two buttons on the steering wheel.
The P1 will go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 6.8 seconds, and 0 to 300 km/h (186 mph) in 16.5 seconds, making it a full 5.5 seconds faster than the McLaren F1.[11] It completes a standing quarter mile in 9.8 seconds at 152 mph (245 km/h). Top speed is electronically limited to 217 mph (349 km/h). The P1 has a dry weight of 1,395 kg (3,075 lb), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 647 bhp/tonne.
