There were two supercar stars at the Geneva Motor Show – LaFerrari was one and this was the other – the McLaren P1. Priced at $1,274,000 in Britain (£866,000) in fact the P1 is even more exclusive than LaFerrari – only 375 will be made at the McLaren headquarters in Woking, Surrey.
Like the Ferrari, the McLaren P1 debuts a hybrid drivetrain. Unlike the Italian supercar, the P1 can be driven for short distances (up to 20kms) on pure electric power.
“Performance,” you’re asking? Well, staggeringly it’s 23 per-cent faster than the McLaren F1 supercar with a top speed limited at 350km/h and acceleration from zero to 300km/h – yep that’s 300km/h – in less than 17 seconds (5 seconds faster than the F1). Zero to 100km/h takes less than three seconds.
Under the bonnet is an up-rated version of McLaren’s mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine with and electric motor and Formula One DRS and IPAS technologies. Combined output is 675kW/900Nm.
Throughout the vehicle McLaren has teamed with its Formula One partners – for example tyres are specially developed Pirelli P Zero Corsas and the brakes are form Akebono and features a new carbon ceramic disc of the type used in aerospace (never previously used in a road car).
