McLaren P1 : Hybrid Power at its Finest
These days, it is not enough to be simply powerful, you have to offer an innovative source of power, and this is especially true in the automotive industry. Hybrid cars are all the rage now, at least in the mass market level.
The British car manufacturer McLaren Automotive steps up their supercar game with the McLaren P1, a plug-in hybrid high performance supercar unveiled in the 2012 Paris Motor Show.
The McLaren P1 is a much-anticipated car that succeeded the ultra popular McLaren F1. McLaren went ahead and built upon the solid Formula 1 technology of the F1 by introducing hybrid power without skimping on the style and performance of their new supercar. The McLaren P1 is very similar to its older brother, with a mid-engine and rear-wheel drive structure, which features a monocoque made of lightweight yet durable carbon fibre. This supercar also boasts of a MonoCage, a unique roof structure safety cage design feature.
One of the most distinct design features of this two-door supercar is the headlight, which uncannily resembles the McLaren logo. With one quick look, you can be sure that you are dealing with one of the legendary sports car manufacturers in the world.
The McLaren P1 is powered by an impressive 3.8-litre twin turbocharged V8 petrol engine, complemented by a seven-speed dual clutch. The petrol engine can deliver 727 horsepower and 719 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. If these numbers failed to impress you, then the electric motor, developed by McLaren, probably would. In addition to the power and torque produced by the gas engine, the electric engine can produce up to 176 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque. The electric motor can kick in by manually deploying it yourself, or through the automatic mode, which fill in the “gaps” of the petrol engine’s power and torque production.
The electric motor is fuelled by a 324-cell lithium ion battery pack, developed especially for the McLaren P1 by the Johnson Matthey Battery Systems. The electric motor can be charged by plugging it in (the supercar comes with its own plug-in equipment) or by the engine.
Warm-up is quite fast, as one would expect from a McLaren machine. Zero to sixty miles per hour in under 2.8 seconds, which is much faster than its much admired older brother, the McLaren F1.
Other notable inclusions in the McLaren P1 are the custom-made Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires and Akebono carbon ceramic brakes. Both companies especially designed and manufactured these products to fit with the McLaren P1. Maybe this new McLaren is not up to par—in terms of numbers—with the other supercars in the market, but it never fails to deliver a solid performance.
Do you want a McLaren P1 of your own, to love and cherish? Even with a price tag of $1,150,000, the British manufacturer has sold all the 375 units they have produced since November 2013. There might be some owners who are willing to part ways with this beautiful McLaren machine, but it will be quite difficult to find them. Trust us, we have tried.
