McLaren reveals its P1 successor, the W1
By Samuel Irvine · 07 Oct 2024
There’s a brand-new W1 supercar, but despite the bright orange paint and similar W1 badging, it's not the news you were hoping for, HSV fans.This one’s from McLaren, and it packs considerably more power under the bonnet than any other road-going McLaren in history, or HSV GTSR W1, for that matter.Designed as a successor to the ground-breaking P1, the McLaren W1 will deliver an astronomical 938kW/1340Nm to the rear wheels through an ultra-high-torque eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.For context, that’s an additional 265kW and 440Nm over the P1’s 673kW/900Nm, or while we’re still on the topic of HSVs, 464kW and 525Nm over the Australian-made W1.McLaren says the momentous figures are thanks to the W1’s all-new hybrid powertrain, which consists of a brand new twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre flat-plane-crank V8 engine, which delivers 682kW on its own.It’s paired to an F1-derived e-module, which comprises a motor control unit, a 256kW radial flux electric motor and a 1.38kWh battery pack.It doesn’t deliver much by way of pure-electric range – just 2.6kms – but the emphasis on the W1 is performance, not driving range.McLaren says this configuration makes it the brand’s fastest accelerating road-legal car ever, rocketing from 0-200km/h in just 5.8 seconds, while 0-100km/h is clocked at 2.7 seconds for a top speed of 350km/h.In true F1 spirit, virtually every weight-saving measure has been taken on the W1, from the seats to the cupholders, each helping to make the W1 weigh just 1399kg, about as much as a Toyota Corolla.As such, it's the most power-efficient McLaren ever, delivering a power-to-weight ratio of 670kW/tonne.Strong track performance is ensured through hydraulic steering, double wishbone suspension with adaptive damping as well as monster carbon ceramic racing brakes, all of which can be configured depending on the car’s activated drive mode, which includes Comfort, Sport, Race and Race+.In terms of aerodynamic design, there are active front and rear wings, including McLaren’s signature Active Long Tail, which in race mode extends 300mm backwards instead of upwards, extending the working area of the rear diffuser and creating 1000kg of downforce.Central to the car is its carbon fibre monocoque tub to which the car’s seats are integrated with, allowing for a shorter wheelbase to enable better airflow.There’s also anhedral doors, or gull-wing doors in simpler terms, which mean the door hinges are moved to the roof instead of the side of the car, freeing up space at the edges of the door for integrated aero blades.Inside, there’s an 8.0-inch multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel with two buttons: ‘Boost’, which instantly deploys available e-module power, and ‘Aero’, which activates the rear tail's drag-reduction system.It also has integrated lights that indicate to the driver when to shift gears.The fixed bucket seats are fully upholstered with a fabric material to provide lumbar support, while the W1’s aluminium pedals and driver controls are moveable according to the driver’s seating position.All 399 examples of the W1 have been sold, according to Autocar UK, before production commences in England in 2026, with sale prices expected to be far higher than the retail price of £2 million ($3.86 million) thanks to a virtually unlimited range of customisation options.The W1’s predecessor – the P1 – was famously launched at the same time as the Ferrari LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder in 2013, a treble of hypercars known affectionately as the ‘holy trinity’.Ferrari is understood to be readying its own LaFerrari successor to rival the W1 imminently.
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