$4 million hypercar bound for Oz

McLaren is soon set to start production of its most powerful model ever and some examples are set to be coming to Australia.

The McLaren W1 is the brand’s next ‘1’ car which follows the lineage of the iconic F1 and P1 hypercars.

Only 399 examples of the W1 will be produced and all of them are already sold out.

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While McLaren confirmed the W1 is coming to Australia, it didn’t disclose exactly how many examples are coming.

At the heart of the W1 is a brand new V8 hybrid powertrain. This is a big step for the brand as it’s been using versions of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 for years now that has a lineage that dates back to racing engines of the late 1980s.

This new V8 is still a 4.0-litre twin-turbo unit but it has been completely redesigned with a slightly shorter block and hollow intake valves, among other changes.

As a result this new V8 is 10kg lighter but it produces more power. Alone it produces 682kW and has the capability to rev out to 9200rpm.

There’s also a radial flux electric motor that’s fed by a 1.38kWh battery pack. It produces 255kW of power and allows for the W1 to drive 2km on electric power alone.

Combining the V8 engine and the electric motor there’s a total system output of 937kW of power and 1340Nm of torque. It’s the most powerful McLaren model ever.

This is mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an electric reverse gear. Drive is sent to the rear wheels only.

McLaren claims the W1 can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 2.7 seconds, 0-200km/h in 5.8 seconds, or 0-300km/h in less than 12.7 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 350km/h.

While the W1 is all about outright power and speed, it also produces up to 1000kg of downforce, depending on the drive mode. This is despite the car only weighing 1400kg.

One key reason for this wild downforce figure is the car’s active rear wing. It’s actuated by four electric motors that allow it to move up, down, 300mm backwards and adjust the pitch.

Depending on the circumstances, this active rear wing can act as DRS or an airbrake. It also works in tandem with an active front wing.

McLaren has confirmed all 399 examples of the W1 will be unique. It offers virtually limitless configuration options for the exterior and interior through its McLaren Special Operations (MSO) unit.