McLaren swore that the P1 will the next big thing that had come from them, almost like how the legendary F1 did back in its days. But the F1 had a mighty 6.1-liter V12 powering it to the record books, while the P1 only had to make do with the same 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine found in the MP4-12C. Sounds like an impossible task to undertake? Not for McLaren, though.
For starters, McLaren had fiddled with the twin-turbo V8 engine so that it no longer produces 616-horsepower like how one would find in the 12C, but instead will find a 727-horsepower engine powering the car with optimized cooling and durability. They had also followed in the hybrid trend and threw in a lightweight electric motor to provide an extra boost for the P1. With a maximum output of 176-horsepower and 192 lb/ft of torque coming out from it, the P1 has a stratospheric 903-horsepower in its disposal.
The electric motor will be mounted directly onto the engine, where the combined power of both electric and gasoline motor will be transferred to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission. Power for the electric motor is stored in a high-density battery weighing at 96kg and is mounted onto the underbody of the MonoCage carbon fiber chassis.
The driver will also be able to get instant access to the full output via the Instant Power Assist System or IPAS “boost” system. The hybrid powertrain gives the P1 a greener run of 200g of CO2 per km, and the option to run on zero-emissions electric power through the E-mode for the range of around 10km.
And to top it off, McLaren makes good use of their Formula One experience in adding a Drag Reduction System (DRS), which on a push of a button will minimize drag through reducing the retractable rear wing’s angle by 23-percent.
The P1 already sounds like a champion so far, but will the whole package deliver once it sets its wheels on the real world? Will it be able to triumph against Ferrari’s upcoming monster and Porsche’s green machine? Looks like we will have another heavyweight battle in store in the future, and it sure will be a fierce competition between them.
