The McLaren P1 – the final fantastic figures

McLaren Automotive has announced the final set of astonishing figures for their new P1 hypercar, ahead of its starring role at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The price, acceleration stats and pure top speed should put it right on the Veyron’s back bumper.

If anything is going to steal the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, it’ll be the McLaren P1 – a hypercar that packs the kind of big numbers that’d get maths-loving-yummy-mummy Carol Vorderman all weak at the knees. Yes, 903bhp, 900Nm of torque, 62mph in under 3 seconds, 220mph at the top, and at least £866,000 – the list of performance lunacy just keeps on going – just like this thing – all the way up to 180mph in under 17 seconds. Say hello to the new Top Gun.

McLaren has also announced that their ultra-futuristic P1 will be made to strictly limited numbers, with only 375 ever to roll out of the Woking factory, and I expect many of those are already sold. The P1 will cost from £866,000 – feel free to add a wide range of luxury optional extras – although this base price will see the mostly-carbon-fibre-car ready to rock hard on both road and track. And it’s on the track where it’ll deploy its arsenal of F1-inspired weaponry. Poor ol’ Bugatti!

Firstly, to fire the P1 hard off the line, there’s the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), an electric motor built into the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, to give it extra shove from standstill. Zero to 62mph will take less than 3 seconds, 124mph sub-7, and zero to 180mph less than 17 seconds – a full 5 seconds faster than the original McLaren bad boy, the F1.  Top speed is electronically limited to a nice round 350kmh, or 217mph, level pegging the Veyron.

Next up from the warped brains of F1 engineers is the Drag Reduction System (DRS), that, at higher speeds will automatically adjust aero parameters and surfaces to drop downforce and therefore drag, in favour of top speed. That massive rear wing will, like on the McLaren MP4-12C, pop up and act as a neck-snapping airbrake.

We also see the V8 motor from the 12C, but this one gets better cooling to deal with its greater output; a greater output made possible by a pair of even bigger turbos. Big turbos mean turbo lag, you say? Well, that’s what the electric motor does – adds the instant shove while the mighty turbos spool. It’s like a Gran Turismo fantasy made real! The IPAS can also be used as a ‘push to pass’ button, using that electro-grunt to blow a competitor into the weeds with a blistering overtake.

Hauling up this curving carbon fibre mass of McLaren madness is the fattest set of Pirelli P Zero Corsa bespoke tyres ever made, and a monster set of Akebono brakes using a new type of carbon ceramic for the discs, which has previously seen service in, yes, you’ve guessed it, space!

Awesome just got painted bright yellow.

By Dan Anslow