NEWS: McLaren P1 Performance Figures Unveiled

McLaren's P1 hypercar performance figures have been released, and make for some unreal reading, in all areas! Check them out below...

Acceleration
0-100km/h (62 mph) 0-200km/h (124 mph) 0-300km/h (186 mph) Standing quarter mile (400m) V Max	2.8 seconds 6.8 seconds 16.5 seconds 9.8 seconds @ 245 km/h (152 mph) 350 km/h (217 mph) electronically limited
Braking
100-0 km/h m (ft) [sec] 200-0 km/h m (ft) [sec] 300-0 km/h m (ft) [sec]	30.2 (99) [2.9] 116 (380) [4.5] 246 (806) [6.2]
Fuel efficiency
mpg (combined) litres/100km	34.0 mpg 8.3 l/100km
Emissions
CO2	194 g/km

McLaren says:

Groundbreaking levels of performance
The McLaren P1™ has been designed from the outset with one clear goal: to be the best driver’s car on road and track. The confirmation of the performance figures underlines this, and gives further insight into the potential of the latest model from the Woking-based firm.
Fitted with a twin powerplant powertrain generating 916 PS (903 bhp) from the highly efficient 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine and the lightweight electric motor, the McLaren P1™ storms from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.8 seconds, and hits 200 km/h (124 mph) in 6.8 seconds – quicker than many hot hatches reach half that speed.
The relentless acceleration, delivered as a result of the instant torque offered by the electric motors and the optimised turbos, sees the McLaren P1™ reach 300 km/h (186 mph) in just 16.5 seconds. By way of a benchmark, this is a full 5.5 seconds quicker than the legendary McLaren F1. Top speed is electronically limited to 350 km/h (217 mph).
Despite these impressive figures, the McLaren P1™ still returns 34.0 mpg (8.3 l/100km) on the EU combined cycle, with CO₂ emissions of 194 g/km. The electric motor offers a range of 11 km (6.8 miles) in full electric mode on the NEDC cycle, which sees emissions drop to zero.
The braking figures are equally as impressive for the McLaren P1™, with the levels of performance provided by the bespoke Akebono system. The specially formulated carbon ceramic discs, coated in silicon carbide, can bring the McLaren P1™ to a halt from 62 mph (100 km/h) in a distance of just 30.2 metres. This figure is even more impressive when compared to the recognised stopping distances, which suggests that more than three times the distance – 102 metres – is required to bring a car to a halt from 100 km/h (62 mph).

First customer takes delivery
In a year of celebration for McLaren, this week has seen another significant milestone in an important chapter of McLaren Automotive with the first customer delivery of the groundbreaking McLaren P1™. Series production of the latest addition to the McLaren range commenced over the summer, and the first car, finished in a striking Volcano Yellow and contrasting visual carbon fibre, rolled off the bespoke production line at the end of September – a fitting tribute during the month of the 50^th anniversary celebrations.
The first example of the McLaren P1™ was collected from the McLaren Technology Centre by its UK-based owner.
“We designed the McLaren P1™ from the outset with one clear goal: to be the best driver’s car on road and track. The confirmation of the performance figures underlines this. 
“I am very proud of our Woking based team and everything they have achieved with this ambitious project.  The handover of the first McLaren P1™ is another milestone in our 50 year history,” commented Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive Ltd.

The P1 production process 
A total of 375 examples of the McLaren P1™ will be produced, and will be hand-built in the state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, England. This £40 million Foster + Partners designed facility is an ultimate embodiment of McLaren values, fusing precise production techniques with hand craftsmanship and incredible attention to detail.
The McLaren P1™ is custom-built by a carefully selected team of 82 technicians in a four-stage assembly process. From start to finish, the build takes 17 days of skilled work. Once running at full capacity, the McLaren P1™ line will see one car completed each day, with production due to run until mid-2015.
Stage 1: Structural Assembly
The bespoke manufacturing process commences with the preparation of the carbon fibre MonoCage chassis. The one-piece MonoCage weighs just 90kgs, and includes the integrated roof structure, an integral roof snorkel and air intake ducts, as well as providing a fully sealed compartment for the battery.
Stage 2: Painting
In total the McLaren P1™ consists of seven lightweight panels, all of which are made from carbon fibre – front and rear clamshells, bonnet, doors, front and rear bumpers. Due to the extended painting processes involved, and to minimise disruption to the facility within MPC used for the 12C and 12C Spider, each McLaren P1™ is prepared and hand painted in a dedicated paintshop in the McLaren Technology Centre while the chassis structure is being prepared.
The complete set of body panels for each McLaren P1™ is painted together to ensure a perfect colour match. This process takes three days, including surface preparation of the carbon fibre panels to ensure flawless paintwork on every single car.
Stage 3: Trim Assembly
The fully prepared carbon fibre MonoCage chassis and the hand-painted carbon fibre body panels are brought together on a dedicated production line within the MPC. This ten-stage process is the most recent addition to the MPC, and sees the sub-assembly of battery, front sub-frame, doors, rear clamshells and bumpers fitted as it moves along the line.
Two dedicated McLaren technicians work on each of the production stages for the McLaren P1™, with each step taking a full working day to complete.
Stage 4: Final Assembly
As each car reaches the end of the McLaren P1™ line, it is then subjected to the same rigorous testing regime and sophisticated quality control procedures as the 12C and 12C Spider models to ensure it meets the required quality and performance levels. This phase of production takes a total of seven days to complete.
For the McLaren P1™, this includes a full day shakedown at a proving ground, testing every element of the car’s performance. The McLaren test drivers and a team of technicians run through the different settings and modes to examine and verify the performance ahead of final delivery to the customer.
Each example of the McLaren P1™ is then put through the Monsoon Test, in which 16,000 litres of de-ionised recycled water is released on to the car to ensure all seals are correctly finished. A complete underbody check and diagnostics review is then carried out, before the final dispatch audit confirmation.

Now we're just waiting for that Green Hell lap time and video...

NEWS: McLaren P1™ Fast Facts & Figures. Oh and £866,000 price tag!

More details have emerged on the amazing McLaren P1™– a lesson in hypercars from the world's most anal and awesome car builders, with the most immaculate F1 win record. Not to mention being a lesson in car launching technique. The crescendo drip feed of facts, figure, images and info. has been superb. Bravo marketing and PR team.
So, headlines this week in McLaren P1™world? Well, thanks to the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), the McLaren P1™will be 23% faster than the legendary McLaren F1 – blitzing 0-62mph in under three seconds and 0-300 km/h (186mph in old money!) in less than 17 seconds, which is quite quick (five seconds faster than the McLaren F1 in fact)! The top speed has been limited to 217mph (350 KM/h in new money). Only 375 will be made, making it super exclusive. But that'll cost you, at £866,000 OTR, or track! And McLaren says the production model is almost unchanged from the original design study, which is impressive too. McLaren has been engaging with potential customers actively in the last few months to get their views on the McLaren P1™, about the car’s styling.  Their unanimous verdict on the styling was not to change the car presented last September in Paris.  So unusually, the McLaren P1™ has translated to production form with very little change.  In fact just one, the addition of LTR ducts ahead of each of the front wheels to further aid cooling and optimise downforce.
The options list will be limited to only bespoke content that a customer might wish to add through McLaren Special Operations, and fitted luggage... naturally.
As already announced, the McLaren P1™ will have the combined force of two highly-efficient powerplants, offering the optimum mix of superb throttle response, day-to-day drivability and top speed. A mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine is substantially enhanced featuring, for example, larger turbochargers and a highly effective electric motor, to give a combined output of 916PS (903 bhp) and a maximum torque figure of 900Nm. This ensures instantaneous throttle response through the rev range, more akin to a naturally aspirated engine. Emissions of less than 200g/km on the combined cycle are reduced to zero in full electric drive mode, while the Formula 1-derived DRS and IPAS technologies offer an increase in straight-line speed and an instant boost of power.
The tyres fitted to the McLaren P1™ are specially developed P Zero Corsas, which have been developed with McLaren’s technology partner, Pirelli. The team at Pirelli has been involved throughout the entire development programme, and this has seen the tyre testing phase integrated into the schedule, as a key performance component. The final compound and construction has been developed and optimised during testing, and the end result is a tyre that is finely tuned specifically to the performance and handling characteristics.
To rein in the power produced by the twin powerplants, the McLaren P1™ is designed to offer braking performance more associated with a GT3 or sports racing car. Developed by McLaren’s Formula 1 partner Akebono, the system features a new type of carbon ceramic disc, which has previously seen service in space, but never before used on a road car. Stronger than conventional carbon ceramic, the material dissipates heat more effectively, giving the highly efficient braking system exceptional stopping and cooling capability. The system also boasts significantly reduced weight, and a bespoke ceramic layer coats both friction surfaces to give an attractive mirrored finish.
One surprising eco-feature is that the car can also be driven solely in electric mode.  In city driving, with an average speed of 30 mph, this could mean up to a 20km range.  More than enough for an owner to enter, for example, a city centre Zero Emissions Zone, have dinner and return home.
Can you wait? We can't. New Top Gear lap record? Yup! Nopt to mention a whole host of other accolades...
Bravo. The world today needs the McLaren P1™don't you think?
See more images here.

NEWS: Paradigm Shifting 903bhp McLaren P1™ Details

More details of the McLaren P1™ emerged today – and what figures! How does 903bhp and 900NM torque grab you? That's going to add up to some pretty serious pace! 

The P1's huge power figures come not just from the mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 – which knocks out 727bhp and 720Nm – but also a lightweight, super high-tech, electric motor with IPAS (Instant Power Assist System). This offers instant power and straight-line speed, boosting a further 176bhp and 260Nm torque, from a standstill. And emissions will be less less than 200g/km, with a full E-mode offering in excess of 10km emission-free driving! Green and mean!  

The McLaren P1™team say: "The instant response of the electric motor provides a sharper throttle response more associated with a normally aspirated engine, and the significantly enhanced air-charging system enables the McLaren P1™ to have more top-end power – the perfect combination for high performance. The electric motor is mounted directly onto the engine, and all drive is channelled through the dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox to drive the rear wheels. Thus, the electric motor and 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine work seamlessly together, providing more than just added ultimate power and torque. A further benefit is that the e-motor can provide faster upshifts. This is achieved through the application of instant negative torque at the point of shift, making the engine revs drop as quickly and efficiently as possible to the required engine speed for the upshift. And in addition to the obsessive weight-saving measures demonstrated throughout the McLaren P1™, so too is the optimisation of usable energy. When off-throttle the electric motor provides additional drag torque, recovering energy to the battery that would otherwise be lost to the brakes."

The awesome McLaren P1™will also have a trick 'Drag Reduction System' – technology similar to that employed on Formula 1 cars. Ultimately, speed is increased by reducing the amount of drag on the rear wing and, where the MP4-28 has a moveable flap on the rear wing, the McLaren P1™ has a wing that reduces in angle to lower drag by 23%. The system immediately deactivates when the button is released, or if the driver touches the brake pedal.
And let's not forget the chassis here – a high-strength Formula 1-grade carbon fibre MonoCage chassis – matched to MP4-12C style fancy suspension, so we can expect the McLaren P1™to handle fabulously too. 

Further details of the McLaren P1™ will be released in the coming weeks, before the production-ready car makes its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Is the world ready? Is the McLaren P1™going to be a paradigm shifter, like it's older brother, the McLaren F1? We reckon so... what do you think? Is hybrid power adding to or ruining the hyper car? You tell us... 

Meantime, see more images here.

VIDEO: McLaren P1™ "The Best Driver's Car In The World"

Check out this beautiful short film about the next incredible McLaren to be unveiled soon – the McLaren P1™– shot here undergoing testing, in 'XP development car' spec, carrying race track-inspired camouflage, as you can see with pictures on our Facebook page. Incredible looking thing eh?
McLaren say: "The McLaren P1™ was unveiled to the world as a design study at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, and was met with the glare of a thousand camera flashes. Since then, development of the technology beneath the carbon fibre skin has continued at great pace. The team at McLaren Automotive has continued the relentless testing programme for the car. The goal being: to produce the best driver’s car in the world on road and track."
McLaren are pouring all their MP4-12C experience and five decades of F1 and motorsport know-how into the car and are promising "to raise the supercar performance bar."
They say: "Using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) aerodynamic modelling and bespoke Formula 1™-derived dynamics simulation tools, outstanding performance against aggressive targets was established even before the first prototype builds.  Detailed analysis has continued hand in hand with physical testing to accelerate the further development of the McLaren P1™. A dedicated team of McLaren engineers, technicians and racing drivers are running a fleet of XP-codenamed vehicles, around the clock in some of the most demanding conditions, and on roads and circuits across the globe. The rigorous testing procedures for the McLaren P1™ have seen the development team working closely with McLaren Automotive technology partners on bespoke components and developments, including Akebono on a highly-efficient braking system, Pirelli on high performance tyres and Mobil 1 on leading cooling, lubrication and hydraulic fluids. As all these activities converge on the final specification, a remarkable vehicle is emerging.  The McLaren P1™ is set to deliver truly outstanding road and track dynamics and performance, coupled with levels of driveability and refinement unprecedented in such a supercar. The obsession to detail which McLaren is known for carries through with the work being done by the McLaren P1™ development team. This fascination that everything should be designed for a reason has filtered down even to the striking camouflage being worn on the development cars. Designed in-house by the team behind the shape of the car, the graphic incorporates the outlines of famous circuits from across the world, each of which is significant in the history of the brand."
The race is now on for the McLaren P1™ ahead of the next public appearance… and tickets for that are going to fought over, for sure. Incredible stuff!