McLaren P1



Image Credit: McLaren

The McLaren P1 is a limited production plug-in hybrid sports car by British automotive manufacturer McLaren Automotive. The concept car debuted at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Deliveries to retail customers began in the UK in October 2013. The entire P1 production of 375 units was sold out by November 2013. It is considered to be the long-awaited successor to the McLaren F1, utilizing hybrid power and Formula 1 technology. It does not have the same three seat layout as its predecessor. The design of the headlights is very similar to the shape of the McLaren logo. Just like the McLaren F1 road car of 1992, the McLaren P1 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive design that uses a carbon fiber monocoque and roof structure safety cage concept called MonoCage, which is a development of the MonoCell used in the current MP4-12C and MP4-12C Spider upgrade that came out in early 2012.

SPECIFICIATIONS


The P1 features a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine that is only similar to the MP4-12C motor in its displacement. The twin turbos boost the petrol motor at 2.4 bar to deliver 727 bhp (542 kW) and 719 Nm (531 lb ft) at 7500 rpm, combined with an in-house developed electric motor producing 176 bhp (131 kW) and 260 Nm (192 lb ft). With both motors, the P1 will have a total power and torque output of 903 bhp (916 PS) and 978 Nm (722 lb ft) respectively. The electric motor can be deployed manually by the driver or left in automatic mode, whereby the car's ECUs 'torque fill' the gaps in the petrol motor's output, which is considered turbo lag. This gives the powertrain an effective powerband of almost 7000rpm. The car is rear-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Power for the electric motor is stored in a 324-cell lithium-ion high density battery pack located behind the cabin, developed by Johnson Matthey Battery Systems. The battery can be charged by the engine or through a plug-in equipment and can be fully charged in two hours. The car can be operated using either the petrol engine, the electric motor or with a combination of the two. The P1 has an all-electric range of at least 10 km (6.2 mi) on the combined European drive cycle.

The P1 comes with Formula 1 derived features such as the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), which will give an instant boost in acceleration via the electric motor, a Drag Reduction System (DRS) which operates the car's rear wing, thereby increasing straight line speed, and a KERS. Both of these features (IPAS, DRS) are operated via two buttons on the steering wheel.

The P1 will go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 6.8 seconds, and 0 to 300 km/h (186 mph) in 16.5 seconds, making it a full 5.5 seconds faster than the McLaren F1.[8] It completes a standing quarter mile in 9.8 seconds at 152 mph (245 km/h). Top speed is electronically limited to 217 mph (349 km/h). The P1 has a dry weight of 1,395 kg (3,075 lb), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 647 bhp/tonne. It has a kerb weight of 1,490 kg (3,280 lb) which translates to of 606 bhp/tonne. The P1 also features bespoke Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres and specially developed carbon-ceramic brakes from Akebono. It takes 6.2 seconds to brake from 186 mph (299 km/h) to standstill, during which it will cover 246 metres. From 60 mph (97 km/h), it will cover 30.2 metres.

PRODUCTION & SALES


The production version of the McLaren P1 was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Production will be strictly limited to 375 units' which according to McLaren is to maintain exclusivity. Pricing starts at GB£866,000 (€1,030,000 or US$1,350,000) but, as of November 2013, about 75% of P1 customers have opted for some level of unique design from McLaren Special Operations, raising the average sale price of a P1 above GB£1 million (€1,2 million or US$1.6 million).

In August 2013 McLaren announced that the production allocation destined to the Americas, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East were sold out. The cars destined for Europe were sold out by mid November 2013. After some delays, production began in October 2013. Hand-assembled by a select team of 61 engineers, at a production rate of 1 car per day McLaren expected to build 50 P1s by the end of 2013. The first delivery to a retail customer took place at the company's headquarters in Woking, England, in October 2013, with 12 units manufactured by mid November 2013. The first P1 delivery in the U.S. occurred in May 2014.

VARIANTS


P1 GTR

Image Credit: NetCarShow

Celebrating 20 years since their victory in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, McLaren announced that they would resurrect the name by launching a track-only version of the P1, the McLaren P1 GTR. It will be exclusive for McLaren P1 owners only, and will be a very limited edition. It's going to make its debut at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 17th. McLaren claims that this will be the most powerful McLaren to date, with an intended power output of 1,000PS (986 bhp). The car will also feature slick tyres and claimed greater levels of performance, grip, aerodynamics and downforce than the road car. This limited edition will go into production in 2015, after all 375 standard McLaren P1's are built, as homage to its race-winning ancestor the iconic F1 GTR. 

Image Credit: NetCarShow

McLaren announced a sub-seven minute lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which equates to an average speed in excess of 111 miles per hour (179 km/h), but did not publish the exact time. (Text: Adapted from Wikipedia)

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