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McLaren P1 to get 903 HP from "Twin Power" hybrid

Zach Bowman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Technology, Luxury

McLaren has dropped official power figures for the company's upcoming P1. The new hypercar will come packing 903 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque from the combination of a 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine and an electric motor. That's right: this sucker is a hybrid. The internal combustion engine features a few tweaks to improve cooling, and McLaren says the block uses a special casting to incorporate the motor. As a result, the P1 features a boost system that can serve up an instantaneous 176.5 horsepower dumped straight to the seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The driver can summon up that grunt on command by pressing the steering-wheel-mounted Instant Power Assist System button.

What's more, McLaren has figured out a way to use the electric motor to improve shift times. The P1 applies instant negative torque with each shift, dropping engine speed quickly and precisely for the upshift. Engineers have also incorporated additional technology from the company's Formula One efforts, including a Drag Reduction System. Push a button on the steering wheel and the rear wing shifts to reduce drag by 23 percent, providing the sensation of a boost in power. Check out the full press release below for more information on what is shaping up to be an incredible piece of technology.

Continue reading McLaren P1 to get 903 HP from "Twin Power" hybrid

McLaren P1 to get 903 HP from "Twin Power" hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch this and try to guess what will power McLaren's P1 supercar

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Luxury, McLaren

A few nights ago, our own Michael Harley visited the McLaren P1 at an event in Beverly Hills, California. A recording of the engine note was played, and that led to speculation that the P1 will get a hi-po version of the 3.8-liter V8 employed by the MP4-12C, rocking something like 800 horsepower.

McLaren has been testing the P1, getting it showroom ready for its 500-unit run, and part of that involves full-throttle test-track duty with its tail held high. After checking out the official development prototype "spy shots," you can hear that engine note for yourself and guess how much flame spitting horsepower The Woking Wonder is pushing by watching the video below.

Continue reading Watch this and try to guess what will power McLaren's P1 supercar

Watch this and try to guess what will power McLaren's P1 supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren shows P1 at private event in Beverly Hills, reveals more details

Michael Harley — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, McLaren

McLaren invited us to private showing of its near production-ready P1 supercar in Beverly Hills last night, offering its affluent customers a sneak peek at what promises to be one of the finest - if not the best - sports car in the world when it arrives later this year. While the development team continues to hold many of the coupe's cards close to its chest, a trickle of details emerged that only served to further whet our appetite for the upcoming exotic.

The Volcano Orange prototype (the same one shown at the Paris Motor Show) is fully functional, with a complete operating powertrain. Before each public display, a dark tint is applied to the windows to hide the interior from view.
The chassis utilizes a carbon-fiber passenger tub shared with the MP4-12C, with aluminum structures front and rear for crash protection (carbon fiber is lighter, but it doesn't crush and absorb energy as well). All body panels are carbon-fiber and nearly all exposed metal (including the mesh vents) is made of titanium alloy. The target curb weight is 1,300 kilograms, or less than 2,900 pounds.
Based on a recorded engine soundtrack played at the event, and noting a pair of intakes each likely feeding a turbocharger (we spotted genuine gold foil in the engine bay to help to ward off heat), it is assumed that the P1 will be fitted with a high-output version of the MP4-12C's twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 making about 800 horsepower. A KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), similar to what is used in Formula One, will provide a strong boost of even more horsepower for short periods. While McLaren has avoided all-wheel drive, don't rule out some sort of electric propulsion on the front axle.
McLaren doesn't have the Porsche 918 Spyder in its crosshairs - it's too heavy and slow. Instead, it is aiming its sights directly at the upcoming Ferrari F150 (the successor to the Enzo). That said, the British automaker expects its P1 to be the world's quickest production vehicle around Nürburgring.
Assembly should start within the next several months. Only 500 copies will be made, with each costing about $1.2 million.

Expect more mechanical details about the McLaren P1 to be revealed in the next few weeks, with the two-place interior finally unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

McLaren shows P1 at private event in Beverly Hills, reveals more details originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren hints at P12 supercar with novel teaser

Zach Bowman — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Paris Motor Show, Luxury

McLaren channeled its inner Tron for a new supercar teaser. The quick clip, titled "McLaren vs Aerodynamics" shows little more than a few beams of light skittering around the shape of a car. As you may recall, the company is set to unveil its next model at the rapidly approaching Paris Motor Show. Details are about as scarce as hen's teeth at the moment, but word has it that the P12 may boast an 800-horsepower variant of the same twin-turbo V8 found at the heart of the MP4-12C. In addition to the gasoline mill, the P12 is rumored to make use of a powerful kinetic energy recovery system good for an extra 200-hp bump.

Look for more information to become available once the P12 debuts in Paris on September 27. Until then, check out the teaser video below for a better look.

Continue reading McLaren hints at P12 supercar with novel teaser

McLaren hints at P12 supercar with novel teaser originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren F1 successor to pack KERS into clean-sheet design

Noah Joseph — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Technology, UK, MISC

If you were impressed by the MP4-12C, well, you should be. It's an otherworldly performance machine. But we ain't seen nothing yet from McLaren Automotive, which is gearing up to launch an even more capable supercar.

Whereas the 12C is targeted at the Ferrari 458 Italia, the next project down the pipeline is more along the lines of a successor to the iconic McLaren F1, a car to rival the likes of the Bugatti Veyron and Pagani Huayra - that elite class of million-dollar hypercar you're not likely to see anywhere but on Rodeo Drive, at the Monte Carlo harborfront or a closed-off section of highway along the Persian Gulf.

According to the UK's CAR magazine, McLaren is expected to employ a version of the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 developed for the 12C, but with 799 horsepower on tap and one crucial addition: Kenetic Energy Recovery System, a.k.a. KERS. That could make the vehicle codenamed P12 (following the P11 handle carried by the 12C while in development) one of the first supercars to use the system designed for Formula 1 and currently being developed for road use by Ferrari, Porsche and Jaguar for their upcoming supercars.

Early prototypes reportedly incorporated a big red KERS boost button on a steering wheel closer in size and shape to an F1 cockpit's than a conventional rim, but if you were hoping for a 1+2 seating arrangement with central driving position like in the original McLaren F1, we'll have to stop you right there, as the packaging of such a layout reportedly proved prohibitive for the new P12.

As dynamically polished as the 12C emerged, its design was derided as somewhat derivative. That's largely because McLaren didn't bring celebrated designer Frank Stephenson on board until the car's design was already pretty much finalized. This reportedly being Stephenson's first clean-sheet design since arriving at McLaren HQ in Woking, we're expecting big things when the P12 debuts sometime this year.

McLaren F1 successor to pack KERS into clean-sheet design originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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