Just as the first vehicle is put into the possession of one very, very, lucky motorist, McLaren has finally revealed the official performance figures of its latest vehicle – the P1. The data comes after an extensive testing and development programme of the model, which the manufacturer describes as a “groundbreaking” achievement.
The new figures show exactly what the vehicle is capable of in terms of speed, performance and efficiency.
Let’s face it though, all we really care about is speed.
The McLaren P1 can reach 100km/h (62mph) from standing in a quite staggering time of…wait for it… 2.8 seconds.
It doesn’t end there. The Woking-based firm has confirmed that in a further four seconds, the car will hit the 200km/h mark, before climbing to 300km/h in a total of 16.5 seconds. I’m surprised the test driver didn’t explode due to that incredible acceleration.
It demonstrates that McLaren has achieved what it set out to do from the beginning: to deliver a car which offers the best drive on both the road and the track, with exceptional performance.
Power is achieved through a twin powerplant powertrain, which generates 916 PS (903 bhp) from a 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine in addition to a supporting lightweight electric motor.
For those with a serious desire for thrills behind the wheel, the car can be pushed to an electronically limited speed of 350km/h – although it would not be advised to do this on any of the UK’s roads!
It’s probably for the best that the car has an excellent braking performance too, coming to a stand still from 100km/h in just 30.2 metres. According to McLaren, this is less than a third of the stopping distance which is otherwise recognised, usually 102 metres.
This is achieved through specially formulated carbon ceramic discs, which are coated in silicon carbide.
Incredibly, the car emits fewer carbon emissions than many would expect from a performance car packing this much power.
In fact, the electric motor helps to limit carbon emissions to just 194g/km, and the car can run on this technology alone for 11km (6.8 miles) with absolutely no carbon expelled into the atmosphere.
However, don’t expect to travel too far on a full-tank, as the P1 is only able to achieve a measly 34 mpg. It’s not really a car for long journeys though: it’s a car for pure driving pleasure.
Mike Flewitt, chief executive of McLaren Automotive Ltd said: “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,”
Honestly, the leading figure is correct in his assessment. It’s simply an astonishing machine.
In addition to the stunning performance figures, the car is gorgeous. The latest images show the car in vibrant yellow, and while it demonstrates a sleek elegance, there is also a snarling beast hidden within the smooth lines.
To whoever owns the the first customer version of the McLaren, fresh off the production line… we are all very jealous.
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