The New McLaren W1 Is Here With 1258 Horsepower

Woking has just unveiled the most powerful McLaren of all time. The W1 heavily borrows technology from McLaren's recently rejuvenated F1 team and is set to to redefine supercars once again.

Looks Like A Blend Of Senna and Speedtail 

The W1 looks like a wild concept rather than a production car. The most eye-catching part is its rear wing which can go up and out to 300mm! Turning W1 into an air-slicing shape-shifting Longtail in no time. Unlike P1, The W1 has more upwards opening doors that add to all the curb appeal and theater you can ask for.

The Anhedral doors serve the clever purpose of diverting the from the front wheel arches into the radiators.

 The design of W1 is an incredible onslaught of gaping vents and aero bits that are just stunning to gawk at, McLaren calls it “Aerocell”. The active front splitter, robotized rear wing, and ground effects underbody can produce 2200 pounds of downforce enabling for a stunning power-to-weight ratio of 900hp/tonne. 

Also Read: These Are The Fastest McLarens Ever Made

McLaren has given W1 every driving mode imaginable. EV mode for electric-only operation of up to 1.6 miles, Comfort mode is activated by default and uses the E-module for torque fill only. In Sport mode, the E-module is fully available with an aggressive gearshift for more driver engagement. Race mode offers a Sprint setting for maximum power from the E-module and engine, while Grand Prix mode gives you full beans. The 2200 pounds of downforce is split into 771 pounds front and 1433 rear.

The rear downforce is a result of a massive movable rear wing that uses four motors to move up, down front, and back up to 300 mm, creating a virtual long tail effect.

W1's road-to-track mode transformation is second only to the Nurburgring current record setter AMG ONE. When GP mode is engaged the car drops height by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear to further seal the underbody and enhance ground effects. 

It packs a new stiffer carbon tub, McLaren Race Active Chassis Control III, and visible inboard active heave suspension that is 3D printed with titanium components. The W1 barely packs any metal and is mainly composed of Carbon Fibre enabling for a low curb weight of just 3084 lbs.

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Beast Of A V8

The heart of McLaren W1 is a brand new F1-derived 4.0 L  "MHP-8" V8 that in combination with electric motors produces 1258bhp(1240 hp) along with 988 lb-ft of torque to rear wheels, no AWD here, probably to save weight.

The V8 can rev up to 9200 rpm, thanks to finger followers, like the ones used on superbikes and sensational Z06, plasma spray-coated cylinder bores, and a flat-plane crank. Keeping things pure, McLaren has given the W1 an analog hydraulic steering rack for maximum communication and a brand-new 8-speed DCT.

McLaren W1 does away with stuff like the alternator, starter motor, and additional pipework for maximum weight saving. The new e-motor can speed up to 24000 rpm and is powered by a 1.384kWh battery situated in the carbon cage below the driver and passenger.

 The W1 has an EV-only range of just 1.6 miles. A bit of a downer as P1 could go up to 7 miles in EV-only mode. The V8 makes 916 hp and 664 lb-ft while the electric motor that is designed to discharge and recharge in a jiffy makes 342 hp and 324 lb-ft.

The W1 also comes with the latest McLaren Carbon Ceramic Racing+ brake system with 390mm carbon ceramic brakes front and rear. The stopping power is impressive with 60-0 mph in 95 ft. Additionally, the massive rear wing also serve as an air brake when required.

The interior has a couple of fixed seats that cannot be moved in any way. You can adjust the steering and pedal box though. McLaren says, this has been done to keep the wheelbase short. They have also created a new fabric called “Innoknit” which is super flexible and lightweight and covers the interior of the car. 

The W1 can do 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds while 124 mph comes record-breakingly quick at 5.8 seconds. Dare to keep the foot flat and the W1 will keep going until ¼ mile is breached at just 9.6 seconds. The top speed is 217 MPH. All these figures seem to be grossly underrated, considering how insanely quick P1 and 765LT are. 

The insane W1 is priced at $2.1 million and will be limited to only 399 units. It has ticked all the boxes, Looks, Power, and Price which makes it first in line among the next need of hypercars and a true successor to the mighty P1. Your turn Ferrari and Porsche. 

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