Though we’re now just one week away from the reveal of McLaren’s P1 supercar, the company has decided to go public with the remainder of the car’s stats, including performance numbers and U.K. pricing.
McLaren’s P1 plug-in hybrid supercar – image: McLaren
We’ve already told you that the P1’s plug-in hybrid drive system will generate a truly impressive 903 horsepower and 663 pound feet of torque, but McLaren hadn’t released any performance numbers to make those stats relevant. Now the company says the P1 will sprint from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in under 3.0 seconds and will hit 300 km/h (186 mph) from a standing start in less than 17 seconds, on the way to an electronically-limited top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).
McLaren’s P1 plug-in hybrid supercar – image: McLaren
McLaren says the P1 will get to 300 km/h five seconds quicker than the firm’s original F1 supercar, which remains astonishingly quick today, some 15 years after production ended. Backing up this performance potential are Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires developed specifically for the P1 by Pirelli, and a braking system designed for the P1 by Akebono. The material used in the car’s carbon-ceramic rotors was previously used in the space program, and the P1 represents its first use in an automotive application.
McLaren’s P1 plug-in hybrid supercar – image: McLaren
To ensure exclusivity, McLaren is only building 375 P1s throughout the car’s production run (which is still over 3.5 times the number of F1 supercars constructed). In the U.K., the car will be priced from 866,000 pounds (roughly $1,313,000), excluding the fitted luggage and any bespoke options ordered through McLaren Special Operations. There’s no word yet on whether or not the car will be offered in the United States, and if so, at what price.
McLaren’s P1 plug-in hybrid supercar – image: McLaren
If you’re still not sold on the car’s organic styling, you can blame the people who are serious about buying one. McLaren surveyed potential owners after the concept was shown last September, and the near-universal opinion was “don’t change a thing.” We’ll admit that the P1’s looks have grown on us, but we’d still rather park an original McLaren F1 in our own collection.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
