McLaren’s new W1 supercar is the spiritual successor to F1 and P1. Powered by a twin-turbo V8 engine and a Formula 1-inspired hybrid battery system, the W1 produces 1,300 horsepower, making it the most powerful McLaren road car of all time.
Priced at £2m (plus tax and optional extras), just 399 examples of the McLaren W1 will be built.
McLaren has unveiled its new flagship hybrid hypercar, and T3 has dedicated exclusive time to it. Called the W1, it’s a 1,300-horsepower successor to the iconic F1 and P1, with 399 examples and a price tag of £2 million.
The price doesn’t matter, as McLaren says that each and every W1 has already been allocated to a customer. These lucky buyers will get a two-seater hypercar with rear-wheel drive, with Formula 1-derived suspension and ground-effect downforce, as well as a race mode that is said to offer a “first” road-to-track transformation in the world. Singles press a button.
Revealed on the 50th anniversary of McLaren’s victory in its first Formula 1 drivers’ and constructors’ championship, the W1 is powered by a new 4. 0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. The hybrid electric formula has a small 1. 4 kWh battery and an electric motor that produces 342 horsepower on its own. These are connected to a new eight-speed transmission that uses the electric motor to reverse.
The total power is 1,258 hp, while the torque is 1,340 Nm. Despite having only two-wheel drive, McLaren claims that the W1 reaches 60 mph in 2. 7 seconds. Even more impressive, 0 to 200 km/h is achieved in just 5. 8 seconds, while 0 to 300 km/h takes less than 12. 7 seconds. The latter is almost 4 seconds faster than the McLaren P1 and 7. 5 seconds faster than the F1. The W1’s most sensitive speed is electronically limited to 217mph, McLaren says.
Described by its brands as “a car suitable for all occasions”, the W1 weighs 1,399 kg, only four kg more than the P1, and boasts the strength-to-weight ratio of its category, i. e. 899 hp per tonne. This statistic, coupled with the W1’s quick power of 230bhp per litre, is the highest of any McLaren to date. The engine produces 22. 7 horsepower per kg, which McLaren says is “directly comparable to Formula 1 electric motors. “
That said, the small battery means the W1 can only handle 1. 6 miles of electric-only driving, enough to get away from its neighbors without waking them up, but much more. It’s also down from the P1’s 6. 2-mile EV a decade ago. McLaren claims that the electric formula is 40kg lighter than the P1, but produces almost twice as much power.
In addition to low weight and overall power, the McLaren W1 also promises to specialize in aerodynamics. It comes with what McLaren calls its most complex active aerodynamic features ever fitted to a road car, headlined by a formula called McLaren Active Long Tail.
The W1’s rear wing extends three hundred mm rearwards to increase downforce and stability when driving on the track. When McLaren Track mode is activated, the car also lowers its ride height (37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear), unlocking up to 1,000kg of downforce in high-speed corners. Activating Race mode also allows the front wing to drop into place, creating a full-width lower front edge and feeding air under the vehicle. Fortunately, the front fender folds down for highway driving and there is a vehicle-lifting formula to combat speed bumps.
Michael Leiters, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive said of the W1: “…we are again pushing the boundaries of real supercar performance with an epic hybrid powertrain featuring our all-new MHP-8 V8 engine, the most advanced aerodynamic platform of any McLaren road car and extensive use of advanced lightweight materials. This allows us to engineer a supreme track driving experience from the same car that gives unparalleled driving enjoyment on the road.”
Revving to 9,200 rpm, McLaren says the W1 is its fastest-accelerating and fastest-lapping road car of all time, sprinting to 186 mph faster than the three-seat Speedtail and lapping a “reference track” three seconds quicker than the McLaren Senna.
The F1 tech continues with the W1’s suspension, which is mounted directly to the “Aerocell” carbon fibre tub, complete with front arms that are visible when outside the car. McLaren says “key components” of the suspension are 3D-printed to save weight, while some components are made from titanium.
Access to the cabin is through new vertically opening “aendral” doors and, once inside, the driver is invited to move the pedals, steering wheel and main controls into position, as the seats are incorporated into the monocoque. The McLaren Special Options (MSO) branch can offer “virtually endless custom options” for internal specifications.
A pair of buttons on the steering wheel activate the car’s F1-style electric overtaking boost, and its Drag Reduction System (DRS), which adjusts the rear wing for less drag and more straight-line speed. Rocker controls for adjusting the chassis and powertrain sit atop the instrument binnacle, just as they do in the McLaren Artura, where they can be reached by outstretched fingers and without the driver taking their hands off the wheel.
A bit of theatre is added thanks to the roof-mounted start/stop button, plus gear select buttons, window controls and the Race mode switchgear – and these are all found alongside a digital rear view ‘mirror’ fed by a camera on the back of the W1.
Lastly, the car has an 8-inch touchscreen display on its dashboard, running McLaren’s own infotainment system and wired Apple CarPlay via USB-C. There’s a luggage shelf behind the seats, accessible by moving the flat-folding headrests, and with a 117-litre capacity which McLaren says is enough for two weekend bags – or two crash helmets.
Alistair is a freelance generation and automotive journalist. He has been published on renowned sites such as BBC, Forbes, TechRadar and, most productive of all, T3, where he covers topics ranging from vintage cars and men’s lifestyles to generation wise homes, telephones, electric cars, stoves, Swiss watches and much more. He is an experienced journalist who writes news, reports, interviews and product reviews. If that hasn’t kept him busy enough, he also co-hosts the Auto Chat podcast.