The McLaren P1, its latest hybrid super car, is getting ready to make ground in the U.S. by late this year for an estimated cost of $1.5 million. The P1 runs off a twin-power hybrid powerplant good for a combined 903 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. It’s 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds represents the pinnacle of McLaren’s achievement in creating road cars that integrate the best Formula 1 technology.
First deliveries of the McLaren P1 will happen at the start of summer this year in a few foreign markets and to those ultra-crazy-rich willing to pay for the privilege. For all others only willing to foot the $1.15 mil, probably October. In its 2013 launch year, production will be upped ahead of time to assure more customers get their P1s as soon as possible.
McLaren is pitching the P1 as a ‘transformer’, a dynamic road car that can transform into a track monster at the press of a button. It promises the P1 will not only be without compromise either on road or track – a ‘Jeckyll and Hyde’ car, as they put it – but also as rewarding for us normal drivers as pro racers.
McLaren is building a new production line at its Woking facility to manufacture the P1, a move that’ll create 80 new jobs. Once the line is up and running, McLaren says it’ll build one P1 every day in an ‘F1 style’ process, with the first cars arriving at the end of August.Though based on the architecture of the twin-turbo V8 from the 12C, the P1’s engine is unrecognizable. McLaren describes it as 90 percent new, with a wholly revised crank train, fueling, heads and block.
