McLaren has announced a limited production of its hyper car, the P1, to just 500 units in a private showing at Beverly Hills last weekend with a cost of around RM3,6 million each. The car being displayed last weekend was the same functioning prototype first unveiled in November 2012 in Paris.
This car is lauded to be the true successor to the McLaren F1, the former fastest super car of the 90s. Building on the recent success of the MP4-12C, McLaren is poised to create another hyper car that can tackle on the Porsche’s upcoming 918 Spyder and Ferrari’s F150.
It will have the same carbon fiber passenger tub like the MP4-12C, with front and rear aluminum structures developed for crash protection. The P1′s body panels are made from carbon fiber, while most of the exposed metal is constructed from titanium alloy, including the mesh vents. McLaren’s engineers are targeting a curb weight of 1,300 kg.
The production P1 will most likely use the same twin-turbocharged 3.8L V8 engine as the MP4-12C, but tuned to output approximately 800HP. An F1-style KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) will add extra power for a few seconds, while an AWD system via a front axle electric propulsion system is also included.
The display car had dark-tinted windows that hide the cabin from view until its full unveiling at Geneva Motor Show in March.
