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F1, P1, W1: McLaren’s new hypercar is coming

3 months ago

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Writer:

Andrew Frankel | Ti co-founder

Date:

27 September 2024

McLaren has confirmed that its latest hypercar  will be called W1 and will sit as a ‘successor to the F1 and P1’. It will be formally unveiled on Sunday October 6th, presumably as a nod to the fact this is 50 years to the day since Emerson Fittipaldi became McLaren’s first Formula 1 World Champion.

Precisely zero official details have been released, but the fact it’s being touted as descendant of the P1 rather than any of the other ‘Ultimate’ series cars produced between then and now – think Senna, Speedtail, Solus and Elva – provides a clear indication of what kind of car the W1 is likely to be.

McLaren has always said it would not do a new P1 unless it could take a meaningful step forward, presumably in speed, technology and outright pace around a lap. Even so expect P1 principles to be retained but reborn on a higher level. It is likely therefore still to be a car with its eye on both road and track performance, like all McLarens it is sure to be kept as light as reasonably possible, and given that a four-figure power output will certainly be required to significantly outstrip the P1’s 903bhp, I think it safe to assume a heavily hybrid-assisted, twin-turbo motor will be employed.

Next Sunday will mark 50 years since Emmo's famous triumph

It’s reasonable to speculate that, like the P1, active aero and clever suspension able to optimise the car for both road and track use is likely.

It will be interesting – albeit academically for most – to see how many McLaren decides to build, at what price it pitches them and to learn whether the run has sold out before the car has even been seen in public. There were 375 production P1s, and 500 Sennas. McLaren was going to build 399 Elvas but this number was more than halved by the time the cars went into production with just 149 built. There were 106 Speedtails and just 25 Solus GTs.

The P1 is one of McLaren's 'ultimate' hypercars

McLaren built 375 P1...

...500 Senna...

...149 Elva...

...106 Speedtail

...and just 25 Solus GT

All eyes on October 6th, then. I wonder if they’ll roll out Emmo for the announcement to celebrate the day he became at the age of just 25 the then youngest F1 champion in history. Now that would be seriously cool.

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