McLaren’s success at the track has helped it push boundaries and create incredible high-performance machines. The upcoming McLaren W1 is the latest example.
Some of the greatest names in McLaren’s history are simple, with only a letter and a number. The iconic F1 and hybrid P1 are two that come to mind. These amazing performance machines have legendary qualities that make them both amazing on any road or track. The next car in the 1 series lineup from this brand is the new McLaren W1. Let’s see what this car brings to the table.
No stone left unturned
Everything you can think of to put into a McLaren supercar has been added to this new machine. The new W1 will bring the performance expected and should be the most powerful car ever created by this brand. Many models that have come before utilized technology from the Formula 1 racing program in order to improve handling and high-speed stability. You can expect these qualities to be part of the new W1 as well. The aerodynamic qualities are incredible and include a rear wing that extends backward by 11.8 inches, adding 2,205 pounds of downforce to the mix.
McLaren added a Race drive mode to make things even more aggressive. This setting allows the W1 to ride lower by 1.5 inches in the front and 0.7 inches in the rear, placing the car as close to the track surface as possible. This new car should tip the scales at nearly 3,300 pounds in its lightest form, ensuring an impressive power-to-weight ratio.
Serious power from McLaren
The new McLaren W1 will utilize a new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 916 horsepower on its own. This flat-plane- crank design makes this engine extremely power dense, but McLaren didn’t stop there. The W1 also has a radial-flux electric motor that makes 342 horsepower. This ensures the car produces 1,258 horsepower and 988 lb-ft of torque, which are incredible power figures and a great place to begin the journey of speed around any track.
The power from this hybrid setup is sent to the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. There isn’t an AWD option here, but that doesn’t stop the W1 from being extremely fast. McLaren claims a 0-60 mph time of 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph.
Unique electronics to save weight
The W1 could be a heavy car with its V8 engine and electric motor/battery setup adding more weight than some supercars. McLaren saved weight by deleting the alternator and starter motor from the mix. Instead of using these items, the functions performed by those items are handled by the hybrid electric motor. This makes it easy for the company to shave a few pounds from this high-performance machine.
Carbon fiber everywhere
McLaren isn’t worried about the W1 being an expensive car, in fact, they kind of love that its expensive. Some of that cost comes from the use of carbon fiber everywhere that the brand could use this lightweight material. Carbon fiber has proved to be a material that’s extremely durable, useful, and functional for high-performance sports cars. Using carbon fiber everywhere means this car is as light as possible while providing the incredible power desired.
Driving prowess from McLaren
The McLaren name is well known for its racing heritage. That racing wasn’t in the NHRA, which means actual driving matters. The new W1 has an active suspension system called Race Active Chassis Control III, which has Comfort, Sport, and Race driving modes. These driving modes have varying levels of suspension stiffness and steering feel to match your driving desires at that time.
Race mode goes further
The McLaren W1 is made for racing on a track, not driving on a road. Still, it is a road-going hypercar that can be driven from track to track. Once on the track, and set in Race mode, you’ll have two options for the race mode. These options are GP and Sprint. If you’re only performing a one-lap run, the Sprint mode is perfect, engaging maximum performance for a qualifying lap. If you’re running several laps or an entire race, the GP mode has you covered with consistent, repeatable performance for the duration of a race by balancing energy deployment.
The new McLaren W1 will be a track monster that’s limited to 399 units and will cost more than $2.1 million when it arrives. There should be some customization options for this car, but it comes off the line with some pretty impressive figures that don’t need to be changed.
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