It’s McLaren’s third “1” in 30 years.
Combining modesty with just a dash of hubris, McLaren calls its new W1 the “The real supercar.” Does that mean other supercars are not real, or are not super? With 1,258 horsepower from a plug-in hybrid powertrain and a total vehicle weight of a claimed 3,300 pounds, we’d venture to call the W1 not a supercar, but a hypercar. The $2.1 million price seems pretty hyper, too.
The new McLaren W1 continues the trend of hybridization among supercars and hypercars. From the $110,000 Corvette E-Ray to the $600,000 Lamborghini Revuelto, blending output from an internal combustion engine and an electric motor (or motors) is a growing trend. We think there will be plenty of ICE supercars roaring for some years to come, but many or all will likely be hybrids, even as EVs join the fray.
Hybrid Hypercar
The W1 is of course not McLaren’s first hybrid. The P1 that began deliveries last year combined the output of a twin turbo 3.8-liter V8 with a single electric motor hybrid drive to give 903 horsepower. The price was almost $1 million less than the new W1.
The $255,000 McLaren Artura could be called a mainstream hybrid supercar (though McLaren calls it, modestly, a sports car), and it’s probably a safe guess to say McLaren’s other production models will go in that direction in the near future. Ferrari has two hybrids now, the 296 and SF90, and Lamborghini has three, the new Temerario that replaced the Huracán, the Revuelto, and the Urus SE. All of those outpace performance of predecessor models while preserving the a visceral driving feel and sound.
Are You A 399-er?
Let’s dig into the McLaren W1. Firstly, some other numbers: McLaren says it will build 399 of these special machines, which is 24 more than planned P1 production. You probably wouldn’t be shocked to learn that all 399 were pre-sold, so you’ll have to wait for a future auction if you were not one of the 399 buyers. The W1 will have a maximum, electronically limited speed of 217 mph. That’s the same as the P1 and, coincidentally, the now-classic F1.
The W1 has an all-new hybrid powertrain. By itself, the new MHP 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 can rev to 9,200 rpm and yields 916 horsepower, which is 13 hp more than the P1’s entire combined hybrid output. The W1’s radial-flux electric motor, installed aside the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, contributes another 342 horsepower. And get this: the EV motor weighs just 44 pounds. Combined powertrain output is a stunning 1,258 horsepower.
As for torque, the force that actually moves the car, the twin-turbo V-8 kicks out 664 lb-ft., while the EV motor adds 324 for a combined 988 lb-ft. All output goes only to the rear wheels; the W1 does not have all-wheel drive. That’s in stark contrast to the Lamborghini Revuelto, which uses a naturally aspirated V-12 in conjunction with three electric motors, one in the rear with the transmission and one for each front wheel.
Fast, Furious, But Sometimes EV-quiet
The Revuelto boasts 1,001 horsepower but weighs about 4,000 pounds, or 700 more than claimed for the McLaren W1. The W1’s higher power and lower weight really make a difference. McLaren says its new hypercar will rocket from 0-200 km/h (124 mph) in just 5.8 seconds, while Lamborghini quotes 7 seconds for the Revuelto. For perspective, Bugatti said the Chiron did that deed in 6.5 seconds. This is the Twilight Zone of road-car performance.
The McLaren W1 plug-in hybrid has an onboard Level 2 charger that can replenish the small 1.4 kWh battery to 80 percent in just 22 minutes. The car can run on battery power alone, but for less than two miles. Here’s a fun fact: the car’s transmission has no reverse gear. When the driver selects reverse, the electric motor simply runs backward. Some other hybrids do the same.
Looks That Function
The W1 has the McLaren familial look but looks more racecar than road car. As you’d hope and expect for a 200+ mph hypercar, the body has Formula 1 racing-derived aerodynamic features to help keep it stable on road and track. The car’s front wing and McLaren Active Long Tail rear wing deploy to generate up to 2,200 pounds of total downforce going through high-speed corners. That rear “Long Tail” earns its name by extending rearward by about a foot when deployed.
The chassis is designed for track work, hence its name, Race Active Chassis Control III When the driver selects Race mode, the W1 lowers by 1.5-in. in front and 0.7-in. at the back to cut aerodynamic drag. Comfort and Sport modes are for road use.
The car’s structure and body are carbon fiber, as on other McLarens. The suspension uses a combination of titanium parts and 3D-printed parts to slice out as much weight as possible. Wheels are 19-in. diameter in front and 20-in. out back, wrapped by Pirelli P Zero R tires. Available Pirelli Trofeo RS offer more track-focused performance.
A Racecar With Apple CarPlay
Not surprisingly, McLaren company has race plans for the W1, which it says has lapped Italy’s Nardo circuit three seconds faster than the McLaren Senna. As in a prototype racer, the W1’s seats are molded into the car’s structure and do not adjust. Instead, the pedals adjust. The squared-off steering wheel has just two buttons: one gives an electric boost for a short burst or acceleration, and the other adjusts the rear wing to reduce drag for short intervals. Upholstery material called InnoKnit covers much of the cockpit. There are some concessions to modern comfort, including climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen audio system with Apple CarPlay, and USB ports for charging. When McLaren W1s start showing up at auctions down the road, you can count on many of them having McLaren MSO personalization options. And remember, dreaming is always free.
