Published: Jan 20, 2013

New Details on McLaren P1 Hypercar

McLaren is gearing up to launch its all-new P1 which will compete head-on with Ferrari's also upcoming F150. The hypercar war is about to begin.

Details about McLaren's upcoming P1 hypercar are still coming to light and all signs indicate it will be everything we've hoped for and then some. According to a report from Autoblog, who was just given a private showing of the near-production ready P1 in Beverly Hills, the production version will be powered by the MP4-12C's twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 that'll be good for about 800 horsepower. It'll be paired up with a KERS system similar to what's used in Formula One in order to give the car an extra boost of additional horsepower for short periods.

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The chassis also has the same carbon-fiber passenger tub as the MP4-12C and all of its body panels are also composed from that lightweight and extremely durable material. Any exposed metal such as the mesh vents will be made of titanium alloy. All told, the car will weigh less than 2,900 lbs. Although the P1 is rear-wheel-drive, there could end up being some kind of electric propulsion for the front wheels. McLaren also stated that the upcoming Porsche 918 Spyder will not be a competitor. Instead, the also upcoming Ferrari F150 Enzo successor will be the P1's main target.

Production should be underway within the next few months but here's the kicker: only 500 units will be made, each with a price tag of $1.2 million. McLaren will reveal more details about the production P1 at the Geneva Auto Show in March.