McLaren P1, 2015
McLaren P1
McLaren P1•
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Chassis No.: SBM12ABA9FW000330
- Exterior: Gray
- Interior: Black
- 535 miles
- No. 330 of 375 produced
- Hybrid twin-turbocharged 3.8/903 HP engine
- RaceActive chassis control
- Instant power assist system
- Drag reduction system
- Dual clutch 7-speed automatic transmission
- Launch, track, boost and E modes
- Akebono carbon ceramic disc brakes
- Active rear wing
- Full carbon fiber body
- McLaren Special Operations, $114,327 option
- Dark Palladium Gray paint
- Satin carbon fiber options
- Dark Palladium Gray rear wing
- 24 karat gold heat shield
- Engine cover with Red P1 logo
- Titanium wheel bolts
- Satin aluminum vent bezels
- Carbon Black Alcantara carpets
- Painted switches and bezels
- 6-point harnesses
- Multi-point inspection and service performed at 532 miles by The Collection in Coral Gables, Florida at a cost of $4,346.71
- Clean CarFax and AutoCheck
When McLaren unveiled its incredible P1 hybrid supercar in 2012, the company’s literature described it as “the most exciting, capable, technologically advanced and dynamically accomplished super sports car ever made.” Indeed, real-world testing proved the McLaren P1 the most brilliant execution of hybrid powertrain and other cutting-edge technologies yet assembled in a road-going automobile.
The very fact of the P1’s existence inevitably begged the question, “What next?” As if on cue, McLaren quickly responded with another question: “What do you want?” One answer comes in the form of this remarkable 2015 McLaren P1, production No. 330 of 375 produced and uniquely tailored with special-order factory components through McLaren’s proprietary Special Operations service. It begins with the dazzling amalgam of interrelated systems woven into the P1’s innovative MonoCage monocoque. One of the lightest such structures at just 180 pounds, it comprises carbon fiber with five times the strength of titanium and the extra reinforcement of Kevlar.
The MonoCage provides the tremendous rigidity needed to maximize the effectiveness of the P1’s RCC (RaceActive Chassis Control). Long ago outlawed in Formula 1, RCC is arguably the most advanced suspension system ever fitted to a road car, using independent hydro-pneumatic control of spring rate and damping at each wheel to control body roll and pitch through a range of driving modes that includes Launch, Track, Boost and electric-only E-Mode. RCC also enables adjustable ride height, in Race mode reducing it by 2 inches and increasing spring stiffness by 300 percent.
More F1 technology is present in the P1’s IPAS (Instant Power Assist System), an advancement derived from KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). Using articulated front and rear wings, the P1 produces more downforce than any other road car, peaking at 1,200 pounds in Race mode. Its F1-inspired DRS (Drag Reduction System) reduces the rear wing’s angle of attack to zero at the push of a button on the steering wheel, reducing drag by 23 percent. Rated at 727 HP, the P1’s mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.8L DOHC 32-valve V-8 engine features a special block casting to incorporate the 177 HP IPAS permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor.
Working through a dual-clutch 7-speed automatic transmission, the IPAS instantly delivers maximum power for a total output of 903 HP and more than 700 lb-ft of torque, even boosting throttle response by filling in the torque gap as the twin turbochargers spool up to speed on the way to 60 MPH in 2.7 seconds, 100 MPH in 5.1 and 185 MPH in just 16.5, the latter being 5 seconds less than the McLaren F1. Supplied by Formula 1 partners Akebono, exotic silicon-carbide-coated carbon-ceramic disc brakes still the P1 from 120 MPH in an astonishing 380 feet. For McLaren Design Director Frank Stephenson, the engineering priority was to match unparalleled aerodynamic performance with dramatic beauty.
Meeting that priority meant keeping the packaging as lean as possible, in Stephenson’s words, “with that low body, long rear deck and open-mesh rear styling to put the mechanicals on view and help cooling. Plus there’s the most aggressive rear diffuser ever seen on a road car. Like everything on the McLaren P1, it’s there for a good reason.” The result is a harmonious blend of race-car styling with an aesthetic theme that echoes the curving scallop in McLaren’s corporate logo. “It’s as though we stuck a tube inside and sucked all the air out—a dramatic, honest shape but also a very beautiful one.” How to exceed such a magnificent realization of automobile as art?
In this case, more than $114,000 in optional extras provided by McLaren Special Operations, beginning with Dark Palladium Grey paint on the carbon-fiber body and rear spoiler, accented with satin-finish carbon fiber on the various aero elements including the front splitter and rear diffuser. The same satin finish is seen on the P1’s interior trim and engine cover, which also carries a custom Red P1 logo. A 24-karat-gold engine heat-shield adds a space-mission look to the engine bay, and titanium wheel bolts trim ounces from the P1’s unsprung weight.
Finished inside with satin-aluminum vent bezels, Carbon Black Alcantara carpets, painted switches and bezels and six-point harnesses, this McLaren P1 has traveled just 535 miles and is poised to deliver the ultimate in sheer motoring ecstasy.
