McLaren recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their pioneering hybrid supercar, the McLaren P1, which, despite being unveiled in 2013, still looks breathtaking and delivers a lively driving experience equal to no other. It set a new standard for performance and technology, offering almost inexplicable limits that the McLaren P1 preserves for the most daring drivers who don't mind the sudden but exhilarating rush of power. Today, the McLaren P1 remains iconic even in the face of newer, high-performance supercars and hypercars like McLaren's own Senna and Speedtail. Some might argue that the P1 might not be the best when compared to them, but remember, it was produced more than a decade ago. The fact that only the Porsche 918 and Ferrari LaFerrari measure up to it speaks volumes of how advanced it is. An eye-catching 903 horsepower was crazy for 2013 and is still crazy for today's vehicle performance standards. In the McLaren P1, it's among the benefits you'll enjoy if you have around $2,000,000 in your bank account. The highest recorded price for a P1 was $2,425,000 in March 2023, and the lowest was 1,089,000 in January 2020. There's no better time to get a McLaren P1 than now, but before you call your bank, join us through this short review of the McLaren P1.
When McLaren designed the P1, they intended it to be the best driver's car in the world, using all of their 50 years of racing experience and success to equip it with exceptional performance and handling on the road and track. Being the fastest car in the world with the highest top speed was never McLaren's goal when they made the P1, and they made that clear during the unveiling. Instead, they intended it to be the fastest-ever production car on any racing circuit while remaining relevant for road driving, a test for a supercar's all-around ability. To achieve that, McLaren had to employ new engineering and design techniques, mainly in vehicle aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and, most notably, powertrain advancements. The result is a blistering quick hypercar with unprecedented downforce, even for a road vehicle that enhances cornering and braking performance, overall vehicle stability, and excellent driver feedback.
The McLaren p1 chassis was designed to be as lightweight as possible. McLaren made it solely out of carbon, a design the manufacturer had started using in the 1980s with their McLaren MP4/1 F1 racing car. Furthermore, all body panels wrapping around the chassis are all made out of carbon fiber, aimed at making the car as lightweight as possible and making the McLaren P1 the first mass-produced all-carbon McLaren car. In 2015, after producing 375 units, McLaren discontinued the McLaren P1, and each unit was bespoke, none resembling another, perhaps only in color and performance. McLaren's idea was that no two P1s were exactly alike, and they executed it perfectly. Buyers who wanted more could visit McLaren Special Operations to make their P1s better with bespoke upgrades such as exposed carbon body panels and unique paint jobs.
The 2010s marked an unforgettable era in automotive history, and the McLaren P1 was one of the most exciting cars of the time, alongside the Porsche 918 and Ferrari LaFerrari. These three cars formed the Holy Trinity of Hypercars, but let's forget about the Porsche and Ferrari for now. Featuring more than a stunning and timeless design, the McLaren P1 was far ahead of its time with a hybrid powertrain featuring a twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor underneath that stunning body that engineers said was not designed. Instead, they said the body was engineered to manage air, smoothing it down at the flanks, cooling the brakes, and feeding the roof scoop. When reviewing the McLaren P1 at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal, Jeremy Clarkson struggled to deliver his thoughts about the car while driving it simply because of the feeling he got when touching the throttle, which he claimed was a hyperspace button. He added that he hadn't completed a single piece without interrupting himself and cussing at the car's response. When the electric motor kicks in, it sends the rear end astray, similar to what Porsche 940 Turbo drivers felt in 1975. For this reason, Jeremy Clarkson called the McLaren P1 the Widowmaker. On the road, the McLaren P1 drives like any other sports car, and you can turn off the engine, allowing you to drive the car in EV mode using the motor, which alone produces 177 horsepower. Enough to get you from the coffee shop to the spa, but only if it's a stone's throw distance away since the electric motor can only last for roughly 7 miles before cutting out.
Before the McLaren P1, Porsche 918, and Ferrari LaFerrari, hybrid powertrains were left to family cars such as the Toyota Prius, but the manufacturers who made these hypercars set out to change how hybrid powertrains work utilizing technology never used before and barely replicated today. The McLaren P1 uses a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8, making 726 horsepower, and is supplemented by an electric motor that adds 177 horsepower, bringing total power output to a staggering 903 horsepower. The electric motor is meant to fill the gaps where the engine experiences turbo lag, ensuring optimum power delivery through the car's powerband, which almost reaches 7000 rpm. How fast is a McLaren P1? McLaren claimed that the P1 will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, but there are instances where the car has done it in times as low as 2.5 seconds! The top speed is at 217-mph, which McLaren admits is electronically limited, and we all know when delimited, the McLaren P1 has the potential to reach even higher speeds.
Power in the McLaren P1 is sent to the rear wheels via a McLaren dual clutch 7-speed automatic transmission lifted from the McClaren 12C but with strengthened internals and additional cooling via two air-blast clutch coolers. As default, you can drive the P1 in automatic mode. But at the press of a button, you can engage manual mode, allowing for a more engaging driving experience as you change gears using the 'flappy paddles' on the steering wheel. McLaren used a Raceactive Chassis Control Suspension (RCC) on the P1, which remains one of the most advanced suspension systems ever fitted to a road-legal car today. The suspension decouples body roll, heaves stiffness, and can change ride height automatically or when necessary. For example, when Race Mode is activated, the suspension lowers the car by 50mm to improve aerodynamics, stability, and handling.
If using an all-carbon tub and chassis was not enough, McLaren used full carbon fiber body panels in the McLaren P1, adopting a construction design they first used in the McLaren MP4/1 F1 car in 1981. The carbon body panels are sculpted around the chassis with every curve critical to keeping the P1 aerodynamic. McLaren planned to make every design detail optimize aerodynamics, and they didn't miss. The dihedral doors, which look stunning when open, are designed to funnel air to the numerous ducts, and the air intake on the roof is a Grand Prix design adopted from the iconic McLaren P1. Aerodynamics extend to underneath the vehicle, where two flaps are mounted underneath the front clamshell ahead of the front wheels. Like the rear wing, these flaps are active and change angle automatically to optimize downforce and aerodynamics, improving performance, speed in tight corners, and grip at shutter speeds. Speaking of the rear wing, did you know that the wing on the McLaren P1 has DRS? Read on to find out how it works.
For the McLaren P1 to be the best driver's car in the world, McLaren had to make the interior as comfortable as possible for the driver and the passenger. Buyers didn't get seat alternatives to the standard bucket seats, but they are surprisingly comfortable for carbon seats even when doing considerably long distances. The seats are covered in Alcantara instead of leather to increase grip and last longer, as Alcantara has excellent wear resistance. Cabin comforts are not plentiful, but it's nothing to complain about since you get a bespoke Meridian sound system, satellite navigation, and air conditioning with dual-zone climate control. The carbon on the chassis and body panels extends extensively into the P1's interior, meant to reduce weight and offer durability, safety, and structural integrity. The only disadvantages of the McLaren P1's interior are that it doesn't have sound deadening and floor mats on the floor, as McLaren intended for it not to have floor padding or mats. But from an enthusiastic perspective, you get to enjoy the raw sound of the engine as it roars towards its 8,000-rpm redline!
We mentioned earlier that the wing on the McLaren P1, but how does it work? A button on the steering wheel activates the wing's DRS function. It takes approximately half a second to flatten the wing's angle, reducing drag by 23% and leaving you flying across a straight line like an eagle swooping in for a kill. DRS is deactivated by letting go of the button, when you press the brake pedal or when the car detects steering input. For maximum driving involvement, McLaren made efforts to optimize steering, braking, and throttle response to provide more feedback to the driver. The steering geometry was fine-tuned with a higher ratio to enhance the steering feel and dynamic response. Additionally, McLaren refined the brake pedal to give the driver improved feedback and a greater feeling of connection with the wheels through the carbon ceramic brakes. Lastly, the throttle pedal feel is tuned and calibrated to provide similar levels of responsiveness in all gears. You are guaranteed a constant rhythm while changing gears during acceleration and deceleration.
McLaren's relentless pursuit of making a hypercar designed for the track and driving like a regular road car gave automotive history one of the best cars we've seen in a long time, the McLaren P1. Everything about the car makes it covetable even for those who can't attain it, from its timeless aerodynamic design to its standards-setting hybrid system that has never been fabricated again. It's not often that a chance to buy a McLaren P1 pops up due to a limited production number, but if you get one, don't entertain second thoughts about buying it. Expect prices to be anywhere north of $1,500,000 since that's the least we've seen McLaren P1 prices average around. For special units, you'll have to dig a little bit deeper into your finances, but they are still worth buying, given that you might wake up the next day with someone knocking on your door offering more than you paid for the car. If you are currently in the market for a McLaren P1, you can buy one on Exotic Car Trader. Be sure to watch out for our McLaren P1 listings, and you might find a spec that matches your taste. Also, if you have an eye for McLarens, check out our McLaren listings.
The McLaren P1, even after several years after its discontinuation, continues to hold a special spot among supercars and hypercars of today. It showcased how hybrid technology can be used to do more than improve fuel economy, providing performance like never seen before. Today, the P1 enjoys a distinguished position in the Holy Trinity of hypercars, which changed how we perceive automotive excellence and will remain relevant for as long as cars are made with four wheels!
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