McLaren P1

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The McLaren P1 has just been unveiled in Paris and we have all its details and specifications. The one thing McLaren forgot to mention is the engine specifications and the P1's performance figures. This means that the P1 is still just a design concept, and not a finished product. Talking about design, according to McLaren, the P1 is the result of 50 years of motorsport experience. The main goal when designing the McLaren P1 was to optimize its aerodynamic performance, and as a result, it can create as much as 600kg of downforce. This is five times more than the McLaren MP4-12C. The P1 has a Cd of 0.34, despite its very serious levels of downforce.

The McLaren P1 has a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive architecture and it's built on a carbon fiber monocoque and roof structure safety cage, which is called MonoCage. This MonoCage is designed to feed air into the engine through various air intakes and the roof snorkel. The McLaren P1 has just very few body panels, which include the single-molded front and rear panels, two small access flaps in the rear, a bonnet and the two doors. The P1 comes with LED headlights and daytime running lights.



We'll have more details about the McLaren P1 as soon as they're available.

Even though we don't have the P1's specs, Programme Director Paul Mackenzie says that it's going to have a power-to-weight ratio of more than 600PS per ton.

The rear wing of the McLaren P1 is actually a Formula 1-like DRS system. It is used to reduce downforce and increase straight line speed. This wing is also able to adjust itself automatically to boost downforce and optimize aerodynamics. It can go up for as much as 300mm on the track and 120mm on the road, while its pitch can increase by up to 29 degrees. Apart from the rear wing, the McLaren P1 also has two flaps under the body ahead of the front wheels. These flaps can change their angle (from 0 to 60 degrees) to increase downforce. McLaren says that every single design detail you see on the P1 is in fact used for optimizing the supercar's aerodynamics, including the air scoop on the roof.

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Source: McLaren