MCLAREN-P1 (2014)

MCLAREN-P1 (2014)

MCLAREN P1 (2014)

The astonishing new McLaren P1™, which debuted in production form at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, has a clear goal - to be the best driver's car in the world on road and track. To achieve this objective, McLaren is using all of its 50 years of racing experience and success, especially in the fields of aerodynamics and lightweight carbon fibre technology.

'McLaren introduced the carbon fibre chassis to the world of Formula 1 in 1981 with the MP4/1, and we had the first carbon-bodied road car,' says McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis. 'We have always been at the cutting edge of vehicle aerodynamics, and all of this experience has gone into the new McLaren P1™. Twenty years ago, with the McLaren F1, we raised the supercar performance bar. With the McLaren P1™, we have redefined it once more.'

FIRST DESIGN & FINAL DESIGN-
The McLaren P1™ is very much an engineering-led design, as is the McLaren way. Form follows function. Nothing is superfluous. Everything is designed for a reason, as with a Formula 1 car.
The mid-engine two-seater design reflects the aerodynamic requirements needed to meet the ambitious downforce target. But there was also clearly a desire to make a very beautiful and striking 'supersports' car.
Says Chief Design Engineer Dan Parry-Williams: 'The McLaren P1™ reflects the brand's core values. It celebrates aerodynamics, great packaging and light weight, and is all about innovative technology. At the very beginning, we sought to develop a car that you could drive to a racing circuit, then press a button and race it.

McLaren has been engaging with potential customers actively in the last few months to get their views on the McLaren P1™, about the car's styling. Their unanimous verdict on the styling was not to change the car presented last September in Paris. So unusually, the McLaren P1™ has translated to production form with very little change. In fact just one, the addition of LTR ducts ahead of each of the front wheels to further aid cooling and optimise downforce.

LIGHT AND AGILE-
The design team worked to a brief of 'light and agile'. The design had to be 'shrink wrapped' around the mechanicals, making the car as compact and lightweight as possible. Even the number of body panels - all made from lightweight carbon fibre - was kept to a minimum. The strong carbon construction means they can 'multi-task' - acting as aero-honed ducts and load-bearing supports. They are intricately shaped yet superbly finished, helped by their strong carbon construction. There are only five main panels: front clamshell, front bonnet, rear clamshell and the doors.

 INSPIRED BY THE F1 AND BY FORMULA-
Stephenson said he was inspired by two cars from the brand's history when he and his team designed the McLaren P1™: the iconic McLaren F1 road car of 1993, and Lewis Hamilton's championship winning 2008 Formula 1 car, the MP4-23. He explains: 'The 2008 season was the last year they allowed Formula 1 cars to have all the aero appendages. We had the MP4-23 in the studio for about a year, and we studied every element of the car, which was styled for function, not beauty. However, they still made the car look beautiful. The car's scoops and slats influenced the style of the McLaren P1™. Every duct and every surface does a job, either in aero or cooling.'

The McLaren F1 road car was a vehicle Stephenson tried to 'recall but not imitate. The greenhouse graphic on the side is similar, especially the rear three quarter window. The dihedral doors are similar, so is the low front cowl and the side swage lines. The roof snorkel is a feature carried over from the F1.' The snorkel itself forms part of the carbon fibre MonoCage.
The dihedral doors of the McLaren P1™ are instrumental in the car's astonishing aerodynamic performance. Unlike the 12C, they have two hinges not one. 'Two small hinges are lighter,' says Stephenson. 'The door is also closer to the body when open.' Their complex shape helps channel clean air to the side mounted radiators, and also cuts the turbulence normally experienced along the side of a car. Their scalloped shapes are all part of Stephenson's philosophy to 'push in' surfaces, and create an almost 'exoskeleton' approach.
'I wanted to take out as much visual weight as possible, to have a car that was really lean; a car with absolutely no fat between the mechanicals and the skin. 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. It was all part of the engineering and design approach to fanatically take out weight.'

CONSTRUCTION-
McLaren is a global pioneer in carbon fibre technology. It introduced the first carbon Formula 1 car (the MP4/1 in 1981), the world's first all-carbon bodied road car (the F1, of 1993), and today it makes more carbon road cars than any other manufacturer. Unsurprisingly, as the flagship for McLaren Automotive, the McLaren P1™ has a carbon fibre monocoque, carbon fibre body panels and a carbon fibre interior. It is the perfect material for strength, light weight, rigidity and durability.

PETROL ENGINE-
The 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine in the McLaren P1™ is a new version of the M838T unit, called M838TQ. It is fitted with an all new pressure charging system to optimise cooling and durability under the higher loads. The engine block has a unique casting, to incorporate the electric motor and also to provide increased stiffness.

The turbochargers are new and run at 2.4 bar (compared to the 12C which runs at 2.2 bar), while the compressor and turbine housing are bespoke to McLaren. As with the 12C and 12C Spider, the turbos are water-cooled and oil lubricated.

The petrol engine on its own produces 737PS (727 bhp) at 7500rpm, and 720Nm of torque from 4000rpm. Naturally, the engine has dry sump lubrication, as on a Formula 1 car, and a low sited flat plane crankshaft - to lower the centre of gravity.

IPAS PETROL-ELECTRIC-
The default mode for the McLaren P1™ is in IPAS drive, when both petrol and electric motors combine. Together, combined power is 916PS (903 bhp) and torque is 900Nm - although this is limited to protect the clutch.

The electric motor does far more than just add extra ultimate power and torque. The instant response of the electric motor provides sharper throttle response that is normally associated with a normally aspirated motor. This is especially beneficial when mated to a petrol engine using large turbochargers. 'It's particularly useful just after gear shifts to "fill in" the torque gap when the turbos are responding,' says Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin. A further benefit is that the electric motor can provide faster upshifts. This is achieved by the electric motor providing negative torque, which makes the engine revs drop as quickly and efficiently as possible to the required engine speed for the upshift.

The use of an electric motor, and an all new pressure charging system, enables the McLaren P1™ both to have sharper throttle response and more top-end power - the perfect combination for high performance.

Unlike many other powertrains that use both petrol and electric power, the petrol motor on the McLaren P1™ is always active - unless it's in E mode. It will not continuously cycle between drive modes. 'We didn't even try to do it,' says Dan Parry-Williams. 'We felt that it would detract from the driving experience to have more unexpected engine starts than absolutely necessary. Believe me, you'd notice if a 737PS petrol engine suddenly starts up behind you.' At standstill, such as at traffic lights or a junction, the petrol engine will switch off automatically when the brake pedal is depressed, and restart again when released.