We’ve lived to see McLaren participate at another international motor show – and this year’s Paris Motor Show was the exclusive host. As expected, they’ve done it in fuss and style, revealing their latest monster – the McLaren P1 supercar, which is due to be launched somewhere at the end of 2013.
The main aspect the British supercar manufacturer has boasted with is the 600 kg downforce, which is reportedly at the highest level among today’s road cars and 5 times better than the one developed by their previous model, the MP4-12C. With a drag coefficient of 0.34 and carbon fiber structure, including a carbon fiber roll-bar over the cabin, this car is extremely light. Unlike the central driving position of the iconic McLaren F1, the P1 will feature its steering wheel on the left, alongside a regular windscreen wiper.
The carbon fiber panels the body of the P1 was crafted from are reportedly “extraordinarily thin”, molded in large sections. In addition, the rear wing can be automatically adjusted up to 300 millimeters towards the rear on the racetrack and 120 mm on regular roads. Under the front of the P1, ahead of the front wheels, we can see two flaps which were mounted there in order to increase the aerodynamic efficiency and downforce, therefore improving the car’s comfort and speed.
In financial terms, though, the joy sort of stops. It’ll be costing somewhere around £800,000.
[McLaren]
