W1’s turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 puts out a huge 915bhp on its own
New hypercar packs a huge 1258bhp but is limited to the same 217mph top speed as its P1 predecessor
The new McLaren W1 hypercar will not chase “Top Trumps numbers” but instead prioritise driver engagement and tractability in the real world.
Although its 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine and electric motor combine for a bombastic 1258bhp, it’s electronically limited to a top speed of 217mph.
This figure matches the W1’s predecessor, the P1. It’s also 23mph short of the number clocked by the 1992 McLaren F1, which was the world’s fastest road car for more than a decade – with half the W1’s power.
Asked by Autocar why McLaren decided not to chase a new speed record, W1 vehicle line director Alex Gibson explained: “Ultimate top speed – Top Trumps – is not a number that we’re chasing with this product.
“To go to 400kph, 450kph [249mph, 280mph], there are compromises you have to make for real-world accessible driving on the road and track. Those were avenues we didn’t want to pursue with this product.
“We didn’t want to get into really stiff sidewalls on the tyres, because then you compromise ride comfort on your day-to-day drives, which is the most accessible time. Most of the time this car will be used will be your point-to-point driving experience.”
McLaren’s head of performance, Marcus Waite, suggested the top speed was limited because the W1 “needs to retain a certain harmony”.
“It’s got so many roles to play: to be a car that can accelerate faster than a Speedtail, that can be faster around a track than a Senna,” he said. “We had to find a place that the car settled well.
“When we reflect on the choices that we can make, one of them is about how much cornering potential we keep in the car, and we’re clearly trading that. Even with our super-low-drag underfloor-generated ground-effect downforce, there’s still some drag under the car. It could push on a bit past 350kph [217mph] but actually, for the way we’ve designed the car to be used, that’s the right place for us now.”
To that end, McLaren made several key decisions to improve the W1’s tractability and overall driver engagement on the open road.
Key to this is the decision to send the car’s huge power reserves through the rear wheels alone, rather than employing a four-wheel drive system for greater traction.
This decision was made to preserve the steering feel for which McLaren’s previous models have received much praise, said Waite; its hydraulic power assistance would not have fit in the car had a driveline to the front wheels or an extra electric motor been added.
Using rear-wheel drive also helped to cut weight significantly.
Waite explained: “With all-wheel drive, particularly by the time you’re accelerating all the time, you’re traction-limited. Up to around 130kph [81mph] using the front tyres is really helpful; there’s many parts of a circuit where that’s a benefit. However, you’re carrying around, depending on which system you use, 60, 70, 80kg, and that’s weight that’s in the car all the time.
“So it’s fairly close to even [in terms of outright pace] but [with rear-wheel drive] it’s an overall more complete car that’s much more engaging for the driver, and it’s true to who we are to do it this way.”
Torque is limited in first and second gear to reduce wheelspin and boost traction.
Chief powertrain engineer Richard Jackson said: “From a hardware point of view, we try to put that limit just above where the tyre traction limit will be. In reality, it’s going to be right on the limit of traction through first and second gear.”
The W1 also offers a range of driving modes to suit a range of environments, including a road-focused Comfort setting. This limits the car to the 915bhp yielded by its V8 alone, although the motor is still engaged to provide instant throttle response.