The long anticipated successor to the McLaren F1 hypercar has finally been revealed as then UK brand reveals one of the world's fastest and most expensive cars ever made.
McLaren's latest creation is called the P1, and it will appear in front of the public at the 2012 Paris Motor Show next week.
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This car however will not actually reach showrooms, because it is described as a "design study", one which previews a production version of the McLaren F1's successor that'll go on sale sometime in 2013.
The name "P1" likely refers to the McLaren Formula One team and its constant strive for pole position at each Grand Prix. The pole position is of course also referred at times as Position 1 or just P1, a short but bold name then for McLaren's new car.
P1 was in fact the original project name for the McLaren F1 supercar.
The McLaren F1 made a big impression in the motoring world when it set a new record top speed of 242mph to become the fastest production road car in the world, a title it held between 1998 and 2005.
The McLaren P1 has a lot to live up to, not just to match up to such a famous predecessor, but it also faces other emerging and stunning competitors in the
McLaren have not exactly played down expectations for the P1 however. The head of the McLaren car division, Ron Dennis, has gone as far as to say the P1 will be "the most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made".
But does this car have the looks and the equipment to impressive both spectators and drivers?
First impressions
The P1 bares some similar design features found on McLaren's previous supercar the MP4-12C. The car however has a much more aggressive and extreme look wrapped around a lower and wider body.
The look is completed with a short nose and very wide carbon fibre mouth at the front, and a highly sculpture and complex looking rear-end with a single and large central exhaust placed way above the large diffuser.
There are not yet any images or details regarding the interior of the McLaren P1.
Judging from the outside, the P1 is certainly a lot less conservative in its styling then the McLaren MP4-12C , and as a result fits right in with the other extremely fast and extreme-looking supercars of modern time like the Bugatti Veyron and the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder.
Engine and performance
McLaren is keeping itself tight-lipped in regards both the pricing and performance of the P1, all the company has confirmed is both figures will sit above McLaren's other supercars the MP4-12C and the 12C Spider.
Rumours from other motoring websites suggest the P1 has a similar 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine to the MP4-12C, albeit with its current power output increased from 616bhp, up to over 650bhp, possibly even totalling now at 1,000bhp.
Even if it does in fact deliver that much power, other reports suggest that McLaren are not aiming to reclaim the crown for world's fastest production road car.
Expect a very impressive top speed for the P1, but not one that will beat the current record holder, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which can clock 258mph when pushed.
Other reports speculate that the P1 could also boast a monocoque and other panels made of carbon fibre, plus a F1-style KERS hybrid device which acts like a performance booster.
Another thing worth noting is that the P1 does not have a rear spoiler, and therefore will probably rely on moving aerodynamic parts underneath and around the car to reduce drag on the straights and improve grip through the corners.
In short
The McLaren P1 is an intriguing concept which will undoubtedly garner much attention when it appears at this year's Paris Motor Show next week. Some reports in the media suggest that those who attend Paris can place an order for the production-ready P1, although first deliveries may not arrive until 2014.
More details on performance and pricing will likely be given next week when the P1 is presented at Paris.
Written by Stephen Goldasz