McLaren W1 - The Real Supercar

The McLaren W1 is the ground-breaking successor to two of the greatest supercars ever – the McLaren F1 and McLaren P1TM – and elevates the McLaren ‘1’ car lineage to new heights in every aspect of performance.

The Ultimate expression of a real supercar, the new W1 has been created according to the McLaren ethos of class-leading performance, informed by the core principles that underpin every McLaren supercar: epic power applied through cutting-edge aerodynamics and lightweight chassis technologies; the highest levels of dynamic excellence and the purest driver connection; the perfect driver environment, for all driving situations; and awe-inspiring visual and aural drama.

All of McLaren’s significant and renowned expertise in lightweight engineering and aerodynamic performance, inspired by years of racing innovation and the company’s World Championship mindset, was applied to W1. The engineering team behind the new McLaren Ultimate model have between them contributed to 16 McLaren Formula 1 World Championship titles across driver and constructor categories. This expertise as part of a bigger team has resulted in the most focused supercar that McLaren has ever built, but also one with a huge breadth of capability.

“The McLaren W1 is a celebration of both the excellence of the iconic McLaren F1 and McLaren P1TM and the manifestation of McLaren’s World Championship mindset. With our new Ultimate supercar, we are again pushing the boundaries of real supercar performance with an epic hybrid powertrain featuring our all-new MHP-8 V8 engine, the most advanced aerodynamic platform of any McLaren road car and extensive use of advanced lightweight materials. This allows us to engineer a supreme track driving experience from the same car that gives unparalleled driving enjoyment on the road.

“Formula 1-derived aerodynamics, pure rear-wheel drive and McLaren hydraulic performance steering showcase McLaren’s approach to purposeful innovation as a racing company that always delivers the best possible performance. It is therefore no surprise that the new W1 is our fastest-lapping and fastest accelerating road-legal car ever. It also provides the purest driver connection by remaining true to the principles that underpin the ultimate supercar driving experience. This really is a car that only McLaren could create.”

Michael Leiters, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive

W1 is a supercar for all occasions; more than any other McLaren, it is equally at home on road and track and as the fastest-lapping and fastest accelerating McLaren road-legal supercar yet, is exhilarating to drive whatever the circumstances.

The spine-tingling driver enjoyment ensured by the W1’s revolutionary new high-downforce, low-drag, ground-effect aerodynamics design is further enhanced by the unique transformation process from Road mode to Race mode for track driving: W1’s ride height lowers (by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear) and a heave system stiffens the suspension. Front and rear active wings are deployed, with the McLaren Active Long Tail extending rearwards by up to 300mm to assist in generating the 1,000kg of downforce available in W1.

The all-new MHP-8 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that debuts in W1 is coupled with a power-dense E-module to deliver scintillating speed. The epic power of this all-new 1275PS High-Performance Hybrid powertrain and McLaren’s relentless dedication to lightweight engineering has resulted in levels of performance previously only attainable by track-only supercars and race cars.

Just as the W1 name celebrates McLaren’s World Championship mindset, the date of the public reveal of the car was also chosen with this in mind: October 6th 2024 is the 50th anniversary of Emerson Fittipaldi sealing McLaren’s first Formula 1 Drivers and Constructors World Championships.

Epic performance from V8 High-Performance Hybrid powertrain with pure RWD

At the heart of W1 is an all-new High-Performance Hybrid powertrain, comprising McLaren’s all-new MHP-8 V8 combustion engine, an all-new E-module (integrating a radial flux electric motor and motor control unit), and an 8-speed transmission with E-reverse. Power and torque are to the rear wheels only, through an E-differential.

The 928PS of the new V8 and 347PS of the E-module combine to produce 1275PS, giving W1 the highest-ever power output of any McLaren and putting it above all core competitors. Engineered for epic power delivery and breathtaking performance, the powertrain combines with a vehicle weight of 1,399kg to deliver an astonishing power-to-weight ratio of 911PS/tonne for W1 – the highest-ever for any road-legal McLaren and more importantly, best-in-class.

This huge amount of power, together with total torque of 1340Nm and instant throttle response from the E-module, gives W1 astonishing acceleration figures: 0-100km/h takes 2.7 seconds, 0–200km/h (124mph) is possible in just 5.8 seconds and 0-300km/h (186mph) can be achieved in under 12.7 seconds.

McLaren has challenged convention by choosing to retain the purity of a rear-wheel-drive chassis in a car with this much power and torque, at a time when competitors are turning to front-wheel-drive assistance. Only McLaren could successfully achieve acceleration of this magnitude with dynamic performance to match in a rear-wheel-drive supercar, thanks to its extensive heritage in Formula 1 which exclusively deploys power through the rear wheels to reach the pinnacle of performance and ultimate steering precision.

McLaren’s all-new MHP-8 flat plane crank 90-degree V8 engine is central to the delivery of the W1’s epic power. Designed from the outset to be at the centre of the very best electrified powertrains, the twin-turbocharged 3,988cc unit has a lightweight block, cylinder heads and pistons in aluminium and showcases McLaren’s expertise in engineering combustion engines that set new standards – for example, plasma spray coated cylinder bores are employed to allow engine speeds of up to 9,200rpm.

https://cars.mclaren.com/us-en/W1