McLaren W1 ‘Supercar’ Sees Global Launch, Makes Whooping 1258 Horsepower

SAUDI ARABIA : McLaren has revealed its most powerful production car ever, the W1. The manufacturer calls it ‘the Real Supercar’ and it comes with a high-performance, twin-turbocharged, hybrid V8 powertrain.

McLaren’s most powerful production-version sportscar ever, the W1 has been launched globally. It carries McLaren’s racing genes from the F1 and the P1 race cars. The W1 is a special car for the brand as it is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of McLaren’s first Formula 1 World Championship win.

 

McLaren W1: Dimensions and Weight

The McLaren W1 is a sleek car, however, proper dimension details of the car aren’t available yet. But, being a sports car, we expect it to be low in height, slightly long, and very aerodynamic.

Weight (dry)	1,399 kgs (3,084 lbs)
Fuel tank capacity	62 liters (16 UK gallons / 19 US gallons)
Luggage capacity	118/87 liters (wet/DIN)

McLaren W1: Powertrain Configuration

The McLaren W1 is equipped with McLaren’s latest high-performance, twin-turbocharged, hybrid V8 MHP-8 engine paired with an electric motor and an F1-derived battery technology. The W1 has a fast and slick 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with integrated E-differential and E-reverse. It comes with a rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration.

 

Being the fastest road-legal McLaren, the W1 makes an incredible power output of 1258 horses and 1340 Nm of torque (988 lb-ft). These power figures result in the best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 911PS/tonne. The W1 sports car takes just 2.9 seconds to go from 0 to 100 kmph. Its 0 to 200 kmph acceleration timing is just 5.8 seconds. 

The McLaren W1 has an impressive top speed of 350 kmph (217 mph). The electric motor and battery it has is only meant to support the engine to deliver thrilling performance. However, you can also drive the W1 for 2 km in all-electric mode.

McLaren W1: Exterior Design & Features

The McLaren W1 is the epitome of art. It comes with a basic sports car silhouette and has a stunning design that can be instantly recognizable as a McLaren. The sportscar features a dual-tone black and yellow color scheme. The W1 looks fast and aggressive from all directions. 

Its sculpted body panels and flowing bodylines along with looking awesome add to the aerodynamics. Its butterfly doors open upwards and enhance its overall appeal even more. The rear spoiler with active aero is the cherry on the cake.

The McLaren W1 features the best active aerodynamics, ever achieved in a road-legal McLaren car. The sportscar has an all-new purpose-built McLaren Aerocell and the new McLaren Active Long Tail. This works as the most important component of the active aerodynamics of the car delivering exceptional performance, by tweaking the positions of the front intake vent and the rear spoiler on the go, based on the acceleration and braking inputs. 

It also has an active suspension which compresses in the race mode, resulting in less drag. The entire active aero on the W1 produces a total of 1,000 kg of downforce.

McLaren W1: Cabin Comfort & Features

The McLaren W1 has a sporty cabin that can only accommodate two people, the driver and the passenger. The cockpit features a large horizontal driver’s display and a three-spoke hydraulic performance steering wheel with paddle shifters. The position of the steering wheel and the foot control pedals can be adjusted to the driver’s liking.

The multimedia display in the center of the dashboard is vertically placed and has Apple CarPlay compatibility. The seats and upholstery are made of high-quality fabric and feature a dual-tone black and yellow color theme.

All in all, the McLaren W1 is an amazing and special car that symbolizes the brand’s capabilities and commitment towards performance. Its stunning design will turn heads everywhere it will go. Plus, the loud and incredibly exhaust note will make sure to keep others informed of your arrival. 

And when you don’t want to be seen, then that twin-turbocharged hybrid V8 engine will take care of that as well. Those 1,258 horses will make sure that the people only see a yellow blur and hear the powerful roar of the exhaust as the W1 zooms past them.