The McLaren W1 is a limited-production

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...

developed by

McLaren Automotive McLaren Automotive ( ; formerly known as McLaren Cars) is a British luxury Automotive industry, automotive Manufacturing, manufacturer based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The main products of the company are sports cars, ...

. It is the successor to the

McLaren P1 The McLaren P1 (codenamed P12) is a flagship sports car produced by British marque McLaren Automotive. Styled by American car designer Frank Stephenson, it is the second installment in McLaren's Ultimate Series after the McLaren F1. Considered ...

. It was unveiled on October 6, 2024. Production is scheduled to commence in 2025, and production is limited to 399 units.

Specifications

McLaren reports the W1 as having a dry weight of and a maximum power output of , resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 911 PS/

tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton in the United States to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the s ...

. It features a

hybrid powertrain Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power, and can come in many configurations. For example, a hybrid may receive its energy by burning gasoline, but swi ...

, combining a 4.0-liter

twin-turbo Twin-turbo is a type of turbo layout in which two turbochargers are used to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case of a direct-injection engine). The most common layout features two identical or mirrored turbochargers in ...

flat-plane crank

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight- cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Origins The first known V8 was the Antoinette, designed by Léon Levavasseur, a ...

(designated MHP-8) with an electric module that includes a radial flux electric motor and a Motor Control Unit (MCU). The electric assistance is designed to improve

throttle response Throttle response or vehicle responsiveness is a measure of how quickly a vehicle's prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine, can increase its power output in response to a driver's request for acceleration. Throttles are not used in dies ...

and performance, with a total system output of and of torque. The W1 has an estimated top speed of 350 km/h (220 mph), capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 2.7 seconds. From a standstill, the vehicle is able to reach 200 km/h (124 mph) in approximately 5.8 seconds. Internal components feature a 62-liter fuel tank and onboard software intended for fuel-efficiency optimization.

Design

The floor and footwell of the W1 are positioned higher than those of the P1, modifying airflow beneath the car. The active aerodynamics system has been updated, with the rear wing controlled by electric motors. The wing can raise, lower, and rotate, functioning as both a

downforce Downforce is a downwards lift force created by the aerodynamic features of a vehicle. If the vehicle is a car, the purpose of downforce is to allow the car to travel faster by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more gri ...

aid and an air brake while also incorporating a DRS mode. The W1's cooling system is structured to manage thermal loads, particularly in high-performance driving conditions. It incorporates three separate water-glycol circuits, each operating at different temperatures: * A high-temperature circuit with four

radiators A radiator is a heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics. A radiator is always a ...

for engine cooling. * A low-temperature circuit for charge cooling. * A dedicated hybrid cooling circuit for the E-module, battery, charger, and DC/DC converter. A total of 10

heat exchanger A heat exchanger is a system used to transfer heat between a source and a working fluid. Heat exchangers are used in both cooling and heating processes. The fluids may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or they may be in direct contac ...

s are included to manage general cooling needs, including

HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC ) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. ...

and oil cooling. The W1 features an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) designed to handle high

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically \boldsymbol\tau, the lowercase Greek letter ''tau''. Wh ...

levels. A

hydraulic Hydraulics () is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counterpart of pneumatics, which concer ...

E-differential determines the torque split between the rear wheels, enhancing mid-corner traction. The W1's E-module contributes up to and is mounted beside the transmission. It features: * A battery designed for rapid power delivery. * Active aero stemming from multiple downforce controls using the spoiler and front bumper. * Second-generation dielectric immersion cooling for effective thermal management. * Onboard charging capability, allowing the battery to be replenished to 80% in 22 minutes. * McLaren’s Active Long Tail Rear Wing, providing multiple modes of downforce. The W1 incorporates ground-effect

aerodynamics Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...

, including an underbody that enhances airflow and downforce, drawing influence from the McLaren Formula 1 Team's engineering, and active aerodynamic elements, including an adjustable front splitter and rear wing. Internal

wind tunnel A wind tunnel is "an apparatus for producing a controlled stream of air for conducting aerodynamic experiments". The experiment is conducted in the test section of the wind tunnel and a complete tunnel configuration includes air ducting to and f ...

tests verify that the W1 has a maximum total downforce of .

References

{{McLaren Automotive W1 Flagship vehicles Coupés Cars introduced in 2024 Rear mid-engine, all-wheel-drive vehicles Sports cars