McLaren is reportedly gearing up to unveil a new hybrid successor to the legendary P1, with an internal codename referring to it as the P18. Recent rumours indicate that this hypercar, which is slated to debut later this year, would be equipped with a cutting-edge plug-in hybrid V8 engine. In the eleven years following the P1's debut, other special variants have been released, but the arrival of a genuine successor has been anxiously anticipated. With its powerful powertrain that integrates an electric motor, a plug-in hybrid V8 engine, and a big displacement internal combustion engine, the forthcoming McLaren P18 is expected to replace the current flagship model as the company's most prominent offering. The combination is set to provide an impressive peak output of more over 1,000bhp, further establishing McLaren as a leader in high-performance vehicle innovation.
What to expect?
Although the expected power output is far higher than the 903bhp of McLaren's previous P1 model, the suggested powertrain is similar to that model. In contrast to the conventional butterfly doors located at the foot of the A-pillars, McLaren may likely opt to install gullwing doors on top of the vehicle. This latest model from McLaren's Ultimate Series codenamed P18, will be the third model to join the lineup after the Elva Speedster and the Speedtail Grand Tourer.
Although McLaren has always been an advocate for EV technology, the business has now made it clear that an EV hypercar is not in the works. Since 2017, McLaren has been testing electric vehicles extensively. They have come to the conclusion that supercar and hypercar applications will have to wait till the end of the decade for this technology to be ready. The main reason for this is that EVs currently can't reliably produce high performance on the racetrack.
Additional details from the News article include a Formula 1-inspired design, a carbon-fibre tub with seats mounted directly for increased rigidity and weight reduction, and a hybrid system that is 70% lighter than McLaren's present technology. Recessed headlights, like the ones on the Artura and 750S supercars, are also likely to be included.
At first, the P1 was touted as the heir apparent to the legendary F1, but McLaren eventually gave that title to the more contemporary Speedtail. At the same time, the F1's designer, Gordon Murray, has unveiled his own successor, the T.50 supercar.
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