Currently reading: McLaren P1 to produce 903bhp - official

McLaren reveals power, torque and CO2 emission data for the new McLaren P1 hypercar

The hybrid powertrain in the new McLaren P1 hypercar will produce 903bhp and emit less than 200g/km of CO2, the company has revealed. Power will come from a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 producing 727bhp at 7500rpm and a 176bhp electric motor mounted directly onto the engine.

McLaren also confirmed the P1 engine’s torque figure of 531lb ft at 4000rpm and the electric motor’s instantly available 192lb ft. Peak combined torque of 664lb ft arrives at 4000rpm.

The electric motor’s 176bhp is also available instantly through a specially developed boost system called Instant Power Assist System (IPAS). It is operated by a steering wheel-mounted button and, McLaren says, gives the car the throttle response of a normally aspirated engine.

The engine, which is a revised version of the M838T unit from the MP4-12C, and electric motor drive the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The P1 will be able to cover up to six miles on electric power alone, drawing on a 96kg battery pack described as having a greater energy density than that of any other car’s.

The battery is mounted on the underside of the P1’s carbonfibre chassis. It can be fully charged in two hours using a plug-in charger that’s stored in the car’s luggage compartment.

McLaren has also confirmed the P1 will feature a Formula 1-inspired Drag Reduction System (DRS) . The DRS, which is operated by a button on the steering wheel, can reduce the rear wing’s angle to lower drag by up to 23 per cent at higher speeds.

Autocar has produced digital books on the McLaren P1 hypercar as well as the F1 and 12C supercars.

Download the McLaren F1 digital edition.

Download the McLaren P1 digital edition.

Download the McLaren 12C digital edition.

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Car review

With hybrid hypercars from Porsche and Ferrari on the horizon, the stakes couldn't be higher - so has the P1 risen to the challenge?

Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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jskater 22 February 2013

Hybrid schmybrid

Do you think that if one asked them nicely (or the cheque was big enough...), McLaren would produce a P1 for a customer without all the electrical rubbish?

Matthew Langton 21 February 2013

"Fan boy" Who the hell uses

"Fan boy"

Who the hell uses such a juvenile term lol

averageman 21 February 2013

Matthew Langton wrote: "Fan

Matthew Langton wrote:

"Fan boy"

Who the hell uses such a juvenile term lol

Brilliant!  You'd be surprised

Peter Cavellini 21 February 2013

But,but!!

It's not really made for the public road is it?, more it's made as a very rich persons toy,a toy to play with when the mood takes you,another car in the collection, the one which will eventually make it's way to the bottom of the Toy box, i'm sorry, as you may have guessed, i'm not impressed, it's a triumph of function over form, a car designed to perform better than the rest,at the expense of looking good,of making you go WOW! when you see one,no,they will all sell of course,and wil probably never see a public road in Britain.