McLaren P1

I have not heard, but is it center steering like the F1?

 

I think the P1 will look amazing in motion, but orange isn't the ideal color for it.

Jim.. is there a new thread I'm missing? Noticed that P 4/5CM is on her way back to the NY roads.

 

To expand on Goplay's answer...

People have been led to believe it is just a shell, but even in Paris it had a full interior, and it is also a runner. They've blanked off most sections that would allow you to sneak a peek at any of the mechanicals, but I was told in Paris they were there. The car isn't being run - they've been pushing it around - and they don't plan to talk about the running gear in any great detail until Geneva.

No - two seats in a more traditional configuration, but the interior is very driver focused.

Here's a few renderings I've done. Volcano Orange isn't the color for the car in my eyes either.

>8^)
ER
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Currently the fastest (EU) road legal car is the Radical with 6:48 (with OEM tyres)
20,600 m track (12.8+ miles)
And if one would take a Dauer 962 it will beat that time for sure.

 

Erik, I apologize if you've already answered this question but have you sat in the P1?

 

Can I wait to answer that tomorrow?

>8^)
ER

 

EU road legal is a lot different than worldwide road legal. Ditto for Dauer. Neither of yours are production cars as most would define them. The F70/P1/and 918 are.

 

Cool Shots! Here is a small video I created from Monday:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SarwF7CGSo[/ame]

-Brian

 

I think this is that car, a buddy of mine took this and I posted it in the P1 thread in the English car section (though I think the discussion is relevant here...) Clearly a running car. There's your TT for comparison
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My concern is that the car is apparetnly derived in large part from the fax machine - same monocell, same powerplant architecture and I suspect many other components. If I am paying $1 million, I tend to want a bespoke car, not a car that could be perceived as a hotrodded fax machine

 

Then the car may not be for you. I think McLaren are smart enough to know they could not just dress up a 12C and try to charge a 400% premium for it. Put the two side by side and P1 is clearly in another league.

Also, the Monocell in the 12C has been altered significantly for P1 and given the new name Monocage. The exposed carbon you see on the roof along with the roof scoop are integrated into the chassis on P1 and not just for show.

Once the full car is revealed and specs become clear I think you'll have a better opinion of it. Also seeing it in person seems to make a big impact on most people. Did you have the opportunity when it was in Dallas last week?

>8^)
ER

 

Thank you for the clarification! Looks unbelievable in silver and white. Wowsa!

 

So the F70 which apparently will use a derivative of the F12 engine is not for you either then !

 

You may be right - no, I did not even know it was in Dallas last week. The McLaren dealer does not keep me in the loop, as I did not order a MP4-12C when I got on their list and I think they have just written me off. In all candor, I am not really in the market for a late model exotic car right now; I am too busy squandering money on race cars as my current (and mercurial) view is that ultimate street cars are not very usable. On the street, you can't get anywhere near their performance envelope, but you can have huge anxiety over getting hit, where to park, and scraping at every dip in the road. Then, when you go to the track, you can't get slicks that will fit and brakes fade, engines overheat and consumable costs eat you alive. On top of that, the car is not even in the same league on track as a Radical SR8 or any number of other purpose built cars, so I drive a Caddy CTS-V Wagon 'Round town and race cars on track and that seems a better balance to me. Right this minute, anyway.

Then there is the part of me that wants the exotic look and feel on track and road . . . .

 

How many million(s) for this car? And they still went with 5 lugs instead of a center lock? Makes the wheels look down market from where this car sits in the market.

 

One could argue that the 6.3 V12 is essentially an FXX engine and that makes it as special as an engine can be really.

 

Center-locks are a gimmick on a road car. They serve a purpose in racing where speed during a pit stop is just as important as speed on the track. In the real world, lugs / lug nuts can be just as light and are far more easily serviceable.

Take the McLaren F1 for instance - the wheel nut takes an enormous socket that most will never have handy unless the rolling FACOM tool chest is near. Then the nut requires 600 Nm of force - about 450 lb-ft - which to execute precisely requires a torque wrench that is longer than your arm. It is simply not practical to carry that around with you whereas traditional lugs mean the car is serviceable in an emergency practically anywhere.

>8^)
ER

 

Most of what's on the car is not needed on a road car. The Carrara Gt and other newer Porsche's so it without issue.

I bet the 918 and new Ferrari will both have center locks.

 

Plus it takes 2 people to torque the nut, since someone has to stand on the brakes.

 

Without issue - you sure about that?

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/16/1-700-porsche-911-models-with-center-locking-hubs-recalled/

I stand by my point - it is an impractical gimmick on a road car. If McLaren felt there were benefits that outweighed the compromises, P1 would have them too.

I bet you are correct.

>8^)
ER

 

One could argue that a lot of stuff available on supercars these days are gimmicks. There's no real need for ceramic brakes (on a strict, road-only car), but many think they're neat and as such they are available on many cars. Do we really need 7+ speed transmissions? Huge wings and (on some cars) canards? Or my personal favorite: Carbon fiber interiors?

 

Yes - but besides the cost on those items there's no great reason to exclude them. Center-locks are impractical and serve no real benefit.

>8^)
ER

 

People track their cars so ceramics are useful. So are 7 speed transmissions as they allow for shorter ratios and improved acceleretion. Well... wings or not, aero is important.

 

I think they look cool... is that benefit enough?

The point I was trying to make is that once you pass a certain point, many "features" on modern cars are really there either just to "one-up" the competition or to cater to specific likes of specific customers.

20"+ wheels to me are just silly. As far as I know, they offer no performance advantage over a similar 18" wheel. In fact, the weight gain from the extra 2" is quite a DIS-advantage and outweighs any slight traction advantage from the larger footprint. But most people like them and so they are offered on many performance exotics.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you really wanted to get rid of things on cars that are impractical and serve no real benefit, you could end up with quite a long list.

I'm not disagreeing with you. In fact just the opposite. I think center lock wheels are just one of a whole slew of things that are superfluous on many modern cars.

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. Thanks for reading.

 

Increases in wheel sizes over the years are purely aesthetic. Look at the size of F1 wheels - they don't have any performance issues with those size/profiles.