Last McLaren ‘dream car’ rolls off line

The final chapter in the production of the McLaren P1 has now been written as the 375th and final example was completed, bringing the curtain down on the most technologically advanced and dynamically accomplished supercar yet made.

From launch the ground breaking model was designed with one key goal: to be the best drivers’ car on road and track.

Since headlining the debut motor show appearance for McLaren Automotive at the 2012 Paris Motor Show as a design study, the first model in the McLaren Ultimate Series has been writing headlines, breaking lap times and thrilling owners the world over.

Production commenced during the summer of 2013, with all cars sold prior to the first car being delivered, and the first car – finished with Ice Silver paintwork and extensive levels of visual carbon fibre – rolled off the production line during the 50th anniversary celebrations of McLaren in September 2013.

A fitting tribute to Kiwi Bruce McLaren; the man whose dream it was to produce the ultimate drivers’ car.

Following this, each and every car was custom-built to the exacting specifications of its owner, in consultation with the team at McLaren Special Operations (MSO), ensuring that no two cars are the same.

Running at full capacity, the bespoke Ultimate Series production line within the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) finished one car per day, with each individual model taking 17 days to complete on average.

The final production example of the McLaren P1 is finished extensively in stunning pearlescent orange, achieved through a unique tinting process. The colour echoes the shade of the 64th and final McLaren F1 roadcar, chassis no. 075, which went on to inspire Volcano Orange, available today across the McLaren Automotive range.

It features subtle styling elements in raw carbon fibre weave, with the finish only visible externally on the splitter, diffuser and the aerodynamic blades along the lower body, while the superlightweight wheels are finished in silver.

A blend of refinement and purposeful intent is evident inside the cabin, with bespoke styling touches including gloss black detailing for the switchgear, instrument bezels and air conditioning vents. The lightweight carbon fibreshelled racing seats include further MSO craftsmanship, with the final McLaren F1 road car again the inspiration for the final design.

Upholstered in black and orange Alcantara, the contrasting details are carried across to the stitching on the steering wheel. Combining a highly efficient petrol engine and lightweight electric motor, the McLaren P1 was the first of a new breed of supercars, debuting in production form at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

The strictly limited production supercar was the first model in the exclusive Ultimate Series, which crowns the recently announced three McLaren model tiers, above the Super Series and the Sports Series. It rewrote the rulebook and challenged what people believed was possible, as the iconic McLaren F1 had done 20 years previously.

The McLaren P1 introduced a number of new technologies to the supercar world, using techniques and developments from the world of motor sport to enhance performance. Through the pioneering use of weight-saving technologies and materials, including the extensive application of carbon fibre, the McLaren P1 has a dry weight of just 1,450kg. The carbon fibre MonoCage chassis – which incorporates the roof and lower structures, roof snorkel air intake, battery and power electronics housing – weighs just 90kg, making it one of the lightest carbon fibre fullbody structures used in any road car to date. T

The aerodynamic design, coupled with the ground breaking RaceActive Chassis Control suspension system, offers a stiffer and more track-focused set up at the press of a button.

‘Race’ mode stiffens the suspension by 300 percent, pulls the car 50mm lower to produce ground effect aerodynamics, and extends the large active rear wing by 300mm.

The result is 600kg of downforce at well below its maximum speeds (257km/h), which is considerably higher than most other high performance supercars, and more in line with the levels of downforce generated by a GT3 racing car.

This downforce improves cornering ability, especially in high speed corners. The power train comprises a 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine with a lightweight, highly powerful electric motor which, together, produces 673kW at 7,300rpm, and 900Nm of torque.

Through the seamless integration of the 133kW electric motor, 130Nm of torque is available immediately, providing “torque fill” to offset any turbo lag as a result of the larger turbos fitted to the combustion engine.

Through this innovative approach, the McLaren P1 is propelled from a standstill to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds, with 200km/h reached in 6.8 seconds and 300km/h achieved in just 16.5 seconds – a full five seconds quicker than the legendary McLaren F1. Top speed is limited to 350km/h.

This performance is kept under control through braking system developed specifically for the McLaren P1, using materials previously used on the Ariane space programme. Formula 1 technology and expertise ensure optimal performance in every area, providing progressive and predictable braking in the most extreme of conditions, such as high speed track work.

And engine efficiency sees only 8.3L/100km on the EU combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of j194g/km.

The McLaren P1 can also run solely on electric power, with a range of 11km and emissions reducing to zero. As the most extreme model in the McLaren line-up, it was only fitting that the testing programme for the McLaren P1 was the most extreme. The three stages of development prototype – eXperimatal (XP), Validation (VP) and Pre-production (PP) – were tested extensively on the frozen lakes in Northern Sweden during an Arctic winter at temperatures of as low as -30 deg.C before being baked in the desert heat of Arizona, California and Nevada, where temperatures soared as high as 52 deg.C.

The development programme also saw the P1 testing extensively on circuits across the world. The testing phase was focused on durability, refinement and performance, and the final challenge of the development programme was arguably the toughest of the entire programme – a lap time of the fearsome Nürburgring-Nordschleife in less than seven minutes.

The Nürburgring provides the ultimate test of any car, all 20.8km of twisting and undulating tarmac, and to achieve a sub-seven minute lap, an average speed in excess of 178km/h is required – along some of the longest straights, tightest bends, steepest inclines, and more changes in road surface than any other circuit.

In achieving this final objective, the P1 joined the exclusive sub-seven minute club, underlining the goal of being the ultimate drivers’ car on road and track.

Overall, during the development programme, the McLaren P1 covered in excess of 620,000km of testing, equivalent to more than 15 times around the world.